Chandrashila Trek & Ganges River Rafting Yoga and Ayurveda Nature Immersion

Throughout this expedition we will be immersing ourselves in nature, sinking into the environment, and breathing into the elements. This immersive expedition will include sinking into the ancient sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda to deepen the experience and root us into the sacred land and waters.

From Rishikesh to Sari to Deorital (Lake of the Gods) to the Tunganath Temple (one of the highest Shiva Temples in the world) and on to the summit of Chandrashila (with heavenly panoramas of the Great Himalayas) ~

From to Devprayag (Divine Confluence) and downstream through the lifeblood of India, the holy Ganges River ~

We will experience the transformative energy of the Himalayas, the purifying energy of Ma Ganga, and the powerful energy that comes when the focus is on being completely present with ourselves and with nature.

Itinerary:

Day 1: ARRIVE IN DELHI. FLY TO DEHRADUN. TRANSFER TO RISHIKESH. Stay at Hotel Great Ganga with views of Ma Ganga and Ganga Aarti. Settle in and enjoy dinner with a view. Days 2/3: REST OR EXPLORE RISHIKESH. We will meet for a yoga practice in the morning and get acquainted with our group. After breakfast the days are yours to rest and acclimate or explore Rishikesh. A tour guide is available to take you wherever your heart desires, if you would like. Optional sunset Ganga Aarti. It is said that Ganga Aarti is a time when we free ourselves from the worries, stresses and tensions of everyday life and come together in joy, reverence and peace. Dinner is back at Hotel Great Ganga, along with another blissful night of rest in the lap of luxury.

Day 4: DRIVE FROM RISHIKESH TO SARI AND TREK TO DEORITAL: After breakfast we head up the river canyon for 7-8  hours to Sari Village at 6554ft. The drive is beautiful as we travel alongside the Ganga, Alaknanda and Mandakani rivers. En route we stop at Devprayag, an important Hindu site, the confluence of two distinctly colored rivers, the Bhagirathi and Alaknanada, which then combine to form Ma Ganga. Once in Sari, we trek for a short while to Deorital at 7545ft. This trek is considered easy. It is steep, but does not take long, often giving spectacular views.

Day 5: FOREST BATHING AT LAKE DEORITAL (7545ft): This is where you will feel that you have truly arrived in the Himalaya. Lake Deorital (Lake of the Gods) is a sacred place. The Vedic scriptures state that the Devas (Hindu Gods) bathed in this glittering emerald pool. And the sight of the massive Mt Chaukhamba from the shores of the Deoriatal is worth doing the entire trek. We have this day planned to simply breathe and be. Enjoy meditation, yoga, pranayama, journaling, or simply sitting and gazing at the incredible peaks and vistas.

Day 6: TREK FROM DEORITAL TO CHOPTA (9842ft.) 5-6 hr: The mornings in the Himalayas are ones to look forward to. Wake up early to catch the first rays of the sun on the snow covered Himalayan peaks. Once we have been fed a nourishing breakfast, we set forth to Chopta. This is a gradual trek of 5-6 hours, which passes relatively quickly as we pass through the dense, cool forests and beautiful alpine meadows dotted with wild flowers. Day 7: TREK FROM CHOPTA TO CHANDERSHILA (13123ft.) AND RETURN TO CHOPTA - 6-7hrs: Our target today is to reach the summit of Chandrashila in time to catch the panoramic view of the high Himalayan peaks in perfect light. The trek is mostly a gradual ascent through the beautiful dwarf rhododendron bushes. At the summit almost every prominent peak of the Garhwal Himalayas can be taken in, including Nanda Devi, the highest peak of the Indian Himalayas. Each peak is awe-inspiring and finds its mention in the myths and folk tales of the plains below. This downward journey brings us back to camp again at Chopta. Day 8: DRIVE FROM CHOPTA TO DEVPRAYAG (6 hrs) AND RAFT DOWN TO AMARASU (3-4 hrs): It’s time for rafting down the great Himalayan River, Ma Ganga. For this we drive 150 Km to Devprayag (Divine Confluence).  Once here,  all necessary instructions are shared and we begin our journey downstream. The rapids are few and minor, giving you an opportunity to simply take in the beauty of the sacred river. In 1.5 hours we reach Amarasyu, where we camp on the riverside beach. Day 9: RAFT DOWN TO KODIYALA (4-5 hrs): It’s another relaxed day of rafting where we negotiate a few small rapids (and stop at a hidden waterfall!) on our 30 km way to our beach camp at Kodiyala. Day 10: RAFT KODIYALA TO RISHIKESH (4-5 hrs): This day brings some fun class III rapids! We raft through some fine whitewater 35 Km to Rishikesh (1220ft) to make it an appropriate and exciting end to a grand adventure deep in nature. We complete our rafting journey just before Laxman Jhula and then drive to Veda5 Wellness Retreat, considered to be the best Ayurveda, Panchakarma and Yoga retreat in Rishikesh. Days 11/12: RELAX AND REJUVENATE: After our nature immersion through the Himalayas, we will relax into this healing retreat and pamper ourselves in the luxurious serenity of this tranquil paradise. Each day will offer yoga classes, Ayurveda workshops, and customized Ayurvedic body therapies (massage and oil treatments). Veda5 also provides fresh, organic Ayurvedic meals using produce from their own organic farm. In between the Ayurvedic treatments, workshops, yoga and delicious meals we can enjoy the rooftop swimming pool with stunning views of the Himalayan foothills. Day 13: DEPART TO DEHRADUN>DELHI>HOME