Rishikesh and Haridwar Yoga Retreat, Beatles Ashram, Ganga Aarti

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Delhi-Rishikesh
4 stops
1
Rishikesh
4.5- 5 hours drive
5 hours • Admission ticket free
2
The Beatles Ashram
At the atmospheric ruins of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram—popularly called the Beatles Ashram—you walk through a forested campus where meditation huts, lecture halls, and graffiti-covered domes quietly recall a remarkable cultural moment. In 1968, The Beatles stayed here studying transcendental meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, helping introduce Eastern meditation practices to Western audiences. Today the abandoned structures have been reclaimed by nature and art, creating an unusual blend of spirituality, history, and street murals that give visitors a glimpse into the counterculture era that connected Indian philosophy with global pop culture.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
3
Ram Jhula
The slender iron span of Ram Jhula stretches gracefully across the emerald waters of the Ganges, linking bustling temples and ashrams on either side of the river. Walking across this suspension bridge is a quintessential Rishikesh experience: monks in saffron robes, pilgrims carrying offerings, motorbikes weaving carefully through pedestrians, and views of the Himalayan foothills rising beyond the riverbanks. From the middle of the bridge the Ganges appears calm and wide, and the rhythm of temple bells and river breezes makes the crossing feel like a small pilgrimage in itself.
45 minutes • Admission ticket free
4
As twilight settles over the riverbanks of Rishikesh, the evening Ganga Aarti begins—one of the most moving spiritual ceremonies in India. At the ghats of Parmarth Niketan, priests and students chant ancient Sanskrit hymns while large brass lamps filled with fire are offered to the River Ganges. The ritual symbolizes gratitude to the river, which sustains nearly 400 million people in its basin according to hydrological studies of the Ganges system. Visitors often release small leaf boats carrying flowers and candles into the water, watching them drift downstream like tiny constellations.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Rishikesh_Haridwar
3 stops
5
Mansa Devi Temple
Perched high on the Shivalik Hills above Haridwar, the sacred Mansa Devi Temple offers both spiritual significance and sweeping views of the Ganges plains. Dedicated to the goddess Mansa Devi—whose name comes from the Sanskrit manasa, meaning “wish of the mind”—the temple attracts pilgrims who tie sacred threads to temple railings while making a wish. Visitors can reach the shrine by a short trek through the hillside paths or by ropeway, and from the top the city of Haridwar spreads out below with the river winding through it.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
6
Har Ki Pauri
The sacred ghats of Har Ki Pauri are among the most important pilgrimage sites in Hinduism. According to tradition preserved in the Skanda Purana, this is where drops of the divine nectar of immortality fell during the mythical churning of the cosmic ocean. Pilgrims descend the stone steps to touch the swift waters of the Ganges, believing the river has purifying properties—an idea deeply embedded in Indian religious literature for millennia. The area is always alive with ringing bells, flower sellers, saffron-clad ascetics, and families performing rituals, making it one of the most vivid and authentic glimpses of living Hindu tradition.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
7
New Delhi
4.5-5 hours drive
5 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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