8 Day Pilgrimage of Devotion, Yoga, and Inner Awakening in Rishikesh, India
Yoga and Pilgrimage Retreat in India
Path of Yoga Sacred Pilgrimage to Rishikesh is an 8-day spiritual journey through the holy cities of Rishikesh and Haridwar, guided by James French, co-founder of Path of Yoga, and India Williams, one of our most loved senior teachers. Together, they will lead you through yoga, meditation, kirtan, sacred rituals, and visits to revered temples and ashrams, creating a journey that nourishes body, mind, and spirit. This is more than a retreat. It is a living pilgrimage, a step into the heart of yoga itself.
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- 8 days of guided pilgrimage with James French and India Williams
- Daily yoga class, asana, reflection, and connection, along with chanting and meditation
- Access to all events, venues, and sacred sites
- Group excursions / activities
- Group transportation via private mini-bus (Start and end at Delhi Airport/Aerocity)
- Pre- and post-retreat support from Path of Yoga team
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily breakfast
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
8 days with instruction in English
Average daily hours of activity: 8
Accommodation
For this special journey, you'll be staying in two beautiful, handpicked hotels that combine comfort, authenticity, and a sense of peace.
The perfect setting for reflection and connection throughout the pilgrimage.
One of the accommodations is the wonderful Seventh Heaven Inn in Laxman Jhula, a charming, family-run guesthouse in the Tapovan area.
Just a short walk from the river, temples, and ashrams, it offers beautifully designed rooms, a warm local atmosphere, and genuine Indian hospitality.
It’s a place close to the hearts, personally recommended by James, who has stayed there many times and considers it the best accommodation in the area.
Later in the journey, you'll move to the Comfort Inn, Rishikesh, a calm and welcoming hotel near Prem Baba’s ashram.
It’s a modern, peaceful space that supports deeper rest and integration as you'll move into the quieter phase of the pilgrimage.
Both venues offer comfortable beds, Wi-Fi, and nourishing breakfasts each morning.
They have been carefully chosen to provide simplicity, warmth, and comfort a supportive home base for the journey through the sacred lands of Rishikesh and Haridwar.
Program
Path of Yoga’s Sacred Pilgrimage to Rishikesh is an 8-day spiritual journey through the holy cities of Rishikesh and Haridwar, guided by James French, co-founder of Path of Yoga, and India Williams, one of the most loved senior teachers.
Together, they will lead you through yoga, meditation, kirtan, sacred rituals, and visits to some of the world's leading Hatha Yoga Teachers, Living Enlightened Masters and Gurus, Revered Temples and Ashrams, creating a journey that nourishes body, mind, and spirit.
This is more than a retreat.
It is a living pilgrimage, a step into the heart of yoga itself.
This pilgrimage is ideal for yoga practitioners, teachers, and sincere seekers of all levels.
Throughout the journey, you’ll be carefully guided, supported, and held in a grounded, well-paced container.
Two Once-In-A-Lifetime Highlights!:
1. Holi Festival
The dates of the Pilgrimage were intentionally chosen so you would have the opportunity to celebrate the world-famous Holi festival! Holi is one of the planet's most joyful, fun and renowned spiritual celebrations! A day when the world explodes into colour, music, laughter, and pure joy. Friends and strangers alike flood the streets, dancing and throwing clouds of vibrant powder into the air, until everyone is joyfully unrecognisable.
You can choose to participate on the streets or observe the fun from your hotel balcony. It’s a festival of love, renewal, and freedom. And life is celebrated at full volume. Wild, beautiful, playful, and deeply human, Holi is a festival that you feel in your skin, your heart, and your soul, and for first-timers is usually "the most fun I've had in years!"
2. A Private Group Meeting With An Enlightened Guru!
Sri Prem Baba is a spiritual master of rare depth, warmth, and presence. He is renowned for his heart-centred teachings on love, truth, and inner freedom, and for the profound peace people feel simply by sitting in the same room as him! He has been James' Guru for more than a decade, and during this pilgrimage, the group will receive a private meeting with Baba!
An intimate opportunity for each of us to connect directly with him, ask personal questions, and experience his guidance firsthand in a way that is both profoundly human and quietly life-changing.
Sacred Sites & Visits
Path of Yoga will visit some of India’s most revered sacred sites, including:
- Vashishta Cave
- Anandamayi Ma’s Ashram
- Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
- And more!
Daily Yoga, Rituals & Practice
Each day will include a variety of activities such as:
- Yoga and meditation practices led by India Williams
- Morning Yajna (a sacred fire ceremony held after practice, where mantras are chanted and offerings are placed into the fire as a gesture of gratitude, purification, and intention. It’s a quiet, powerful way to seal the practice, clearing the mind, opening the heart, and aligning personal energy with something larger than yourselves as the day begins.)
- Evening kirtan
- Sunset rituals on the banks of the River Ganga
- Yoga class with a Himalayan Hatha Yoga Master
- Attending Satsang (a gathering in the presence of a spiritual teacher, where teachings, silence, questions, and music help align you with what is real and essential.) For many, these can be life-changing!
- Night-time singing and Mantra Meditation around a Bonfire
There will also be time to rest and reflect or go on other adventures, such as exploring the Beatles Ashram (where the Fab Four had their spiritual awakening), wandering across Laxman Jhula & Ram Jhula, bathing in the Holy River Ganga, and experiencing the unique rhythm of sacred life in Rishikesh.
An Invitation to Walk the Path Where Yoga Was Born
There are journeys that change your life, and there are journeys that help you remember why you came here in the first place. This pilgrimage is one of those rare journeys. A return to the heart of yoga in its birthplace, Rishikesh.
For centuries, seekers have walked the banks of the Ganga, meditated in caves, and sat in the presence of masters in search of truth. Path of Yoga invites you to walk that same sacred path with them, to slow down, to listen, and to let life itself be your teacher.
Highlights of the Journey
Celebrate Holi, the festival of colors. Visit sacred temples, including Vashishta Cave, Anandamayi Ma’s Ashram, and Neelkanth Mahadev Temple. Meet and sit with Sri Prem Baba, an enlightened master and James’s guru.
Daily yoga and meditation practices led by India Terry. Evening kirtan and sunset rituals by the River Ganga. Explore the Beatles Ashram, where creativity and devotion met. Walk the streets, cross Laxman Jhula, and feel the energy of Rishikesh’s sacred life. Stay in carefully chosen, family-run hotels, each with warmth, comfort, and authentic Indian hospitality.
Travel together in a private minibus with support, guidance, and community at every step.
A Typical Day
- Morning: You will start the day with a Yoga practice followed by a delicious breakfast. Then we will set off to visit a sacred site or go to Satsang with a Guru.
- Afternoon: Exploring a temple, attending a ritual and perhaps a dip in the Ganga.
- Evening: Kirtan, Ganga aarti, and shared reflection time.
Full Itinerary
Day 1
- Transfer to Rishikesh
- Tour of Laxman Jhula
Day 2
- Attend Satsang
- Tour of Ram Jhula
- Attend Aarti at Parmarth Niketan Ashram
Day 3
- Visit Yogrishi Vishvketu and Anand Prakash Ashram
- Visit Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
- Meditation and bathing in the Ganga
Day 4
- Move to the second hotel
- Attend Satsang
- Visit Dhyan Mandir Ashram and take part in activities
Day 5
- Holi celebration day
Day 6
- Satsang with Prem Baba
- Visit Vashishta Cave
- Visit the Hare Krishna Temple
- Private meeting with Prem Baba
Day 7
- Satsang with Prem Baba
- Visit the ashram of Anandamayi Ma
Day 8
- Morning Satsang
- Transfer to Delhi Airport
Itinerary is subject to change.
Group Practice
Path of Yoga has incorporated a group practice every day into the plan. However, the pilgrimage is more of a spiritual journey in a place rich in yoga tradition than a formal retreat. You’ll gather for various practices: asana, meditation, reflection, and connection, along with chanting and meditation. Each day you’ll experience different practices, sometimes in a shala, sometimes in an ashram, or even on the banks of the Ganga. You’ll also visit James's Hatha teacher.
The first hotel has a shala for practice, and at the second, the group will use the nearby ashram’s shala.
Instructors
James French
James was born in London and first discovered yoga in 2003, while at drama school. However, he truly caught the bug a few years later while performing in a Shakespeare production that toured India. His routine of sunrise practices overlooking the rooftops of Udaipur with an old yogi called Prakash sealed the deal. Since completing his 500 hours with Tribe, James has done 200 hours with Max Strom and taken further training with David Swenson, Yogrishi Vishvketu, and Tiffany Cruickshank and continues his studies on advanced training with Jason Crandell.
India Williams
India's teaching is rooted in devotion, creativity, and a deep reverence for the natural and unseen worlds. Hwe offerings weave together Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Restorative Yoga, creating soulful spaces for reflection, healing, and reconnection. A 500-hour trained trained teacher and musician known as India Blue, she often blends sound and song into her classes, sometimes accompanied by the harps ethereal tones. Grounded by the sea in East Sussex, she drawn inspiration from the rhythms of nature and the quiet magic of everyday life, inviting those she guides to return to wholeness, and joy.
Retreat location
Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, on the banks of the Holy River Ganges, Rishikesh is often called the spiritual home of yoga, and it’s easy to see why. The gentle rhythm of the river flows alongside the chant of temple bells, and the air is alive with the scent of incense and marigolds.
As the first light touches the mountains, a feeling of peace settles over the town. By evening, as lamps are lit and the aarti ceremony begins, the river glows gold in the fading sun - a reminder of the sacred energy that runs through everything here. It’s a place that invites stillness, reflection, and a deep sense of connection.
Food
Following morning practice, a delicious vegetarian breakfast will be prepared for you each day. Breakfast is included.
At lunch and dinner, you’re free to join the group or wander out to sample the flavors of Rishikesh—from riverside cafés serving fresh thalis and chai to small local spots filled with the aroma of spices and wood-fired bread, there is no shortage of memorable culinary experiences waiting for you here.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Yogic
Things to do (optional)
Optional Silent Retreat Extension
For those who feel called, you may extend your stay to join a short silent retreat following the pilgrimage. A space to integrate, reflect, and deepen your connection.
What's included
- Airport pickup & drop-off
- 7 nights accommodation
- 8 days of guided pilgrimage with james french and india williams
- Daily breakfast
- Daily yoga class, asana, reflection, and connection, along with chanting and meditation
- Access to all events, venues, and sacred sites
- Group excursions / activities
- Pre- and post-retreat support from the Path of Yoga team
What's not included
- Flights costs
- Travel insurance
- Visa fee
- Lunch and dinner (but an opportunity to eat with the group)
- Additional treatments
- Personal expenses
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Transfer included
Indira Gandhi International Airport
206 km away from your destination
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Delhi Airport (DEL) to leave ample time for the pickup times below. Group transportation via private minibus will collect you from a prearranged location to be notified.
- Departing from Delhi Airport/Aerocity TBC
- Arriving back at Delhi Airport/Aerocity TBC
If you’d like to arrive the night before, Aerocity is a modern, safe, and walkable area right next to Delhi Airport. Path of Yoga recommends the Ibis New Delhi Aerocity as the most affordable option, though you’re welcome to choose any hotel you prefer.
Getting to Ibis Hotel, Aerocity:
Taxis, Uber, and Ola are available from the airport and reach Aerocity in about 10–15 minutes. You can also take the Airport Express Metro to Aerocity Station, which is a short 5–7 minute walk from the hotel.
That evening, Path of Yoga will recommend one of their favorite nearby restaurants for anyone who’d like to meet for dinner.
You may also choose to fly in the morning or meet the Path of Yoga team directly at the hotel in Rishikesh.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 15% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
Reviews
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaRetreats.com. All major credit cards supported.