ANANDA IN THE HIMALAYAS

North of Delhi, in the pine-scented Himalayan foothills, auspiciously overlooking the sacred river Ganges, not far from Nanda Devi, the jewel in India’s Himalayan crown, lies Ananda in the Himalayas,* a luxuriously visionary spa-retreat dedicated to what its Oberoi-trained founder Ashok Khanna calls “one thing, and one thing only—holistic wellness for the mind, body and soul.”

From the moment we enter Ananda’s reception area in what’s known as the Viceregal Palace, former home of the Maharajahs of Tehri Garhwal, we know this is an experience like no other: a combination of traditional, yet up-to-theminute luxury with a deeply informed and heartfelt commitment to fostering what Ananda calls “the synergy of mind, body and intellect not just through the natural Himalayan locales…but through the rejuvenating and ancient processes and philosophies of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta combined with contemporary international therapies which enhance and augment the original.” day 1 Fly from Delhi north to Dehradun and drive for about an hour into the foothills to Ananda. days 2 & 3 Ananda’s approach is personalized, tailored to our particular needs and interests after a thorough consultation with wellness consultants. We may participate in a host of lifestyle and wellness activities, take nature walks, meditate, practice yoga under expert tutelage, take part in cooking classes, lectures, workshops, and fitness programmes. (And we might want to pay a visit to nearby Rishikesh, one of India’s most important pilgrimage sites and yoga centres, where Lord Rama came to do penance on the banks of the sacred Ganges.) day 4 We’ll drive to Dehradun and fly back to Delhi, where we’ll have day rooms at the Oberoi Gurgaon before our late night international departures.