Veda5 - A Review of Ayurveda & Yoga Wellness Retreat in Rishikesh, India
Health is the greatest wealth that one can possess. And with travelling, managing a healthy routine often takes a backseat. Having realized that quite early on, we were always looking for an alternative way of traveling, where the objective of the holiday/vacation is to look out for our physical and mental health. Our search led us to Veda5 on our recent trip to the mythological towns of Haridwar and Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, India. Veda5 is a luxurious Ayurveda and Yoga wellness retreat located at the foothills of the Himalayan ranges, just 10 kilometers outside from the hustle and bustle of Rishikesh. The property is surrounded by lush green forests and overlooks a tributary that joins the Ganges.
Rishikesh, also referred to as 'Yoga capital of the world' is perfectly placed to practice yoga and focus on holistic wellness. Veda5 Rishikesh is not your regular wellness retreat. It’s a journey down a healthy lane, with Ayurvedic therapies, yoga, meditation, fitness, recovery, Sattvic food, relaxing stay surrounded by ample nature, and much more – all adding to a sense of tranquillity. Our 8-day Ayurveda and Yoga wellness retreat at Veda5, Rishikesh was a journey towards healing.
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Reaching Veda5 Rishikesh:
Nearest airport, Jolly Grant International Airport, Dehradun is connected to major Indian cities. If you are coming by air, it may take around 1 hour to reach Veda5 though the distance is only around 31 kms. They can pick you up from airport, cost for which is included in your stay and wellness package.
We were picked from Rishikesh in a chauffeur-driven car and transferred to Veda5. It roughly takes half an hour to reach Veda5 from Rishikesh but the journey isn’t for the weak hearted; especially the last one kilometer, which is extremely steep and curvy route to drive on. If you are driving on your own, call them in advance to understand the route and any chances of landslides (frequent in monsoon).
Arrival at Veda5 Rishikesh:
On our arrival at Veda5 Rishikesh, we were warmly greeted with a tilak and given a Rudraksha mala and a silk scarf. While downing a refreshing welcome drink at the reception, we were informed of all the amenities and were given a weekly schedule of the treatments and activities, including the timings of restaurant, yoga and meditation classes, and Ayurvedic doctor consultations
While our luggage was taken directly to our room, the staff escorted us to our room while showing us the place. On the way we realized the resort was setup on a slope of the hill and hence had few levels. If you consider the reception as lowest level, the restaurant is at next level, this is followed by swimming pool and Ayurvedic spa followed by next level where 2 storeyed buildings containing most of the rooms are present. Due to these levels, you always have good hill views, open spaces and fresh breeze around you.
Rooms at Veda5 Rishikesh:
All rooms at Veda5 Rishikesh are spacious and beautifully done with pleasing interiors. Staggered across the mountain, each room either has a small garden or a balcony. We were appointed one of the best rooms with panoramic mountain and river views from our spacious balcony. Large roof-to-ceiling windows in the room ensured we had immense natural light and ample chances to immerse in nature’s proximity.
Rooms at Veda5 Rishikesh feature a king-sized bed with lamps on the side tables, a sofa and a center table, a closet, a tea/coffee maker, a perfectly appointed bathroom with adequate toiletries, and a geyser. We were impressed with the quality of room servicing; every day when we returned to our room after yoga and Ayurvedic treatments, the entire room was cleaned and reordered. There are also room options with 3 beds or family rooms where 2 rooms are combined.
Ayurvedic Therapies at Veda5 Rishikesh:
Our Ayurveda and Yoga wellness retreat at Veda5 Rishikesh began with a consultation with a senior Ayurvedic doctor. The doctor gave us a simple and small questionnaire to fill, checked our pulse, and diagnosed the physical, mental and emotional imbalances of the Ayurvedic doshas in our body. He drew up a schedule for the Ayurvedic treatments and suggested us a diet to balance those doshas. We were then given a breathable, cotton uniform consisting of a T-shirt and a pajama, which we were free to wear whenever we wanted, but especially during treatments so we don’t spoil our regular clothes.
The Ayurvedic therapy center at Veda5 Rishikesh is designed to meet each individual’s need and health goals. It offers age-old authentic Ayurvedic therapies and other holistic treatments. Through the week, we indulged in different types of massages and treatments, followed by steam and sauna. All the therapists and masseuse at Veda5 Ayurvedic centre are well-trained in their areas of expertise. The treatment rooms are spacious and designed with a great attention to detail to make the guests feel calm, relaxed, and de-stressed.
We received varied treatments each day, including Abhyanga (full body massage with medicated oil), Shirodhara (slow dripping of medicated oil/butter milk on forehead), Udhwartana (body massage with a herbal paste), and Potli massage (massage with heated herbal pouches). The center also specializes in providing other different therapies like reflexology (applying gentle pressure on various points to ease stress), naturopathy (acupressure or water-based treatment using natural herbs and oil), and Soundarya treatment (to improve complexion and texture of skin).
Yoga and Meditation at Veda5 Rishikesh:
The yoga and meditation hall at Veda5 Rishikesh is vast with glass windows adorning the walls, which allow guests to feel one with the surrounding nature. Every time we entered the hall, it felt like we have entered a stunning theatre-like setting with yoga mats, blocks, and blankets strewn all over the floor for the guests to use. Our main aim to join the Ayurveda and Yoga wellness retreat at Veda5 was to bring flexibility in our body and to understand each asana in a proper way.
Two classes of yoga were held at Veda5 Rishikesh every day: early morning yoga class for beginners and late morning yoga class for intermediates (focused on a specific body part - back bending, hip opening, shoulder opening, arm strengthening, and likewise). These classes helped us achieve our goals, learn new asanas, and better our postures without injuring ourselves. Our yoga instructors were experienced, professional, and friendly. We made the most of the yoga classes and learnt so much from them.
Thanks to the meditation classes at Veda5 Rishikesh, we emerged from the retreat much calmer. Our meditation coach had a very calming and soothing voice, and her quiet words during practice drew us closer to a spiritual place of our own. We practiced different types of meditation, including Chakra meditation, Trataka meditation, Transcendental meditation, mantra chanting meditation, and likewise. These made us more aware of our thoughts and emotions and helped us connect with ourselves and experience the peace within us.
Food at Veda5 Rishikesh:
The restaurant at Veda5 Rishikesh serves pure vegetarian Sattvic food (without garlic and onion). But let this not deter your plans to book a retreat with them. All the dishes prepared by the chefs at Veda5 are finger-licking delicious. Every food item is prepared fresh, using natural whole food, and includes a balanced composition of nutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fiber). Neither too spicy nor too bland, the food is so nicely presented that it’s a joy to dine at Veda5. They customize and quickly fix the meals as per your dietary preferences based on the assessment of your Ayurvedic doshas and body type. The restaurant staff is highly organized and well behaved.
Each dish served at Veda5 Rishikesh has a nutritional information connected to it, which states the calorie count in each serving and the grams of proteins, carbohydrates, and fat. But that doesn’t mean you’ll crave for desserts; in fact, they serve drool-worthy desserts. Be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we were always spoilt for choices.
The dining hall at Veda5 Rishikesh promotes health with the usage of copper utensils and quotes on healthy eating adorning the walls. From freshly squeezed juices, flavor-infused water, nutrient-rich fruit/vegetable salad, to savory sprouts, everything they served was healthy and tasty. The chapatis and dosas were customized and made fresh. The restaurant staff also organized barbecue nights at the stunning outdoor pavilion.
Other Amenities/Activities at Veda5 Rishikesh:
There are a range of activities at Veda5 Rishikesh that you can indulge in while enjoying your wellness retreat. They have a super-nice swimming pool that overlooks the surrounding mountains with lots of greenery; best used after an intense session of yoga. The indoor play area at Veda5 has some interesting games like table tennis, carrom, chess, etc. To keep the kids occupied, there are a few board games and a separate painting area, where they can draw and color. There’s also an outdoor play area equipped with swings and slides for children.
The music room at Veda5 Rishikesh is equipped with some interesting musical instruments like drums, harmonium, keyboard, guitar, drum boxes, sound bowls, and happy drums. The in-house guests are free to use these instruments anytime as per their liking. The small yet resourceful library at the property features books from all genres, be it self-help, story books, novels, fiction, non-fiction, history, mythology, or spirituality based.
Adventure seekers can hike up the hill behind Veda5 for some great views or head to the natural meditation cave to spend some time in silence and tranquillity. For others, there are several beautifully decorated sit outs across the Veda5 campus, where you can spend time and enjoy splendid views.
If you want to spend some time meditating in absolute peace, they also have a meditation cave and a meditation hut. You could sit here in stillness and silence as long as you want with a Buddha statue. Multiple sit outs throughout the property allow you to share moments with other guests while soaking the sun.
Staff at Veda5 Rishikesh:
Everything at Veda5 Rishikesh is top class and at par with the highest quality standards, but what really sets the retreat apart from others is their staff. Every person working at Veda5, right from the housekeeping staff, the restaurant staff, the trainers, the therapists, to the staff at higher levels of management, is incredibly warm and welcoming. We were greeted with a ‘Namaskar’ 100 times a day; always with folded hands and a friendly smile. The staff celebrates all festivals with their guests, and we were lucky to be there on the Indian Independence Day, which was celebrated with great pomp and grandeur.
From time-to-time, various staff members, including chefs, doctors, and receptionists, will ask how everything is and if there’s anything they can help us with. We had engaging conversations with all levels of management, and were so well looked after and pampered that while departing, we felt like we are leaving a family behind.
A Typical Day at Veda5 Rishikesh:
This is more or less how our days looked like during our Ayurveda and Yoga wellness retreat at Veda5 Rishikesh. The schedule can ofcourse change while you plan to be there. The schedule for next day is put up in restaurant and at reception which you can simply click to refer later.
06:30 AM – Wake up, get fresh, and spend some time in balcony with nature
07:30 AM – 1 hour yoga class for beginners
08:30 AM – Breakfast and networking
09:30 AM – Get back to the room, take a shower, relax
11:30 AM – 1 hour yoga class for intermediates
12:30 PM – Lunch followed by a session of Yog-Nidra (Restorative yoga)
02:30 PM – 1 hour Ayurveda therapy
04:00 PM – Participate in daily activities organized by the staff (dance, tambola, cooking class, lectures, movie-screening, etc.)
05:00 PM – Tea/Coffee time
05:45 PM – 1 hour meditation session
07:00 PM – Evening Aarti (a worshipping ritual)
07:30 PM – Dinner, network with fellow guests, and retire
So, you see how busy yet relaxed they kept us! We had lots of free time in between all these schedules, when we just relaxed, read books, got around in the campus, spent time in the balcony (our favorite place!), and talked to other guests. Not even once through our weeklong stay, did we feel like getting out of the campus to sightsee or visit Rishikesh market!
We highly recommend booking your wellness retreat with Veda5 Rishikesh. However, if you are not a mountain-person, they also have a similar center in Kerala and Goa, and we hear that those are right by the beach!!! Book your journey to healing with Veda5 and let us know how your experience was.
