At Devprayag the grey-green Alaknanda, coming down from Badrinath, meets the faster Bhagirathi from Gangotri, and from this point the river is called the Ganga. It is the last and most revered of the Panch Prayag, the five sacred confluences of the Alaknanda, and the first major stop on the road from Rishikesh.
The little town is stacked on the rocky spur between the two rivers, with steps leading down to a bathing platform at the very tip where you can see the two colours of water run side by side.
What to see and do at Devprayag
Go down to the sangam
Cross the footbridge, walk through the bazaar and descend the steps to the confluence. Pilgrims bathe holding chains fixed to the rock, because the current is powerful — do the same or simply dip a hand.
Visit the Raghunathji temple
An old stone temple to Rama stands above the confluence, reached by a flight of steps from the bazaar.
Stop at the highway viewpoint
If you are only passing through, the lay-by on the main road gives the classic view down onto the two rivers and the town. Ask your driver to pull over — it takes ten minutes.
How to get to Devprayag
- From Rishikesh: about 70 km up the Ganga gorge, around two to two and a half hours.
- As a day trip: several guided day tours from Rishikesh include transport and time at the confluence.
Practical tips
- The contrast between the two rivers is clearest outside the monsoon; in July and August both run brown with silt.
- The steps down are steep and can be slippery. Wear shoes with grip.
- Do not swim. The current at the confluence is dangerous.
Best treks & tours for Devprayag
These packages are the easiest way to see Devprayag with a guide, transport and lodging sorted:
Day trip from US$60 From Rishikesh: Devprayag, Where Rivers Meet – A Day Tour
A day out from Rishikesh to Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda meet and the river takes the name Ganga. If your trek transport rushes past the confluence, this is the way to see it properly. Well reviewed.
- The confluence where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda become the Ganga
- The drive up the Ganga gorge from Rishikesh
- Time at the ghat and in the old town
Day trip from US$45 Rishikesh: Devprayag, Vashistha Cave & Temple Day Trip
A slightly shorter day trip that adds the riverside Vashistha Cave, a meditation cave on the Ganga between Rishikesh and Devprayag, to the confluence and its old temple. One five-star review so far and the lowest price of the Devprayag trips.
- The Devprayag confluence and the Raghunath temple
- Vashistha Cave on the banks of the Ganga
- Mountain views along the gorge road
Guided walking tour from US$35 Rishikesh: Cultural Heritage Tour with Ganga Aarti
The best-reviewed Rishikesh experience in our list: a guided day through the ghats, ashrams and lanes that ends with the lamps of the evening aarti on the river. An easy, rewarding way to spend the day before your drive into the mountains.
- Ghats, ashrams, temples and back lanes on foot
- A guide who explains what you are looking at
- The evening Ganga Aarti to finish
