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 famous songs.

Itinerary

Your walking tour of the ashrams of Rishikesh will begin at the Sivananda ashram, near the Ram Jhula bridge. Learn about the origins of these spiritual centres that attract individuals globally to practice meditation and yoga, along with insights into the daily lives of teachers and students who reside there.

Visit various ashrams, each with distinct doctrines from their founding gurus. Key sites include the Vanprastha, Swarg, and Parmarth Niketan ashrams, where the Ganga Aarti ceremony occurs every evening.

A visit to Rishikesh is incomplete without the now-abandoned Chaurasi Kutia, known as the Beatles Ashram. Here, amid the Himalayan foothills, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr spent almost two months in 1968 following the teachings of guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, practicing yoga and meditation. This period was highly productive for the band, leading to the creation of over thirty songs during their stay.

After several years, the ashram was abandoned, now overgrown but regarded by Beatles fans as a shrine. The walking tour will conclude following your visit to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram.