Leave Delhi for two nights in Rishikesh, then travel through Dehradun for two nights in Mussoorie before returning to Delhi. Keep the first and last days for the road, with one full day each for Rishikesh and Mussoorie.
Uttarakhand · Delhi · Rishikesh · Mussoorie · India
Rishikesh Illustrative image
Duration
5 days
Attractions
10 stops
Travel style
Self-guided
Pace
Flexible
Trip at a glance
Day
Route
Night stay
1
Delhi → Rishikesh
Rishikesh
2
Rishikesh and nearby river valley
Rishikesh
3
Rishikesh → Dehradun → Mussoorie
Mussoorie
4
Mussoorie, Kempty Falls and Landour
Mussoorie
5
Mussoorie → Dehradun → Delhi
Trip ends in Delhi
About this itinerary
The Ganga, hill walks and viewpoints fit into five days without treating every transfer as another sightseeing day.
This is a road itinerary from Delhi and back, best planned with a car and driver or your own vehicle. Rishikesh is the first base, so there is no need to detour through Dehradun on arrival. The move to Mussoorie runs through Dehradun on Day 3. Leave Day 5 open for the long drive home; if you want a late start or more sightseeing, add another night rather than squeezing it into the return journey.
Day by day itinerary
A day-by-day route with room to explore at your own pace.
Overnight · Rishikesh
Delhi to Rishikesh
Delhi → Rishikesh · Main travel day
Leave Delhi early and make Rishikesh your only destination for the day. The road journey, breaks and check-in will take much of your time. If you arrive with enough daylight and energy, go to Triveni Ghat for the evening aarti. Otherwise have dinner near your stay and save the riverfront for tomorrow.
Set off from Delhi
Early morning
Plan the road journey through the Haridwar corridor, allowing for traffic and rest stops.
Arrive and check in at Rishikesh
Afternoon
Have a break after the drive instead of adding another cross-town outing.
Use the only full Rishikesh day for the experience you most want. Raft in the morning if authorised trips are running and the conditions suit you; a waterfall walk or the Beatles Ashram makes a quieter alternative. Spend the evening around Ram Jhula or Tapovan. Do not try to fit rafting, both side trips and the town into one day.
Choose a rafting trip or a slower start
Morning
Raft only with an authorised operator when river conditions and permissions allow.
Pick one side trip
Afternoon
Walk to Neer Waterfall or visit the Beatles Ashram, depending on time and energy.
Walk the Ram Jhula riverfront
Evening
Find dinner around Ram Jhula or Tapovan. Overnight in Rishikesh.
Rishikesh to Mussoorie
Rishikesh → Dehradun → Mussoorie · Transfer day
Check out and travel via Dehradun to Mussoorie. Keep the move straightforward: the hill road and traffic near town may take longer than expected. Bhatta Falls is an optional pause if the drive is going well. After check-in, walk Mall Road and have dinner close to your new base.
Leave Rishikesh for Mussoorie
Morning
Go via Dehradun and plan the transfer with a traffic buffer.
Pause at Bhatta Falls
If time allows
Keep this detour optional so the afternoon does not become a rush.
Walk Mall Road
Evening
Settle into your new base and choose somewhere for dinner.
Give Mussoorie a full day. Head to Kempty Falls in the morning, then return toward Landour for a slower afternoon and the viewpoint at Lal Tibba. If the weather is clear and you still have energy, finish with a walk on Camel’s Back Road; a café is an equally good ending.
Head out to Kempty Falls
Morning
Allow for the road journey, crowds and a comfortable return to town.
Explore Landour and Lal Tibba
Afternoon
Pause for the views when skies are clear, then make time for a café.
Walk Camel’s Back Road if you wish
Evening
Or stay in town for a slower evening. Overnight in Mussoorie.
Leave Mussoorie after an early breakfast and travel down through Dehradun toward Delhi. Treat this as a full road day, with breaks for food and traffic delays. Do not add Robber’s Cave or another sightseeing detour if you need to be back in Delhi that evening, and avoid an early onward flight or train.
Check out and leave Mussoorie
Early morning
Descend the hill road via Dehradun with a generous time buffer.
Continue toward Delhi
Afternoon
Stop for meals and let traffic determine the pace. Keep sightseeing off the schedule.
Arrive back in Delhi
Evening
The five-day road trip ends in Delhi; plan onward connections for later if possible.
Good to know
Leaving from Delhi makes the first and last days travel days. These decisions help protect the time you have in Rishikesh and Mussoorie.
Keep the Delhi drives clear
Leave Delhi early on Day 1 and reserve Day 5 for the full return from Mussoorie. Traffic around Delhi, Dehradun and the hill road can add hours. If you need more time in the hills, stay another night rather than adding sightseeing to the return drive.
Check rafting on the day
Rafting is optional. Confirm that an authorised operator is running your chosen stretch, that official permissions and river conditions allow it, and that the trip suits your group. Do not build the whole day around an unconfirmed booking.
Choose the season that suits your pace
March to June and October to November are useful general windows for this route. Mussoorie can be cold in winter; monsoon rain may affect roads, trails, waterfalls and river activities. Check the forecast and local updates close to departure.
Pick one Rishikesh side trip
Rafting, Neer Waterfall and the Beatles Ashram are choices for a single full day, not a checklist. Bhatta Falls is only a possible pause on the Mussoorie transfer. Keep the Delhi return day free of detours.
Arrange each part separately
This is a suggested route, not a booked package. Book your stays and transport, and confirm any rafting operator, attraction entry or guided activity independently before you travel.
