Journey to the Himalayas
Yoga & Meditation Spiritual Retreat
with Emma Brown & Friends
12-26 October 2025
Join us for this 15 day adventure to northern India with visits to various ashrams and special ancient temples in the Himalayan region- visiting spiritual centres of India such as Rishikesh, Haridwar and Rudraprayag.
During the journey we will have regular yoga classes, meditations, talks and nature walks in the Himalayan hills. This is a retreat for those, not simply interested in sight seeing, but in exploring more yoga philosophy and the spiritual culture and heritage of India.
Outline of Programme:
Our journey will start with one night in Delhi where we will have time for a yoga class, food and some local shopping for things you may need for the trip. The following morning we will drive to Haridwar stopping for lunch on the way. Haridwar is on the banks of the river Ganges and at the foothill of the Himalayas and is regarded as a holy place for Hindus and Yogis hosting important religious events such as the Kumbha mela.
In Haridwar we will stay at the Johari house which originally belonged to the very recognised spiritual author Harish Johari and which is now run as a retreat space by his daughter. In Haridwar we will visit some local temples and the bazaar and will get to attend the famous Ganga Arati on several occasions, which is the ceremony of offering the light and prayers to honour the holy Ganges river. This is a really special and memorable experience. We will have a Homa ( fire ceremony) at Johari house too and a special workshop on how to make a Yantra, a powerful sacred geometric design made with rice powders which are often used as tools for meditation and prayer and personal empowerment.
From Haridwar we will have a day visit to the pilgrimage city of Rishikesh, which is about a 40 minutes drive away. In Rishikesh we will get to visit the Sivananda ashram and house of Swami Sivananda who was the founder and spiritual inspiration behind the style of yoga we practice in our classes. We will get to experience another Ganga arati here too and get to enjoy the local area and shops where you can find all sorts of items such as books, malas, deities etc. to support your yoga practice and journey.
After 3 nights in Haridwar and Rishikesh we will then take a day’s journey higher up into the Himalayas to a region known as Rudraprayag. We will spend just over a week here at the Turiya resort where we will have regular yoga and meditation sessions and which will be our base to visit some very special temples and sacred pilgrimage sites such as Kalimath, Kartikswami temple and Kedarnath as well as some local trekking.
These temples are some of the most popular and respected pilgrimage sites of North India where many yogis and Hindus try to visit in their life. Kedarnath is an ancient Shiva temple and to get there we will have to take a helicopter ride as the Trek up is not so easy. This will be an optional trip, but I highly recommend it as you will get to visit one of the oldest and most powerful temples in India. It will be busy there with many pilgrims but will be well worth the visit as you will receive the energy and blessings ( Darshan) from this powerful spot.
After our week in Rudraprayag we will then make our way back down to Rishikesh where we will spend a night or 2 with some more ashram visits, local sightseeing, shopping and enjoying some more time alongside the river Ganges. We will then head back to Delhi for our departure flight back to the UK.
This will be a very special trip where you will get to experience some unique events and places that you may not get to do on your own, diving deep into some of the ancient culture and traditions of India which has beckoned sages and seekers for centuries.
Retreat Leader: Emma Brown is the founder of Yoga Studio in Bromley has been teaching yoga and philosophy for more than 30 years and lived within the Sivananda ashrams for nearly 14 years. She runs regular classes/workshops in London and Bromley as well working as an ayurvedic health consultant and teaching on various teachers training courses in the UK and Spain. Emma lived in India for several years and is quite familiar with the culture, so with the help of local guides and friends she feels comfortable and supported taking groups on these special adventures.
Accommodation: The accommodation will be in clean and simple, twin or double ( if you are a couple) rooms with attached bathroom. All meals will be pure vegetarian. Smoking, alcohol, meat, fish and eggs are not allowed during the retreat.
Price: £1995 for the 15 days/14 nights sharing a twin/double room.
Included: Full daily program of yoga, talks, temple visits and sightseeing. Accommodations, vegetarian meals, road transport within India
Extras: Please bring an additional £40 each which we will collect from each of you on arrival towards tips for drivers and assistants and to engage local priests and guides. Bottled water, chai and drink stops on the way, laundry, and all personal requirements during the retreat are not included.
Optional Extras: Helicopter trip to Kedarnath temple - highly recommended: £45
Booking: We will only take 15 participants and places will be confirmed after a short interview. To secure a place on the retreat please request the registration form and if you can send this back along with a £300 non-refundable deposit. The balance will be due by the end of July 2025 unless arranged otherwise.The price for this retreat is a little more than our last Kerala retreat due to increased costs of travel/accommodation in the North of India and the experiences that we will be having. It is still exceptionally good value for what is offered.
Suggested Flights: On booking we will suggest a specific return flight to Delhi. You can arrange other flights if you prefer but please be there in good time for a 10am transfer on the 12th morning. The return flight gets you back into the UK on the morning of the 27th October.
Health Concerns: You may be subject to jet lag, varied climatic conditions, taxing bus rides, dust and air pollution, very different food, crowds of people, unfamiliar sights and sounds. These all take their toll. On a subtler level, regular yoga practice and darshan (energy you receive) in the temples are often powerfully moving experiences and hidden feelings and emotions can be brought to the surface. These can be overwhelming for the first-time visitor to India, but Mother India’s incredible hospitality, warm humanity, and abundant spirituality always come through and touch everyone in a deep and mysterious manner. Bring what comforts you in the way of any health needs or medications: anti-diarrhea tablets, mosquito repellent, sun block, basic first-aid items, etc. In case of emergencies, doctors and pharmacies can be found. If you have any medications that you need, you must bring them with you. Bottled water is always available for you to purchase, but please carry a water bottle that you can refill in order to minimize plastic use.
What to Bring: Pack lightly and include one small carry-on backpack for daytrips. We will send you a detailed packing list once you sign up. Passport and money must be kept secure in a neck pouch or money belt. Have a few copies of the info and visa pages of your passport. Call your bank to tell them that you are traveling in India. There are ATMs everywhere. But as the ATMs are not always reliable, or easy to find, you should bring the equivalent of about £150 – £500 (in your currency) to change into Indian rupees to have on hand for shopping and sundry discretionary expenses (tips, chais, etc.) It is easiest to change money at the airport upon arrival. If you need an Indian SIM for your mobile phone you can do that at the airport on arrival as well.We will mostly travel in 14-seater A/C mini-vans. At each location you are responsible to make sure that your bag gets loaded on the van before we depart.
For bookings and any questions contact Emma - sivanandabromley@yahoo.co.uk / 07765 100436
