Route library · Camping · Camping
Delhi to Shivpuri — Ganga Riverside Camping
Shivpuri sits on the Ganga about 20 km above Rishikesh, where the river runs clear and fast over a wide, sandy bed. Riverside camps line the bends: tents on the sand, a bonfire in the evening, and rafting on the rapids downstream by day. It is a very easy first camping ride from Delhi — a highway run, no trek, and a proper night by the river.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 500–540 km
- Riding time
- About 5–6 hours each way
- Nights
- One night works; two lets you raft in the morning and still ride back in daylight
- Start point
- Delhi (via Haridwar and Rishikesh)
- Highest point
- About 400 m at the river camps
- Difficulty
- Easy. Good highway to Rishikesh, then a busy, winding stretch of the Char Dham highway to Shivpuri.
- Surface
- Sealed highway all the way; camp access lanes are short and can be sandy or rough
- Best season
- March to June and September to November. Nights are cold in December–January; rafting is closed in the monsoon.
The ride
Delhi → Haridwar → Rishikesh → Shivpuri. Past Rishikesh you turn onto the Char Dham highway toward Devprayag; the road hugs the river for much of the way and is busy with pilgrim traffic in the yatra season.
Book a licensed riverside camp in advance, because rules on beach camping and rafting change, and some stretches are restricted. Rafting usually runs from Shivpuri down to Rishikesh — about 16 km of grade II–III rapids, depending on the water. Keep to reputable operators with safety kayakers and proper life jackets.
Day by day
Delhi to Shivpuri
Delhi → Haridwar → Rishikesh → Shivpuri (5–6 hours). Arrive in the afternoon, settle in at the camp and walk the river.
Rafting and the river
Take a morning raft down the rapids, then have lunch at the camp. Spend the afternoon on the beach or at Rishikesh.
Shivpuri to Delhi
Back through Rishikesh and Haridwar to Delhi. Leave by early afternoon to be home before dark.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is easy up to Rishikesh — Meerut, Roorkee, Haridwar and Rishikesh all have pumps.
- Fill up in Rishikesh before the Shivpuri stretch; pumps on the highway beyond are fewer.
- Camps range from basic tents to comfortable riverside cottages. Confirm what is included, and the arrangements for parking, toilets and waste.
Road & conditions
Sealed throughout. The Delhi–Haridwar highway is fast and busy with trucks and toll plazas; Rishikesh to Shivpuri is the Char Dham highway, a winding two-lane road beside the river, with heavy traffic in the May–June yatra season and landslide risk in the monsoon. Camp access lanes off the highway are short but can be rough or sandy.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Fine on a well-maintained 150–200cc commuter.
- Fuel gap
- No fuel gap worth planning around.
- Spare fuel
- None needed for this route.
- Emergency & logistics
- District hospitals within an hour or so; full mobile coverage; mechanics in every town. A short, low-stakes ride.
Best time to ride
March to June and September to November is the working window. Water is cold even in summer. Nights are cold from December to February. Rafting and river camps close in the monsoon (roughly July to mid-September) when the river runs high.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: a warm layer and sleeping bag if the camp does not provide one, quick-dry clothes for rafting, and a waterproof bag for your phone and wallet.
Ride this with a group
Want to do Shivpuri as a briefed group camping ride? Send an enquiry, or check the rides page for the next outing.