26-Day 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Himalayan Trek near Rishikesh, India

The training runs for around three weeks at an ashram near Rishikesh. Days are long but steady: early morning pranayama and asana, breakfast, then a block of theory (yoga philosophy, anatomy, alignment), lunch, an afternoon of teaching practice or workshops, and an evening session of meditation, chanting or self-study. There's one rest day a week, usually used for a trip into Rishikesh or a walk along the river. Because the group is kept small, you get hands-on adjustments and one-to-one feedback on your own teaching rather than watching from the sidelines. Expect to teach your first short sequence within the first ten days, and to build up to a full 60-90 minute class by the end. The certification is a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, which is the standard entry-level qualification recognised by most yoga schools internationally. The course covers the classic syllabus: asana technique, alignment and adjustment, sequencing, anatomy and physiology, yoga philosophy (including the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita), pranayama, meditation, mantra and chanting, and teaching methodology. You'll be assessed on a written exam and a practical teaching session. The second part of the trip is the Himalayan trek. After the final teaching practicum, the group heads into the mountains for several days of walking. Routes from this part of Uttarakhand often go toward places like Kuari Pass or the foothills above Auli, and the trek is pitched at a level that most reasonably fit people can manage — you'll be walking several hours a day with a daypack, with luggage carried. Nights are in tents or simple guesthouses depending on the route. The combination works: three weeks of study, then a week of walking to absorb it. Rishikesh itself is worth the journey. It's a town of ashrams, temples and suspension bridges over the Ganges, where the evening aarti at Parmarth Niketan draws a crowd, and where you can book white-water rafting, wander to the Beatles Ashram, or simply sit by the river. The ashram where the training is held is the base for the first three weeks; it's a simple, quiet property with a yoga hall, dining area and shared or private rooms. Kuldeep Bisht leads the retreat. He's based in India and runs the programme, and the facilitator team is confirmed before your stay. If you want to know exactly who'll be teaching, it's worth asking before you book — but the training itself follows a fixed 200-hour syllabus, so the content doesn't change.

What's included

- 200-hour yoga teacher training course (certification) - 26-day programme including Himalayan trekking segment - Accommodation at the ashram (shared or private room) - Meals during the training period - Camping and trek arrangements in the Himalayas - Course materials and assessments - Certification upon successful completion

What's not included

- International flights - Travel to and from Rishikesh - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Optional excursions and activities - Any meals not mentioned - Tips and gratuities