Itinerary
We will meet up at Delhi International Airport early in the morning on September 3rd, and travel north to Rishikesh and beyond. Usually, Rishikesh is as far north as a yogi might travel in their exploration of the Himalayas and the Ganges, but for us this Rishikesh will just be a starting point!
We opt not to stay in the town of Rishikesh itself, as it’s become quite congested and hectic. Instead, we’ve found a beautiful resort beyond the city, completely isolated on the bank of the Ganges. It is here that we will acclimate ourselves and spend our days: doing yoga, white water rafting, learning philosophy, engaging in kirtan, and exploring nature. After a few days, we will journey much deeper into the mountains to the sacred town of Badrinath. There we will get breathtakingly beautiful views of the snow-capped Himalayas, the most majestic mountains on earth; an experience so inspirational that words don’t do it justice.
In Badrinath, we will spend several days and: visit the main temple for a special viewing of their early morning worship, soak in the ancient hot springs located adjacent to the temple, hike up to a 400ft waterfall that serves as a source of the Ganges river, and hopefully even take a quick helicopter jaunt (weather permitting), to spend a day trekking around the Valley of the Flowers. After all this, we will descend from the mountains, return to our resort near Rishikesh, spend a night or two, and travel to our final destination, Vrindavan.
In the Himalayas, we will have had the opportunity to experience divine nature in all its glory, but Vrindavan, “The Land of Five Thousand Temples”, has its own charming and unique flavor. Here we will: visit ancient temples, shop in full-blown bazaars in search of buried treasures, engage in ecstatic kirtan, and try our best to enter into the timeless devotional temple culture and ritual, that is so integral to Indian spiritual expression.
Our tour ends on the 9/15 in the early afternoon. We will provide transportation back to the Delhi airport; this is so everyone can fly out on the night of the 15th, or in the early hours of September 16th (as international flights often leave Delhi after midnight).
Notes:
-
Our tours are designed to give you a full experience of the spiritual landscape of India. The tour’s purpose is to facilitate deep introspection and self discovery. As such, everyone will be expected to follow a vegan/vegetarian diet and remain sober, for the duration of the trip. (Please note that these observances will facilitate you having the most authentic experience possible.)
-
We will offer 1-2 yoga classes per day (depending on the day’s schedule); they will be taught by our expert staff.
-
We want you to be as comfortable as possible (because traveling is itself austere). For this reason, we book the absolute nicest accommodation available wherever we go. The places we stay are very nice, but please understand that it’s India, and there’s always some inconvenience. Understanding this, please adopt a pilgrim’s attitude, realizing that being tolerant is part of our journey. This will allow you to have the best time possible