7-Day Ayurvedic Detox & Yoga Retreat in Rishikesh, India

The day starts early. At 6am you do Shat Kriya — a cleansing practice such as Jal Neti — followed by 90 minutes of yoga postures and relaxation. After that comes an inner cleansing programme, then breakfast at 9:30. From about 11am you're in your first therapy session of the day, which might be a Panchakarma treatment, an Ayurvedic massage, acupressure, or a naturopathy session depending on the plan you agreed on arrival. Lunch is at 1:30pm, tea and herbal drinks at 4pm, and a second therapy or yoga session at 4:30. The evening winds down with meditation or a walk at 7pm, dinner at 8:15, and bed by 9.

What separates this from a standard yoga holiday is that the treatments aren't an add-on — they're the core of the week. Dr. Praveen Rana, who founded Yan Cure and holds a PhD in Ayurveda and yoga, oversees the therapeutic side, and the programme is built around Panchakarma, naturopathy and acupressure. You'll discuss your expectations and any health concerns with the team and they'll set the intensity of the detox accordingly, from simply dropping meat, wheat, sugar and dairy through to a juice-only regime.

The yoga is taught by Vineet Panday and Neelam Singh, both of whom have long training backgrounds (details below). Classes draw on Hatha, Ashtanga and traditional yoga, and are pitched so that beginners and more experienced practitioners can work side by side. Sessions are held in the centre's yoga shala.

The centre sits about 7 km from Rishikesh town, close to the Ganges and surrounded by mountains, which keeps things quiet. Rishikesh itself is worth time on either end of the retreat — the traffic-free, alcohol-free, vegetarian enclave around Swarg Ashram is where most of the temples and ashrams are, and it's a short trip into town if you want to walk around or shop. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun (DED), about 35 km away, and the nearest railway station is Haridwar, roughly 25 km from Rishikesh.

It's worth being clear about what this isn't. It's not a beach holiday or a luxury spa. Rooms are simple, the food is plain vegetarian Indian, and the schedule is fixed and starts before sunrise. Guests who've written reviews mention the personal attention from staff and the treatment quality as the highlights, and note that the vegetarian-only food can be an adjustment if you normally eat meat.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation - 3 daily meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Daily yoga classes - Daily meditation classes - Daily pranayama classes - Panchakarma therapy - Naturopathy treatment - Acupressure - 1 hour treatment - Welcome drink - Water, tea and coffee served throughout the day - Wifi connection - Parking - Luggage storage - Transportation during the retreat

What's not included

- Travel insurance - Flight costs - Additional treatments - Airport pickup (available for €22 per person)