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From 05 to 25 November 2025
Summary Itinerary
Clicking on the days of travel in the summary itinerary will take you to the detailed itinerary for that day and vice versa clicking on the day in the detailed itinerary will return you to the summary itinerary. In the detailed itinerary, in addition to the images and description of the days, we also have the day of the month and the week
Main Program
Detailed Itinerary
Main Program
Flights
The day of our trip has arrived! For those who fly from other states, go to the airport in the morning or afternoon of November 4th for the flight to Guarulhos GRU. Those who are starting the trip in São Paulo, go to the airport in the evening of November 4th, when the group will meet at the airport for the flight from Guarulhos to Doha this morning of November 5th.
Guilherme da Chörten will be in contact with the group, accompanying each flight until arrival in Guarulhos, connections and arrival in Delhi. Cecília will meet the group at the airport in Guarulhos where they will start the trip! Have a great flight!
Flights
4NOV Latam LA3258 Brasilia 19:00pm Sao Paulo 20:55pm
5NOV Qatar QR774 Sao Paulo 01:10 Doha 21:45
Flight
Arrival
Free afternoon
Welcome to India! In your At the arrival You will be assisted by our local partners who will be waiting with a sign with your name on it (or with 'Chörten' written on the sign) in the area we agreed on at the airport (as in the image above and on the Arrival in Delhi page). here). We monitor the arrival of each Chörten traveller, maintaining telephone contact with our airport representatives from before their plane lands until the moment we speak. This ensures you have complete peace of mind knowing we are monitoring your arrival and ensuring your arrival is smooth and well-cared for.
Transfer to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where you will stay. In the afternoon, we will have time to stroll around and explore the capital of India. A very ancient city, actually a succession of cities, from the time of the great Indian epics to the present-day New Delhi. Therefore, it boasts a wealth of history, culture, and the opportunity to learn about the diverse traditions of Mother India.
Flight 6NOV Qatar QR570 Doha 02:25 Delhi 08:25
Flight
Free afternoon
At the beginning of the day transfer to the airport for our flight the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. We arrive in Chennai and transfer to the hotel. After lunch (not included), free afternoon with a car and driver to explore the city. We will have some possibilities like ancient museums and temples. Among some possibilities for this afternoon and tomorrow, is the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, originally built around the 7th century by the Pallavas.
Flight 7NOV IndiGo 6E6239 Delhi 11:00 Chennai 13:55
Free day
Free day with a car and driver to explore Chennai. One very special opportunity is a meeting with one of Cecilia's teachers, Swami Paramarthananda SaraswatiCloser to the trip, we'll check Swami Ji's schedule to see how best to organize our meeting and day in Chennai. We have other options for that day that we'll choose based on how our day unfolds.
Travel by car or train
Today we will travel to Tiruvannamalai. We are monitoring the confirmation of the schedule. train to Tiruvannamalai. As soon as the train schedule is confirmed and tickets are available, we will issue our tickets. If, according to the train schedule, it is better to travel by car, we will continue that way to the small town around the sacred Arunachala mountain.
Sri Ramana Maharshi's Ashram
Arunachala
We will have three full days to explore and enjoy Tiruvannamalai,
We will have arrived in Tiruvannamalai on the day that an important and accomplished disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Annamalai Swami, attained his Mahasamadhi. Today is Punarvasu, the day of a constellation in Vedic astrology associated with renewal and return to the light.
So a very good day to meet you Sri Ramana Maharshi's Ashram, where we can observe the routine of pujas led by the ashram's students and priests at different times of the day and in different locations within the ashram. It's a very special experience to witness and participate in pujas performed in a very authentic way, following the scriptures in exactly the same way they have been for millennia.
The ashram is already adjacent to the sacred Arunachala (Red Mountain), which is a hill considered one of the five major Shiva sacred places in South India.
For those who are feeling adventurous, there's a barefoot trail from within the ashram itself to two sites where Sri Ramana Maharshi lived in Arunachala. The first is called Skandasramam, and the second, just beyond, is the cave of the sage Virupaksha. The round trip trail is approximately 3km.
We will dedicate part of our days during the trip to our Vedanta studies.
We will stay in a quiet area of each town, approximately 3km from the ashram following the path around Arunachala.
Arunachalesvara Temple
Together with pilgrims from all over India, today we will visit the most important temple in Tiruvannamalai, Arunachalesvara. Featured in the poetry of saints such as Sampanthar and Appar, from the 7th century, it is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and Parvati. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Shaivism, as one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhuta Sthalas, and specifically with the element of fire or Agni.
We will have time to return to Sri Ramana Maharshi's ashram, participate in the pujas at the temple and places linked to important moments in his life.
Giri Pradakshina
Today we can do the practice called Giri Pradakshina, which literally means to circumambulate a sacred place (Pradakshina), in this case the sacred mountain (Giri), Arunachala. Along the way, there are several small, important temples that are part of this trek, which we will contemplate during our Pradakshina. We can do our circumambulation leisurely by tuktuk, as it is 14 km. If anyone is up for it, we can discuss the possibility of a hike. It will be a few hours of walking. It is important to carefully consider this possibility and what we can do after arriving in Tiruvannamalai.
Mahabalipuram
Flight
Today we will wake up early to visit temples in what was one of the two main cities of the Pallava kingdom in the 7th century. By the sea, closer to Chennai, we will visit temples, monuments, and beautiful sculptures embedded in a rock wall. Mahabalipuram.
Time to head to Chennai airport in time for our flight Varanasi, one of the oldest surviving cities in the world, also known as Kashi (City of Light) or Benares, grew up on the banks of the Ganges River, becoming India's holiest city, steeped in spiritual and religious traditions. We'll arrive late at our hotel that night, so we'll start tomorrow morning in a relaxed manner.
Flight 13NOV IndiGo 6E401 Chennai 18:25 pm Varanasi 20:40 pm
Free day
Arati Ceremony
We'll explore the region of ancient Varanasi, home to the Ganges' ghats, narrow streets, and numerous temples and ashrams. Although there are over 700 temples in Varanasi, none is more sacred than the river itself. It's believed that the Ganges, venerated as a living goddess, has the power to purify all sins. Hindu scriptures recommend daily bathing in its waters. Along the stretch bordering the city of Varanasi, there are hundreds of ghats (steps), where people gather for ceremonies, offerings, and rituals.
We have several possibilities for our days in Varanasi. The days will unfold as Varanasi unfolds, always in such a spontaneous and special way. We'll walk through its ghats, important well-known temples, and many others. One of the important sites we'll visit is the house where Kriya Yoga master Sri Lahiri Mahasaya lived, a perfect spot for meditation. Durga Temple, Mother India Temple, and the University of Benares campus temple. There's so much to enjoy in Varanasi.
At the end of the day we will participate in the Arati Puja, a ritual of salutation to the river that takes place daily at sunrise and sunset at the sacred Dasaswamedh Ghat near the Vishwanath Temple. Lamps are offered and bells ring as sacred mantras are chanted. The intoxicating scent of sandalwood permeates the air.
Ganges Sunrise
Sarnath
Free afternoon
We woke up early and went for a boat trip around Ganges, before sunrise. At this time, the temples and buildings along the riverbanks are bathed in the dawn light, and people begin their routines, making offerings, meditating, washing clothes, and so on. Slowly, led by the goddess Ganga, we will retrace our steps to a ghat (riverside steps) a little further on, where we will disembark and have the opportunity to stroll through the many alleys, amid thousands of small and large temples, in the old part of the city. There is an important temple called the Golden Temple or Kashi Vishvanath. Its history is important for understanding the different eras of India. To visit, we must present our passports and leave our belongings outside. Our guide will assist us.
Back in our vehicle, we will have breakfast at our hotel and then head to SarnathWe'll pass by the site where Buddha, after his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, met with his five fellow practitioners, and then visit the important Deer Park. A very peaceful place, it's where Buddha first taught approximately 5 years ago. We'll be able to practice meditation individually, sit for a few minutes, walk, read, or take photographs, as each traveller prefers. We'll visit the Mahabodhi Temple and a "grandchild" tree of the one where Buddha sat and gained enlightenment.
End of the day free for each traveller to explore Varanasi as they wish. We'll discuss some suggestions.
Free day
Another free day with a car and driver to enjoy Varanasi. There are several possibilities for our day in this sacred city. We'll talk during the trip.
Flights
Swami Dayananda Ashram
We will start the day early for the flight back to Delhi and then to Dehradun, the nearest airport to Rishikesh.
Gateway to the Himalayas in the Tehri-Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state. The spectacle of the clear Ganga flowing through the foothills of the mountain range is an incredible sight. The city is 415 meters above sea level and is where many yogis and sages lived and practiced tapas (austerities). Here we will experience the daily routine of a Ashram traditional: Pujas before sunrise, meditation, studies of Vedanta, mantras and Satsangas with the resident Swamis.
We will stay at Swami Dayananda's Ashram.
Flights
17NOV IndiGo 6E2321 Varanasi 13:00 pm Delhi 14:30 pm
17NOV IndiGo 6E6574 Delhi 17:10 Dehradun 17:55
Walk
Study
We will start the day with the Ashram program. We will have our breakfast and then we will leave for walk along the banks of the Ganges River. We'll walk across the Ram Jhula Bridge and take a boat to Lakshman Jhula. We'll have lunch in the Tapovan neighborhood and then visit a small temple to Lord Shiva.
We will dedicate part of the day to our studies.
Vashista Guha
Study
Breakfast and time dedicated to Vedanta studies. In the afternoon, we will visit the cave where Sage Vasishta meditated. Vashista GuhaVashista was a revered sage in Hinduism, one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis) of India, credited as the primary author of the Rigveda. Vashista and his family are mentioned in verses of many sacred texts. His cave is located 22 km from Rishikesh on the route to Badrinath, where the sage Vasishta performed austerities (Tapas) for years. It is a perfect place to meditate and bathe in the sacred Ganges.
Study
Kunjapuri temple
Today we will drive up to the temple Kunjapuri Devi. Located on top of a mountain At 1645 meters high, on a clear day it offers panoramic views of the northernmost peaks of the Himalayas. It is dedicated to one of the 13 most important goddesses of the mountain range: Shivalik—"Shiva's braids." After meditating and contemplating the mountains, we returned to the Ashram for the studies of Vedanta, enjoying the Ganges region in the ashram and the jhulas.
Study
Triveni Ghat
We will continue with our ashram routine and studies.
At the end of the day we will take a walk to the Triveni Ghat, a place where a traditional sacred ceremony (Arati) takes place.
Study
Free days
We continue with our studies of Vedanta.
With free time to enjoy this special region. Some suggestions, among others we'll discuss in Rishikesh, include hiking, whitewater rafting on the Ganges River, a cooking class, and a tour of the central market.
travel
Free flight or afternoon
We'll wake up early today to drive back to Delhi. Our car will drop us off at Sri Aurobindo's ashram and then head to the airport for those returning to Brazil that day.
Free afternoon to get to know Delhi a little better and prepare for our flight back to Brazil tomorrow.
Patricia Flights
24NOV Qatar QR4781 / IndiGo 6E1345 Delhi 16:20 Doha 18:05 (updated)
25NOV Qatar QR779 Doha 01:30 São Paulo 10:40 (updated)
Flight
Free morning and then transfer to the airport for the flight back to Brazil. We hope you enjoyed your time in India!
Flights Nadia and Mr. Wagner
25NOV Qatar QR4781 / IndiGo 6E1345 Delhi 16:10 Doha 18:20 (updated)
26NOV Qatar QR785 Doha 00:50 São Paulo 9:50 (updated)
Nadia's flight
26NOV Latam LA3257 São Paulo 16:00 Brasília 17:45 (updated)
Flight Mr. Wagner
26NOV Gol G31164 São Paulo 13:05 Curitiba 14:10 (same as original time)
Photographs: Ilka Filippini, Cecília Muzetti and Chörten Viagens