Rishikesh is compact enough that most of its major landmarks sit along a single stretch of the Ganga, which makes hotel location one of the more practical decisions you’ll make before a trip. To put this list together, I mapped each landmark against actual walking and driving time from Muni Ki Reti, rather than describing everything as vaguely “close by.”
1. Ram Jhula
One of Rishikesh’s two iconic suspension bridges, Ram Jhula sits on the left bank and remains a central point for temples, cafes, and the ghats nearby. From a hotel on the riverbank in Muni Ki Reti, it’s within walking access, and several riverside rooms in the area look directly toward it.
2. Janki Setu
Rishikesh’s newer suspension bridge, on the right bank, sees far less foot traffic than Ram Jhula or Laxman Jhula. It offers a genuinely quieter riverside experience, and hotels in Muni Ki Reti tend to sit close enough to reach it on foot in a few minutes, though it’s worth confirming exact distance with any specific hotel, since this varies more than listings suggest.
3. Parmarth Niketan
Directly across the river, Parmarth Niketan is one of the largest ashrams on the Ganga and home to the well-known evening Ganga Aarti. This ceremony happens at a fixed time each evening, so staying within walking distance matters more than it might seem, it means you can attend without rushing or booking a cab around the schedule.
4. Gita Bhawan
Also across the river, Gita Bhawan is within walking distance for guests staying in Muni Ki Reti, making it easy to combine with a visit to Parmarth Niketan or Bhootnath Temple on the same outing.
5. Bhootnath Temple
A short walk from the same stretch of riverbank, Bhootnath Temple pairs naturally with Parmarth Niketan and Gita Bhawan, since all three sit close enough together to visit in a single evening.
6. Shatrughan Ghat
Within walking distance of Muni Ki Reti, Shatrughan Ghat hosts its own Ganga Aarti, generally smaller and less crowded than the main ceremony at Parmarth Niketan, a reasonable alternative if you’d rather avoid the larger crowds.
7. Beatles Ashram
Once the site of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram, where The Beatles stayed in February 1968 and composed a substantial portion of what became the White Album, this is now part art space, part quiet ruin, with murals and structures left over from its ashram days. It sits within walking distance of the riverside hotels in Muni Ki Reti.
8. Triveni Ghat
About a 10-minute drive from Muni Ki Reti, Triveni Ghat is central Rishikesh’s main ghat, hosting its own large evening Ganga Aarti alongside a busy market area. It’s a genuinely different atmosphere from the quieter ghats closer to Muni Ki Reti, worth visiting specifically if you want to see the more crowded, commercial side of the city’s spiritual life.
9. Laxman Jhula Area
Around a 5-minute drive away, this area includes Rishikesh’s other iconic suspension bridge and the Trayambakeshwar Temple, commonly known as the 13-story temple, or Tera Manzil Temple, for its distinctive tiered structure. It remains one of the more photographed spots in the city, though it can get crowded during peak season, February to March and October to November.
10. Bajrang Setu
A roughly 5-minute drive from Muni Ki Reti, Bajrang Setu is Rishikesh’s newly built glass bridge, one of the newer additions to the city’s collection of river crossings. Worth a visit if you’re curious how the city’s infrastructure has developed alongside its older landmarks, though it’s a newer attraction with less to see around it compared to the older ghats.
Where to Stay, and Why Location Matters Here
Given how many of these landmarks cluster around Muni Ki Reti and the stretch directly across the river, staying somewhere in that area cuts down meaningfully on transport time, and changes what your mornings and evenings actually look like.
The Neeraj Ganga Heritage Palace, built directly on the banks of the Ganga on NH58, Badrinath Highway, sits within walking distance of Ram Jhula, Janki Setu, Beatles Ashram, and Shatrughan Ghat, and looks directly across the river toward Parmarth Niketan, Gita Bhawan, and Bhootnath Temple. Triveni Ghat, Laxman Jhula, and Bajrang Setu are each a short 5 to 10-minute drive away, keeping the full list reachable from one base rather than several.
Rooms include the Maharaja Suite, Royal Family Suites, and Deluxe Rooms, several with private balconies over the river, along with in-house dining at Naivedyam Bhog and Sky Cafe. It’s worth confirming which specific room category guarantees a river view at the time of booking, since this varies by category, not every room at the property faces the water.
Planning Your Itinerary
With 10 landmarks spread across walking distance and short drives, it’s more efficient to group them by proximity than to visit in a fixed order. Ram Jhula, Janki Setu, Beatles Ashram, and Shatrughan Ghat work well as a walking day on one side of the river. Parmarth Niketan, Gita Bhawan, and Bhootnath Temple pair naturally as an evening across the water, timed around the Ganga Aarti. Triveni Ghat, Laxman Jhula, and Bajrang Setu can be combined into a single short drive on a separate day, since they sit in a similar direction from Muni Ki Reti.
This isn’t the only reasonable way to plan the trip, if you’re short on time, prioritizing Parmarth Niketan’s Ganga Aarti and one or two of the bridges will still give you a solid sense of the city.
Why The Neeraj Ganga Heritage Palace Is the Best Stay Near These Attractions
What sets this property apart from simply being “walking distance” to the landmarks above is how much of the view is already built into the stay itself. Guests can see Ram Jhula, Janki Setu, Bhootnath Temple, and the evening Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan directly from their room, with a 180-degree view of Maa Ganga stretching across the riverfront rooms. It’s a rare setup where you don’t have to step out to take in the city’s biggest draws, they’re part of the view from your own balcony.
The location also works well for anyone arriving by river. If you’re finishing a rafting trip nearby, you can step off the raft and walk straight to your room, without needing a cab or auto to get back to the hotel first.
