Rishikesh

Set between the misty foothills of the Indian Himalaya, amidst the cloud-covered jungles of Uttarakhand, the town of Rishikesh is one of Hinduism's spiritual epicentres. Rishikesh was catapulted to western fame when the soul-searching Beatles came in 1968 to attend the ashram of the revered spiritualist Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; thousands of have followed in their footsteps since. Those eager to find themselves between the banks of the holy Ganges should be sure to follow the everyday sights that give the town its spiritual flair; take a dip at the famous Triveni Ghat, join in for the Ganga Aarti amidst pealing temple bells at night, cross the iron-arched Ram and Lakshman Jhulas Bridge to watch pilgrims flock to the riverside or sign up with the sadhus for a round of meditation.

The ashram attended by the Beatles in the 60s has since closed its gates, but its remnants can still be found on the eastern banks of the river, and would-be students can rest assured there are plenty of new ones here to fill the void. Rishikesh tour guides also champion their city’s self-proclaimed epithet as the ‘World Capital of Yoga’. There’s a growing market in adventure tourism too, drawing an increasing number of intrepid travellers to hike in the Himalayas or raft along the Ganga’s waterways.