Spiritual Journey to India

1 to 12 December '24

The trips carried out by Villa Prana, rather than just promoting a cultural visit to a distant country, are a profound cultural, spiritual and therapeutic experience, promoting changes in the way we relate to others, aspects of our lives that we take as important, that formerly they were not seen in the same way.

 

It is not foreseen or guaranteed that everyone will “look” the same way, and that is not what is intended, but that each one feels the trip in their own way and with “their own” eyes.

All of our trips are open to everyone, with or without experience in the practice of Yoga, with or without a link to Villa Prana Studio.

 

We are not a travel agency, but a couple passionate about life experiences, culture and well-being. All of our trips are designed to provide an absolutely transformative experience for those who join us.

With more than 100 participants, we will continue to promote these experiences in complete safety, aiming at well-being and tranquility in all destinations, stops and services that we will provide, always with the help of our partners, whether in Portugal or at the destination.

 

Important note: It should be noted that on our trips we do not promote or condone any type of animal exploitation and we are focused on promoting sustainability at all costs in the destinations visited.

 

Booking Conditions and Important Details:

With registration, payment of €1000 must be made for confirmation.

We offer special payment conditions, that is, you can make several payments depending on your financial capacity and, of course, we will find an agreement that suits you.

We pay special attention to the quality of accommodation, staying in a hotel whenever possible and demanding the quality of the food available.

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We do not promise trips based on the alternative, genuine, exclusive and "out of the box", without the conditions presented being the most worthy for those who accompany us. We will not make endless train and/or bus journeys, or subject any participant to sleeping in tents without any conditions.

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All transport used, other than the exclusive transport for the group (private bus), will be taken into account with regard to convenience and cleanliness in order to provide the best comfort for the participants.

At the end of each day, you can check which services are included, including meals, transport, treatments, among others...

 

 

 

PROGRAM

Delhi – Agra – Rishikesh – Varanasi – Bodh Gaya

 

Day 1 – 1st December – Sunday

 

Indicative Flight – for Departures from Lisbon
Turkish Airlines
Departure: Sunday – 1 December 2024 – 11.35hrs – 05.05hrs+1
Return: Tuesday – 12th December 2024 – 06.45hrs – 15.00hrs
Indicative cost in 01/06/2024 – €754.86 (without travel insurance)

 

Day 2 – 2nd December – Monday

 

• Breakfast at the Hotel

• Sightseeing to Old Delhi & New Delhi 

• Lunch at local restaurant

• Dinner and stay at the hotel

 

All meals are included
 

You will arrive at New Delhi International Airport. Following customs, immigration and baggage collection formalities, following the Mouli rituals.

 

Mouli is a red cotton thread, considered very sacred and used in religious ceremonies in India. After the ceremonial reception, you will be transferred to your hotel where you will check-in and have breakfast. During the morning you will be given a brief period of rest.
The Capital of India and an important gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi is a bustling metropolis that successfully blends in its folds - the ancient with the modern. Amidst the fast spiraling skyscrapers, the remnants of a bygone time in the form of its many monuments are silent reminders of the region's ancient legacy.

 

In the afternoon, the visit to Gandhi Smirit will begin. Then we will visit the Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in Asia and which can be seen from the outside.

Building opposite the Red Fort.
The mosque has the capacity to accommodate up to 25,000 devotees. People enter and leave the mosque continuously and the presence of a bazaar nearby means
that the area is rarely quiet.

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Lunch at Local Restaurant

 

On Late afternoon we will visit Chandni Chock where we will have an experience of crossing the crazy traffic of Old Delhi by rickshaw passing by the Red Fort - overlooking the river Jamuna was built during the years 1638 - 48 when the Mughal Empire was at its peak. Together we will do some shopping at the traditional Main Market in Paharganj Main Baazar. After visiting Old Delhi, you will be taken to New Delhi, where the legacy that the British left behind is reflected.

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The tour to Imperial Delhi will take you to the India Gate - a majestic, 42 meter high arch built as a memorial to the 90,000 soldiers who gave their lives during the First World War. It is also known as the All India War Memorial, the foundation stone of which was laid by His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught in 1921. Beneath it burns an eternal flame (Amar Jawan Jyoti) to honor the memory of the unknown soldiers.

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From here, we will pass by the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President's residence, the Parliament building and other government buildings. Your next stop will be at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib (Sikh Temple) - a magnificent and spacious temple in Delhi, owned by Raja Jai ​​Singh Amber (Jaipur), who commanded great respect and honor in the court of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb now enjoys the status of a shrine sacred place called Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.

Return to the hotel
Dinner and overnight at the hotel

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Dia 3 – 3 de Dezembro – Terça-Feira

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• Packed hotel breakfast 

• Same Day Tour to Agra by Train 

• Lunch at a local restaurant 

• Sightseeing tours of Agra 

• Dinner and overnight at the hotel

 

All meals are included

 

With box (packed breakfast) from the hotel, you will be transferred to the railway station to board the train to Agra. Agra in terms of environment is still associated with its Mughal period. The Mughals, besides being great rulers, were also great builders and preserved their best architectural wonders for Agra and its neighborhood. It has many wonderful monuments and the Taj Mahal, the largest of them all, is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture at its best. The huge but elegant Agra Fort, the delicate art of Itimad-ud-daulah's tomb, the magnificent Taj.
Upon arriving at Agra railway station, the group will be transferred to the place where we will begin the visit/tour of the Taj Mahal.

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The Taj Mahal is everything that has been said about it and more. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and transported to the site by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal in the mid-17th century, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the world.
Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah is a Mughal mausoleum in the city of Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Often described as a "jewel box", sometimes called the "Bachcha Taj" or the "Baby Taj", the tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the Taj Mahal
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Lunch at local specialities restaurant

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Agra Fort - the headquarters and stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. This was the seat of the Mughal government and administration and the present structure owes its origins to Akbar, who erected the walls and gates and the first buildings on the eastern banks of the river Yamuna. Shah Jehan added the impressive rooms and mosque, while Aurangzeb added the outer walls. Visit its Public Audience Hall and its Royal Pavilions.

 

In the evening, you will be transferred to the railway station to board the train back to Delhi. Upon arrival at Nizamuddin railway station in Deli, you will be transferred to the hotel.

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Dinner and overnight at the hotel

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Day 4 – 4th December - Wednesday - DELHI – HARIDWAR – RISHIKESH

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• Morning coffee at the hotel

• Journey from Delhi to Rishikesh

• Lunch at local restaurant

• Dinner and stay at hotel

 

All meals are inlcuded

 

After breakfast, we will begin the journey from Delhi to Haridwar, covering around 255 km. The journey will last around 5-6 hours, with a stop in Haridwar, for a visit, meal and celebrations.
Haridwar is considered a holy place for Hindus, hosting important religious events and serving as a gateway to several prominent places of worship. The most significant of the events is the Kumbha Mela, which is celebrated every 12 years in Haridwar.

Lunch at local restaurant in Haridwar

Visiting Daksh Temple, Shanti Kunj e Pawan Dham

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In the evening, you will participate in the Hindu Ganga Aarti celebration in Har Ki Pauri.
Then a few more kms to Rishikesh. About 30 minutes.

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Rishikesh - also known as the "place of sages", at the confluence of Chandrabhaga and Ganga. It is believed that God with the name 'Hrishikesh' appeared as a response to the harsh penances of Rabhiya Rishi and henceforth the place derived its name Rishikesh is located in the lap of lower Himalayas, and is surrounded by the scenic beauty of hills in three sides with Holy Ganga flowing through it.

Dinner and stay in Hotel

 

Day 5 – 5th December - Thursday - RISHIKESH

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• Morning Yoga 

• Exploring Rishikesh city 

• Special ceremony of Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh 

• Dinner and stay at hotel

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All meals are inlcuded

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Early in the morning, you will participate in the morning Yoga session. (optional)
Breakfast at the hotel

We will visit Laxman Jhula, Beatles Ashram, Parmarth Ashram, Geeta Bhavan, Ram Jhula and take part in the Aarti ceremony at Parmarth Niketan Ashram or at Shatrugun ghat.
Lunch at local hotel/restaurant

Visits and tours will be divided into morning and afternoon. 

Dinner and overnight at the hotel
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Day 6 – 6th December – Friday - RISHIKESH

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• Morning yoga at hotel or ashram

• Morning coffee at hotel

• Free time for activities

• Dinner and stay at hotel

 

All meals are included

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Early in the morning you will join the Yoga session at the hotel/any Ashram.

Breakfast at the hotel
Other activities will be suggested on site.
Lunch at local hotel/restaurant
Dinner and overnight at the hotel

 

Day 7 – 7th December – Saturday - RISHIKESH – DEHRADUN – DELHI - VARANASI 

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• Morning Coffee at Hotel

• Transfer from Rishikesh to Dehradun

• Flight from Dehradun to Varanasi via Delhi

• Late lunch at hotel/local restaurant

• Night Aarti Ceremony at Ganges River

• Dinner and stay at hotel

 

All meals are included

 

Early morning (with packed breakfast) you will be transferred to Dehradun airport (22 Kms / 40 minutes) with a view to flight to Varanasi via Delhi. ​ Upon arrival at Varanasi airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in.

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The antiquity of Varanasi is veiled in immortal times and has been the center of religion, learning and civilization since centuries. The city gets its inherent charm from location as it is situated on the western side of the Holy Ganges. The main attractions are the bathing ghats which are always full of life at any time of the day. There is no Indian attraction like Varanasi.

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Late lunch at the hotel or local restaurant

In the evening, you will be taken to the Ghat to witness this unique Ganga Aarti.
At a pre-decided place, you will board a rickshaw to the riverbank, passing through narrow streets and crowded markets of Varanasi to witness the Illuminated Ganga Aarti at Dasaswamedh Ghat.

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Ganga Aarti is a spectacular sight. As the sun begins to set, bathing the river in gold, bells and gongs ring and chants fill the air. Rows of religious celebrants hold plates of flaming ghee, moving them in a circular salute to the River Goddess. Offerings of lamps and flowers are made to the river immediately after this ceremony and it is a moving sight to see hundreds of miniature lamps floating along the river.

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Dinner and stay at hotel

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Day 8 – 8th December – Sunday - VARANASI

 

• Morning visit to the Ghats

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Visit to Sarnath & Ruins

• Lunch at Local Vegetarian Restaurant

• Dinner and stay hotel

 

All meals are inlcuded

 

Early in the morning on the ghats, you will witness Hindu pilgrims performing the rituals, and following the centuries-old tradition and belief that, by dying in Varanasi or by immersing the remains in the sacred Ganges, it cleanses one's birth circle and you are incarnated to human life in the next birth.

We will have the opportunity by boat, sailing along the Ganges River around all the ghats and stopping at the most important ones.

 

Upon returning to the hotel, we will visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple - it is located on the premises of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The temple is built in white marbles, and was planned by Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu University. The most important feature of the new Vishwanath temple is that it is open to people of all castes and religions. The huge campus of New Vishwanath Temple is a delight to the eyes of the visitor. The interior has a Siva lingham and verses from Hindu scriptures are inscribed on the walls.

Breakfast and lunch at the hotel

In the afternoon, you will proceed for a tour to Sarnath, an important Buddhist center in the world. After achieving enlightenment in Bodhgaya, the 'Awakened' Buddha delivered his first speech here.

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It was then the sixth century, when he also set in motion the wheel of law, the Dharmachakra. This abode of the rishis, was also known as 'Rishipatana' (the place of the rishis or sages). Buddha gave his first sermon in Parque dos Deer, where he initiated his first five disciples as a Buddhist monk. Buddhism found its roots in Sarnath, the birthplace of this way of life.

Dinner and stay at Hotel

 

Day 9 – 9th December – Monday​

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• Morning coffee at hotel

• Transfer from Varanasi to Bodhgaya 

• Lunch at Hotel

• Sightseeing to Bodhgaya 

• Dinner and stay at Hotel

 

All meals are included

 

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we will leave for Bodhgaya, about 251 km of travel, 6 hours long, to the city where Buddha achieved “Enlightenment”.

Upon arrival, we will check in at the hotel.

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Lunch at hotel

Bodhi Tree: 2500 years ago, a young prince was meditating under the pipal tree when he achieved supreme enlightenment. The current tree is a descendant of the original. Devotees circle around the tree and collect fallen tree leaves and seeds as blessings from the lord.
Bodhi Sarovar: It is believed that Lord Gautama Buddha took a bath in the pond before beginning his meditation for enlightenment. It is one of the major tourist attractions in Bodh Gaya and travelers from all over visit the Bodhi Sarovar to perform various religious ceremonies.
Mahabodhi Temple: The temple has the large structure that rises to 48 square feet which is 170 feet tall. It is one of the ancient and significant temples of Buddhism. The temple is situated on the east side of the Bodhi tree.
Durgeshwari Cave Temples: It is believed that Lord Buddha meditated for a long time in the caves during his period of enlightenment. These caves are located at a distance of 12 km from Bodh Gaya.

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Visit to Mahabodhi

Return to hotel, dinner and stay.

 

Day 10 – 10th December – Tuesday

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• Morning Coffee at hotel

• One day excursion to Gurpa Hill 

• Lunch prepared from hotel

• Gaya local market

• Dinner and stay at the hotel

 

All meals are included

 

After breakfast, we will begin the journey to Mount Gurpa, approximately 35km away, 1 hour journey. Gurupada Giri is one of the natural and historical sites located in Gaya district of Bihar. It is situated on the Bihar-Jharkhand border. Here Mahakasyapa, the last disciple of Buddha, attained Nirvana.

Gurupada Giri is now known as Gurpa Hill. Another name for this hill is Kukkutpada Giri. Natural scenery, forests, waterfalls, sunrise and sunset views, with the Gurpa hill being well known.

There is a temple called Gurupada on Gurpa hill which is presumed to have footprints of “Lord Vishnu”. This place has gained popularity among pilgrims of Buddhism and Hinduism. From the top of Gurpa peak we get a stunning view of the surrounding landscape. It is an ideal place for meditation. Since the path is quite narrow and it is impossible to continue by bus, other means will be used to reach the point where our approximately 1600 steps to the top of Gurpa Hill began.

In the afternoon we will visit the local Gaya market
Dinner and overnight at the hotel

 

Day 11 – 11th December – Wednesday

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• Morning coffee at hotel

• Gaya Domestic flights to Delhi

• Late lunch at local restaurant

• Lotus temple sightseeing

• Dinner and stay at hotel

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All meals are included

 

Breakfast at the hotel
Late lunch at local restaurant

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The Lotus Temple will be the farewell temple of this journey of spirituality - The Bahai worship center (closed on Mondays), which is a very recent architectural marvel of the Bahai faith.

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Shaped like a half-open lotus flower, this temple is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. It is open to all religions and is an ideal place for meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility. The Bahai Temple is a marvel of modern architecture, visible from various points in South Delhi. The lotus flower means purity and peace, a representation of the Manifestation of God, for the people of India. This ancient symbol has been given a modern, contemporary form in the structure of the Bahai House of Worship, attracting people of all races, religious backgrounds and cultures from around the world to its sanctuary. Represents the Bahai faith, - an independent world religion; divine in origin, comprehensive in scope, broad in its outlook, scientific in its method, humanitarian in its principles, and dynamic in its influence.

 

Transfer to the Hotel Dinner and overnight at the hotel

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Day 12 – 12th December - Thursday

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Airport transfer Early morning check-out for transfer to Delhi Airport and subsequent international flight.

***End of tour***

 

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THE PRICE INCLUDES:

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   ❖11 nights of shared accommodation in twin sharing in the hotels above
mentioned or similar.
   ❖ Meal plan: Full board according to the program
of the tour
   ❖ All transfers, excursions and sightseeing will be done by air-conditioned vehicle, as below:
- Air-conditioned mini bus for 10 to 14 paying pax + Air-conditioned Tempo Traveler (07 – 08 pax in one vehicle) in Rishikesh as certain buses are not accessible to the entire area in Rishikesh
- Large air-conditioned bus from 15 paying pax + Tempo Traveler with air-conditioning (07 – 08 pax in one vehicle) in Rishikesh as certain buses are not accessible to the entire area in Rishikesh
   ❖ Entrance fees to all monuments mentioned in the itinerary, road fees, parking fee, fuel fee and interstate taxes.
   ❖ 3 Domestic Flights
   ❖ Spanish speaking guide services (Staying in hotels other than guests) from Delhi to Delhi (staying in hotels other than guests)
   ❖ A rickshaw ride in Delhi during sightseeing.
   ❖ Battery-powered vehicle from the parking lot closest to the Taj Mahal entrance
   ❖ Train fare to travel from Delhi – Agra – Delhi using AC Chair Car
   ❖ Varanasi Boat Cruise on River Ganges (subject to water level)
   ❖ 2 bottles of mineral water in the vehicle during the tour per person per day

 

NOT INCLUDED

 

   ❖ Expenses of a personal nature such as tips (for the guides, driver/helper, in restaurants during meals, for the rickshaw puller, etc), laundry, telephone/fax calls and packaged drinking water during meals, alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks alcoholic beverages, including packaged drinking water during meals, camera/video camera fee at monuments, medical expenses, air ticket, etc.

   ❖ Entry visa to India for 30 days, single entry (We provide assistance with acquiring the visa €50 - visa included;

   ❖ Travel Insurance, with COVID 19 coverage;

   ❖ International Flights;

 

NOTE

• We will provide a corresponding indicative flight.

• Expenses of a personal nature such as tips, laundry, telephone/fax calls, alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks, including packaged drinking water during meals, video camera or camera fees, or use of a smartphone at monuments, medical expenses, boarding fees from the airport etc.

• Any other services not mentioned in the inclusions.
   

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SPECIAL NOTES (In India)

• Hotel check-in time is 2:00 pm. Check-out time 11:00 am

• Prices are subject to change without notice.

• Fares include only the items specified in your itinerary.

 

 

INDIA ENTRY POLICY

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• Passport: with at least 6 months of validity and 2 pages for blank stamps, on the date of arrival in India

• Visa: ETA / e-Visa (Tourist Visa 30 days = free as of today)

• Full support will be provided regarding visas, filling out forms and submitting them

• During your entire stay in India, the organization will take care of all services and details without you having to worry about them.

• We can provide assistance with purchasing flights, and to do so you must send us an updated passport with at least 6 months of validity at the time of departure, as well as 2 blank pages.

 

SUGGESTIONS

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• When traveling through northern India, we recommend that you wear warm clothing, a good jacket and preferably dress in layers;

• For the entire trip, we advise you to carry cash instead of using a card, in order to avoid unnecessary commissions;

• You should avoid using your cell phone, using applications such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Zoom, among others;

•  Conversion to date: 05/15/2024 – 1 Euro = 90.2 rupees;

• On European airlines the maximum weight per checked bag is 23kg and for hand luggage 8kg. Pay attention to the items allowed in hand luggage;