Vasiṣṭha Cave, Sacred Gaṅgā Dip and the Temple of Silence: full day

Return to Vasiṣṭha Cave in the quiet of the morning, when the forest is still and the cave offers an even deeper place for meditation. This ancient cave is believed to be where Sage Vasiṣṭha and his wife Arundhatī practised for hundreds of years.

We will descend through the forest to the secluded riverbank for a guided ritual immersion in Gaṅgā. It will be an opportunity to offer what you are ready to release into her flowing waters, creating space for spiritual cleansing and renewal.

We will then visit the nearby Mahāgaṇapati Temple of Silence at Kirti Hermitage, a small spiritual āśram held between the forest, mountains and Gaṅgā. Its rare form of Gaṇeśa has ten hands, with Devī Śakti seated upon his lap, representing consciousness and its creative energy. Here, silence is central to the experience.

Parmarth Niketan Sacred Yajña:
half day

Return to Parmarth Niketan in the quieter energy of the morning. Set beside Gaṅgā at the foot of the Himalayas, Parmarth Niketan is the largest āśram in Rishikesh and a spiritual home for pilgrims from across the world.

Rather than returning for the large evening āratī, we will experience the āśram’s morning rhythm and join its sacred yajña pūjā. A yajña is an ancient Vedic fire ritual in which mantras and offerings are given to Agni, the sacred fire.

We will gather around the fire as the priests chant, making offerings with shared intention. The ceremony invites purification, gratitude and a conscious offering of the individual self into something greater.

There will also be time to revisit the beautiful gardens, temples and riverfront, experiencing this familiar āśram from a quieter and more intimate perspective.

Tryambakeśvara Temple, Central Rishikesh and Sāī Ghāṭ Āratī

Return to the colourful spiritual heart of central Rishihesh for an evening with two ways to explore.

Choose spacious time to wander through the lively streets, browse the shops and revisit favourite places. Alternatively, join a guided visit to the iconic thirteen storey Tryambakeśvara Temple, whose many levels contain shrines dedicated to numerous Hindu deities.

As dusk gathers, we will meet beside Gaṅgā at Sāī Ghāṭ. Sitting across the river from the illuminated temple, we will experience a different Gaṅgā āratī, surrounded by chanting, bells, fire and the evening life of Rishikesh.

This will offer a new perspective upon a ritual we already know and love, with the lights of Tryambakeśvara reflected in the river before us.

Himalayan Forest and Temple Trek

Journey with our wonderful local guide, Dinesh jī, beyond Rishikesh and into the Himalayan foothills.

We will trek through a magnificent pine forest, following mountain paths into the stunning landscape. Surrounded by trees, open skies and far reaching views, the walk itself will be part of the experience.

Our path will lead us to a beautiful mountain temple, a sacred destination reached on foot as generations of local pilgrims have done before us. There will be time to rest, explore the temple and experience the stillness of this remote place before beginning our descent.

A full day of nature, and adventure in the foothills of the Himalayas. 

Preparatory Course

Included within the retreat is an online course to learn the bhajan (song) which is sang during Gaṅgā ārtī. This online course will begin with Laura, to learn the basics of Sanskrit (Saṃskṛta) focusing pronunciation and how to read IAST (the dots and dashes which aid pronunciation) you'll learn the Sanskrit alaphabet and essential sounds such as dentals, retroflex consonants and long vowels. From there, Lauren (under the tutelage of Pandit Ji) will teach you the ten verses of the Gaṅgā ārtī, along with their meaning and melody. You can choose your own level of participation, whether understanding the words, quietly following along or singing the ārtī yourself. Suni will be with you every step of the way so that when we gather once more beside the Gaṅgā, the ārtī will feel less like a ceremony observed from the riverbank and more like a living practice we are ready to enter with familiarity, gratitude and care.

The Food

Dinning on this all-inclusive retreat is a cultural and gastronomic experience to nourish your belly and soul. As Rishikesh is a designated holy city no animal products (including eggs) or alcohol can be consumed. This retreat includes 3 meals per day when onsite at Ganga Kinare, but there are plenty of opportunities to eat off-site for more adventurous travellers. The Jal Jalebi restaurant at Ganga Kinare is well known for its fine dining riverside experience. The buffet-style menus showcase the best of Northern India cuisine whilst also catering for international tastes. It is very challenging to cater for medical food intolerances with absolute safety, so this retreat is not suitable for anyone with a nut allergy or coeliac disease. If you have any other food intolerances or allergies please discuss with us at the time of booking and we can advise accordingly as to whether this retreat is viable. 

Room Options

All the room options are Ganga Kinare are great. In every room grade you can lose yourself in the luxury of the comfortable beds and fully air-conditioned rooms with all modern day amenities such as Wi-Fi, television, intercom, sitting area, safety deposit locker, mini-fridge, bathrooms with luxury toiletries. We have room options ranging from single private room with queen bed or opt to share with another retreat guest in a spacious twin room. 

Deluxe Partial River View (Twin / Single / Double)

Deluxe rooms are standard 270 sq. feet rooms with a partial view of the river Ganga - a really luxury for a Rishikesh hotel. Great for two friends sharing or couples.

Twin Family Room with Balcony (Twin Only - Ideal for Solo Travellers who want to share a room)

Ideal for solo travellers who want to share a room with one other solo traveler. The room is split into two halves each half with a large queen bed. Feels more like 2 bedrooms that share 1 bathroom / dressing space. The largest of our room options, 430 sq feet, plus its own private balcony offering partial views of the River Ganga. 

Premium River View with Balcony (Single / Double)

Premium Rooms at Ganga Kinare, are 320 sq. feet rooms having 180° uninterrupted view of the Holy River Ganga and the Rajaji National Park along with multiple modern amenities. Perfect if you feel like spoiling yourself!

Travelling to Rishikesh

The best pilgrimages start with a journey! Let us take you by the hand and guide you through travelling in India. We'll recommend which flights to book from the UK and put you in touch with other guests so you can travel together. To get to Rishikesh you first fly to Delhi and then take a short interconnecting flight to Dehradun. We recommend budgeting £800 - £1000 for your flight but this may fluctuate. We will guide you on what flights to book. For the best prices we recommend making two separate flight bookings, one from London to Delhi and then an internal flight from Delhi to Dehradun. Once at Dehradun you'll be collected by our airport transfer specialists for a 30 min drive to Rishikesh. But don't worry we'll tell you which flights to book and hold your hand every step of the way! Please note the cost of flights is not included in the retreat. Upon booking this retreat we'll supply more information about travelling in India such as visas, travel vaccinations and more. We really are here to make sure you have the best time travelling to India. Please note, this will be an overnight flight and you're likely to need an airport hotel in Delhi for the return travel - again we will advise. This means that for the 10 night retreat you'll actually be away from home for 12 nights. 

Pay in Three Installments

A, intial £100 deposit to confirm your booking, then £500 second deposit due February 2027, and then two installement payments on 1st February 2028 and 1st July 2028.