Yoga + Culture Retreat in Rishikesh

This yoga retreat in Rishikesh, India, pairs daily practice with the town's living culture over nine days. It is led by Courtenay Brown, a yoga teacher from Maryland, and organized with the Create Space Yoga team. It suits anyone who wants a Yoga + Culture Retreat on the banks of the Ganges, with the time to slow down, visit ashrams and temples, and rest in Ayurvedic care. The pace is described as part rejuvenation, part adventure.

What to Expect

Every day of the retreat has yoga in it, usually a morning session and another in the evening, with breakfast and a group dinner around it. Between those anchors the days move through Rishikesh, often called the yoga capital of the world.

The first days are spent in town. You arrive, settle in with chai, and begin with a gentle evening class and a welcome dinner. The following day opens with morning yoga and a Hawan ceremony, then a guided walk through Laxman Jhula and a visit to the ruins of the Beatles Ashram. Another day is kept loose, with free time before an evening Aarti ceremony at Parmarth Niketan on the Ganges. A full day tour takes the group to Haridwar to visit the Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi temples.

Midway through, the group drives about 45 minutes into the forest for a light hike, with a stop at Vashishtha Cave, and then checks in at an Ayurvedic resort. The days there are quieter: a restorative day, a walk through the Singthali forest, and Ayurvedic treatments, three in total across the retreat. The final evening brings a closing yoga session and a farewell dinner at the Roseate, a 5-star resort. The last morning is a shared breakfast and a transfer to the airport.

The program also includes a waterfall and forest hike and an Ayurvedic cooking class.

About Courtenay Brown

Courtenay S. Brown, E-RYT 500, YACEP, has practised yoga for nearly 20 years and has taught for more than 13. She is the founder of Shabach Yoga Studio in Waldorf, Maryland, a faith-based yoga and wellness community focused on connection, healing and purpose. She has led international retreats in Greece, Morocco and Costa Rica, weaving together yoga, local culture, wellness and personal growth. Her approach is rooted in deepening one's connection with God, oneself and the world around us.

The Setting

The retreat begins at a 4-star hotel on the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, in the Himalayan foothills of northern India. From the fifth day the group stays at an Ayurvedic resort in the forest, near Singthali forest and Vashishtha Cave. The stay totals eight nights in 4-star accommodation. The closing dinner is at the Roseate.

Meals include breakfast daily and group dinners, with two to three meals per day in all. Transfers from and to Dehradun airport, and between hotels, are arranged by the team.

Before You Go

Included are daily yoga, eight nights of accommodation, two to three meals a day, three Ayurvedic treatments, a walking tour of Rishikesh, the Haridwar day tour with temple visit, the Aarti fire ceremony, a waterfall and forest hike, an Ayurvedic cooking class, entry to the Beatles Ashram, and the airport and hotel transfers.

International flights, personal expenses and activities during free time are not included. Rooms are offered as twin share. A payment plan is available for those who prefer to pay over time.