8-Day Yoga and Wellness Retreat on the Sacred Ganges in Rishikesh

The retreat runs on a steady daily rhythm. Mornings open with meditation, pranayama, and mantra chanting before a Hatha or Ashtanga class that wakes the body up properly. After a substantial brunch, afternoons bring philosophy or anatomy classes—taught in a way that connects the ancient ideas to how you actually live—followed by more gentle practice like Yin yoga or Yoga Nidra. Evenings wind down with sound healing, satsang, and kirtan, and after dinner there is usually something social happening, from bonfires and board games to ecstatic dance and tarot cards.

What sets this place apart from other Rishikesh ashrams is its location and its teachers. The ashram sits on a secluded stretch of riverbank, far enough from the Tapovan building chaos that you hear birds rather than traffic, yet only 3 km from Ram Jhula, Laxman Jhula, Parmarth Niketan, and the Beatles Ashram when you want to explore. The Ganges is genuinely 50 steps from your room, and there is a private beach where guests bathe, meditate, and watch the sun go down.

The teaching team is one of the strongest parts of the experience. Rohan Rawat, the lead yoga teacher, was born in Rishikesh, holds a Master's in Yogic Science, and has taught internationally in China. Isha Negi leads sound healing with a Master of Arts in Yoga and multiple certifications. Sadhak Kaushal brings 13 years of mantra and meditation teaching, and Abhishek combines a Physics degree with a 500-hour TTC and years of teaching across India and Nepal. Between them, they cover every part of the schedule with real expertise.

Three times a week starts with Shatkarma, the traditional cleansing techniques that most retreat centres have dropped. Twice a week the group heads out on excursions—to temples, caves, local markets, or the Ganga Aarti ceremony—and there are nature hikes and waterfall treks with a guide. The package is remarkably complete for the price, which is one reason the ashram has over 420 reviews and a 4.9 rating.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in air-conditioned room with hot water, WiFi, tea/coffee kettle, towels and toiletries - Welcome drink - Water, tea and coffee served throughout the day - Three vegetarian Ayurvedic meals daily - Daily detox juice - Three times a week morning Shatkarma (cleansing techniques) - Daily two yoga classes (Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa) - Daily two meditation classes (active, silent, guided) - Daily pranayama (breathing practices) - Daily Yoga Nidra and relaxation techniques - Daily sound healing sessions - Daily philosophy and anatomy classes - Daily mantra chanting, kirtan and satsang - Twice a week excursions to nearby attractions, markets, temples and caves - Ganga Aarti ceremony visits - Visit to private Ganga beach for sacred dips - Nature hikes and waterfall trek with guide - After-dinner activities (badminton, bonfire, movie watching, tarot cards, ecstatic dance, board games, community cooking) - Luggage storage, WiFi, parking - Free Tarang Yoga T-shirt - Certificate of Retreat Completion - Pre and post retreat support - Packed lunch for departure day - Post-retreat integration support (online retreat, $200 value)

What's not included

- Flights costs - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Jungle safari and river rafting (paid) - Ayurvedic massages and doctor consultation (paid) - Airport transfers (paid extra) - Extra nights accommodation - Personal expenses