The adventurer's choice

Atali Ganga

Rishikesh

, Uttarakhand

, India

Atali Ganga lies 30 km north of the main Rishikesh town, comfortably avoiding the hordes of travellers that come for day trips or to go on quick temple trails. The fact that Atali is comfortably tucked away from the regular crowds, and yet has easy access to the town, is one of the charms of the property. It lies ensconced amidst the lower Himalayas, overlooking the Ganges below, gushing down from melting glaciers further north.

The property is built in a tiered manner along a hill, offering stunning views of the river and the forested land alongside. Modern, yet earthy aesthetics of the property are in tune with nature. Green roofed cottages are equipped with all amenities and ensuite bathrooms, with beds facing the river. But it’s the pool that becomes the focal point for everyone if they are not on the river. As does the White Water Cafe;.

Atali is surrounded by a reserve forest – a hotspot for birds and local animals. It is a privilege to be around nature all the time, so do keep eyes and ears open to calls of the wild. It could be a barking deer, birds or a lurking leopard. The natural surrounds with of the property, sight and sounds of the river and premium yet earthy aesthetics offer the perfect blend of a comfortable mountain stay.

Our Rating: Premium

Property Type: Wildlife/Nature Lodge

Destination

Rishikesh’s reputation as a destination of adventure and spirituality precedes itself. Located at a convenient distance to drive down from Delhi or a hop away from Dehradun’s airport, Rishikesh is ideal for a short getaway, fill the days with adventure or choose to do nothing. The same holiday can be switched to an experience rich one for days on end, covering activities like hikes, rafting, kayaking, nature walks, bird watching and also explore the spiritual towns within an hours driving distance. Atali is also a great base to reach out to the Upper Himalayas for longer treks – coming down to the comfort of Atali Ganga in Rishikesh would be the perfect stopover,

Atali Ganga’s award winning offering is visibly adventure driven and focuses on sustainability. The team is friendly and to unwind in the comfortable rooms, lounge areas, cafe while surrounded by nature and the music of the river is an idyll like no other. The adventurer’s soul is nourished with river rafting, wall climbing, mountain biking, camping, kayaking and the ‘Eskimo roll’ in the pool. Slow travel did you say? There is always birding and yoga to get in sync yourself with nature. Years of outdoor training and leading scores of river trips around the world gives the seasoned staff of Atali big creds to handle personalised, safe and knowledgeable river activities. At Atali Ganga, you are in good hands!

Accommodation

You have an option to choose from 16 single room cottages, Two-room interconnected cottage and 2 duplex-styled two room cottages at Atali Ganga. 80% of the property is set on the slopes of a hill, so you will have to use steps to get to the cottages. All of them have stunning views of the river and the forest around. The rooms are equipped with a tea maker, yoga mats, eco-conscious products in the bathroom and comfortable beds. Atali encourages you to live your life outdoors. That bird song or call of the barking deer or a skulking leopard, looking out to the sky and hearing forest sounds is living your best moments. Most of the days are likely to be spent ‘adventuring’ around.

Dining

The White Water Cafe is where all the dining, conversations and action takes place. This is the focal point of the property. Expect delicious local, Indian and Continental fare, made by staff from surrounding villages. The freshest vegetables and ingredients are sourced from areas around, offering a means of livelihood to the farming communities in the hills.

Experiences

Atali Ganga rightly calls themselves an ‘activotel’ – there is no missing the wonderful activities close by. And yet, there is an excellent ambience to just unwind.

The in-house pool is a great respite for many who don’t want an only-river experience. Besides, after a long trek or an exhausting river rafting trip, the pool water is the place to relax your muscles.

An in-house spa, Aum, is functional for rejuvenating massages by experts. There is an extensive menu for head and neck massages, Balinese massage, Deep Tissue, Reflexology, Traditional Swedish and Fragrant Aroma massage.

Wake up with the sun and ease into an hour of yoga with an expert. If you want to just practice on your own enough areas are laid with grass and facing the river.

The adventure activities are the largest draw for travellers. River rafting down the Ganga for short and long trips depending on your adventure appetite are available. Besides that there is abseiling, kayaking, mountain biking, camping by the river and many more activities that keep the travellers hooked to adventure. All of them are done under the supervision of experts, and travellers are requested to follow strict guidelines regarding weight, height and age for all adventure activities.

Birding enthusiasts will love the endemic species around. At Atali, you are in the midst of a reserve forest. So at no point of time, you are away from bird song. In-house naturalists have years of experience and can generate a real interest even in birding newbies.

Rishikesh is a great base for easy to difficult hikes and treks. If you are not one for longer treks, then strolling through simple nature trails is a rejuvenating experience in itself.

The famous temple trail of Rishikesh, Haridwar and Devprayag is short distance, in case you are interested in exploring the spiritual loop. This is, after all, the religious heart of Uttarakhand.

Perfect For

A rejuvenating trip to the base of the Himalayas, to be in the company of the gurgling Ganga. Use this as a first step to an adventure filled holiday, or go back to notch up your game. Atali Ganga is made for those who want to holiday a bit differently. For those with walking restrictions, the higher cottages are not recommended as it involves walking up a few levels.

Operational status
Atali Ganga is open all year.

Why we love this place

Every cottage has a great view of nature around. Yet this is an adventure camp, everything and everyone is geared up for action, both on the river and off.

About your host

Vaibhav Kala, the founder of Aquaterra Adventures and Atali Ganga is a well-known name in adventure travel. Having lived in the state and known the Ganga for many of his formative years, his love for Rishikesh, the river and adventure runs deep. This can be seen in Atali too. Kala is a name to reckon with for trekking and white water rafting expeditions. The number of returning guests are a testimony to his warm hospitality and the sharing of his knowledge over so many years. Kala has always been known for, planning and executing trips that were considered too audacious to run. Many will credit Kala for instilling a deep rooted and authentic love for adventure in them. Atali Ganga is built with the same passion, ensuring that guests can truly connect with nature with respect and awe.

Responsible/Sustainable Tourism

Right from the time Atali Ganga began, it was built on eco-conscious principles, ensuring minimal impact in construction and operations.

No Single Use Plastic: Atali Ganga follows the practice of no single use plastic across all aspects of running a hotel. Reusable dispensers are used and plastic garbage bags have been replaced by gunny bags. Products with minimal plastic packaging is emphasized for purchasing.

Safe Garbage Disposal: All waste is segregated and recycled.

Water Conservation: Being in the Himalayan mountains, water is a scarcity and is used preciously. As a policy, bed linen and towels are replaced every two days unless requested.

Energy Efficiency: Making use of glass that allows natural light for common spaces ensures less dependency on artificial lighting.

Nature and Biological Diversity Conservation: The hotel is next to a reserved forest and the property itself has over 200 trees that are well taken care of.

Local Community Engagement: The property supports the local community, hiring staff from around where over 95% of the guides and staff, belong to the Himalayas. Sourcing ingredients for the kitchen from around the property is one of the tenets followed strictly, so that the food is fresh.

Light Footprint Tourism: Building involved the use of stone, wood and other materials found on site or excavated at the time of construction. Local suppliers are used for sourcing and the local farming community is supported thus reducing the carbon mile for sourcing.

Sensitive Destination Discovery: The experiences and activities offered include mountain biking, wall climbing, hikes, yoga, camping and kayaking – all with a low carbon footprint.

Human Touch: The staff comes from the local area and have been skilled and employed both at Atali Ganga and Aquaterra Adventures.

Our Recommendation

This is a great pick for a family friendly holiday, where you can devote time for light adventure, relax by the Ganges, and also check out the spiritual centres of Haridwar and Rishikesh sojourns. Ask for interconnected cottages if you are going as a family.

Can’t find a suitable itinerary that features a destination, experience or accommodation you fancy? All our group tours and holiday ideas can be personalised, or we can create a tailor made itinerary for you.

The adventurer's choice

Atali Ganga