India tour "Roots of Yoga"

13th of October 2010 - 25th of October 2010 Our thirteen day tour to India will take us to some of the the most mystical places on earth. Come into contact with ancient, millenia old culture! Take a deep dive into a fascinating world, an enchanting new experience!

TOUR PLAN

Delhi

Day 1:

Arrival and check in, In the afternoon we will walk through the breathtaking Swami- narayan Akshardham, a monumental temple made of white marble and red sandstone, following the ancient tradition of the northindian art of carving.

Day 2:

In the morning we will go to the Gate of India, the grave of Mahatma Gandhi and the photo exhibition about his life. Then we visit the famous Lotus Temple, an interreligious meeting place which was build by the followers of the Bahai religion. In the late afternoon we will go to Rishikesh and check into our hotel.

Rishikesh & Haridwar

Day 3:

After a relaxing sleep at the feet of the Himalaya we will climb up the hills through the djungle to the fantastic waterfalls where we will have the opportunity to take a bath in the fresh and crystal clear thunderous water from the mountains.

Day 4:

In the morning we will visit the famous Swarg Niwas temple which is a goal and starting point for many pilgrims who travel to the many holy places in the Himalayas. In the afternoon we will walk through through the Parmarth Niketan Ashram w hich is situated outside the busy town of Rishikesh on the banks of the Ganges. It is one of the biggest and most well known ashrams. Every year the international yoga festival is celebrated there. Around six in the evening we will take part in the Ganga Puja, a very atmospheric ritual to worship Mother Ganges.

Day 5:

In the next morning we check out from our hotel in Rishikesh and go to Harid war. After the lunch we will take a relaxed break bargaining and small talk in those many small colourful shops at the main street. In the evening we will attend the huge Ganga Puja ceremony at the Har Ki Pauri Ghat where daily tens of thousands take part in the worship.

Day 6:

After the check out from the hotel in Haridwar we will visit visit both temples of the goddesses Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi. In the afternoon we will travel by train from Haridwa r to Jaipur.

Jaipur & Agra

Day 7:

In the morning we will arrive in Jaipur, check in After the lunch we will visit the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) and the Jantar Mantar observatory in Jaipurs picturesque Old Town. In the evening we will take a stroll through the famous Choki Dhani Ethno Park which presents the Rajasthans folklore.

Day 8:

Early in the morning we will set out for Galtaji situated at one of the hills around Jaipur. There we visit the sun temple, the monkey temple and a beautiful yog a monastery. In the afternoon, after the visit to the Birla Mandir we go shopping in the Jaipurs central markets and in the evening we will visit the famous Govindaji temple.

Day 9:

In the morning we will visit the Amber Fort which is situated outsi de of Jaipur. Within its walls there is the old capital of the erstwhile hindu empire Rajasthan called Amber. On the way back we take a stop at a huge Ganesh Tempel at the hills. In spring-time the people of Jaipur celebrate the "Elephant Festival" which we will have the opportunity to attend in 2009.

Day 10:

In the next morning we will enjoy travelling by car through Rajasthans steppe to the famous city of Agra. There we will visit world wonder no. one, the Taj Mahal. Afterwards we continue our journey to Vrindavan and arrive in our Vrinda Kunja Ashram.

Vrindavan

Day 11:

Early in the morning we will set out on a mys tical morning walk through Vrindavan to the holy river Yamuna. After the breakfast we will visit some fascinating ancient temples around our Vrinda Kunja Ashram. After the lunch we will have some time for a relaxing meditation. Later we visit the beautiful Radha Madan Mohan temple and take part in the atmospheric Yamuna Puja ceremony.

Day 12:

After the morning yoga we will attend an auspicious fire ceremony (Agni Hotra), a vedic ritual for the different steps in life which is thousands of years old. After lunch we will say good bye to Vrindavan and travel back to Delhi.

Day 13:		Return flight For those who like we offer the opportunity to stay in an ayurvedic spa for three days of fantastíc wellness treatment. Besides this th e spa offers yoga, meditation, massages, shirodhara and an excellent health consultation.
		Tour Gallery Delhi The first two and the last day of our india tour we will spend in India's capital Delhi. Delhi is one of the oldest cities in the world, mentioned in the Mahabharata, a famous indian epic dated back 5000 years. Indraprastha (Delhis ancient name) was founded by the Pandavas, the sons of king Pandu. Rishikesh & Haridwar Rishikesh, the "capital" of Hatha Yoga, derives its name from Visnu in the form as "Lord of the senses". It is a well-known pilgrimage site closely connected to the Ramayana. It is said that meditation done here leads to liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and surrounded by undisturbed nature Rishikesh is the home to prominent centres of hindu thought and great yoga institutes. Haridwar, the "Gateway to Heaven", serves as entrance to the pilgrimage routes in the Himalayas for millions of hindus every year. Jaipur & Agra Our tour continues to Agra and Jaipur. Both cities are "a must" on a visit to India. Agra offers many interesting places to visit such as the famous Taj Mahal and the Fort of king Akbar. Jaipur, the pink city, is the capital of the federal state of Rajasthan. It's name refers to the colour of the houses in the historic quarter of Jaipur, Rajasthans traditional colour of hospitality. Vrindavan Vrindavan, the town of 5000 temples, is one of the Hindu's holiest places and fortunately unknown to big tourism yet. It is the place where the famous pastimes of Radha and Krishna take place. They represent the primordial form of the male and the female aspect of God in hinduism. We will travel back into time many thousand years and meet a unique community of sadhus, holy people who emanate a special spiritual energy.