Frequently Asked Questions

In Rishikesh, there is nothing like a dress code you have to follow. So just bring comfortable clothes for the yoga practice. In the school, we have yoga mats and other equipment so you don´t have to worry. Be aware that for visiting some temples you will need clothes that cover your shoulders and long pants.

We accept students according to our yoga hall capacity and room availability, but our largest yoga hall can hold up to 20 students.   You can inquire directly and let us know the course you are interested in and we can inform you of the average group size for that specific course.

Most of the general items you will need during your stay in India (or their equivalent) can be easily found in the nearby shops around the corner from our yoga school. What we suggest you remember to bring is any specialty item that you can’t live without, like a specific personal care item or favorite snack from your country.

1. Summer Season (March-June) :These months constitute the summer season in Rishikesh where June is the hottest month with temperatures rising up to 35 °C. Expect a sunny weather with temperatures around 20 °C to 35 °C. Bring fresh clothes =).
   
   
2. Winter Season (October-February) :These months constitute the winter season in Rishikesh and see an average temperature of 8°C to 24°C. January is the coldest month in Rishikesh and it is advisable to carry warm clothes.
   
   
3. Monsoon Season (July-September) :These months constitute the winter season in Rishikesh and see an average temperature of 16°C to 26°C. Rainfall is normal at this time. Humidity is quite high and the temperature at the place gets down from the summer peaks.
   
   

Yes, it is safe to travel alone to Rishikesh, many tourists do it. It might be a bit challenging to travel by local buses or trains sometimes if you are never been to India before, as its very different from other parts of the world.

Yes, with advanced notice we will arrange transportation for you to Rishikesh directly from the airport, bus or train station. Upon arriving in Rishikesh we will help you with directions for walking a short distance to our school.

In order to attend the orientation program, students should arrive at least 1-2 hours before the course starts. On the first day, we begin with an opening fire ceremony at around 10:30 am.  On last day of the course, graduation ceremony takes place and it finishes by 11:30 am.  Therefore, departure should be planned not earlier than 1-2pm on the course completion date.

Arriving a day early is recommended if you travel long hours from your home country to India without rest and know that you will be exhausted on arrival.  You should have a good rest before the course starts, either by taking an extra night at a hotel or at our school.   Extra nights at our school will depending on room availability and will be additionally charged per night.

Arrival by airplane: The nearest international airport is New-Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. For those who choose to continue their way by air, there are currently domestic flights to nearby Dehradun, operated by Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher. From there it is less than an hour drive by taxi to Rishikesh.

Arrival by bus: Buses to Rishikesh leave New-Delhi from the Kashmiri Gate National Bus Stand approximately every hour. The bus ride takes about 7-8 hours and costs around IRs.450 for A/C buses & IRs.250 for Non-A/C.

Arrival by taxi: Taxis are always available anywhere in India. The drive from Delhi to Rishikesh will take around 5 to 6 hours, depending on traffic conditions.

Arrival by train: The best option is to reach Haridwar Train Station, about 45 minutes away from Rishikesh by road on a driven taxi or the so called tuktuks. From Delhi, the train ride takes mostly between 5 to 8 hours, depending on the train. Haridwar is serviced by many trains from/to Delhi, Varanasi, Rajasthan, Amritsar, etc.

Yoga Vidya Mandiram Yoga School offers you different payments options; pay with PayPal, quick Bank Transfer and Debit Credit Card. However we kindly make a suggestion of paying the remaining balance by cash, or through online banking as it is the most convenient way for both of us. As transactions made upon arrival at the school by credit or debit card has extra charges of 4.3% of the course fee as the conditions and policies of Reserve Bank of India.
To pay the deposit fee by PayPal is appropriate, but Yoga Vidya Mandiram Yoga School doesn’t accept full payments by PayPal as it is 6% extra charges for us accordingly to India PayPal fees and policies.

Students should apply for tourist visa, either the paper/sticker visa or the e-visa online, as it is easy and granted from Indian Embassy shortly.  The purpose of visit in India can be sightseeing or short-term yoga programs. Students may give our school address as well as contact number as an Indian reference.   Please apply for your visa at least 2 or 3 weeks before your travel date.

Yes, if there is any personal issues, so in case we are able postpone the dates of your course.  Please see the our Postponement Policy for more details.  The advance of the course fees are non-refundable, only in the case of emergency students can join us on other schedules

We are accepting credit card payments for booking amounts. Remaining fees can be paid either in cash or by TCs. If you opt for paying your remaining fees by credit card then additional 4.3% will be charged as transaction fee. You can also use your ATM debit cards (Master/Visa/Electron) to withdraw cash in Rishikesh.

You don’t need to pay extra money as our course fees includes food and accommodation. You’ll be provided a shared room with all the basic amenities like attached bathroom, 24 hours water supply, hot water heater, bathing shower, Wardrobe and so on.

To become a certified yoga teacher, you must successfully complete a yoga teacher training course and show competence in your ability to teach a yoga class. Find out what the suggested minimum requirements for yoga teachers are at: www.yogaalliance.org.The yoga alliance page also lists training programs and yoga schools that meet their minimum standards.

Yes, Yoga Vidya Mandiram Yoga School (RYS 200, 300, 500) is a registered yoga school with Yoga Alliance, USA for providing internationally recognized yoga teacher training certifications in India. All our yoga teacher training graduates can register online at Yoga Alliance® website.

No, all students are coming from different parts of the world, so English are most likely second language of them. The courses are easily understandable and teachers will help you in anything.

Yes, it is possible to attend the TTC with your partner.

Attendance is an important part of the training because every training hour is required by Yoga Alliance standards. If you skip classes, school reserve the right not to give you certification at the end of the training. In the case that a student feels too sick to practice, they can observe quietly at the back of the class which can be counted as class hour. If a student is too sick to be present in class at all, he needs to notify the teacher and school team before class or immediately after leaving the class.  In such cases, school may request the student to go to the hospital for required medication and treatment. If school finds students using illness as an excuse to skip classes, while denies to visit the hospital, the school reserve the right to terminate the student from the TTC or not provide the certificate of completion.  If the student falls truly ill and misses many hours of classes, the school also reserve the right to not provide certification, or request the student to do make up classes in order to complete the training.

Yes, you’ll have to pass a written and a verbal test. The decision will be based by your performance, attendance and behaviour.

Yoga Teacher Training Courses (Yoga TTC) are accredited by Yoga Alliance.   The minimum training hours to start a yoga teaching career is the 200 Hours Yoga Teacher Training Course.   The short 50 Hours YTTC and 100 Hours YTTC do not make you eligible to register as a yoga teacher under the standard.  With the 200 Hours YTTC or the 500 Hours YTTC, you can register yourself as a registered yoga teacher (RYT) under Yoga Alliance standard.  After registration on the website, you’ll be able recognized internationally and can start applying for jobs at yoga schools around the world.   Being able to teach well still requires practice and refining your own skills, so it is most important to continue your personal practices, teaching practices and continue your studies.

Our 200 hour is multi-style yoga teacher training course that follows Yoga Alliance USA standards and graduates from Yoga Vidya Mandiram school will be enable to teach classical Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, yoga philosophy, meditation, pranayama, and yoga anatomy as a certified yoga teacher.

The YTTC are suitable for everyone as we committed to teach you from the very root of yoga through all aspects, so experience are not necessary.

Food provided at our center is 100% lacto-vegetarian, which is vegetarian with dairy but no eggs.  We can cater to vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free diet to a certain extent with advance notice, so our chef can prepare food separately for you.

If you are sick, injured or in need of medical assistance, we will provide you with medical care or take you to a western-style hospital (whichever option is needed). And in this case we will find alternatives for you in order to be able to finish the course.

Yes, India hospitals has the same facilities as Western countries, might be not the same brand, but you’ll be able to get it here as well.

We have taken extra precautions by hiring a dedicated staff to prepare each and every meal at the school from fresh ingredients. Eating outside of school is pretty safe in the restaurants at Rishikesh. If your stomach is sensitive, you should beware of eating street foods.