At My Spiritual India Tours we’ve decided to specialise in just that - creating magical spiritual experiences. Combining our experience and knowledge of India with our expert team of specialists and travel partners on the ground to offer you a once in a lifetime experience. We provide you with the unique opportunity of immersing yourself in some of the most sacred valleys and ancient temples nestled at the top of the world. All our activities are optional and you can chose to participate at your leisure. All that is required is your willingness to show up and enter your experience.
On arrival in Delhi we will meet at the Hotel. We will have introductions and a briefing of the tour along with a group welcome dinner.
Day 2 | Agra & the Taj Mahal
After an early morning breakfast at the hotel we will depart by private transport for Agra and the Taj Mahal. Upon arrival we will check in to our hotel and spend the afternoon local sightseeing on foot before making our way to the Taj Mahal for a sunset tour.
Visiting the Taj Mahal at sunset is a truly magical experience, as the light plays on the marble of the tomb and its reflection shimmers in the water.
Heartbroken after the death of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, during the birth of their 14th child, Shah Jahan set about building the world’s most beautiful monument in her honour. It took a workforce of more than 20,000 men 22 years to build, painstakingly making sure every slab of marble, precious stone and stroke of calligraphy was perfect. It is undoubtedly one of the most impressive sights on earth and the world's greatest symbol of love. We will take rest overnight at our hotel before heading to Varanasi.
Day 3 | Explore Varanasi
After our arrival and check in at our hotel we’ll take a walk around Varanasi. An ancient settlement on the banks of the Ganges, Varanasi is India’s spiritual capital and important among numerous faiths. Varanasi’s 84 ghats - stone embankments that step down into the river- are its most iconic sight. Most are crowded with pilgrims performing ritual ablutions in the river waters while a few are used solely for cremation. Sublime and sometimes shocking to visitors, the whole experience is utterly unforgettable. The rest of city is home to some 23,000 temples, the sandstone Ramnagar Fort and numerous centres of education, philosophy, music and art. Small-scale industries and household production employ most of Varanasi’s residents and its winding alleyways are one of the best places to find fine silks, carpets and crafts. On this walk you will see the back alleys, old havelis, temples, labyrinth of streets, street vendors and pilgrims that line the banks of the Ganges.
In the evening, we will be take a walk down to Assi Ghats and experience the evening aarti prayer, one of the most important and popular ceremonies of the Hindu faith sometimes called the 'ceremony of light' that involves waving lighted wicks before the sacred images to infuse the flames with the deities’ love, energy and blessings. You will also float your own lamps down the river.
Day 4 | Varanasi Tour & Sail along Ganges
This morning we will be picked up early from our hotel for the beginning of a private tour of Varanasi. Varanassi offers a close look at some of the most sacred traditions in India that are still followed today. Be a part of the morning Ganga Aarti ceremony at Assi Ghat, watch Akhada, sail along the holy waters of the Ganges, visit Vishwanath temple of Lord Shiva, learn about different ghats, and end with a cup of chai tea before being returned to our hotel.
Day 5 | Discover Rishikesh & Ashram Life
On arrival at the airport we will depart for Deradun. Once there we use private transport to Rishikesh and register at the ashram where we will be staying for 3 nights. Enjoy your days at one of Rishikesh’s most notorious ashrams owned by world reknowned yogi, in the mountains with a plethora of wellness experiences such as twice daily yoga and meditation classes, nature walks, ayervedic treatments, and wonderful food.
The vision for the ashram is to create a comfortable, nurturing sanctuary for spiritual seekers from around the world where they will have safe, clean food and water, and guidance for their yogic journey. The ashram also promotes a specific type of Yoga, the holistic, non-sectarian yoga teachings of its founders, in which students are encouraged to practice all aspects of the diverse tradition of yoga: satkarma, asana, pranayama, Vedic mantra, kiirtan, and meditation, as well as to contemplate various traditions in yoga philosophy: Vedanta, Ta**ra, Samkhya and Classical Yoga. The ashram is located in the dynamic international village of spiritual seekers in an area of Rishikesh called Tapovan, about 250 kms. north of Delhi. The Ganges river valley here is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and it is considered the gateway to the Himalayas.
Tapovan is an ideal location for yoga sadhana; it is named for its heritage as a site for spiritual disciplines. Tap, represents tapas, the practice of spiritual disciplines. Van means forest. So, Tapovan is the forest of the yogis. The Ashram is on a headland above the banks of the Ganges, one of the first open spaces down river from the source of the Ganges. The wind and all the prana carried from the Himalayas whistle down the river valley and blow out over this headland invigorating the ashram area.
Day 6 | Sightseeing Laxman Jhula & Ram Jhula
After a hearty breakfast at the ashram and perhaps some yoga, we will start our day with taking part in the daily agnihortra ceremony or fire puja at the ashram. Yoga is a process of removing that which prevents us from seeing things clearly. Fire puja is one of the many aspect of this yoga tradition.
Agnihotra is a healing fire from the ancient science of Ayurveda and a ritual described in the Vedas. It is a process of purifying the atmosphere through a specially prepared fire performed at sunrise and sunset daily. The fire is prepared in a small copper pyramid of specific size and shape. A magnetic-type field is created with the agni hotra pyramid, which neutralizes negative energies and reinforces positive energies. Brown rice, herbs (samagri), dried cow dung (manure) and ghee (clarified unsalted butter) are the offerings that are burned.
Later in the morning we will head off for some local sightseeing on foot. First, we will go to Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula and spend some time there seeing the famous places around. Built in 1986, Ram jhula is an iconic landmark of Rishikesh while Lakshman Jhula was built in 1929. It is said that Lakshman crossed the river Ganga on jute ropes in this place. On either side of river Ganga, there are many Hindu ashrams and religious centers and numerous small shops and chai shops.
Day 7 | Vashistha Cave & Satsang with Swami Ji
After breakfast at the ashram, we will begin our day with a visit to Vashistha Cave and waterfall. Vashistha Cave or Vashishta Gufa is an ancient cave where the great Sage Vashishtha meditated here for a long time. According to Hindu mythology, Guru Vashistha was a manas Putra (human son) of Lord Brahma and one of the seven great sages (Saptarishi). Located at a distance of 25 km from Rishikesh on Badrinath road, Vashistha Cave is popular among visitors coming to Rishikesh for deep meditation.
People visiting here often feel a profound sense of peace and calm. There is a shivlingam in the cave. The Linga symbol is an attempt to give form to the formless, referred as Supreme Being or Brahman in Hindu religion. When a Linga is installed on a Yoni, it represents the union of Shiva and Shakti – the beginning of creation.
After lunch we will have an ayurvedic cooking lesson by an where we will learn how to prepare several dishes.
In the afternoon we will head to an interreligious monastic ashram dedicated to the Oneness of Truth and the teachings of Non-Duality (Advaita). It values silence, contemplation and Self-Enquiry. The entire place and surrounds are filled with high energy and are most conducive for spiritual sadhana and the process of Awakening.
The Ashram Community is under the spiritual guidance of its Head Monk, a well respected Swami. A teacher of the Direct Path of Non-Duality according to the tradition of Advaita Vedanta, he offers regular satsangs and retreats, both in India and overseas. After a brief career as a university lecturer, he spent ten years in solitude, and, in 2001, received initiation into sannyasa (monastic renunciation) from his beloved and long-time spiritual Master. Two years later, he felt a call to move closer to the Ganges, and start a small monastic community to support spiritual seekers of all religious traditions. Over the following years, this initiative unfolded and eventually he developed the Ashram, an interreligious monastic ashram dedicated to the Oneness of Truth. The satsangs he offers are open to all spiritual seekers.
Day 8 | Satsang with Guru (Spiritual Teacher) & Kirtan
Check in to our Boutique Guest House run by an Indian man and his English partner. The rooms are light and spacious, and carefully furnished in a way that blends Indian and European styles. Each room has a balcony with a forest and mountain view. There's a fabulous rooftop restaurant as well.
Later in the morning we will be attending satsang with a Guru. Guru is a Sanskrit term for a "teacher, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. ... A guru is also one's spiritual guide, who helps one to discover the same potentialities that the guru has already realized.
Originally born in Europe, this Guru feels his life began on a blessed day in November of 2002, when he met his Master, the great Indian sage Shri Saccha Baba Maharaj. His vision and mission is to share his living experience of Oneness, and help everybody to realize their highest potential as conscious beings.
He does so directly, through his own presence and living example – as well as indirectly, by guiding people through many traditional practices. The Guru has himself followed extensively all four main paths of Yoga, and his practical teachings are composed of a synthesis of these. His great Love for Vedanta is beautifully complemented by his love for kirtan and music. We will attending the Guru’s kirtan one evening while in Rishikesh.
Kirtan is a very different kind of music. Based on ancient chants, it has the ability to quiet the mind if listened to with intention. Everyone experiences kirtan differently, and it doesn’t have to be a religious experience. You can think of it as a sing-along. A kirtan concert is not your typical concert either. Everyone sits on the floor, although chairs are usually available. The performers are accessible, in fact there’s not much of a distinction between performers & audience. The wallah (leader) sings the mantra, and the audience sings it back. A single chant can go on for up to forty minutes. As you sing with each other you experience a deep connection with the musicians, the other audience members and yourself. And when the music stops, your mind is quiet.
Day 9 | Kunjapuri Temple at Sunrise, bathe in the Ganges & Ganga Aarti
Today we will wake early and travel 25 km north of Rishikesh by private jeep – to Kunjapuri Temple which soars 1645 meters high to commemorate Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva idols. Awaken one’s spirituality with snow-capped Himalayan Mountain vistas and sacred surroundings at sunrise. After a sunrise meditation we will trek down to Rishikesh via the lush forest. In between, we can enjoy freshly brewed Tea and breakfast.
In the warmest part of the afternoon you will have an opportunity to bathe in the Ganges. In Hinduism, the river Ganges is considered sacred and is personified as the goddess Gaṅgā. She is worshiped by Hindus who believe that bathing in the river causes the remission of sins and facilitates Moksha (liberation from the cycle of life and death), and that the water of the Ganges is considered very pure. In this part of India the river is clean more safe to emerge in.
In the evening we will walk to Ram Jhula to take part in the Ganga Aarti. The sunset Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan often draws hundreds of visitors each day from all cultures, all languages, all religions and all walks of life. Regardless of one’s religion or ability to understand Hindi or Sanskrit, the power of the aarti is universal. Ganga Aarti transcends the borders and boundaries of language and culture, diving straight into one’s heart, carrying one to Heaven.
Day 10 | Holy Haridwar
On the 10th day of the tour we will visit Haridwar. Referred to as the door to God Hari (God Vishnu) this is one of the seven holiest places for Hindus.
The famous Indian story of Amrit Manthan or Samudra Manthan – which is considered one of the important Hindu legends of evolution – has been immortalized in all oriental cultures through paintings and sculptures in museums and heritage sites across India and many countries like Cambodia and Thailand. Haridwar is a pilgrimage city in the Haridwar District of Uttarakhand, India. Associated with both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, Haridwar is among the seven sacred cities of India. It is also one of the four venues for the Kumbh Mela, held in its magnitude every twelve years.
Day 11 | Famous Beatles Ashram
On the 11th day of Rishikesh tour, we will visit the “Beatles ashram”. The English rock band the Beatles visited here in 1968 to attend advanced an Transcendental Meditation Yoga course at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram. Locally known as Chaurasi Kutia, it now features Beatles graffiti and art. Settled within the Rajaji National park, River Ganga flows quietly behind it.
Day 12 | Rafting down the Ganges
After Breakfast, we will start our adventure trip by rafting through the gorges. We will return in the afternoon for a late lunch. Only a few rivers in the world have the same mystique as that of the River Ganga. Rafting on this sacred water is certainly a lifetime experience.
Day 13 | Activities at your leisure
This day is reserved for leisure activities. You can do whatever you feel like doing; of course we are always there to offer advice in helping you decide activities and in where to get something for the “best price”; Some of the options are:
Visiting daily markets at Rishikesh/Shopping
Visiting temples
Private session with an Astrologer
Visit the Various ashrams, meditation and Yoga centers
Personalized Massage sessions
Bath in the Holy River Ganges
Rickshaw ride through the city
Have Chai(Tea) with Sadhus on the banks of river Ganges
Ayurvedic cooking class
Day 14 | Departure
Today is the completion of our spiritual tour but not the end of our spiritual journey. After breakfast you are free to depart at your leisure to either your next destination or to the airport and Delhi.
