Rishikesh riverside camping
- Private tour
- Private vehicle for transfers to and from the camp
- Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
- No payment to start planning
- Bring a light jacket for the evening — riverside temperatures drop noticeably after dark even in the warmer months.
- Insect repellent is worth carrying, particularly in the shoulder seasons around the monsoon.
- As Rishikesh is a dry, vegetarian town, camps do not serve alcohol or meat — plan accordingly if either matters to you.
- Along the banks of the Ganga upstream of Rishikesh town, a number of seasonal camps pitch tents on the riverside sand and meadow for the length of the rafting and adventure season.
What’s included
- Tented accommodation for the night
- Dinner and breakfast at most camps
- The bonfire evening
What’s not included
- Alcohol (Rishikesh is a dry town and camps typically do not serve it)
- Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Any separate activity such as a rafting run unless booked as part of the same package
Cancellation terms are confirmed with your written quote
- No payment is taken until you approve the itinerary.
Pickup or rafting transfer
If combined with rafting, you raft down to the camp itself; otherwise, we transfer you by road from your Rishikesh hotel in the afternoon.
Check-in and settling in
You are shown to your tent and given a rundown of the camp's facilities, meal times and any house rules.
Free time by the river
Afternoons are unstructured — swim in a calm stretch, walk along the bank, or simply relax before the evening.
Bonfire and dinner
As the light goes, the camp lights a bonfire on the riverbank; dinner is usually served around it, often with informal music.
Overnight and departure
You sleep in the tent overnight and are transferred back to Rishikesh town, or on to your next rafting run, the following morning.
Along the banks of the Ganga upstream of Rishikesh town, a number of seasonal camps pitch tents on the riverside sand and meadow for the length of the rafting and adventure season. Most travellers book a night here as part of a combined package with a rafting run, either rafting down to the camp itself or rafting the next morning before heading back to town, rather than as a stand-alone booking.
Evenings typically centre on a bonfire by the river, with camps commonly including dinner and sometimes music or informal entertainment around the fire; mornings are quiet, with the sound of the river and the surrounding forested hills as the main draw.
Good for
Travellers who want an easy taste of the outdoors without a demanding trek — a night in a tent, a bonfire, and a rafting run either side, is a manageable adventure for most fitness levels and works well for couples, groups of friends and families with older children. It is a warm-season activity in tents rather than fixed structures, so it suits travellers comfortable with basic camping conditions rather than those who need hotel-standard facilities every night.
- Bring a light jacket for the evening — riverside temperatures drop noticeably after dark even in the warmer months.
- Tents are basic to comfortable depending on the camp; check with us what level of facilities (attached bathroom versus shared) matters to you before booking.
- Insect repellent is worth carrying, particularly in the shoulder seasons around the monsoon.
- As Rishikesh is a dry, vegetarian town, camps do not serve alcohol or meat — plan accordingly if either matters to you.
Best season and starting point
Camps generally run on the same season as rafting, roughly late September to June, and close through the monsoon from about July to early September when river levels are too high and the ground floods. Meeting point is your Rishikesh hotel for a road transfer, or the rafting put-in point if you are combining the stay with a rafting run down to the camp.
Is riverside camping in Rishikesh safe?
Yes, camps are set up on ground clear of the river's flood line for the season and staffed overnight. As with any outdoor stay, sensible precautions apply — stay within the areas the camp designates, especially after dark near the water.
Do I need to book rafting to stay at a riverside camp?
No, though most travellers combine the two, either rafting to the camp or booking a rafting run the next morning. A camp stay can be booked as a stand-alone overnight if you would rather skip rafting.
What are the tents like?
This varies by camp, from simple tents with shared bathroom facilities to more comfortable options with an attached bathroom. Tell us what matters to you and we will match you to the right camp.
Is alcohol available at the camps?
No. Rishikesh is a dry, vegetarian town and the riverside camps follow the same rule.
When do the camps operate?
Roughly late September to June, the same window as the rafting season. They close through the monsoon, from about July to early September, when the river runs too high for the campsites to be safe or usable.
Reviews
- 5 stars3
- 4 stars2
- 3 stars1
- 2 stars0
- 1 stars0
What our guests say
Sanjay T
Family · Verified trip
5/51 week agoAs a solo female traveller I was slightly nervous, but the driver was professional and respectful throughout, and the office checked in with me each evening. I felt completely looked after.
via Google
Rohan V
Family · Verified trip
4/53 weeks agoVery good day out. Guide was knowledgeable and the driver excellent. The only reason it is not five stars is that the lunch break felt too long when we would rather have seen one more site.
via Google
Lukas S
Solo · Verified trip
4/51 month agoReally good. The early start was tough but paid off in empty courtyards and cool air. One of the stops on the itinerary was swapped without warning, though the replacement was arguably better.
via Google
Priya S
Solo · Verified trip
5/52 months agoFrom the first WhatsApp message to the last drop-off, everything felt personal. Hotels were charming rather than corporate, the driver became a friend, and nothing was ever too much trouble.
via Tripadvisor
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