Yoga and India fit together quite well , but what has “Trekking” lost in the headline? And what does “Yoga Trekking” mean in the first place?
In the following article I will try to clarify these questions!
The mighty Himalaya
India is known for beautiful women in Saris, colorful markets, the Taj Mahal, foreign spices, Goa’s beaches and perhaps also for the poverty and poluttion. Few people associate the Himalayas with India, which occupies a large part of the Indian subcontinent and is home to many Hindu gods, such as Parvati and Shiva. In addition, there are countless sacred mountains in the Himalayas that serve as a places of pilgrimage and many yogis and saints come to the great mountains to meditate peacefully here.
The Indian part of the Himalayas is relatively undeveloped in terms of tourism compared to Nepal. Nevertheless, or perhaps one should say, precisely for this reason, it is perfect to experience the beauty and untouchedness of the gigantic mountain world.
There are green mountain meadows where healthy sheep graze; Rushing, clear streams make their way down into the valleys and high peaks covered by snow rise steeply up into the sky. The perfect place for some peace, spirituality and movement!
Trekking- multi-day hiking tours in the mountains
Some tourists come up the narrow, winding roads into the small mountain valley Kullu where the village Manali can be found. From here there are plenty of multi day trekking routes leading in all directions. The organized treks are accompanied by trained mountain guides, load horses and cooks. From the tent, to the cooking equipment to the toilet tent, everything is included during the trekking tours.
Around Manali there are countless treks for a wide variety of needs: there are the easy tours that lead to sacred lakes or over low passes to secluded villages, or the long, strenuous treks to the high and dry mountain deserts of the regions of Ladakh and Spiti. Especially the first variant is perfect for carrying a yoga mat with you to practice yoga in the quiet mountain world.
The perfect combination: trekking and yoga
If you also have a yoga teacher with you and a good cook who prepares delicious and healthy Indian food, then the whole thing is called “Yoga Trekking”.
Yoga Trekking is a harmonic composition of easy day hikes in the beautiful himalayan mountains, with pranayama and Asana practice in the early morning and evening hours, mantra chanting at the campfire and vegetarian Indian food!
Tours can be of all length and lead to beautiful camsites, holy lakes, small villages or low passes. During our Yoga Treks we will never ascend to high, in order to be able to have a nice pranayama practise as well.
Yoga trekking is suitable for everyone: be it the sports junkie, who wants to stretch and calm down a bit in combination with some excersise, the stressed manager who wants toget into balance again, or a practicing yogi who would like to get deeper into the practice and get to know the birthplace of Yoga: India.
The level in the Yoga practise of the participants does not matter either. In the middle of the mountains it is only important to follow your own goal, as well as to find peace and relaxation. The classes will be adupted to everyones need. The hikes themselves often resemble a walking meditation.
The slightly different yoga journey
Especially the summer months are well suited for such an intensive yoga practice in the mountains. Often this type of yoga trip is combined with a visit to sacred Indian cities such as Rishikesh or Varansi and can end with few days at an Ayurveda Resort at the beach in Kerala or Goa.
More information about our Yoga Treks for individual guests and as fixed group departures.
