Ashram Tour of Rishikesh

Discover why Rishikesh is one of the holiest places in India exploring the city's ashrams, or Hindu spiritual retreats. Explore the abandoned ashram where the Beatles stayed and wrote some of their most famous songs.

Itinerary

Your walking tour of the ashrams of Rishikesh will begin at the Sivananda ashram, near the Ram Jhula bridge. Discover the origins of these spiritual centres, where people gather to practice meditation and yoga. Learn about their importance in India and the daily lives of the teachers and students who live there.

There are various ashrams in Rishikesh, each with unique doctrines established by its founding guru. You will visit the ashrams of Vanprastha, Swarg, and Parmarth Niketan, where the famous Ganga Aarti ceremony is performed every evening.

A tour of the ashrams would not be complete without visiting the well-known Chaurasi Kutia, also known as the Beatles Ashram. Here, amidst the jungle in the Himalayan foothills, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr spent time following the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. They lived in the retreat practicing yoga and meditation in 1968 and wrote over thirty songs there.

After being abandoned for years, the ashram remains in a state of ruin, overgrown by greenery, and has become a shrine for Beatles fans.

Following your visit to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, the walking tour will conclude.