During your Stay at the Ashram
Our retreats are six days of classes with the seventh day as a day-off. The day-off is for optional tours, to explore the cultural and spiritual beauty of the places nearby. You will have the opportunity to enjoy your yoga holiday in India and join with other students on these day-trips that we organize to the following places:
1. Mysore, Karnataka
Well known as the cultural/spiritual capital of South India, Mysore is an ancient place steeped in art and culture, which was kept unbroken for centuries by the rule of Hindu kings until it merged into the newly created India in 1947. Today, Mysore is popular for its palaces, temples, museums, flowers, silk, spices, colorful street markets, several parks/gardens, lakes, food, coffee, and more than 20 yoga centers. There are several cultural and spiritual activities besides yoga to make this place a favorite hangout for backpackers!
Approximate costs: $10 – $20/person.
More about Mysore:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/karnataka/mysore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysore
https://wikitravel.org/en/Mysore
2. Bylakuppe & Coorg
Bylakuppe is the largest Tibetan Colony outside Tibet, even bigger than Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh in North India. One can see some of the biggest Tibetan Temples and monasteries in this area. It is a great place for shopping too.
Coorg is a rain-forest-hilly area closer to Bylakuppe and is famous for its Waterfalls, Elephant park, Coffee plantations – that’s where most of the coffee is grown and exported to the West.
Approximate Costs: $20-$40/person, depends on number of people.
More about these places:
Bylakuppe, Tibetan Settlements in Karnataka https://wikitravel.org/en/Kodagu
3. Wild-Life and Wayanad, Kerala
Wayanad District in Kerala, located 70 kilometers from our AyurYoga Eco-Ashram, is one of the protected Forest Reserves in India, mostly filled with thick forests and hills, where you can see a few spice and tea/coffee plantations in between. This scenic drive also goes through the Kabini Dam and Nagarhole Forest Reserves where you can see plenty of deer, monkeys, wild elephants, and if you are lucky, a tiger! It’s the ultimate trip to experience nature.
We organize a day-trip to Wayanad to give you an experience of ancient forests filled with many sacred/herbals trees, which are the major source of Ayurvedic medicines today. Other than driving through forest and wild life, we stop at Kuruva Islands, Edakkal Caves, Banasura Dam and other natural and cultural places, if time permits.
Approximate Costs: $20-$40/person, depends on number of people.
More about Wayanad:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayanad_district
https://www.wayanad.org/content/wayanad-outdoor-trail
Before/after your stay with us
The location of AyurYoga Eco-Ashram is at the heart of South India which makes it easy to travel around to many tourist attractions in Karnakata, Kerala, and Tamilanadu within a few hours of drive. Besides the day-trips we organize during your stay here, we can also help our students in traveling before/after the retreats, with our suggestions of interesting regions and how to get there.
Here is the list of some of recommended places to explore in South India. Please, check out Google Maps to locate these places and distances from our place.
Recommended Places in Karnataka
Other than the day-trips we offer during your stay, if you have more time Mysore deserves more than one day-trip to stay and to explore its culture; shopping, yoga classes, visiting parks, museums, palaces, temples and ashrams. We recommend our students to stay at Krishnaprem Homestay in Gokulam, which is affordable and central to all yoga places.
Other than Bylakuppe, the largest Tibetan settlement, there are three Temple Towns famous for classical rock architecture with stone and sculpture. Please google for shravanabelagola –Belur – Halebidu. All three places can be covered in one day while staying in Mysore. There is also one amazing temple with stunning sculptures in Somanathapura, at 40 km. distance from the ashram.
Famous hangout for backpackers, Hampi is popular for its stone work and sculptures in many of its temples. Many travelers stop here for a day or two on their way to Gokarna or Goa Beaches on the west coast of Karnataka. There are regular luxury buses between Goa and Bangalore that pass through this town. For more info: https://wikitravel.org/en/Hampi
Alternative to crowded Goa, Gokarna is famous for its peaceful, not much developed beaches and quiet time for backpackers. It is located on the West coast of Karnataka and a few hours drive before entering Goa – which is also famous for many tourists looking for beaches and partying – though we don’t recommend Goa after/before yoga retreats.
Recommended Places in Kerala
For Nature, Trekking, Outdoor Activities, Spice & Coffee Plantations.
Talassery and Kappad Beach near Calicut Airport are famous for Beaches, Ayurveda & Theyyam Dance.
Cultural Capital of Kerala, famous for annual Elephant Festival & Elephant Park.
Famous for miles of amazing hills filled with tea plantations.
Popular hangout near Cochin, is famous for it’s Portuguese Heritage and shopping souvenirs. Tourists generally stop for short stay after, or in middle of tiring busy travel itineraries, to chill out with western cafes and music, etc.
Backwater boat trips and Amma’s Ashram.
Popular spot for tourists to hangout for weeks/months and chill out with plenty of yoga, restaurants, cultural programs, besides the beach. Comparing to many resorts/homestays in Kerala, which are expensive, Varkala is a paradise for backpackers and long-term stays with affordable accommodation and food.
Possible Routes: Wayanad-Calicut-Trichur-Munnar-Fort Cochin-Alleppey-Varkala-Trivandrum to fly in/out.
From Cochin, you can also go to Kodaikanal-Bodhizendo-Madurai in Tamilandadu, via Munnar.
You can also make a triangular tour of Kerala and Tamilandadu via Trivandrum-Kanyakumari.
Major Airports: Calicut, Cochin and Trivandrum.
Recommended Places in Tamil nadu
About 7 hours drive from AyurYoga Eco-Ashram, Kodaikanal is another Hill Station at the height of 7200 feet – a popular hangout for backpackers. You can easily stay for a week or more in exploring the Nature, Tribes, Trekking, Paragliding and other outdoor activities. More info: https://wikitravel.org/en/Kodaikanal , https://www.karunafarm.in
If you are scared of sitting 10 hours/day in a Vipasana Retreat, Bodhi Zendo offers a light version of intensive meditation retreats. We recommend many of our students to book a place here months ahead as it is generally always fully booked. More info: https://www.bodhizendo.org
Well known for Ramana Ashram and Jnana Yoga Philosophy Discourse, Thiruvannamalai is popular with spiritual seekers from around the world. Accommodation is economical and makes it a heaven for backpackers. Check out various spiritual retreats/courses offered there during cooler months between November and March. Summers are too hot. On the way from Madurai to Thiruvannamalai, you can also stop for other famous temples complex in Chidambaram, Tanjavore and Trichy.
On the East Coast of India, closer to Chennai, Auroville is 5000 acres of man-made forest and a huge experimental township under the guidance of Mother and Aurobindo. Today, it is one of the top-most places for all things ecological in India. It is a great place to volunteer and to study Ecology. We recommend all our students to visit this place at least once: https://auroville.org Mahabalipuram Beach, another popular spot for backpackers, is close to Auroville and on the way to Chennai.
On the East Coast of India, closer to Chennai, Auroville is 5000 acres of man-made forest and a huge experimental township under the guidance of Mother and Aurobino. Today, it is one of the top-most places for all things ecological in India. It is a great place to volunteer and to study Ecology. We recommend all our students to visit this place at least once: https://auroville.org Mahabalipuram Beach, another popular spot for backpackers, is close to Auroville and on the way to Chennai.
Possible Routes: Ooty-Kodaikanal-BodhiZendo-Madurai-Thriuvannamalai-Auroville-Chennai
Major Airports: Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai.