Haridwar sightseeing by cab
Places to visit in Haridwar, and the order to see them
Haridwar's main sights fit in one day by cab. Take the ropeways up to the Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi temples in the morning, then see the Daksha Mahadev temple in Kankhal and Shantikunj on the Rishikesh road. In the evening, walk to Har Ki Pauri for the Ganga aarti at sunset. A second day adds Patanjali Yogpeeth on the Delhi highway, and time for Maya Devi temple and the bazaars on foot.
8 placesroutes from road routing, timed against opening hours
How many days do you need?
Each plan is a real route by cab, timed against opening hours.
Cab for Haridwar sightseeing
Call or message a local Haridwar operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.
Full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator
Opening times of Haridwar's top sights
With the best time to go and how long to stay.
| Place | Open | Best time | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Har Ki Pauri | Open all day. The evening Ganga aarti starts at about sunset: about 17:30 in winter and about 19:00 in summer. A morning aarti is held at about sunrise | Evening, for the Ganga aarti at sunset. Early morning is quieter for a dip. | 2 h |
| Mansa Devi Temple (by ropeway) | Ropeway about 06:00 to 19:00. The temple is open from early morning to about 21:00, with a short offering break from 11:00 to 11:15. One listing says it closes 12:00 to 14:00, so go in the morning | Morning, before the queues and the midday heat. | 2 h |
| Chandi Devi Temple (by ropeway) | Ropeway about 07:00 to 18:00. The temple is open about 06:00 to 20:00 | Early morning, when the ropeway opens. | 2 h |
| Daksha Mahadev Temple, Kankhal | About 06:00 to 19:00 (one listing says to 20:00) | Any time of day; it is busiest in the month of Saavan and on Maha Shivaratri. | 45 min |
| Shantikunj | The ashram is open all day. The Akhand Deep hall opens about 05:30 to 09:00 and 12:30 to 16:30 (listings give 12:00 or 12:30) | Afternoon, when the Akhand Deep hall is open. | 1 h |
| Patanjali Yogpeeth | Planned 09:00 to 17:00. Listings give 08:00 to 18:00 or 20:00; one says 09:00 to 17:00 and closed on Sundays? | Late morning on a weekday. | 2 h |
| Gurukul Kangri Museum | About 09:00 to 17:00 in one listing; the university gives no hours or closed day? | A weekday morning, when the university is open. | 45 min |
| Sureshwari Devi Temple | One listing gives 06:00 to 20:00; it is in the forest, so go in daylight? | Morning. | 1 h |
All 8 places to visit in Haridwar
Har Ki Pauri
2 hHaridwar's main ghat, where the Ganga comes out of the hills. Its name means the steps of Hari, or Vishnu. Every evening at Brahmakund, the heart of the ghat, priests swing big brass lamps over the water while bells ring, and people float small leaf boats with flowers and a lamp down the river.
Not in our plans. Add it if you have time.Mansa Devi Temple (by ropeway)
2 hA temple to the goddess Mansa Devi on Bilwa Parvat, the hill right above Har Ki Pauri. It was built between 1811 and 1815. People tie a thread to a tree in the temple to make a wish, and come back to untie it when the wish comes true. A cable car takes about 2 minutes to the top, with views over the town and the river.
In the 1-day planChandi Devi Temple (by ropeway)
2 hA temple to the goddess Chandi on Neel Parvat, the hill across the river from Har Ki Pauri. The present temple was built in 1929 by the king of Kashmir. With Mansa Devi and Maya Devi it is one of Haridwar's three great goddess temples. The cable car ride takes about 5 minutes over the forest.
In the 1-day planDaksha Mahadev Temple, Kankhal
45 minA Shiva temple in Kankhal, the old town just south of Haridwar, also called Daksheshwar Mahadev. It tells the story of King Daksha, who held a great fire ritual and left out Shiva, and of his daughter Sati, who gave her life in its fire. Sati Kund, the fire pit of the story, is at the temple. The present building is from 1810.
In the 1-day planShantikunj
1 hThe home of the Gayatri Pariwar, a large spiritual movement, set up in 1971 by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya. It is a big, tidy campus of halls and gardens about 6 km north of town on the Rishikesh road. The Akhand Deep, a lamp the movement says has burned since 1926, is the main thing people come to see.
In the 1-day planPatanjali Yogpeeth
2 hBaba Ramdev's yoga and Ayurveda campus on the Delhi highway, opened in 2006. It is huge: an Ayurveda hospital, yoga halls, a library of old books and a herbal garden, plus shops and a canteen selling Patanjali products.
Day 2 of the 2-day planGurukul Kangri Museum
45 minThe archaeology museum of Gurukul Kangri University, started in 1907 and now on three floors of a campus building on the Delhi highway. It has Harappan finds, stone and metal sculptures, more than 4,000 coins, old manuscripts, arms and paintings in the Pahari and Kankhal styles.
Not in our plans. Add it if you have time.Sureshwari Devi Temple
1 hAn old temple to the goddess Durga in the forest of Rajaji National Park, past Ranipur on the west side of Haridwar. It is quiet and green, far from the crowds of the ghats.
Not in our plans. Add it if you have time.Cab routes from and to Haridwar
Questions people ask
What time is the Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri?
At sunset: about 17:30 in winter and about 19:00 in summer. Come about an hour early for a place on the steps. There is also a smaller aarti at sunrise.
Can a cab drive to Har Ki Pauri?
Not onto the ghat. Cars stop on the roads round it and you walk the last part, so these plans end near Har Ki Pauri and leave the aarti to walk. On festival days police close more roads, so expect a longer walk.
Is there one ticket for both ropeways?
Yes. The ropeway company sells a combined ticket for Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi. The Mansa Devi ropeway runs about 06:00 to 19:00 and the Chandi Devi one about 07:00 to 18:00.
Can I see Maya Devi temple?
Yes, on foot from Har Ki Pauri. It is open about 06:30 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 21:00, closed in between. It is not a stop in the plans because we have no reliable map point for it.
What about Bharat Mata Mandir and the Rishikesh road temples?
Bharat Mata Mandir, the eight-floor temple, plus Sapt Rishi Ashram and Pawan Dham are near Shantikunj on the Rishikesh road. Bharat Mata Mandir is open about 05:00 to 21:00, though some listings give a midday break. Ask the driver to stop on the way to Shantikunj; they are not in the plans because we have no reliable map points for them.
Can I add Rishikesh?
Rishikesh is about 30 km up the Ganga by road, with its own bridges, ashrams and evening aarti. It needs its own day, so it is not in these plans. Neelkanth Mahadev is beyond Rishikesh, not near Haridwar.
Can I go on a safari from Haridwar?
Yes, at the Chilla range of Rajaji National Park, about 11 km from town. It opens only from 15 November to 15 June, with morning and afternoon safaris in park jeeps. Book with the park, not the cab.
Is Piran Kaliyar near Haridwar?
The Kaliyar Sharif dargah is about 30 km away by road, near Roorkee. It fits on the way to or from Delhi. It is very crowded during its yearly Urs.
When should I avoid Haridwar?
In the Kanwar Yatra, in July and early August, roads round Haridwar close to cars for days. The Kumbh runs from 14 January to 20 April 2027, and its bathing days bring huge crowds. Weekends and festival days are busy all year.