overview
This nineteen-day yoga journey takes you to the banks of the holy Ganges in Rishikesh. Here you will experience the seven-day yoga festival at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram complex under the supervision of German yoga teacher Carolina. During the festival you will live in the ashram and take part in the festival program with yoga classes, meditations, lectures, ceremonies and meals. Carolina also offers smaller excursions to explore Rishikesh.
After the festival, the group travels via a detour to Haridwar up into the Himalayas to Dharamshala. The Dalai Lama lives here with his Tibetan refugee community. Enjoy the Buddhist-influenced mountain village with its monasteries, Buddhist temples, small cafés and stores.
The five-day yoga trek also starts from here. It goes gently through small mountain villages up to 2900 meters to the holy Kareri Lake. In the mornings and evenings, we offer yoga classes and meditation sessions at the camps. Your trekking cook will provide you with healthy vegetarian meals and you will sleep comfortably in a tent.
As the last highlight of the trip, we take the participants to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. As an option, you can of course leave Delhi one night earlier or extend your journey through India further individually.
Program
Day 1 Arrival Delhi
Upon arrival in Delhi, you will be transferred from the airport to your accommodation in Delhi. Meet your tour guide Carolina and the tour group here
Day 2 Drive to Rishikesh and start of the yoga festival
After breakfast, a comfortable minibus will take you to the Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh for about 5 hours. Once you’ve found your accommodation, you can get straight into the Yoga Festival program.
Day 3 to 8 Yoga Festival in Rishikesh
From morning to evening, a varied program of yoga classes, meditations, lectures, concerts, ceremonies and much more takes place during the festival. Carolina will familiarize you with everyday ashram life at Parmarth Niketan Ashram and visit the festival activities together with you. Of course, you can choose your own program items. Healthy yogic meals are included. Carolina also offers smaller excursions within Rishikesh to experience this spiritual place outside of the festival.
Day 9 Visit Haridwar and overnight bus to Dharamshala in the Himalayas
Before you take the night bus to Dharamshala today, you will visit the holy city of Haridwar on the Ganges with its many temples and bathing ghats. You will then travel by bus for about 12 hours overnight.
Day 10 Exploring Mcleod Ganj
After arriving in Mcleod Ganj and some rest and breakfast, the group will visit the Dalai Lama Temple together and you will make a pilgrimage round the stupas and prayer flags around the temple. Explore the small mountain village with its charming cafés and shops. Who knows, maybe you’ll strike up a nice conversation with a Buddhist monk over a cup of masala chai.
Day 11 Free time in Mcleod Ganj
After a yoga class in the morning, enjoy being out and about on your own in Mcleod Ganj. Smaller excursions are possible on foot, as well as yoga classes and massages.
Day 12-16 Yoga Trekking
This tranquil five-day trekking tour takes you to small mountain villages through the beautiful Himalayan world. In the evening and morning we offer yoga classes in the camp in the middle of nature. During the day, hiking becomes meditation. The highlight is the sacred Kareri Lake at 2900 m.
Day 17 Free time in Mcleod Ganj
Enjoy your last day in the mountains. In the morning, Carolina takes you to the Tushita Buddhism Center for a one-hour guided meditation. The rest of the day is at your disposal.
Day 18 Domestic flight to Delhi and excursion to Agra
After the morning flight to Delhi, the group continues for 4 hours to Agra. In the evening you can take a first look at the Taj Mahal at sunset.
Optionally, you can also return home today.
Day 19 Visit Taj Mahal and return journey
In the morning you will visit the famous Taj Mahal. After a small snack at Sheroes Cafe (run by women who have survived acid attacks), you will head straight to Delhi airport in the afternoon to catch your flight home. If your flight leaves the next morning, we can organize another night near the airport.
Included services
- All accommodations
- Yogic, vegetarian meals as advertised (F: breakfast, M: lunch, A: dinner)
- German-speaking tour guide and yoga teacher
- All transfers and transportation including domestic flight Dharamshala-Delhi and overnight bus Haridwar-Dharamshala
- Yoga Festival Pass
- Five-day yoga trekking with mountain guide and full equipment
- Excursions in Rishikesh
- Excursion to Haridwar
- 1 x yoga class at the Ram Yoga House in Dharamshala
- Entrance Taj Mahal
VisaInternational flightEntrance fee Beatles Ashram approx. 15 € and possibly further entrance fees in AgraInternational flight (we are happy to book the flight for you)
Highlights
Prices and dates
March 06 to March 24, 2027
Group size: 4 to 12 people
Price: 2750 €/person, single room supplement: 450 €
From 8 participants 2550 €/person
Without excursion to Agra: -120 €
Booking until the end of December 10 % discount
Travel info
Tour guide Carolina introduces herself
Sport and exercise in the form of dancing, hiking, jogging, fitness and swimming have always played a big part in my life. Activity and an enormous urge to move are decisive. This is also expressed in my particular passion for traveling, whereby foreign cultures, people and landscape concepts always captivate and enchant me. I discovered silence and meditation in various monasteries for myself, but also in the community.
I have always wanted to try everything. As a teenager, I played soccer very badly, tried my hand at handball and in 2014 I trained hard for my first half marathon. I had a clear goal in mind and could already feel the cheers along the course and at the finish line until a slipped disc stopped me. This taught me to pause for a moment and listen to my body’s signals.
My path led me to Bikram Yoga (yoga at 40 degrees room temperature). I was looking for something that would help me get over my awkwardness, bring me joy and connect body, mind and soul. After about a year, I wanted to learn more about yoga instead of “just” 26 ASANAS (26 exercises), I wanted a stronger connection between meditation and yoga. So I practiced a wide variety of styles and visited different yoga studios.
My 6-month volunteer work in a Nepalese orphanage in 2017/2018 inspired my first visit to Rishikesh, the center of yoga & meditation teachings on the holy river Ganges at the foot of the Himalayas. Here I completed intensive yoga teacher training and took a lot of time for self-reflection. Hatha yoga, the original form of yoga, is where I felt most at home. In 2020, I was once again drawn to Rishikesh, a place that has such a mystical and impressive effect on me. I attended a Mindfulness & Meditation Teacher Training course. This has been an important part of my yoga sessions ever since and helps me to refocus every day.
Together we work on a better and more comfortable body and strengthen the connection between the physical, emotional and mental aspects. My mission is to support you in leading a healthy and fulfilling life.
I firmly believe that physical health and mental well-being are inextricably linked. My holistic approach takes into account not only the physical aspects, but also your feelings and thoughts. I want to help you regain balance in your life and develop your full potential.
requirements
The yoga classes are suitable for all levels and ages.
The yoga trek is a moderate trekking tour. Those who like to hike and spend time in nature will have no problem with the daily hikes of around 5 hours.
More information en
Clothes in the ashram
Please make sure that your clothes cover your shoulders and knees. White clothing can be comfortable during the retreat.
Kurtas, wide, loose trousers or leggings are recommended.
Suitable clothing can also be purchased cheaply in Rishikesh.
What to bring for the ashram stay:
- Loose and light clothing (knee and shoulder covered, preferably white or bright colours)
- a scarf
- thick socks
- Sweater
- Flipflops
- Towels
- Sunglasses
- Toiletries (sunscreen) and small medical equipment (in Rishikesh you can get everything)
- Passport (copy), credit or debit card, some cash in your currency (approx. € 50-100),
- Mobile phone, camera, charger (no adapter), maybe laptop
- notebook, writing material
- a lot of curiosity and excitement
Information about trekking in the Indian Himalayas with Chalo! Travel
Mountain guide and trekking team
On all our treks we have at least one (for larger groups of 6 participants or two) trained local mountain guides. Our mountain guides have all completed at least the Indian mountaineering training, many of them have also taken part in the advanced courses.
You are familiar with the trekking routes and know the terrain excellently. Our mountain guides all speak English.
There is also a local team consisting of a cook (if the group consists of only two participants, the mountain guide also takes on the tasks of the cook), helpers, horsemen with horses or porters, depending on the type of trek.
All our team members have been working with us for years, are very friendly and always strive to provide our guests with a great trekking experience. Their English is rather mediocre or non-existent, but this is not necessarily a hindrance to communicating with them.
