Uncovering the Mysticism of India

A Mantra Kirtan Immersion to the heart of Kirtan


Across the land, temple bells ring and sacred chanting echoes through the streets. Cymbals and drums resound in the distance, calling the soul toward its quest for life and the exploration of love. Gopi will not be taking you on a tourist’s journey, but that of a pilgrim. This time, she will be taking those deep spiritual seekers into the villages, where the secrets of sacred sound and mantra were revealed and given form in Mayapur, West Bengal—the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya, the divine Avatar of Love. He revived and made accessible the most powerful love mantra, a vibration now heard in yoga studios and whispered in private meditation across the world. These mantras awaken the deep, forgotten love that every heart yearns to remember.

Then move across the country to Vrindavan, Krsna's birthplace and the heart of bhakti and Lord Chaitanya.

Oct 11th-23th 2026

India

Details and Registration

6 days Mayapur

This pilgrimage is a doorway into the mystery of divine love. Our first immersion begins with us flying to Calcutta, where you will be picked up and taken to a very powerful and sacred village in West Bengal, Nabadwip, Mayapur, the nine islands surrounded by the sacred Ganga, and explore the nine limbs of bhakti devotion, dive deep into kirtan, mantra, yoga, and ritual. Here, the veil between worlds grows thin—grace can be felt, and divine presence becomes tangible through sincere chanting and practice. The sacred Ganges flows gently through West Bengal, its lush green landscape embracing you, while saints and teachers call you onward into the greater quest.

3 days Vrindarvan

We plan to fly from Calcutta to Delhi and take a cab to Vrindavan. The birthplace of Lord Krishna, Vrindavan is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus and home to over 5,000 temples, large and small. Mantra chanting resonates throughout the town. Each day will offer a new experience and adventure. Sitting in on the famous 24 hour mantra music kirtan at the most beautiful and vibrant Krishna Balaram temple will be an unforgettable experience.  We will enjoy a boat ride on the sacred river Yamuna, surrounded by puja (ritual). Each day we will visit significant historical temples, diving into the mystical stories behind these living shrines. We will also tour a wonderful charity school that educates girls from very poor families, not only changing their lives but also ending generations of poverty. We’ll meet local saints and sages living lives of devotion, practice yoga and meditation, and enjoy delicious healthy food. We’ll also make time for a henna party and of course plenty of shopping. We will be staying at a comfortable, calm hotel called the MVT Guesthouse.

3 days Govardhan

We will also spend 3 days by the sacred hill of Govardhan near Vrindavan, considered to be a living force and avatar of divinity, grace in the form of a mountain. Thousands of pilgrims circumambulate barefoot around it every day, chanting the holy names of God. Its energy and power are infectious for believers and skeptics alike. Around the 21 km long pilgrim path, there are many holy spots where one is invited to enter prayer and meditation, as well as gorgeous sacred ponds where locals and visitors bathe for purification. We will stay at the newly built Govardhan Retreat Center, partaking in a Kirtan mantra music festival led by musicians from all over the globe, gathering to unite their souls in one sacred song of Divine Love. We will also visit Barsana, the land and home of the Goddess Sri Radha, a mystical place that graces pilgrims with love and touches individuals’ hearts in unexplainable ways

DETAILS AND REGISTRATION
Group of school children in uniform gathered in a school corridor, some clapping and others standing in line, with teachers supervising.
People walking and sitting outside a white marble temple with domes and arches in India.
Three smiling tourists and a local woman standing on a street in India, interacting with a brown cow. The women wear traditional Indian attire, and the men are dressed casually with backpacks. A red brick wall and some graffiti are visible in the bac
A woman in a red dress poses on a platform next to water at an intricately designed historical building, with a man taking her picture. There are several people exploring the structure in the background under a clear sky.
Group of tourists smiling and posing for photo in front of a historic Indian monument on a sunny day.
A group of people holding colorful flower arrangements in leaf and paper wraps, gathered around a table.

Jaipur - 3 days

The famous Pink City of royalty, forts and palaces, Indian history, culture and beauty, Jaipur is our first stop, where we will stay in a beautiful Rajasthani hotel. In Jaipur stand famous temples where forms of Divinity have been worshipped and adorned in the Bhakti tradition for centuries. Seeing these forms is said to awaken a deep mystical love in the heart.

Jaipur is known for arts and handmade textiles. We will have the opportunity to visit a textile factory and witness the procedure of dyeing and hand-printing fabric. The fun then begins with a hands-on block printing workshop where you’ll get to design and make your own unique cotton scarf.

We then depart Jaipur, traveling to Jaisalmer overnight on a 2nd class sleeper train. An overnight train journey is an unforgettable way to really see India’s landscape, feel the local culture and taste all kinds of yummy food. We’ll keep it safe and fun!

Desert Safari/Jaisalmer - 3 days

Jaisalmer, "the Golden City," stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone crowned by the ancient Jaisalmer Fort. This fort contains a royal palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples of both the fort and of the town below are built of finely sculptured sandstone. The town lies in the heart of the Thar Desert (the Great Indian Desert). In Jaisalmer we will experience a once-in-a-lifetime overnight camel safari with a glittering night sky and colorful sunrise. Camels will carry us from a small village outside Jaisalmer into the desert, where we will visit the famous Khaba Fort and a natural serene oasis, and sleep in comfortable and cozy bedding amid the sand dunes.

  • The camel safari starts at 6:30 AM from Jaisalmer. You’ll receive a warm welcome by friendly guides and healthy camels.

  • Have a freshly cooked breakfast prepared by our guides.

  • Enjoy a long camel ride each day (one person per camel).

  • Stop at the dunes, marvel at the sunset and have a delicious traditional dinner.

  • Sleep under the stars (a bed with mattress, pillow and blankets will be provided).

  • Visit a Serene Oasis and the Khaba Fort on your way back.

  • Return to Jaisalmer via jeep.

VRINDAVAN - 7 days (including 3-day Govardhan retreat)

The birthplace of Lord Krishna, Vrindavan is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus and home to over 5000 temples, large and small. Mantra chanting resonates throughout the town. Each day will offer a new experience and adventure. Sitting in on the famous 24 hour mantra music kirtan at the most beautiful and vibrant Krishna Balaram temple will be an unforgettable experience.  We will enjoy a boat ride on the sacred river Yamuna, surrounded by puja (ritual). Each day we will visit significant historical temples, diving into the mystical stories behind these living shrines. We will also tour a wonderful charity school that educates girls from very poor families, not only changing their lives but also ending generations of poverty. We’ll meet local saints and sages living lives of devotion, practice yoga and meditation and enjoy delicious healthy food. We’ll also make time for a henna party and of course plenty of shopping. We will be staying at a comfortable, calm hotel called the MVT Guesthouse.

We will also spend 3 days by the sacred hill of Govardhan near Vrindavan, considered to be a living force and avatar of divinity, grace in the form of a mountain. Thousands of pilgrims circumambulate barefoot around it every day, chanting names of God. Its energy and power is infectious for believers and skeptics alike. Around the 24 km long pilgrim path are many holy spots where one is invited to prayer and meditation, as well as gorgeous sacred ponds where locals and visitors bathe for purification. We will stay at the newly built Govardhan Retreat Center, partaking in a Kirtan mantra music festival led by musicians from all over the globe, gathering to unite their souls in one sacred song of Divine Love. We will also visit Barsana, the land and home of the Goddess Sri Radha, a mystical place that graces pilgrims with love and touches individuals’ hearts in unexplainable ways.

A woman riding a camel in a desert with sand dunes and sparse vegetation, under a cloudy sky.
A woman dressed in traditional Indian attire performing a dance pose in front of intricate white marble architecture with arched doors and columns.
Group of women practicing yoga on mats outdoors near historic Indian architecture with domes and a body of water.
A woman in traditional Indian attire tending to a cow lying on the ground, with another white cow in the background resting on the dirt.
Colorful wall mural depicting a traditional Indian dance, with numerous dancers in vibrant costumes holding hands, set against a landscape with trees, a pond, and peacocks.
A person dressed in traditional Indian attire performs a dance pose in front of an ornate, ancient doorway with intricate carvings and green decorative patterns.
Three women sitting on a boat by a river, with a townscape in the background. The middle woman wears a yellow sari, the woman on the right wears a white top and sunglasses, and the woman on the left has braided hair and wears a striped shirt.

Additional Information

  • Departure: We recommend students flying from the DMV area book a seat on Air India, departing from Dulles International Airport (IAD) usually between 10-11am and arriving in Delhi Nov 16th between 11 am and 12 noon. If you are unable to book this flight due to price increase or because your departure city is different, please look for a flight that will arrive in Delhi late at night early in the morning . We can work with you to book a room in a convenient hotel where you can stay until it is time to join the group.

    Return: Our retreat ends the afternoon and we will travel directly to the Delhi airport from there. There is an Air India flight to IAD departing at approximately 1 am (Nov 30th). If you are taking another airline, please be sure it leaves late at night on Nov 29th or early morning Nov 30th. If you wish to extend your itinerary and visit other places in India before leaving, please let us know if you’d like advice!

  • All meals, accommodations, internal transportation, yoga sessions, tourist excursions and day pilgrimages are covered.

  • International flights to India are not covered. Snacks and water outside mealtimes are not covered. Taxis/rickshaws for personal excursions outside group trips are not covered. If you require an overnight hotel on Nov. 16th it will not be covered. .

  • The retreat is $2950. You will get a $150 discount if you sign up before Aug 15th) First payment as deposit is required to secure your spot. On registration you will be asked for your passport detail. If you book before Aug 15th you will receive a $150 discount. We plan to book all internal flights and trains by Aug 15th to secure best seating and prices. Booking internal flights and trains will be more challenging if you register later and may result in some complications.

    If you need a payment plan we encourage setting that up early and paying most of the retreat expenses before the trip. We allow 2 months after trip to complete the payment plan.

  • The majority of our internal travel will be via private bus. We will have the luxury experience of a 12 hour overnight train ride from Jaipur to Jaisalmer. Trains are a fun way to travel in India, allowing you to really experience the people, vistas and culture from a different perspective. We will also take an internal flight from Jaisalmer to Delhi.

  • Please pack as light as possible! With travel on trains, buses and internal flights we have limited space for luggage, and there are strict weight limits on internal flights. We’ll have opportunities to do laundry in the hotels. You also want to be sure to have room in your bag for all the souvenir shopping you’ll do in the bazaars…

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