Perched at a height of 249.7 m/ 819 ft
above sea level, the town of Haridwar occupies a position in the
foothills of the Shivalik Himalayas. When River Ganges originates from
the mountains, it traverses down 253 km to enter the Indo Gangetic Plain
of Northern India. It touches the plains for the first time in Haridwar.
That is why Haridwar is also anciently referred to as Gangadwara,
meaning the door to Ganges or the place where the Ganga enters the
plains.
Located in the southwestern part of
the state of Uttarakhand, Haridwar district expands over an area of
2,360 sq km. On the geographical map, Haridwar lies at 29.96 degree
North latitude and 78.16 degree east longitude. As in most parts of the
Uttarakhand region, Haridwar too is mostly covered with forests. These
forested regions also shelter a good number of rare wildlife species.
Rajaji
National Park in Haridwar is one place where you can enjoy
watching the wildlife at close quarters. The national park can be
accessed through any of its multiple gates - Ramgarh Gate, Mohand Gate,
Motichur Gate, Ranipur Gate and
Chilla
Gate. The last three gates are just at a distance of 9 km from Haridwar.
Summers in Haridwar are mild with temperatures ranging between
15 degrees to 39.8 degrees centigrade. Winters are
very chilly in Haridwar and the temperature during this period might
plummet to a minimum of
6 degrees centigrade. The
ideal time to make a trip to Haridwar is between the months of
September
and April.
