Post Yoga and Sound Workshop Trip - 2009

Welcome again to an enjoyable sojourn in the great Himalayas!!!

The Himalayas are a nature lover's paradise. Wide expanse of the mountainous region, endless hill ranges and panoramic view of its snow clad peaks are simply breathtaking.

The fragrant forests of Pine, Rhododendron and Deodar and the deep green valleys engulfing the tiny hamlets are found everywhere in the Himalayas. The 'Sacred Ganga' emerging from this mesmerizing surrounding leave a visitor totally spell bound.

No wonder therefore that the Gods too chose to reside here in this great Himalayas. Centuries old temples built by the Katyuri and Chand kings giving glimpses of architectural prowess of the ancient India stand proof to this belief.

The exotic costumes, ornaments and the rich dances of the hill folks attract people from all over the world. Those who visit the Himalayas once have always experienced the pull and the call to return time and again to its spiritual environs.

Enthused and encouraged by the response of the earlier groups to such trips, we are pleased to offer a similar trip after Y & S Workshop 2009.

Our plan this time is to visit the Garhwal and the Kumaon Himalayas in the northern Indian state of Uttaranchal.

In Garhwal Himalayas we will visit the 'River Confluences' or the 'Prayagas' like the Deoprayag, the Rudraprayag, the Karnaprayag and the Nandprayag which finally result in the formation of the great river 'Ganga'.

In the Kumaon region, we will be visiting its capital Nainital & the historical 'Mountain View Resort' at Khali in the Binsar sanctuary.

Deoprayag: This river confluence is 71 Km. from Rishikesh. Here the river Bhagirathi from Gaumukh mingles with river Alaknanda from Satopanth to form the 'Sacred Ganga' making Deoprayag, in literal sense, the birth place of 'The Ganga'.

Rudraprayag: 71 Km. from Deoprayag is 'Rudraprayag' which is a confluence of the river Mandakini from Kedarnath and the river Alaknanda from Badrinath. Tumbling and tossing the two rivers meet spell-binding all the visitors. The ancient saint Narad Muni meditated here for several years at the temple of 'Rudranath'.

Nandprayag: Nandprayag with its hamlet set in the scenic surroundings of the confluence of the river Alaknanda and the river Nandakini which originates from a glacier near the Nandadevi peak, is a photographer's delight...

Enroute to Binsar, we will be passing through picturesque town of Gwaldam.

Later on the bank of river Gomti, is the seat of the ancient (12^th / 13^th century A.D.) temple complex of Baijnath which we plan to visit. They are splendid examples of the grandeur of the Chand architecture.

Khali: The 'Mountain View Resort' of Khali is situated in the midst of the Binsar sanctuary. Its beautiful and tranquil surroundings are ideal for meditation, nature-walks, bird-watching and music. We will stay here for three nights.

Binsar Sanctuary's chief attraction is the majestic view of the Himalayas - a 300 km stretch of famous peaks which includes Kedarnath, Chaukhamba, Trishul, Nandadevi, Nandakot and the 5-peak Panchchuli range.

Nainital: This beautiful capital of Kumaon is named after the temple of Naina Devi presiding over a majestic 'Tal' (Lake) Nainital. There are six other beautiful 'tals' surrounding this spot. This will be our last port of call where we could do boating and shopping especially of wax candles and local woolen clothing etc.

This 8 nights /9 days trip will start from Rishikesh on 12^th March and will terminate at New Delhi on 20^th March, 2009. We shall be traveling by a 2 x 2 air conditioned luxury coach and staying at the best hotels/resorts these high altitude places would offer.

The actual tour details would be finalized and will be communicated later. Please note that despite all our efforts to make this trip memorable, all plans are subject to change based on the most unpredictable Himalayan weather and road conditions.

The current best estimate (as of April 24th 2008) for the cost of the trip, including all boarding, lodging and travel associated with the sight seeing trip, is US$ 1600 per Pax on twin sharing basis. For single room there will be an additional cost of $500 per Pax. Since the US dollar value is volatile the resorts and the hotels in India are unwilling to give a firm commitment as of this date; therefore the actual cost may vary accordingly. The clients are strongly advised to obtain appropriate insurance to guard against all possible unexpected events.

Please let Naina Chhaya know that you are interested in this trip. The mode of payment will be communicated to you at a later date. For further information on the trip, please feel free to contact Naina Chhaya at achhaya@gmail.com or call +91-79-2676 5494 or +91-93270 74436 (mobile).