Spiritual Yoga Retreats in India, Himalaya

Your journey will start from early morning breakfast at Mahatma Yoga Ashram enrooting Gangnani hot spring water, till beautiful hamlet Harsil near Gangotri. Ganganani is famous for Sage Parashar’s hermit who chooses this holy place in Himalaya and performed his penance for many years. On way you will pass through many delightful Himalayan villages and towns, flowing mother Ganges adjacent to your way.

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Afternoon we will reach the magical destination Gangnani to energize your soul. Dip yourself into these steaming hot purifying waters to relax your body before your yogic hike later this week! There is a separate pool for men and women for your privacy, let yourself slowly sink in, and relax.

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After Gangani holy dip you will ascend to even higher into the Himalayas but with a much shorter drive to Harsil at just 28 kilometers. You will find yourself in the quaint, relaxing, picturesque tiny hamlet at Harsil. Overnight stay at Harsil.

Harsil (2620 meters / 8595 feet) is a beautiful, tiny village in the Gangotri area. This beautiful Himalayas small village is enriched with an apple orchard and some picturesque image of snow capping mountains at the bank of Bhagirathi river. Afternoon we will visit, a village at Dharali where the blessings of innumerable rishi and sages who spent countless hours in meditation, prayer, and penance before attainment of Samadhi and It is believed that sage Bhagirath meditated here to bring Mother Ganges down from heaven.

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After morning yoga asana session and breakfast we will trek to mythological Saat Taals (Seven Lakes) which is seven glistening stunning lakes at the top of the mountain.

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After this blissful experience of yoga and meditation at Seven Lakes, we will come back for lunch followed by a short break of relaxation. Visit local neighboring for cultural exchange at Tibetan village at the bank of Bhagirathi river. It will give you a feeling of moving back in time as we venture into the local neighboring.

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The place will experience the peace and tranquility, amongst traditional wooden homes, through gentle swirls of smoke as teapots boil and wood fires glow. The localities are incredibly kind and welcoming; happy to share their culture with you. Night stay at Harsil.

From the blissful village of Harsil after morning yoga asana and breakfast we will drive 19km further to Gangotri ; the fascinating pilgrimage village will be your base camp for yogic trek to the Gomukh.

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A day can be spent while exploring this magical town, the place is full of ashrams, meditate along the river, followed by lunch and then cross the river to trek Pandav Gupha about 6 to 7 Km both way. The evening can be candid moment attending Ganga Aarti Ceremony at Gangotri temple for a blessing from Mother Ganges for the splendid tour ahead.

(From 3048 meters to 3775 meters sea level) Early wake up to start our pilgrimage, hiking 14 kilometers across 6 hours from 3048 meters /10000 foot towards the Gangotri glacier Gomukh! We will be ascending to a height of 3775 meters /12385-foot till Bhojwasa.

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Leaving Gangotri behind, you are entered into a different world. While the magical journey starts, you will see grazing donkeys and ashrams in the wilderness, we will reach the checkpoint of Gangotri National Park. The views are instantly wondrous. Sun's rays bursting between the peaks, we will wind along the dusty path, underneath the majestic Himalayan Mountains towering above. This is a panoramic paradise to practice walking meditation all way!

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The trek is phenomenal, traverse rickety wooden bridges, past inquisitive fluffy 'blue' goats, walking in the imaginable footsteps acknowledging the routes of ancient time’s pilgrims. Just when your energy is starting to fade, there will likely be a Sadhu walking along beside you, in his humble sandals and orange robe, encouraging you to carry on!

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Stop by at Chirbasa (3600mt) for lunch break, continue to trek till Bhojwassa, you are in the Himalayas, just 4 kilometers away from The Source! Rest, eat, rejuvenate and get a good night's sleep.

(From 3775 meters to 3890 meters sea level) Early morning you'll be waking up to the finest views of the Bhagirathi peaks, with a cup of hot chai, stuff yourself with delicious Indian breakfast in your tummy. It is time for us to finally meet the Source of the Ganges. This is the last stretch of our journey. Are you excited?

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This part of the hike is not easy but will reward you is everything you hoped for. Traverse this rocky terrain and scale the boulders before you and finally, you reached at a height of 3890 meters / 12,760 feet, yes you have made it! Congratulations for an ultimate spiritual experience to witness the first appearance of the sacred Goddess Ma Ganga, the living God!

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Four days of mesmerizing unbelievable, trekking in Himalaya and finally, here we are at Gomukh the Snout of Holy Ganges. Source of Mother Ganga herself seems like its living, breathing, and whispering; she loves you, she cleanses you, she reaches deep within your heart and soul to awaken you. You will feel that your legs ache, your lungs have been gasping for breath. Yet, the experience will be one of the most spiritual treks in the Himalayas, through a deeply magnificent and sacred landscape throughout this journey. As you gulp in a deep breath and absorb the beauty around, you will be truly touched hiking to the Source of the Ganges. A life-changing experience.

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After the meditation at the source, walk back to Bhojbasa which is comparatively an easier trek as it’s descending. It’s time to reflect everything you dreamed and achieved in the last five days and to cherish the memories.

We will Trek back from Bhojbasa to Chirbasa (5 KM Trek) & further to Gangotri which will be easier trek as it will be descending compare to the trek upwards. This is time to reflect on everything you have achieved in the last 5 days and to treasure the memories you have made today with Mother Ganga.

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On the way, you can enjoy the high peaks of Gomukha and white sheet of snow all around it. After reaching Harshil you can have lunch at hotel engraved by our team. You can take a rest at Harshil in Hotel or you can enjoy the views and fresh mountain air. The quiet and uninterrupted flow of Bhagirathi on the chest of the valley rejoices everyone, One can take photos here with the group so that you can enjoy these views later also.

On our final day, we will drive back to Rishikesh from Harshil in private transportation. On way will have Brunch or snacks and soon we reached Uttarkashi which is also known as Kashi of the north which means abode of Lord Shiva in northern India.

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Uttarkashi city is situated on the bank of Ganges(Bhagirathi), lies next to a hill Varunavat parwat and between the confluence of two holy rivers Varuna river and Asi river similar to city of Kashi i.e. Varanasi city, This city has a famous Manikarnika Ghat similar to Varanasi city and has a temple dedicated to Shiva (Kashi Vishwanath Temple) in the center of the city with a move to our Yoga Ashram.

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After reaching to Mahatma Yoga ashram - Rishikesh. We will return to Rishikesh in the evening: accomplished, refreshed and renewed! One can opt to check out for their destination on the same day or stay at our ashram accommodation and can have an early morning check out next day.

Our tour will start from Mahatma Yoga Ashram in Rishikesh. We gather evening for group dinner and exchange important and general information about the Chopta & Chandrashila tour to world’s highest Shiva temple till Tungnath. The group dinner gives the opportunity to meet and interact with yoga retreat participants who are already enrolled for two weeks program. After a brief meeting and necessary information about the upcoming yoga and trekking tour, one can rest in a private room.

Early morning wakeup at Mahatma Yoga Ashram at 6 am. We will drive towards Himalaya, enjoying on the route the beautiful mountain views from the windows of our private car. This eight hours journey will take you to the traditional Himalayan village Sari, the first base camp for our Chopta and Chandrashila trek. Breakfast on way at Devaprayag; a unique place and confluence of river Alakananda and Bhagirath to form river holy Ganges. The beautiful confluence of this Indian holiest river is such an admirable view. Lunch break on way.

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By 3-4 PM evening, we will reach Village Sari, settle into the guesthouse and admire the pristine nature. The evening will have a yoga session in nature. Get your body stretch after the long day drive, followed by a peaceful and calming meditation on the hills of the Sari village. Night stay at Sari guesthouse.

This will be our first trekking day! Your yoga mat is calling before you put your trekking shoes on, get ready for asana class in the midst of the morning fresh nature! The morning yoga session will expire with Pranayama and breathing exercises. After a delicious Indian breakfast in the village, it’s time to start hiking in the mighty Himalayas!

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You trek starts with moderate hiking, walking in the Himalayan forest, passing some village houses and a temple along the way. Once the forest ends, there come beautiful views of the Himalayas! If the weather is clear and you are lucky, you can see our trek destination – Chandrashila peak from a distance and below it the holy Tungnath temple - the world’s highest Shiva Temple. The trail continues through a beautiful forest, blooming with pink and red rhododendrons in the spring.

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Rest and relax in between, restore your energy, take a quick break for capturing some viewpoints with good views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

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Soon you will reach the destination of the day – Deoriatal Lake campsite. Spend your time here how you wish to after lunch. The place is a perfect time to enjoy the beauty and soak with some of the powerful energies of the Himalayas! This beautiful lake is surrounded by a nice dense forest of the maple tree. This blooming valleys and wildflowers greet you along with some rare birds of the great Himalayas in this region. The evening will have meditation followed by a group dinner and chat around the campfire next to the lake and what a magnificent night it will be; yes our camp/guesthouse will be right at this beautiful lake side gazing at the star in the night. We have the possibility to choose between tent and guesthouse throughout the trek as per the availability.

Early morning wakeup, get ready and welcome the rising sun with a set of Sun Salutations. Practicing pranayama session in the Himalaya is itself a lifetime memory. Purify your lungs with some yogic breathing exercises. Enjoy hearty Indian breakfast, start the trek and get ready for moderate but longer and challenging than the previous day. Trek 13 km to reach Baniyakund, the trek is about of 7-8 hours via syalmi by passing Rohini Bugyal and then after 6 km drive to Chopta. Hike through some lovely forest trails in the midst of blooming rhododendrons, oak, and dense maple forest.

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On the forest ridges, the trail offers some beautiful unobstructed panoramic view. You can have a glimpse of Kedar Dome, Kala Parvat peaks and Chandrashila peak among other grand peaks of the Himalayas from here. Lunch at one of the viewpoints.

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Hiking in the Chopta forest is memorable, followed by a beautiful bird song in the background, meadows with old shepherd huts. You might spot some tracks of wild animals, like foxes and leopards if you are lucky.

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Afternoon reaches to the Chopta campsite, followed by meditation and dinner. Night stay at this beautiful landscape Chopta at a campsite in a tent/guesthouse.

(The fifth day is for the holy Tungnath temple and Chandrashila peak. The sunrise at temple and Chandrshila makes it magnificent, so we start the trek early, before the sunrise! The pilgrim trail to the Tungnath temple is steep and short, about 2 km, and is a traditional route of the temple from ancient time. Congratulation you are at world’s highest Shiva Temple- Tungnath.

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Ascend about 1.5 km from Tungnath temple to Chandrashila. The top of the Chandrashila peak will award you with unbelievable 360-degree views of over 7000 m peaks on the rising Sun. Witness the sunrise from Chandrashila and capture in your unforgettable memory. The view is truly magical and can be cherish always.

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After the sunrise, it’s time to enjoy the spectacular views, slow descent back to Chopta at the campsite. Practice yoga and have your much-deserved delicious vegetarian lunch! Explore and enjoy the beautiful surrounding of the Chopta village in the afternoon. Night stay at Chopta campsite in a tent/guesthouse.

Start your morning with stretching and light yoga asana with some relaxing pranayama practice that will cure the sore muscles after yesterdays trek! Stuff your tummy with yummy breakfast. Drive back to Rishikesh to reach Mahatma Yoga Ashram around 6 - 7 PM. Dinner at the Ashram with overnight cozy stay.

Breakfast at the Ashram and farewell to the group. Time to say goodbye to your fellow team member, wrapping some beautiful memory, and everything you have achieved during the week. You leave Mahatma Yoga Ashram with a beautiful experience of a yoga and mountain trekking holiday in the powerful Indian Himalayas