This page is designed to provide all of the information you will need to have an easeful, beautiful journey into the sacred landscapes of Southern India.

 
 

Daily schedule

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India is a living, breathing experience of spontaneity. The cultural relationship to time and planning is very different. Rest assured, every day you will be provided with food, water, yoga, safe transportation and access to incredible sacred sites.  The Travel schedule is set and you will never have to worry about transportation between destinations. You will never be left behind but you may not always know where you’re going.

We encourage you to be prepared to go with the flow and let the adventure unfold. It can be easy to want to know where we are going and what is coming next, but this is a very western way to think about it. The invitation is to frame the flow of India as an opportunity to be open and present for what really wants to happen. Let your wonderful and capable guides worry about the details. 


What to pack: Clothing

Its culturally appropriate and respectful to cover your body. So please don't wear tank tops, short shorts, leggings or super skimpy things outside of the hotel/resort unless you have a shawl to cover yourself. We recommend clothing that is comfortable for temperatures in the 70s (F) / 20s (C). 

  1. Temple Clothes: If you already have a Sari or Punjabi (women) or Kurta (men), please bring it. Those who do not own temple clothes will be able to purchase them in India before our first temple stop.

  2. Shawl(s) ~ temperatures could drop to the 50s (F) teens (C) at night

  3. Yoga Clothes

  4. Rain jacket (rain is unlikely but possible)

  5. Shoes that are easy to slip off and on. You will be leaving them outside of temples so please don’t bring your favorite shoes.

  6. Sunhat, sunglasses, sunscreen.

 

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What to pack Continued

  1. Bug spray (make sure it contains DEET if you want it to work - though deet is a toxic chemical it is safe to use for short periods of time).

  2. Quick dry travel clothes.

  3. Yoga mat and strap.

  4. Any health aids that you like to use to prevent illness. We especially recommend immune bolstering supplements because you will be in a new environment. More information on this in the 'Health' section of this page.

  5. Zippered Bag: You will be able to leave things safely on the bus, which will be parked near each stop. We suggest a side bag or fanny pack with a zipper to keep your money and water in during temple trips. It is always a good idea to be aware of pickpockets, but if you keep your money close and on the front of your body there is no need to worry. Yusuf, Hareesh and your guides will have their eyes out to ensure safety at all times.

  6. Please purchase a Steripen water purification device to use on tap water in your hotel room. This will reduce our consumption of bottled water. Plastic trash is a huge problem in India! However, if you are not able to purchase a Steripen there will be bottled water in the Hotel rooms and on the bus.

  7. Optional: Indian cities are very smoggy, so bring a kerchief or facemask to cover your nose and mouth if you are particularly sensitive to air quality.

  8. Earplugs and eye mask (especially for people who have roommates).

  9. PLEASE NOTE: If you forget any necessities you will be able to buy things along the way.


Food

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Meals and fruit snacks are included as part of the trip. You will always have 3 meals a day but you are of course welcome to bring snacks from home. This is especially important for people who have a constitution that requires food every few hours. We suggest quick and easy to carry things like nuts, bars, trail mix, etc.

Dietary restrictions:

You will always have access to vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. However, there is really no way to ensure that there will be zero cross contamination. If you have a severe allergy to gluten or nightshades do bring as much food and/or supplements as you need to keep your body healthy.


Health

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There is truly a different environment in India that your body will not be used to. Please consult whatever form of healthcare provider you trust to assist in supporting your body for this new environment. If you would like more in depth information about vaccinations please read this article. We have never had someone get severely ill in eight years of India trips, but sensitive people do experience upset stomachs at times. We recommend these general health aids: 

Immune boosting- We recommend you start taking whatever immune boosters your body likes before the trip and continue to take them throughout the trip.

Nourishing Vitamins- Some people like to bring electrolytes, especially with vitamin c and other vitamins as the heat can be depleting for some folks. The Indian way of replenishing electrolytes is to drink lime water with cane sugar or salt, or coconut water.

Digestive Support- Your belly will be adjusting to the food so support your digestive system with digestive herbs, tinctures, and/or probiotics. We suggest activated charcoal, Herbal Zap and Mo' Better Belly

Allergies & Sinus Support- There are a few stops on our Pilgrimage to areas with high air pollution. Please bring lung support supplements and a scarf to cover your face if you are sensitive to air quality. There is also a completely different array of plant life in India which might bother people with allergies.

PLEASE NOTE: The area of India we are visiting is statistically almost Malaria free so you can bring Malaria medication just in case, but it is not required.


How to stay connected

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We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to be fully immersed in the experience of India. To the extent that it is possible for you, tie up any loose ends before the trip so that your are not engaging in your every day level of habitual electronic communication. Try to reduce or eliminate checking texts or emails, engaging with social media, or following the news. We recommend that you set up an email vacation responder with an end date 3-5 days after your return home to provide a gentle transition after India.

Most phone carriers allow you to set up travel data ahead of time, and many people can send text messages and access the internet on their data plan. Some carriers also allow phone calls on data. Check with your carrier for specifics. Please note that all the hotels will have wifi, so you don't actually need an international data plan! (Most hotels will have free wifi, very occasionally they will have only paid wifi.)

Sim cards are time consuming to obtain in India so if you plan to buy a Sim card there please allot time for that before our tour begins. Our guide, Yusuf, will not be able to facilitate the purchase of a Sim card for you. We highly recommend getting a plan through your provider instead of a Sim card.


Money: Exchange and how much to bring

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Hareesh recommends using ATMs in India to exchange money as they have the best exchange rate. You can also exchange money at the airport in the baggage claim area. If you would like to arrive with Rupees in hand, exchange money at home before you travel. Just keep in mind that any money you want to exchange back to US dollars will be done at a loss, so try to exchange only what you will spend.

Note: since everything essential is included in the price of the trip, you only need petty cash for shopping and gifts. People usually don’t spend more than 100-200 dollars. If you plan on buying more expensive items such as statues (mūrtis), sārīs, or other items, those shops almost always accept credit cards.

 


Tipping

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Tips for Hotel staff are include as part of the trip.

It is customary to tip our tour guide Yusuf, the bus driver and the bus driver's assistant, and tips are part of their livelihood. The usual range is $5-20 per day for all three of them, with $10-15 being the average per day (for ALL of the staff). Tips will be collected by Susan at the end of the pilgrimage.

You can also make cash offerings at temples, these are not usually amounts (as little as 10 Rupees) but you can give as much as your heart is called to.


We are thrilled you are coming on this adventure with us!


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