Major city · India
Haridwarहरिद्वार
Give Haridwar one night, two if you want Rajaji park: see Har Ki Pauri at the 19:00 aarti, then move on to Rishikesh or Dehradun.Give Haridwar one night, two if you want Rajaji park: see Har Ki Pauri at the 7:00 PM aarti, then move on to Rishikesh or Dehradun.
Haridwar is where the Ganges leaves the hills for the plains, and the town is built around that: ghats, temples and a river that pilgrims come to bathe in. The centre is walkable and the sightseeing is done in a day, so most trips use it as a one-night stop on the way to Rishikesh, Dehradun or the Garhwal hills. It is a vegetarian, alcohol-free town, and it is at its most crowded during the July Kanwar Mela and the Kumbh years.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- INR
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- avoid Jul (Kanwar Mela crowds), late May–Aug monsoon, Ardh Kumbh 2027 (dates check)
- Airports
- DED · DEL
- Nights
- 1–2
Rules in force · 6
- South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
- South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
- India ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in); lookalike sites charge extra. Check the current rules, fees and how far ahead to apply.
- India ↗Do not follow anyone who says your hotel is closed, the station ticket office is closed or a road is shut; use the prepaid taxi counter, the metro or an app car.
- India ↗Carry Indian rupees in small notes (10, 20, 50, 100); change for 500 is often refused.
- India ↗Parts of the Northeast, Sikkim, Ladakh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and all border belts need a Protected or Restricted Area Permit or an Inner Line Permit for foreigners; check before you book the route.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Haridwar112 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Haridwar, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.India-wide
- SIM or eSIMJio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.India-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap.India-wide
- TippingRestaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.India-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/D/M. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.India-wide
- SafetyHaridwar is a busy pilgrimage town rather than a dangerous one.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages.India-wide
- Emergency numbers112 All services (police, fire, ambulance) · 1363 Tourist helpline (India, 24 h) (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysThe Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays; many museums close on Mondays; banks close on the second and fourth Saturdays…India-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportDED Jolly Grant (Dehradun) (About 20 km (12 mi) from the city centre; taxi to Haridwar around ₹400 (≈ US$5).DED Jolly Grant (Dehradun) (About 12 mi (20 km) from the city centre; taxi to Haridwar around ₹400 (≈ US$5).
- Getting aroundCentral Haridwar is walkable, and Har Ki Pauri to the railway station is about 2 km (1.2 mi).Central Haridwar is walkable, and Har Ki Pauri to the railway station is about 1.2 mi (2 km).
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi, three hours of temples and ashrams₹400 (≈ US$5)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₹400–800 (≈ US$5–10)
- Budget bedDharamshala or guest-house bed, a night, per person₹300 (≈ US$4)
- Mid-range bedDouble room, mid hotel, a night, per room₹1,500 (≈ US$18)
- High-end bedDouble room, mid hotel, a night, per room₹3,500 (≈ US$40)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ₹1,200 (≈ US$14) · Mid ₹2,500 (≈ US$30) · High ₹5,000 (≈ US$60)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- DED Jolly Grant (Dehradun) (About 20 km (12 mi) from the city centre; taxi to Haridwar around ₹400. Frequent flights from Delhi.) · DEL Indira Gandhi International (Delhi) (About 200 km (124 mi); the nearest international airport. Train or car from Delhi.)DED Jolly Grant (Dehradun) (About 12 mi (20 km) from the city centre; taxi to Haridwar around ₹400. Frequent flights from Delhi.) · DEL Indira Gandhi International (Delhi) (About 124 mi (200 km); the nearest international airport. Train or car from Delhi.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Feb
Best
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
Mar
Best
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Apr
not flagged
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
May
Avoid*
38°C (100°F)100°F (38°C)
Jun
Avoid
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
Jul
Avoid
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
Aug
Avoid
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Sep
not flagged
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Oct
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Nov
Best
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Dec
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Best: Oct–Mar. Avoid: May–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest May (38°C (100°F)100°F (38°C)), coolest Jan (7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C) low), wettest Jul (20 rain days), driest Apr (2). Averages, not a forecast.
* only part of the month (early, mid or late).
Weather and climate
Haridwar: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
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Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
3 rd
Feb
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
3 rd
Mar
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
3 rd
Apr
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
2 rd
May
38°C (100°F)100°F (38°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
3 rd
Jun
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
10 rd
Jul
33°C (91°F)91°F (33°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
20 rd
Aug
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
19 rd
Sep
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
12 rd
Oct
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
3 rd
Nov
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
2 rd
Dec
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
2 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Central Haridwar is walkable, and Har Ki Pauri to the railway station is about 2 km. Cycle rickshaws cost around ₹10 for short hops and ₹25 for the station to Har Ki Pauri run. Auto-rickshaws are around ₹200 and a taxi hired for three hours of temples and ashrams around ₹400.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Rishikesh
goDoor to door: About 1–1.5 h
Bus from Haridwar bus stand, about 1 h; a few trains a day are slower and less frequent
Laxman Jhula, riverside ashrams and rafting; easy half-day or overnight.
Dehradun
goDoor to door: About 1–1.5 h
Train from Haridwar Junction, about 1 h
State capital with the Robber's Cave and Sahastradhara side trips.
Rajaji National Park
cautionDoor to door: About 1 h each way (check)
Taxi or jeep from Haridwar; the park spreads across the Haridwar–Dehradun foothills
Elephants, leopards and deer; a 5-hour tour is around ₹1,800 per person and runs early morning or mid-afternoon.
Mussoorie
overnightDoor to door: About 2.5–3 h
Bus or car via Dehradun
Hill station; too far for a comfortable return day.
Lansdowne
overnightDoor to door: About 3–4 h
Bus or car via Kotdwar
Quiet hill cantonment; sleep a night.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Har Ki Pauri and Upper Road
Walk to the aarti and the ghats; noisiest and busiest, book ahead in festival season.
Railway Road and the station area
Hotels, eateries and the bus stand within a few minutes' walk; a 2 km (1.2 mi) walk or short rickshaw ride to Har Ki Pauri.Hotels, eateries and the bus stand within a few minutes' walk; a 1.2 mi (2 km) walk or short rickshaw ride to Har Ki Pauri.
Bhopatwala
Newer hotels about 5 km (3.1 mi) north of the centre; quieter, but you need a rickshaw or taxi for the ghats.Newer hotels about 3.1 mi (5 km) north of the centre; quieter, but you need a rickshaw or taxi for the ghats.
Kankhal
South of the centre near Daksheswar Mahadev temple; less pilgrim traffic, room rates check locally.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ₹1,200–2,500 (≈ US$14–30) excl. bed (2026 estimate, check)
- Mid
- ₹2,500–5,000 (≈ US$30–60) excl. bed (2026 estimate, check)
- High
- ₹5,000 (≈ US$60)+ excl. bed (2026 estimate, check)
Trip budget
| Double room, mid hotel1 × 1 night × ₹1,500 | ₹1,500 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × ₹2,500 | ₹5,000 |
| Jolly Grant airport taxi to Haridwar, one way1 × ₹400 | ₹400 |
| Mansa Devi cable car, return2 × ₹50 | ₹100 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ₹500 | ₹1,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ₹800 |
| Trip total≈ ₹4,400 per person per day, bed included | ₹8,800≈ US$100 |
2026 estimate in rupees, check; travel to Haridwar excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Chole bhature or a thali at a local eatery | ₹30–80 (≈ under US$1) |
| Bengali thali with unlimited servings | ₹40–45 (≈ under US$1) |
| Chotiwalas Special (paneer and veg in tomato base) | ₹75 (≈ under US$1) |
| Cycle rickshaw, short hop / station to Har Ki Pauri | ₹10 (≈ under US$1) / ₹25 (≈ under US$1) |
| Taxi, three hours of temples and ashrams | ₹400 (≈ US$5) |
| Rajaji National Park 5-hour tour | ₹1,800 (≈ US$25) per person |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹400–800 (≈ US$5–10) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Alcohol is banned in Haridwar; the town is vegetarian.
- Touts pose as temple or ghat officials and ask for donations: use the donation boxes at the ghats instead.
- July's Kanwar Mela and Kumbh years fill every hotel and block the roads — book rooms and trains well ahead.
- The bus stand has almost no English signage; check your bus before boarding.
- Monsoon rain (late May–Aug) and summer heat make walking the ghats hard work.
Emergency numbers
- All services (police, fire, ambulance)
- 112
- Tourist helpline (India, 24 h)
- 1363
Pocket card
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Haridwarहरिद्वार
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
इस पते पर ले चलिएTo this address, please
Emergency
- All services112
- Tourist helpline (24 h)1363
Embassy
No embassies in Haridwar; the US, UK, Canadian, Australian and most other embassies are in New Delhi (check addresses).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Jolly Grant airport → Haridwar, taxi: about ₹400 (≈ US$5), 20 km (12 mi)about ₹400 (≈ US$5), 12 mi (20 km)
- Haridwar Junction → Har Ki Pauri, cycle rickshaw: about ₹25 (≈ under US$1), 2 km (1.2 mi)about ₹25 (≈ under US$1), 1.2 mi (2 km)
- Haridwar → Rishikesh, bus: about 1 h; fare check at the stand
Say or show
- नमस्ते — Hello / Namaste (namaste)
- धन्यवाद — Thank you (dhanyavaad)
- कितने का है? — How much is it? (kitne ka hai)
- हर की पौड़ी कहाँ है? — Where is Har Ki Pauri? (Har Ki Pauri kahan hai)
- नहीं, धन्यवाद — No, thank you (nahin, dhanyavaad)
- कृपया मुझे इस पते पर ले चलिए — Please take me to this address (kripya mujhe is pate par le chaliye)
Alcohol is banned in Haridwar and the town is vegetarian; carry small rupee notes for rickshaws and temple donations.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Haridwar. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Oct–Mar · avoid Jul (Kanwar Mela crowds), late May–Aug monsoon, Ardh Kumbh 2027 (dates check) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 5 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for DED: taxi fares and last flights field-checked, plus the Delhi rail fallback.
- Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Har Ki Pauri and Upper Road, the station area, Kankhal, Bhopatwala.
- Place pages with verified aarti times (19:00 summer, 17:45 winter) and temple cable-car cutoffs.
- Festival and monsoon fixtures so the Kanwar Mela and Kumbh weeks can go red.
Sources
Ask about Haridwar
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