3 Things To Do In Rishikesh That Don't Include Adventure Sports

6 hours away from Delhi lies a small town in Uttarakhand that is now synonymous to us with adventure. Many go there for river rafting, to jump of a cliff, kayak, trek and what not. And why not? It is an experience that we all should partake only to feel a high that comes only with an adrenaline rush born out adventure sports.

But Lord Shiva's Rishikesh, which is ironically named after Lord Vishnu, is not just somewhere you go to to quench your thirst for adventure sports. There is a lot of culture and good vibes to entertain yourself with. Travellers from all over the world flock here for yoga courses, to find their spiritual being, to just chill out. And it is all worth it of course. I didn't stay long enough to get into the whole spiritual aspect this time. But what I did learn is there are three things you should definitely not miss out on.

The Food

From Patio in Aloha On The Ganges, to Chotiwala, to Little Buddha Cafe - Rishikesh has a lot of food to offer. Only, it is all vegetarian or vegan but that is not going to be a problem because it is all so good anyway. There are a host of cuisines to try from and you need to make sure you go to a new place to eat for each meal.

Neergarh waterfall

Winding up the mountains, a tiny distance away from the city centre, is a waterfall that may be quite crowded with the people that come - but I will let you in on a secret. Right before where everyone goes is a spot where the waterfall comes down and it is deserted, requiring a tiny trek to head there. We had it all to ourselves and it was one of the best chill scenes nature could offer.

Ganga Aarti

Triveni ghat is nothing like the ghats at Varanasi and that is perfect because it means less crowd, more space to relish the spirituality in the air, and also a better, closer view of the ghat from the river if you walk to the small embankment of stones. And if watching the aarti isn't your thing, you can simply sit by the river with a book and marvel at the river flowing by.

Next weekend then?