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Rishikesh riverside camping

Private experience

AdventureRishikesh

Photo: Vvnataraj · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Riverside camps pitched along the banks of the Ganga upstream of Rishikesh town offer tented stays with bonfire evenings, usually booked as an overnight add-on to a rafting run rather than a stand-alone activity. Tents range from simple to comfortable with attached facilities depending on the camp, and the season follows the same window as rafting, roughly late September to June, closing through the monsoon. It suits travellers who want a night by the river without committing to a full trek or resort stay.

Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 13 Sept 2026

Government-approved operatorApproved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • RouteRishikesh
  • Best seasonSeptember to June, and close thr
  • IncludedHotels and meals
  • Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before the start
  • Private vehicle for transfers to and from the camp
  • Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm ISTA named specialist, the same person from first reply to departure.
  • No payment to start planningYou receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

Itinerary

  1. Pickup or rafting transfer

    Step 1

    • If combined with rafting, you raft down to the camp itself; otherwise, we transfer you by road from your Rishikesh hotel in the afternoon.

  2. Check-in and settling in

    Step 2

    • You are shown to your tent and given a rundown of the camp's facilities, meal times and any house rules.

  3. Free time by the river

    Step 3

    • Afternoons are unstructured — swim in a calm stretch, walk along the bank, or simply relax before the evening.

  4. Bonfire and dinner

    Step 4

    • As the light goes, the camp lights a bonfire on the riverbank; dinner is usually served around it, often with informal music.

  5. Overnight and departure

    Step 5

    • You sleep in the tent overnight and are transferred back to Rishikesh town, or on to your next rafting run, the following morning.
A rafting camp on the banks of GangaStep 1 · Pickup or rafting transfer
A rafting camp on the banks of Ganga

For reference only. The final plan is confirmed in your written quote.

Highlights

  • 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.
  • 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.

Full description

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.

Includes

  • Tented accommodation for the night
  • Dinner and breakfast at most camps
  • The bonfire evening

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

Price

Experience My India quotes this trip in INR after confirming your dates, hotel category and group size. The written quote names every hotel and inclusion, and nothing is charged until you approve it.

Important information

Rishikesh

Know before you go

  • 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.

Best season and meeting 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.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

  • Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
  • No payment is taken until you approve the itinerary.

Who it suits

  • 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.

Honest cautions

  • 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.

How booking works

  1. Send an enquiry

    Dates, who is travelling and how you like to travel. Two fields to start.

  2. We check availability

    Hotels, guides and permits for your dates, with honest alternatives if something is full.

  3. Price and hotels named

    Every hotel and inclusion is named before you pay anything.

  4. Written quote in INR

    One document, no hidden lines, valid for the dates it quotes.

  5. You approve

    Change anything you like. Nothing is charged until you say yes.

  6. A named specialist runs it

    The same person from first reply to departure, Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST.

Your trip designer

Gurudutt Kaushal

Founder, Experience My India · IIT Jodhpur

Gurudutt Kaushal founded Experience My India and set the two rules every trip here runs on: hotels and guides are named before you pay, and a human replies within four hours. Your itinerary is designed by one of the 35+ destination specialists on his team and checked against our vetting standard.

About GuruduttMeet our founderHow we vet

Trust and protection

  • Ministry of Tourism approved

    Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • Registered business

    GSTIN 09BZFPM8067A1Z9

  • 4.3 / 5 on Tripadvisor

    Independent guest reviews

  • No payment to start

    A written quote first; charged in INR only after you approve.

Why book with Experience My India

  • Government-approved operator

    Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

  • 500+ vetted local guides

    35+ destination specialists plan every trip by hand.

  • Human help, every day

    Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST · +91 73022 65809

  • No payment until you approve

    You receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

How we vet every guide, stay and routeIndia e-Visa: who needs one and how to applyHave a specialist design this trip

Frequently asked questions

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.

Request a quote

Tell us your dates and whether you want to combine camping with rafting, and we will put together the right overnight stop on the river.

Ask on WhatsApp
  • Private vehicle for transfers to and from the camp
  • Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
  • No payment to start planning

Customer reviews

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