Arrive to a warm welcome at the New Delhi International Airport. Our representative will meet you upon clearing customs. Enjoy a short drive to your hotel before settling in for a good night’s rest. Optional: Sightseeing can be arranged should you be interested in visiting some of Delhi’s historical sights.

Early train departure to Rishikesh allows us the afternoon to explore this Hindu Holy land. Found on the Banks of the Sacred Ganges River in the foothills of the Himalayas, Rishikesh is a sacred site for Hindus. The area is renewed for yoga masters and ashrams. Activity options include a guided yoga session in one of India’s richest variety of spiritual ashrams.

Witness a collective gathering of Hindu prayers on the bank of India’s most sacred river, take amazing photography of the region’s most infamous suspension bridge, Laxman Jhula, or tour the Beatles Ashram, now located within a local National Park. *Note: options must be selected in advance.

Journey to the Heart of the Himalayas and join an award winning, women’s initiative in sustainable, community based eco-tourism in the Himalayan foothills of Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India. Early morning, we head to Gopeshwar closer to the Tibetan border. We will drive next to river Ganga, considered the holiest river of India. Recommended time to start 5.30 am.

We will stop on the way next to river Ganga for refreshment and sightseeing (note this a beautiful drive but may cause motion sickness – it is recommended to have a remedy on hand); we will reach Peaches and Pears an award-winning eco-friendly Homestay, 3 km out of Gopeshwar for lunch and enjoy the rest of the day in our new stunning location. This is going to be our home for the next week.

We stay with a Himalayan family and enjoy organic homemade food- vegetables, grains, rice, milk, eggs and fruits from the family’s garden/animal shed. Enjoy a traditional welcome to the Himalayas. After our lunch we will relax. Late afternoon visit to Gopeshwar to discover Gopinath temple made in 9-11 century AD and village market. Enjoy your dinner under the stars.

Post morning breakfast travelers head off for an engagement with a local village school and participate in a Play for Peace initiative that will build deeper connections with the local community. Post preparation, students drive for 15 minutes and walk for another 10 minutes to reach the school, where local children welcome them with a traditional dance performance. This will be followed by an initiative led by your host to engage the local children in a series of interactive games that they participate collectively.

After bidding farewell to the children, students have local Garhwali lunch of home grown food in a local home. Post this they trek to another village that has houses made in traditional style of architecture. Guests participate in a structured wonder walk, engaging in small groups with the community and exploring this village of 50 odd houses, where men have migrated in search of work, leaving behind the women and the children: a tragic reality of most Himalayan villages. Listening to their stories and delving deep in an authentic cultural immersion experience, travelers critically examine the socio – economic narratives of the villagers, and develop an empathetic understanding of the Himalayan people.

They also learn the wisdom of traditional house making to keep these naturally warm during long and often harsh winters. After this, walk back to the homestay, followed by snacks, reflection and dinner. Overnight at the home stay.

Today you will be shown around the farm explaining organic farming practices, Himalayan fruit/vegetable/herbs introduction as well as the process of using cow dung to make methane for cooking.

After this we are going to have our Indian Himalayan cooking course with our host.

We will prepare sweets for Holi with the family.

Holika celebration – We do a bonn fire in the evening and sit around enjoying our dinner with our host family and listening to the stories of Holi and numerous Holi legends. This fire represents burning the evil and negative energies and starting a new day with colors. 

We participate with the family worshipping in the family temple before officially starting holi.

Holi is called festivals of colors or festival of love, this is a Hinduism festival and basically it is a celebration of good winning over the bad.

Holi village walk than back home to play with colors, flowers, water and enjoy various dishes and sweets. Participating in local dance with the locals. 

We will visit a very picturesque ancient Temple in a beautiful natural setting. This is one of the 2 temples in the world where Shiva and Shakti are together. It is a divine union of consciousness and energy. BF, L & D Guide- Poonam+Kavita

We participate with the family worshipping in the family temple before officially starting holi.

Holi is called festivals of colors or festival of love, this is a Hinduism festival and basically it is a celebration of good winning over the bad.

Holi village walk than back home to play with colors, flowers, water and enjoy various dishes and sweets. Participating in local dance with the locals. 

We will visit a very picturesque ancient Temple in a beautiful natural setting. This is one of the 2 temples in the world where Shiva and Shakti are together. It is a divine union of consciousness and energy. BF, L & D Guide- Poonam+Kavita

Today we walk to the local handicraft villages to meet the artisans where you will be able to participate in making some craft as well as having the opportunity to purchase products directly from the artisans. We lunch at a local village home supported by the empowerment project.

We will drive down with some sightseeing stops. Before we reach Rishikesh we will board our rafts floating down an exciting class 3+ enjoying the views from the river.

Farewell dinner at your river side resort with the views of the Ganges river. 

Depart for the airport after a leisurely breakfast. 

Board a short flight to New Delhi. 

You will be met upon arrival and chauffeured to an airport hotel 4 miles from the airport. 

Be chauffeured to the New Delhi International Airport (IGI) after a heart breakfast. Check-out from your hotel is at 11 am.