Experience the Divine Blessings
of Pilgrimage and Spiritual Travel
Upcoming Pilgrimages
Retreat in Rishikesh (4 - 7 December 2025)
Join us in a rare opportunity to relax and rejuvenate with your spiritual family. Using the tools of our Kriya path, we’ll dive into the joys of inner communion, using our essential practices for deepening and awakening. The location of our weekend is a quiet retreat center with high vibration and Ganga views. It is above the river, a short walk down a path to the banks of the Ganga.
Based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, the guided Sadhanas will include pranayama, yoga postures, chanting, meditation, working with sound, affirmations, and visualisations for each chakra to attune more deeply to these astral energies.
Babaji's Cave (21 - 24 March 2026)
The highlight of this trip is the beautiful hillside where Lahiri Mahasaya is said to have first met Mahavatar Babaji in the autumn of 1861, which contains the cave where Lahiri spent a previous incarnation. Babaji gave Lahiri Kriya Yoga initiation on this spot, thus launching its spread around the world. We’ll spend most of a day together on this hillside, taking turns meditating in the cave itself. Please apply as soon as possible, as we expect this trip to fill up quickly.
Pilgrimage to Varanasi (27 to 28 July 2026)
One day of the year, on Guru Purnima, Lahiri Mahasaya’s home in Varanasi is open for devotees to have darshan. To be in his home, for even this brief darshan, is a unique blessing. We’ll visit Varanasi’s famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and Dashashwamedh Ghat, where Babaji and his sister Mataji appeared before Ram Gopal Muzumdar. Another destination is the temple of Trailanga Swami, Lahiri Mahasaya’s 300-year-old friend, with whom he would meditate.
Ladakh (29 Aug to 1 Sept 2024)
Join us in this rare spiritual adventure to “Little Tibet,” where we’ll experience one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth and meditate in ancient, powerful Buddhist temples and monasteries; walk through a Ladakhi village, and share joyful satsang with other like-minded souls. This trip will be led by Keshava and Daya Taylor, spiritual directors of Ananda Delhi.
Bodh Gaya (5 to 8 December 2024)
For 25 centuries, Bodhgaya has been the epicentre of the Buddha’s teachings, which have now spread around the world. The extensive temple-park complex, created by Emperor Ashoka, is a place for quiet reflection, meditation, and contemplation. Seven sacred shrines commemorate the seven weeks the Buddha spent here after his enlightenment. There is a “meditation park” strictly reserved for serious meditation. Our hotel is a short walk from this holy spot, and we can return several times during our stay.
Experience the True Power of Pilgrimages
Babaji's Cave
The highlight of this trip is the beautiful hillside where Lahiri Mahasaya is said to have first met Mahavatar Babaji in the autumn of 1861, which contains the cave where Lahiri spent a previous incarnation. Babaji gave Lahiri Kriya Yoga initiation on this spot, thus launching its spread around the world.Â
Badrinath
A powerful place of pilgrimage since Vedic times, the Badrinath area is also said to be the present home of Mahavatar Babaji. Timeless peace and great spiritual power can be felt even in Badrinath’s rarefied air, pristine natural beauty, and soaring mountains.
Bodh Gaya
For 25 centuries Bodhgaya has been the epicenter of the Buddha’s teachings that have now spread around the world. The extensive temple-park complex, created by Emperor Ashoka, is a place for quiet reflection, meditation and contemplation. Seven sacred shrines commemorate the seven weeks the Buddha spent here after his enlightenment.
Kolkata
The heart of the Autobiography of a Yogi is the city of Kolkata. Immeasurable blessings emanate from the places where Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Sri Yukteswar lived and meditated. That power is as alive today as always. Ananda has led pilgrimages to Kolkata since 1986, and we share a deep friendship with Yoganandaji’s family and other custodians of these shrines.
Varanasi
One day of the year, on Guru Purnima, Lahiri Mahasaya’s home in Varanasi is open for devotees to have darshan. To be in his home, for even this brief darshan, is a unique blessing. We’ll visit Varanasi’s famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and Dashashwamedh Ghat, where Babaji and his sister Mataji appeared before Ram Gopal Muzumdar. Another destination is the temple of Trailanga Swami, Lahiri Mahasaya’s 300-year-old friend, with whom he would meditate.
Ladakh
Join us in this rare spiritual adventure to “Little Tibet,” where we’ll experience one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth; meditate in ancient, powerful Buddhist temples and monasteries; walk through a Ladakhi village, and share joyful satsang with other like-minded souls.
Puri
Puri has been a pilgrimage destination and the home of saints since ancient times. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spent many years here. Puri is also the site of Govardhan Math, one of the Char Dham, the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankaracharya. Swami Sri Yukteswar, Yogananda’s guru, also left his body in Puri, where his body is still buried.Â
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Rishikesh & Haridwar
Rishikesh, land of the Rishis, and Haridwar, the gateway to the Himalayas, are situated on the banks of the Ganges River. Saints and sages have frequented this sacred foothill locale for centuries. Join us in a rare opportunity to relax and rejuvenate with quiet meditation, yoga, visits to shrines of various saints, and the vibrations of the holy river Ganga.Â
Vrindavan
In December 2014, the Paramhansa Yogananda Public Charitable Trust launched its operations in Vrindavan to serve the needs of the abandoned widow mothers living there. The work has now expanded to include over 4000 widows, sadhus, poor women, and children and provides for basic needs as well as spiritual well-being. Join us to serve them and visit various holy shrines and temples in the city of Vrindavan, beloved to Lord Krishna.Â
Interested In Something? Let Us Know!
For more information about our pilgrimages, contact Hari at hari@anandaindia.org
The Ananda Pilgrimage Experience
Go Beyond Distractions Into a State of Joy
“Any response from God that is superconsciously generated remains “in the ether,” and can continue forever to convey special blessings. Such also is the power of pilgrimage, when devotees seek blessings in places where some divine manifestation has taken place.”Â
– Swami Kriyananda
Places of pilgrimage are filled with divine power that can transform your consciousness if you are receptive. But visiting these places as a “tourist” would not help us. We need to rise above distractions and open ourselves to receive the blessings and grace that is abundantly available.Â
Travelling with like-minded, spiritual souls and following an experienced team of leaders, frees you from all worries and enables you to have a profound and unforgettable experience.Â
Crafting an Uplifting Experience
“Spiritual advancement is not a question of attaining anything. It is simply a matter of opening wide the door to a state of conscious being that is ours already, hidden from us only so long as our attention is focused elsewhere.”Â
– Swami Kriyananda
Our leaders help keep the energy high with chanting, readings, yoga, group meditations and other inspirational activities to help you tune into the holiness of each site. By being in such a group, it’s so much easier to keep your consciousness uplifted and attract infinitely greater blessings to your life.
Inspiring and Experienced Leaders
Our Ananda hosts as well as the in-country guides serve with joy and focus to inspire you to further deepen your inner spiritual life.
In addition to being disciples of Paramhansa Yogananda and practitioners of Kriya Yoga, they have been leading pilgrimages for more than 20 years.Â
Hear From Our Friends!
Not About Doing, But About Being
Ananda Pilgrimages are not so much about sightseeing and doing as about being—being in a place of high spiritual vibration and learning to relax and open your heart to receive the blessings. Meditating as a group in these holy spots reinforces their power and gives us access to places not available to individual travellers. Having someone else take care of all the travel logistics means the pilgrim can concentrate on being a pilgrim.