Any guidebook will tell us where and how we ought to travel, but in self-discovery travel the growth we seek is found in the why. Maybe it’s the pleasure of anticipation, the allure of the unknown, the solving of mysteries, the joy of new connections, the heightening of the senses, or the self witnessing of the tiniest houses of time as they reveal the unimaginable. Through this, we unveil new parts of ourselves. However travel lights you up, we are meant to travel and it calls us. It’s one of the deepest realms of the human experience.

The most common question I’m asked about India travel is: if I could only go for two weeks, where should I go? India is a huge country and very diverse. I traveled there in 1989 and stayed for a year. It changed my life. Though I met many amazing people and saw dozens of beautiful locations from north to south India, I felt that I had barely scratched the surface. So I went back 20+ times. To spare you the 20+ trips, I have refined my 30 years of India travel down to the most high-value locations that can be seen in two weeks. We call it, The Journey to India Retreat, or aka The Journey.

Welcome to Sevanti Adventures and our life-changing annual India tour. We base our itinerary on wellness, cultural, and spiritual immersion experiences in locations that deepen our understanding of life and inspire personal growth, all while maintaining the highest standards of group and individual safety and wellness.

The main distinctions I found from my travels were between north and south India. The cultural, historical, and even culinary differences are enormous. I want you to experience them both. So, we created a two-segment itinerary that does just that. The Journey to India Retreat is a magical mystery tour through the spiritual epicenters of both sacred Indias. It is two tours of India rolled into one: the Sacred Sap Retreat in south India and the Post Retreat Tour in north India and Nepal. These are the two main segments of this tour.

The Journey begins in the southern state of Kerala with the Sacred Sap Retreat, a week of soul integration and body rejuvenation at the world-famous AyurSoma Ayurveda Royal Retreat. You will experience the integration of spirit and body via two hours of Kerala-style Ayurvedic massage daily, the sounds of the lush jungle around you (think Kipling’s “The Jungle Book”), the fragrant south Indian and Ayurvedic cuisine, the crashing waves of the exotic Arabian Sea, the singing tropical birds, elephants, and jungle boat rides, Hindu temples alive with worship, and the beautiful laughter of our support group. Gentle daily yoga and de-stressing Ayurvedic treatments will ground us and awaken our senses to the beauty of India and ourselves. The sweet sattvic people of Kerala remind us just how gentle human beings can be and how at peace we can be. I bring my guests to Kerala first to take the edge off of travel and life stress, reduce jet lag, and awaken us to our heart’s essence and a sense of ourselves that is both renewed, deeply relaxed, and familiar from our youth.

We then travel to north India for the Post Retreat Tour to explore the ecstatic cultural and spiritual epicenters of Varanasi and Jaipur. Varanasi is a challenge to explain. It is said that people come to Varanasi to learn and to burn. Bring your camera, or leave it in the hotel and just breathe it in – holy men, sadhus, aghoris, bathing ghats, rowboat tours of the Ganges River, Hindu pilgrims worshiping in the Ganga itself, washing away a lifetime of karmas, live cremations, sunrise offering puja to the Divine Mother, prayers that come true, wild monkeys, narrow thousand-year-old streets and temples, meandering noble sacred cows, beautiful shopping, all on the edge of the sacred Ganga that gently flows by. Then, on to the Rajasthani desert city of Jaipur. We’ll fly from Varanasi to Jaipur. In Jaipur, we will explore the Amber fort, walk the exotic step wells of Amer, and visit the famous monkey tribe at the Monkey Temple. We will explore ancient Rajput castles/forts, walk the vibrant-colored streets, and have a few other rare and mystery experiences you’ll discover when we get there. The 2025 tour will end in Jaipur, but we have another surprise experience for you.

The 2025 Journey to India tour has an add-on segment to the Taj Mahal. We’re calling this the Taj Mahal Segment. Guests who sign up for this will take a luxury bus from Jaipur to the city of Agra (4-5 hrs) to experience the great wonder of the world: the Taj Mahal! The high altar of love. It is one of the rare architectural accomplishments that can elicit tears of ecstasy from those who gaze upon it. The Taj is something that must be experienced early in the morning to witness the sun’s rays change colors on its dome from purple to blue, from golden orange to white. We will walk inside its chambered walls to see what makes the Taj coveted by the world as the most sacred UNESCO heritage site. That afternoon, we will tour the Agra Fort (aka Agra Palace), which was the private residence of the Mughal Emperor and his family.

This really is the ultimate India experience. We take you only to those places that most heal the body and mind and inspire the soul’s journey. We also avoid overly commercialized, touristy spiritual centers. Real Indian yogis and spiritual pilgrims would agree. The tour is more than traveling India; it is a deep healing journey through our hearts, awakening us to the call of our soul’s journey. This tour is for you, and it is about you as we gradually witness the sacred beauty of India and draw out the beauty of who we are.

Most importantly, for those family members who stay home to hold down the fort, we want you especially to know that your loved one will be on the safest and healthiest itinerary possible. I attend every tour, and I’ve done this itinerary over a dozen times. The support staff is well-seasoned, the stay locations are professional and secure, and the food and water are safe. We want your loved one to have a lifetime experience, grow from it, and come home with more love in their heart to share with you and your family. This tour is about connecting to something deep within us that heals, clears, and realizes what is most important in life.

If you have questions about this tour, the itinerary, safety, etc., please contact me at any time via the Contact page. Leave your name and phone number, and I will personally call to address your concerns. We hope you will join us this October for an adventure of a lifetime!