FlagshipayurvedaAnanda in the Himalayas · Rishikesh
Ayurvedic Rejuvenation and Immunity Booster
Ananda’s Ayurvedic programme for immunity and vitality, sold at 7, 14 or 21 nights on the Palace Estate at Narendra Nagar.
FromUS$6,880per person
Retreat resort · Rishikesh, India
Ananda in the Himalayas
A wellness retreat on the 100-acre former palace estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal, overlooking Rishikesh and the Ganga valley. Its press kit says it opened in 2000 as India’s first luxury wellness retreat.
Who it suits
Who this house is for
Someone who wants a structured, consultant-led Ayurveda, yoga or detox programme with hotel-style rooms, suites or villas. The property calls itself “an award winning luxury wellness retreat” and says it is a wellness destination rather than a clinic.
The signatureProgramme stays combining Ayurveda, yoga, meditation and Vedanta with international and oriental therapies, most of them 7, 14 or 21 nights.
Great for
- Consultant-led Ayurveda programmes
- Yoga, meditation and Vedanta
- A 21-night Panchakarma detox
- Weight and diabetes programmes
- Physiotherapy and chronic pain
The house and its setting
What it looks like
What it is known for
Why this house has its reputation
- 01
The property’s home page says Condé Nast Traveller UK readers ranked it “No. 1 Destination Spa in the World” in 2024, and its brochures list Condé Nast Traveller destination-spa awards going back to 2005.
- 02
A 100-acre palace estate above Rishikesh, with reception and the Viceregal Suite in the restored Viceregal Palace, where the property says viceroys were received during the Raj.
- 03
Programmes come at three levels, by the property’s own figures: Foundation (from 5 nights, about an hour of sessions a day), Comprehensive (about two hours) and Intensive (about three).
- 04
Its 2025 programme brochure lists as standard three wellness meals a day, consultations with a lead consultant on arrival, through the stay and after it, the hydrotherapy area, and daily group yoga, meditation, Vedanta and fitness.
- 05
Beyond Ayurveda and yoga, its staff list and programmes cover Traditional Chinese Medicine, physiotherapy, emotional healing and monthly visiting masters.
What you can book here
2 programmes at Ananda in the Himalayas
Flagship
yogaAnanda in the Himalayas · Rishikesh
Holistic Yoga
Ananda’s Holistic Yoga: classical Hatha and Raja Yoga with elements of Karma, Bhakti and Jnana Yoga, sold at 7, 14 or 21 nights.
FromUS$3,440per person
Your accommodation
The rooms, and which one to ask for
- 01
Deluxe palace/garden-view room
45 sqmViews over the golf course and the palace, with a balcony or porch.
Ask for this room - 02
Deluxe valley-view room
45 sqmA private balcony facing the Rishikesh valley. Premium-floor versions, on the 4th to 6th floors, are a separate category.
Ask for this room - 03
Deluxe suite
Two-bay suite with an attached living room, two full bathrooms and an extra-large private balcony.
Ask for this room - 04
Garden suites
Two-bay suites with private gardens. The Garden Suite page and Downloads brochure say there are four; two other brochures say three.
Ask for this room - 05
Ananda Suite
A single three-bay suite on the ground floor, facing the valley, with a large private garden and gazebo.
Ask for this room - 06
Viceregal Suite
In the Maharaja’s palace: a sitting and dining area, a period four-poster bed, antique fittings, a private terrace and a rooftop gazebo.
Ask for this room - 07
Ananda villas
1,200–1,800 sq ftThree villas, two with two bedrooms and one with one, each with a living room, butler’s pantry, private sauna and a 40 sqm private pool.
Ask for this room
Room categories and names are as published by the property and confirmed in writing at the quote.
Wellness at Ananda in the Himalayas
Who is actually here
The property’s Experts page lists four Ayurvedic physicians, a TCM doctor, three yoga and meditation staff, two physiotherapists, six emotional-wellness and wellness consultants, an oriental-therapies consultant and a director of cuisine. A consultation on arrival is mandatory, and by the property’s account visiting masters stay 15–30 days at a time.
Described by role and qualification rather than by name, because staffing changes. Ask us to confirm the current team and how guests are assigned before you book.
What the property contains
- Spa of 24,000–25,000 sq ft with 24 or 25 treatment rooms, as the property’s pages variously give it
- Hydrotherapy area with steam, sauna, a chill plunge pool and a Kneipp foot bath
- Outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pool beside the spa
- Yoga and consultation rooms within the spa
- Gymnasium with cardio, strength-training and core-workout equipment
- Physiotherapy with Class IV laser, ZRT Matrix and interferential therapy
- Six-hole golf course on the hillside
- Viceregal Palace with reception, the Palace Lounge, a billiards room and a hall for 140 people
- Private helipad, given by the property as five minutes away
Eating here, and how the days go
At the table
Eating here
On a structured programme meals may be part of the schedule rather than chosen from a menu. We confirm the dining format before you book.
- The Restaurant
Indian, Asian and Western dishes from a seasonal à la carte menu, with Ayurvedic menus for programme guests. The property says it is built among sal trees, with a tree-top deck over the valley.
- The Pavilion
In the restaurant building: high tea from 4 to 6 pm, and wine for guests not on programmes. The dining FAQ says alcohol may be restricted by programme.
- The Palace Lounge
In the Viceregal Palace beside reception, where guests check in over a ginger-lemon infusion; the property describes antique furniture, chandeliers and portraits.
- By The Pool
A pool menu of juices, shakes, lassi and light snacks.
- Private dining
Meals in private venues on the estate, on request.
Between treatments
How the days go
What there is to do when you are not being treated — on site, and within reach.
- Daily group yoga, pranayama and meditation, Vedanta talks and fitness sessions
- Weekly cooking demonstrations and wellness lectures
- Weekly trek to Kunjapuri temple, weather permitting
- A 9 km, three-hour downhill trek through sal forest to Laxman Jhula, returning by car
- White-water rafting on the Ganga, minimum age 14
- Evening Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan, about three hours including the drive
- Jeep safari in Rajaji National Park, about an hour’s drive
- Golf on the six-hole course, and snooker
Location & season
Rishikesh, India
Where modern transnational yoga was institutionalised — and then, in 1968, handed global celebrity.
- Nearest airport
- Dehradun (Jolly Grant) DED
- Transfer
- About 35 km and 40–45 minutes by road, with car transfers priced on request. Helicopter transfers from Delhi can be arranged.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RishikeshIndia | Jan: good alternative | Feb: preferred season | Mar: preferred season | Apr: preferred season | May: less suitable | Jun: less suitable | Jul: less suitable | Aug: less suitable | Sep: preferred season | Oct: preferred season | Nov: preferred season | Dec: good alternative |
Preferred season
Good alternative
Less suitable
Make a trip of it
Around your stay at Ananda in the Himalayas
The excursions and extra stays we arrange in Rishikesh, placed by when to take each — so a day out never lands on the wrong day of a treatment course.
Before you begin
Arrive early — see the country while you are fresh
Extra stay · 2 nights
Delhi, at the start
Old Delhi, the Lodi tombs and a night’s sleep before the domestic hop. Fights jetlag and the Dehradun weather risk at once.
Culture · Half day
Haridwar and Har Ki Pauri
An hour downstream and several centuries older in feel — a pilgrimage town with none of Rishikesh’s yoga-school economy.
During the stay
Light enough for a rest day or a free afternoon
Your stay at Ananda in the Himalayas · 7–21 nights (Foundation Wellness 5)Culture · Half day
The Beatles Ashram
Chaurasi Kutia, where the White Album was largely written in 1968 — now a ruin inside Rajaji reserve with a small entrance fee and a great deal of graffiti art. Melancholy and worth it.
Active · Half day, early
Kunjapuri at sunrise
A short steep temple climb for the Himalayan range at first light — Bandarpunch, Gangotri, Chaukhamba. Leave at 04:30. Not compatible with a 05:30 practice start, so take it on a rest day.
Culture · 90 minutes, at dusk
Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan
The riverbank fire ceremony, every evening, free and unticketed. Go on your first night rather than your last — it sets the register for everything after it.
After you finish
The reward, once the treatment is done
Extra stay · 4 nights
Corbett & the Kumaon hills
India’s oldest national park and then the quiet ridge villages above it. The correct decompression after a month of teacher training.
Extra stay · 2 nights
Amritsar & the Golden Temple
An overnight train or a short flight west. The langar kitchen feeds 50,000 people a day and it is the most moving hour in north India.
Active · Half day
White water on the Ganga
September to November and March to May, when the river is running. Excellent, cold, and firmly incompatible with any oil-therapy week — book it either side.
Begin with a conversation
Plan your stay at Ananda in the Himalayas
Tell us your dates and what you want from the stay. A specialist comes back with a written quote for Ananda in the Himalayas — room, programme, flights and transfers.
- 1
Share your plan
Two minutes: when you would like to start, how long, your nationality and your WhatsApp number.
- 2
Talk it through
A wellness travel specialist picks it up on WhatsApp or a free call — length, room, season, and whether this is the right house for you.
- 3
Your written quote
Room, dates, treatments, flights and transfers in one quote, with the current cancellation terms.
- 4
Confirm when ready
Nothing is paid until you confirm in writing. One team then looks after the whole journey.