Welcome
Your gateway to extraordinary and life-changing experiences in India
Our mission is to immerse travellers in the living culture of India, allowing them to embark on a journey as Yatris – sincere and curious seekers – rather than mere tourists. We do this while maintaining a commitment to affordability, safety, ease, comfort, and, of course, the joy of exploration!
logistics
We look forward to helping you embark on a transformative and enriching adventure through the heart and soul of India.
We invite you to connect with us using our Contact Form, where you can provide us with the details of your desired tour. Once we receive your information, our dedicated team will promptly revert to you with personalized recommendations and valuable trip advice.
Our expertise extends to assisting you with international travel and visa requirements, arranging seamless airport transfers, hand-picking accommodations that suit your preferences, curating delightful culinary experiences, coordinating with knowledgeable local guides, securing serene and beautiful yoga shalas, ensuring comfortable rooms, and facilitating safe and convenient local transportation.
Your journey with us begins with a simple click of the Contact Form.
Travel Advice
Preferred Airlines Suggestions: We offer guidance on preferred airlines that align with your travel preferences, ensuring a comfortable and convenient journey.
Visa Requirements and Restrictions: Our team advises you on the specific visa requirements and any restrictions applicable to your travel, helping you navigate the visa application process smoothly.
Health and Safety Protocols: In light of evolving circumstances, such as COVID-19 and other health-related concerns, we ensure that all relevant protocols and guidelines enforced at the time of your travel are meticulously observed. Your safety and well-being are our top priorities.
With YQT, you can embark on your journey to India with confidence, knowing that we are committed to making your travel experience as smooth, safe, and enjoyable as possible.
Airport Transfers
Upon your arrival in India, Yoga Quest Tours (YQT) ensures a seamless transition by arranging airport transfers for your group. We prioritize your comfort and convenience, whisking you away to the first hotel, strategically located in close proximity to the airport.
Your journey with us begins on a warm and welcoming note. On the first evening, we invite you to join us for a delightful dinner and a special welcome circle. This circle serves as an opportunity for introductions, fostering connections within the group, and establishing a shared understanding of what each individual hopes to gain from this transformative experience. It’s a beautiful way to set the tone for the journey ahead, creating a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
24 Hour Support
At Yoga Quest Tours (YQT), our commitment to your well-being and comfort extends beyond the itinerary. We are here for you 24/7, recognizing that travel to a new country and culture may come with a multitude of questions and occasional apprehensions. Your peace of mind is our priority, and we are delighted to address any inquiries you may have.
Our intent is for you to fully immerse yourself in this extraordinary journey, savouring every moment of the incredible experience. Leave all the logistics to us. We take pride in going the extra mile to ensure that your trip is not just stress-free but also exceptionally safe and comfortable. Your trust in us allows you to focus on what truly matters – embracing the beauty and wonder of your Indian adventure.
Accommodation
At Yoga Quest Tours (YQT), we take care of all your accommodation needs throughout your journey. We meticulously select medium to large-sized, luxury independent hotels that prioritize hygiene and comfort, offering you a serene and pleasant stay.
What sets us apart is our strong connections with hotel management teams, which allows us to provide our YQT travellers with special and personalized attention, service, and care. You can expect an elevated level of hospitality and comfort throughout your stay.
Our hotel choices are strategically located within reasonable distances from the cultural or religious sites you’ll be visiting. This ensures that you are not subjected to tourist traps, and you can immerse yourself in authentic experiences without unnecessary hassles.
Furthermore, we understand that each traveller’s needs and preferences may differ. Hence, we offer flexibility in the duration of your stay at the hotels, whether you prefer a short or extended stay. Our team at YQT is always ready to make recommendations and provide advice tailored to the group’s specific needs and tour requirements. Your comfort and satisfaction are our top priorities, and we strive to make your accommodation an integral part of your memorable journey.
Meals
At Yoga Quest Tours (YQT), we believe that the culinary experience is an integral part of your journey. That’s why we include all meals in the price of your trip, offering you a hassle-free and delightful dining experience.
Our meal arrangements are designed with your comfort and preferences in mind. For breakfast and dinner, you can indulge in expansive buffets that feature a diverse range of options, including Indian, Western, and continental cuisines. This ensures that you have the flexibility to savour the flavours you love.
During daytime travel, we make sure to stop for lunch at pre-booked restaurants that are well-known and trusted establishments. Occasionally, lunch may also take place at a carefully selected restaurant en route to your destination. Rest assured, our guides are meticulous about hygiene and safety. They personally inspect the kitchens, and our team ensures that they are clean and adhere to the highest hygiene standards.
It’s this unwavering commitment to your well-being, the painstaking personal care, and attention to safety that truly set YQT apart from other operators. We want every aspect of your journey, including the culinary experience, to be not just enjoyable but also worry-free.
Tour Guide
At Yoga Quest Tours (YQT), every tour is led by a highly experienced guide and facilitator who meticulously plans every aspect of the journey down to the smallest detail. This guide is not just a planner but also a constant presence throughout the tour, accompanying the group to ensure safe, smooth, and stress-free travel.
Your guide’s expertise goes beyond logistics; they are deeply knowledgeable about the cultural, spiritual, and historical aspects of the places you’ll visit. Their role is to enhance your experience, provide insights, and make the journey come alive with stories and context.
With your dedicated guide by your side, you can explore India with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your trip is well-managed and that you have a trusted expert to turn to for any questions or assistance you may need. Your guide’s commitment is to make your journey not just memorable but also deeply enriching.
Our experienced, English-speaking tour guides are your key to unlocking the vibrant heart of India, granting you access to opportunities often reserved for locals. Our heartfelt desire is for you to immerse yourself in profound spiritual rituals, visit incredible locations and points of interest, practice yoga in breathtaking settings, savour delectable cuisine, and engage in stimulating discussions.
What truly sets our tours apart is the remarkable connections formed within our groups. It’s a phenomenon we witness time and again—our travellers bond on a deep level almost instantly, and for many, the journey becomes a profound and life-changing experience. We welcome both returning and first-time travellers, each time offering fresh destinations, new experiences, and an abundance of new memories. Our tours are not just about exploration; they’re about forging lasting friendships, both old and new.
Our meticulous planning, coupled with our in-depth knowledge of local customs and practices, ensures that our tours are not only safe but also seamless and thought-provoking. Our guides work tirelessly around the clock to ensure that every aspect of your trip runs smoothly.
To further enrich your experience, we enlist additional local guides who possess the insider knowledge needed to unlock unique opportunities often off-limits to foreign travellers. These opportunities provide you with an authentic glimpse into the enchanting and inspiring destinations, local customs, and diverse cultures that define India. Your journey with us is not just a tour; it’s a transformative exploration of the heart and soul of this incredible land.
Travel
Local travel is in high-end vehicles, equipped with audio systems, and microphones to allow for a spiritual and cultural discussion enroute.
We understand the value of every moment of your journey, and that includes the time spent travelling between destinations. To ensure your comfort and maximize your cultural and spiritual immersion, we provide high-end vehicles equipped with audio systems and microphones. These amenities allow for engaging discussions about spirituality and culture while en route.
Our goal is to make every part of your travel experience meaningful and informative. Whether you’re sharing insights with your guide, engaging in group discussions, or simply enjoying the scenic beauty of India, our vehicles are designed to enhance your journey and make it as enriching as possible.
Our approach to transportation is flexible, ensuring that it suits the specific requirements of each trip. In most cases, the group travels together in a modern, spacious, and air-conditioned coach, under the care of a professional, accredited driver and an assistant. Rest assured, the safety and quality of our drivers and vehicles are of utmost importance and meet rigorous standards.
In certain instances, particularly in the high mountain regions of northern India, smaller vehicles like minibuses, jeeps, or private cars may be employed for travel. These choices are made to navigate the unique terrains and ensure a comfortable and safe journey.
While traversing the captivating landscapes of interior and rural India, you may encounter winding roads, undulating terrains, and emerging pathways. To prevent travel fatigue and provide a more immersive experience, we typically limit coach travel to no more than two to three hours per day. This includes the commute from your hotel to the site being visited and then from the site to the next hotel.
Coach journeys have a distinct charm of their own. They allow you to witness the ever-changing landscape, the vibrant street scenes, the picturesque countryside, and actively engage in curated discussions with your tour guide about the religious or social significance of the places you visit. Every moment of the journey is an opportunity for learning and discovery, ensuring that the travel experience remains not just comfortable but also deeply enriching.
Shopping
As part of your journey with us, we offer you the opportunity to explore and shop at fascinating places that showcase the best of Indian culture and craftsmanship. Whether you’re looking for traditional attire like sarees and kurtas to wear during temple visits, searching for unique souvenirs and gifts, or seeking artisan murtis (religious figurines) and exquisite textiles and jewellery, we guide you to the most remarkable and authentic shopping destinations.
These shopping experiences not only allow you to take a piece of India’s rich heritage back home but also provide a chance to interact with local artisans and immerse yourself in the vibrant marketplaces that are an integral part of India’s cultural tapestry. It’s an opportunity to bring home not just material treasures but also cherished memories of your time in this captivating land.
Budget
The discussion regarding pricing will be a crucial part of our initial planning process. Drawing from our previous experiences, we’ve observed that the average cost per person typically falls within the range of X to X. Our commitment is to maintain transparency and clarity regarding expenses, and we are flexible when it comes to working within individual budget constraints. Well in advance of the trip, we will provide a detailed itemized breakdown of costs, encompassing expenses such as accommodations, meals, and internal transportation to each of your chosen destinations.
It’s important to note that what we charge you for curating the tour for your group may not necessarily align with the amount you decide to charge individual group members for the trip. The pricing structure and how you market the tour to your group are essentially your decisions to make. Based on the sample trips we have presented below, we estimate the total cost to be approximately $xxxx for a group of xxx people participating in a 14-day itinerary.
Our commitment is to offer you the best possible value for our services. Our extensive and enduring partnerships with many of our collaborators enable us to secure rates that would otherwise be inaccessible to an independent group traveller.
Highlights
Darshan
‘Darshan’ is the sacred act of seeing and being seen by a God, derived from the Sanskrit term “drs,” which means “to see.”
Every Indian temple is devoted to a specific God or Goddess, whose revered idol, known as the ‘murti,’ resides within the inner sanctum. Devoted priests diligently maintain the idol, cleansing it, offering nourishment, and adorning it with exquisite fabrics and flowers. Darshan signifies the moment when one gazes upon the Divine, and in return, the Divine gazes upon them. In this exchange of sight, the observer is infused with a surge of spiritual energy, drawing nearer to the divine realm.
Those who have experienced the holy Communion, or touched a Talmudic scroll, or have been a part of a sacred ritual, will understand the experience of ‘being seen’ or ‘Darshan’ in a Hindu temple. However, many Hindu temples do not allow foreigners to participate in Darshan, regardless of the depth of their faith.
Through our profound understanding of cultural and procedural norms, which we hold in high regard and adhere to, we can facilitate the opportunity for those within our group who feel moved to do Darshan, to see and be seen by the Divine.
Pooja
Some of the most memorable and uplifting moments from our previous tours have occurred when our group actively engaged in a “pooja” within a temple. A “pooja” is a sacred ceremony dedicated to venerating a deity, paying respects to an esteemed guest, or commemorating a special occasion. Sadly, many Western travellers do not have the opportunity to partake in these profound rituals during their journeys. However, when the circumstances align, we are committed to making these experiences a reality.
For instance, we orchestrated a remarkable “xxx pooja” at the Siva Nataraja temple in Chidambaram for a group of 30 participants. During this ceremony, Brahmin priests chanted the sacred Vedas, creating an enchanting and spiritually enriching atmosphere.
Satsang
The group leader also has the option to lead a Sat-sang session in the evenings. “Satsang” originates from Sanskrit and literally translates to “truth” or “essence” (‘sat’) and “gathering” (‘sanga’). In a Satsang, a group comes together to engage in discussions on specific religious or philosophical topics or themes. Throughout our years of organizing tours, our group leaders have often hosted Satsang sessions in the evenings. This allows the group to collectively explore and cultivate their spiritual beliefs and thoughts, providing an opportunity to share these insights with fellow participants and, ideally, deepening their understanding.
If you, as a group leader, wish to facilitate Satsang sessions, we can make arrangements for suitable meeting rooms at the hotels listed in the itinerary to ensure a conducive environment for these meaningful discussions.