Quest for
Tranquility
Spiti Valley
The mountain desert of Spiti is a nature lover’s dream — untouched and pristine. Arid mountains, snow-clad peaks, steep gorges surround the sprawling valley and through it runs the glistening Spiti River. A spectacular road trip across the region takes you to the Kye Gompa, a thousand-year-old monastery. The walls of the Gompa are adorned with art, thangkas and valuable manuscripts, while its spirit is calm and soothing. In Spiti, you live like the Spitians — pick fresh fruits, run errands, participate in ceremonies to please ancient deities and send mail from India’s highest post office, all surrounded by Himalayan magnificence.

Yoga for the
Body and Soul
Mysore
Mysore is the home of Ashtanga Yoga, a unique form of the discipline that promises to bring balance of body and mind. Combining breathing exercises with a prescribed sequence of postures, Ashtanga Yoga is rigorous… but rewarding for those who pursue it. You’ll be cleansed of toxins. You’ll struggle to perfect your form, but you’ll surrender to a journey that leads to the balance you seek. For those who follow the teachings of founder K Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, Mysore is the place where the ultimate transcendental experience awaits.

recommended by Romano Pisciotti