We live in Dehradun, and Rishikesh is close enough to do in a day. It works well as a day out: a morning on the Ganga, an afternoon on foot, and the drive back before the evening rush. Two things changed this year. The rafting season had a stop-start opening, and one of the two old footbridges is shut for repairs. Read the box below before you set off.
Before you go
- Distance
- About 45 km by road from central Dehradun, via Doiwala and Jolly Grant. Holidify gives 45.9 km and Savaari about 44 km; neither says exactly where in each town it measures from, so allow a few km either way.Holidify: Dehradun to Rishikesh road distance, checked 1 Nov 2026
- Rafting season (state rules)
- 1 September to 30 June on the Ganga, under the state’s river rafting rules. The river closes for the monsoon from 1 July; Hindustan Times (Sep 2026) also dates this year’s break from 1 July.Uttarakhand Tourism: river rafting rules (PDF), checked 1 Nov 2026
- Rafting, 2026–27
- The season opened at Shivpuri on 23 Sep 2026, with rides from 24 Sep. On 27 Sep the Tehri Garhwal district tourism officer halted rafting “until further orders” after continuous rain and a rising Ganga. We found no official notice of it restarting. Some operators posted in early October that trips had resumed, but that is their word, not an order. Ask your licensed operator on the morning you go.Hindustan Times, 27 Sep 2026, checked 1 Nov 2026
- Rafting rates
- ₹1,000 to ₹3,500, depending on the route, under the tourism department’s revised rate list for 2026–27 (Sep 2026). Phool Chatti to Nim Beach is the cheapest listed route; Kaudiyala to Nim Beach is ₹3,500. Some operators also sell a shorter Brahmpuri stretch for less; we go by the official list and suggest you ask what is included.ETV Bharat, 24 Sep 2026, checked 1 Nov 2026
- Lakshman Jhula
- Closed since 13 July 2019 on safety grounds. We found no reopening date.Amar Ujala, 26 Jul 2026 (Hindi), checked 1 Nov 2026
- Bajrang Setu
- The new 132 m bridge beside Lakshman Jhula, linking Tapovan and Jonk. On 29 Jul 2026 the PWD said the concrete centre lane would stay free to use round the clock, and that the glass walkways would cost ₹100 per adult and ₹50 per child for two hours, 6 am to 10 pm, once a tender was done. We found no notice that the fee has started.NDTV, 1 Aug 2026, checked 1 Nov 2026
- Ram Jhula
- Fully closed for repairs since late July 2026 (reported 26 Jul). The PWD’s executive engineer in Narendra Nagar said the target was to reopen it by the end of December 2026. Amar Ujala reported repair work still going on in mid-October.Amar Ujala, 26 Jul 2026 (Hindi), checked 1 Nov 2026
- Bus
- UTC lists Dehradun ISBT–Rishikesh routes via Doiwala, via Jolly Grant, via Raipur and via Nepali Farm.UTC Online: routes, checked 1 Nov 2026
- Train
- erail listed no direct train from Dehradun (DDN) to Yog Nagari Rishikesh (YNRK). By rail you change at Haridwar: 52 km from Dehradun, then 22 km on to Yog Nagari Rishikesh.erail.in: Dehradun–Haridwar and Haridwar–Rishikesh, checked 1 Nov 2026
Rafting: is the season running?
The rules give the Ganga a long season, from September to the end of June. In practice the start depends on the river. This year the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board launched the 2026–27 season at Shivpuri on 23 September. Firms got 45-day temporary licences that day, with permanent ones to follow. Three days later the rain came back. As of 27 September, the Tehri Garhwal district tourism and adventure officer said rafting was halted with immediate effect until the weather and the Ganga’s water level had been assessed.
We haven’t found an official notice saying when it restarted. So we don’t promise rafting on any given day. Book with a licensed operator, ask to see the licence, and message them on the morning you leave. The same order can come again after heavy rain upstream, at any point in the season. Check the IMD Dehradun centre’s warnings the night before. Uttarakhand Tourism puts Shivpuri, where the popular stretches start, 19 km beyond Rishikesh, so add that to your day.
The bridges: what’s shut and what’s not
If you last came to Rishikesh a few years ago, the crossings have changed. Lakshman Jhula has been closed since July 2019, after it was found unsafe. Bajrang Setu, the new bridge right next to it, now carries people across between Tapovan and the Jonk side. Its glass walkways are the new photo stop. The PWD has planned a fee for them, but we couldn’t confirm it has started. The concrete centre lane is meant to stay free.
Ram Jhula, the other old footbridge between Muni Ki Reti and Swargashram, has been fully closed for repairs since late July 2026. Twenty piles and 440 suspender wires are being replaced, and the target is the end of December. Until it reopens, the crossings are Janki Setu, in the same Muni Ki Reti–Swargashram stretch, and Bajrang Setu, further upstream at Tapovan. We couldn’t find a recent official notice on Janki Setu either way, so look before you rely on it, and expect the walk to take longer than the map suggests.
Getting there and back
By car. It’s about 45 km from central Dehradun. On busy weekends, Dehradun Police run a traffic plan for Rishikesh. In June 2026 it had three tiers: normal traffic through Nepali Farm, Shyampur and the bypass towards Tapovan and Shivpuri; Lal Tappar and Ranipokhari when it got busier; and Narendranagar as a last resort. It also listed parking at the Transit Camp, Bharat Inter College, near the IDPL post office, Kalikamli Ashram and Nirmal Dharmshala. Plans change from weekend to weekend, so look for the latest one before a Saturday trip.
By bus. UTC runs Dehradun ISBT–Rishikesh buses on several routes. Check UTC’s timetable the day before, including the last bus back.
By train. We wouldn’t, for a day trip. There’s no direct train, so you go to Haridwar and change. Trains from Dehradun to Haridwar include the Jan Shatabdi (12056), the Vande Bharat (22458) and the Shatabdi (12018). From Haridwar to Yog Nagari Rishikesh, the Yoga Express (19031), the Doon Express (13009) and the Utkal Express (18477) all run. Look up each train on NTES and book on IRCTC. From Yog Nagari Rishikesh station you will still need a road ride to the ghats. If you are going to Haridwar anyway, our Haridwar day trip page is a better fit.
A one-day plan, back by 6 pm
Sunset in Dehradun is around 5:30 pm at the start of November and closer to 5:15 pm by the end of it. We plan the day backwards from that.
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| After breakfast | Leave Dehradun in daylight. A pahadi breakfast first is worth it on a river day; tell us the night before. |
| Late morning | Rafting, if your operator has confirmed that morning. Otherwise go straight to the ghats. |
| Early afternoon | Lunch, then cross at Bajrang Setu and walk the far bank. |
| By 4:30 pm | Start back. Leave margin for weekend traffic and the diversions. |
| By 6 pm | Back in Dehradun, soon after dark and ahead of the worst of the evening traffic. |
That means skipping the evening Ganga aarti in Rishikesh. If the aarti matters to you, give it its own day, or see Haridwar’s. Don’t try to fit rafting, Rishikesh and Haridwar into one day. It turns into a day in traffic.
A note on Kunjapuri
Kunjapuri is a Durga temple on a 1,676 m peak, 7 km from Narendra Nagar and 15 km from Rishikesh, according to the Tehri Garhwal district. It is known for its view of the high Himalayan peaks, and many people go for sunrise. We don’t suggest a pre-dawn drive up a hill road as part of a day trip from Dehradun. If you want to see it, go in daylight on a separate day.
River safety
The Ganga at Rishikesh is cold and fast, even where the surface looks calm. As of 27 September 2026, the SDRF and Jal Police were warning people at the ghats to keep away from the river, and police in the Lakshman Jhula, Muni Ki Reti and Tapovan areas asked visitors to avoid ghats, riverbeds and picnic spots because of the high water. We don’t suggest going into the river outside a guided rafting trip. Stay on the steps, and keep children and dogs well back from the edge. In the monsoon, and after heavy rain at any time of year, check IMD warnings and our guide to checking roads and weather before you go.
Why come back to Dehradun for the night
Rishikesh is busy, and on weekends it’s loud. Coming back gives you a quieter evening in our two-bedroom homestay, with a full kitchen and a courtyard that catches the morning sun. Our Instagram bio says “Step into the slow, nostalgic charm of Old Dehradun”, and that is what the evening is for. There’s parking in the courtyard, so a car is easy, and dogs are welcome if you tell us beforehand. See the rooms and check your dates.
Sources: Uttarakhand Tourism: River Rafting/Kayaking (Amendment) Rules, 2015; Garhwal Post (Sep 2025): rafting season 1 Sep–30 Jun; ETV Bharat (Sep 2026): season opening, rates and licences; Hindustan Times (Sep 2026): rafting halted; White World Expeditions (Oct 2026): an operator’s season log and prices; Uttarakhand Tourism: Rishikesh; Amar Ujala (Jul 2026): Ram Jhula closed until December; Amar Ujala (Oct 2026): Ram Jhula repair work; Times of India (Jul 2019): Lakshman Jhula closed; Bhaskar English (Feb 2026): Bajrang Setu; NDTV (Aug 2026): Bajrang Setu fee and timings; Travel + Leisure India (Aug 2026): Bajrang Setu; Economic Times / PTI (Jun 2026): weekend traffic plan; UTC Online: routes; erail.in: Dehradun–Haridwar trains; erail.in: Haridwar–Yog Nagari Rishikesh trains; Holidify: road distance; Savaari: Dehradun to Rishikesh route; District Tehri Garhwal: Kunjapuri; Sunrise-Sunset.org: Dehradun, November 2026.