RISHIKESH
Straightforward but uphill 3km trail from near Laxman Jhula to a two-tier waterfall with pools. Gets genuinely packed from late morning in peak season (Apr-Jun) with day-trippers from Haridwar; go early for a quieter pool. Do not enter the pools during or just after heavy rain - flash runoff and slippery rock make it unsafe, and wear shoes with grip, not sandals.
Neer Garh is a multi-tiered seasonal waterfall in the forested hills above Tapovan, fed by monsoon and snowmelt streams draining into the Ganges, reachable via a roughly 30-45 minute walk from Laxman Jhula along the old Badrinath highway. Unlike Rishikesh's temple sites, it has no ancient religious history attached to it; its popularity is a more recent phenomenon tied to the rise of backpacker and trekking tourism in Tapovan from the late 20th century onward, when the falls were developed with paths, ticket booths and small food stalls.
