Leave at 08:00 for the Chandi Devi ropeway, then the Mansa Devi ropeway, the Daksha Mahadev temple in Kankhal, lunch and Shantikunj. It is about 30 km by cab, back near Har Ki Pauri by about 15:45. Then walk to the ghat for the evening aarti. No stop closes on a weekday, so it works on any day.
4 places30 km by cabtimed against opening hours
Day 1
Chandi Devi, Mansa Devi, Kankhal and Shantikunj
Leave at 08:00 for the Chandi Devi ropeway, just across the river, while the queue is short. Then the Mansa Devi ropeway above Har Ki Pauri, the Daksha Mahadev temple in Kankhal, lunch, and the Akhand Deep at Shantikunj on the Rishikesh road. About 30 km by cab, back near Har Ki Pauri by about 15:45, with time to rest before you walk to the ghat for the evening aarti.
08:00 to 15:434 places30 km by cab
1Chandi Devi Temple (by ropeway)
2Mansa Devi Temple (by ropeway)
3Daksha Mahadev Temple, Kankhal
Lunch
4Shantikunj
Back
★
Leave central Haridwar
4.5 km · 6 min by cab
1
Chandi Devi Temple (by ropeway)
2 h here
A 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.
Temples & ghatsRopeway about 07:00 to 18:00. The temple is open about 06:00 to 20:00
Tip: The ropeway starts on the east side of the river, a short drive from town. Use the same combined ticket as Mansa Devi. The ropeway stops at about 18:00, before the temple closes, so do not leave it late.
6 km · 7 min by cab
2
Mansa Devi Temple (by ropeway)
2 h here
A 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.
Temples & ghatsRopeway 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
Tip: The cab drops you at the ropeway on the road below. One combined ticket covers the Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi ropeways. Queues are long at weekends and in festival weeks, so allow 2 hours. You can also walk up a path of about 3 km.
5.3 km · 13 min by cab
3
Daksha Mahadev Temple, Kankhal
45 min here
A 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.
Temples & ghatsAbout 06:00 to 19:00 (one listing says to 20:00)
Tip: Kankhal's lanes are narrow, so the cab may stop a few minutes away. The ghat behind the temple is calmer than Har Ki Pauri.
Lunch, about 1 h. Your driver will know a place nearby. The times after this include it.
9.9 km · 21 min by cab
4
Shantikunj
1 h here
The 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.
Ashrams & yogaThe 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)
Tip: Entry is free. Dress simply and keep your voice low; people live and study here. Two free meals are served to visitors each day.
4.4 km · 11 min by cab back
★
Back at central Haridwar
Drive times come from road routing without traffic. Haridwar's roads round Har Ki Pauri and Upper Road are slow and crowded, and police close them to cars on festival days, in the Kanwar Yatra (July and early August) and during the Kumbh, so allow more time than shown. Opening hours marked ? are not yet confirmed, so check them before you go.
Book a cab for this day
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.
1 × full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator
The hours we planned around. Check before you go on a public holiday.
Place
Open
Best time
Visit
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
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
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)