HIGHLIGHTS

Join Us for an Unforgettable Wellness Journey in Swaswara, Karnataka, India (Just South of Goa)!

This is not your typical photography tour—it’s so much more! Imagine immersing yourself in a 7-day Ayurveda Rejuvenation program set in the tranquil and stunning Swaswara, Karnataka, India, just south of Goa. This program is designed to target specific ailments like arthritis, back pain, musculoskeletal issues, and poor circulation.

Your experience will begin with a personalized consultation where an Ayurvedic doctor will determine your unique mind-body type and prescribe treatments tailored just for you. Among the highlights are the incredible four-handed massages, where two therapists work in perfect harmony—truly the most blissful and transformative massage you’ll ever experience! I tried this in Kerala last year, and it completely healed an injury I had been struggling with.

In addition to the Ayurveda program, you’ll enjoy daily yoga classes, meditation, cooking classes, and pottery workshops. A SwaSwara holiday brings balance to your mind, body, and spirit. It offers a sanctuary where you can tune out the noise of daily life and tune in to the voice within.

Cherish experiences that bring you joy and light your path to self-transformation. This wholesome, deeply engaging experience will awaken your senses and help you refocus on what truly matters: yourself.

If this sounds like the perfect reset for you, let us know right away so we can reserve your spot. Don’t miss this opportunity to prioritize your wellness and join us on this incredible journey!

Day 01 - Arrive Goa (GOI), India

On arrival at Goa you are met by our representative and escorted to your hotel to check in. The day is at leisure.

Day 02 - Goa – Swaswara 

By Surface - /3.5hrs

After breakfast drive to Gokarna (Swaswara Resort)

Swaswara is a luxury wellness resort for those seeking healing, rejuvenation and a path to self-discovery. You stay in a traditional Konkan villa, modern yet simple, amid acres of greenery, with a yoga deck of your own and a stunning view of Gokarna’ s pristine Om Beach and the Arabian Sea. While healthy organic cuisine recharges your body, a regimen of yoga, naturopathy, meditation and art therapy refreshes your mind.

Included in your 07-night stay are:

·       04 Ayurvedic Consultations prior to treatments.

·       01 (60 minutes) relaxation therapeutic massage

·       01 (60 minutes) Rejuvenation therapeutic massage

·       01 (45 minutes) Ayurvedic destress massage

·       01 (45 minutes) Cleansing Aromatherapy Salt Scrub.

·       01 (60 minutes) Private yoga session

Note: While the above are included these may be modified after meeting with the ayurvedic doctor and discussing individual goals. More messages can also be booked directly after the consultation with the doctor. We recommend that you discuss everything with the doctor on your first day and then plan out your massages and the extra massages you’d like so that your slots are confirmed. 

·       Consultation with the yoga instructor on arrival 

·       Daily group yoga and meditation sessions are offered including yoga asanas, pranayama, and yog nidra. Guests are encouraged to attend as per their convenience.    

·       Morning Meditation (30 minutes) 

·       Morning Yoga asanas including Pranayama parallel group sessions for Beginners and Advanced practitioners (75 minutes)

·       A special focus session everyday (30 minutes)

·       Evening yoga asanas group session for intermediate level (60 minutes)

·       Evening meditation – chanting / yog nidra / trataka (single point meditation) etc. (30 minutes)

Other activities include

·       Interactive cooking classes 1130am four time a week

·       Once a week boat cruise with a guided walk through the village (*Subject to weather conditions. On Thursday this also includes a visit to the farmers market)

·       Nature Walk daily 06am and evening 04pm (prior booking is required for this activity)

·       Wednesdays – Guided Bird watching (prior booking is required for this activity)

·       Art and Pottery sessions with resident artist. (All days except Sunday)

·       Meditative Art with resident artists (All days except Sunday)

Note: Cotton yoga wear is provided for use during your stay. Please note that there are restrictions on massages during the menstrual cycle. 

Meals

·       All meals are included, each meal is made fresh with local, seasonal and organic ingredients. Two options either vegetarian or fish, are served. No red meat or coffee is served at the resort.

While at the resort, Wifi is available at the library so that while you are here, you enjoy the experience completely, but do have a chance to get in touch with the world. (B, L, D)

Day 03 - 08-Swaswara 

Plan your days around yoga and massages, indulge in some art, walk round the property and visit the village or the beach – the days are yours to design. (B, L, D)

Day 09 - Gokarna – Goa 

By Surface 160km /3.5hrs

After a leisurely breakfast, you will be driven back to Goa to take your flight back home or proceed to your onward destination. (B)

Goa:

Alila Diwa

Gokarna:

Swaswara Resort 

Visas

All foreign nationals require a visa to enter India. Please apply for an E-VISA through this link:

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/Registration

Make sure to follow their instructions and print out a copy of your visa once it has been
approved and emailed to you. The line for people holding eVisas is separate, so please keep a look out for this on arrival at the airport.

Passport

Please note that the passport will need to be valid for at least 6 months beyond the
date of your return to apply for your India visa.

Meet & Greet

A PhotoQuest representative will be waiting as you exit and  they, will be holding a sign with the name of the guest and the paging board will have the easily recognizable PhotoQuest logo.

Climate and Clothes

The south of India is warmer, where summer-like temperatures are routine along the southern
shores. The mountain regions are extremely cold and adequate winter-wear is
necessary. Early mornings and late evenings should be cooler but the days will be hot, with
temperatures varying between 40 degrees C and 26 degrees C with low humidity to begin with. The heat during the day will be intense and we strongly advise to bring a hat and sunscreen;
drink a lot of fluids and carry a pair of sunglasses. We advise use of a good sunscreen
whenever one is in the sun.

Attire

Carry comfortable casual clothes, with perhaps one smart outfit for a special evening.
Unless specified, you can wear open sandals just about everywhere. Pack cottons,
light colors, sandals, shorts, linens, hats, dark glasses, sandals and swimwear

Mobile phones

Most international companies have a tie-up with Indian providers. We recommend
before starting on your journey to contact the local service provider as they may have
great International roaming plans for India which would work out to be very cost effective.
You could also purchase a SIM card.

Travel Travails

Most people find India overwhelming on the first few days of the visit, the number of people, the traffic, noise and smells that are to be everywhere, is very different from what most people are accustomed. By the third day most people get used to all this and by the end of the week feel able to venture out on their own. Most Indians are extremely friendly and inquisitive by nature. They are also very hospitable and may happily invite you home for a cup of tea! Most people are ready to talk about anything and may ask questions that you may find intrusive, this is part of our culture where the term ‘personal
space’ doesn’t really have a literal translation.
Our team will be with you through the journey and will be happy to answer any questions. These may be on any subject and we’d be happy to provide you with answers.

Insurance

The insurance should cover against sickness, accident, helicopter evacuation, hospitalization and the like, as one would normally do before embarking on a vacation. Medical and evacuation expenses incurred as a result of accident during a trip are chargeable in full to the clients involved. Actually, one is safer on a trip in India than on the roads of many parts of the world, however, insurance is a worthwhile precaution. Coverage should include air flights.

Vaccinations

No vaccinations are mandatory for entry into India, except yellow fever, for those coming from Africa. It is prudent to take precautions against Hepatitis B. It is still recommended that you meet a health care specialist before travel.

Hygiene

This is an important subject that is of great concern to everyone who travels to this part
of the world. While we ensure that all hotels maintain the strictest standards of hygiene,
it pays to be prudent. As a general rule, be mindful of anything you might put in your mouth, including postage stamps!
DO NOT brush teeth with tap water! Most hotels offer a complimentary bottle of mineral
water. Use this to brush your teeth.
DO NOT drink water from the tap or carafe, despite being told that it has been boiled
and filtered. We suggest one to stick to bottled drinks or carefully iodised carafe water.
Almost all hotels offer a complimentary bottle of mineral water per day – please use
these. Ensure that the caps are sealed. All PhotoQuest vehicles carry bottled water.

Money

The unit of Indian currency is the rupee. 100 rupees is written as Rs.100/-. There are
100 Paise to the Rupee. The exchange rate fluctuates, but over the last few years the
Rupee itself has been very stable.
There are lots of ATM “hole in the wall” type machines that recognise the Cirrus,
Maestro, Master and Visa bank cards and all hotels are certified money changers.
Amongst credit cards VISA, MASTERCARD and American Express are widely
accepted.

Medical Considerations

Should you be taking any prescription medication, it is recommended to carry
along the amount required for the duration of this trip (and a bit more). Though all medicines are available in India, it is not certain that the brands one is accustomed to are available. India has some of the best hospitals in the world and you can check with your travel insurance company about their reach here.

Safety & Security

The same precautions you would take in your country should be kept in mind here.
When one travels with PhotoQuest, we ensure highest levels of security, by checking
everything from hotel to transport. Our representative will be able to answer any
questions regarding any of optional activities you’d like to indulge in.

International Departure

Check-in time required for international flights is 3 hours prior to flight departure, except
during periods of high security when check-in requires 3-1⁄2 hours. Though a lot of
airports in India today have been upgraded, there are still peak times that attract long
queues both at check-in and at security.
Kindly have a photo ID (passport) and e-ticket handy. Recently the BCAS has allowed
travelers to show their tickets to the security guards and the check-in staff on their smart
phones and tablets, getting rid of the print out, however, should one be travelling to/from
small cities, it is still better to have a printed e-ticket.
At certain airports, you have to get your check- in baggage X-rayed before proceeding
to the appropriate airline check-in counter.
IMPORTANT: Please remember to pack batteries, pen knives, lighters, matchboxes,
Swiss army knives, scissors or other sharp instruments in your check-in luggage as you
will not be allowed to carry these on your person or in the hand luggage. The process of
surrendering these belongings to the crew and collecting them again at your destination
is a laborious and often an unsuccessful one.
Continue to security, being sure to allow ample time. Airport regulations stipulate that
you are allowed one piece of carry-on luggage apart from one personal item. Please
ensure that the luggage weight limit of the airlines as this may cause problems – you
may be forced to check-in the extra pieces and may be liable for excess baggage
charges.

Time

India is GMT + 5.30hrs and does not have a daylight saving time. Though a large
country, India has chosen to keep one time zone throughout the land; that is the reason
we have the extra half hour.

Power and Plugs

Most Indian hotels cater for all electrical plug types; they also have adapters to lend to
guests. Shown here is the regular power plug found in India.

Gratuity

We are delighted to be your hosts in India, but there are a lot of people who are involved to make things work like clockwork and whom you may wish to reward – they include hotel porters, housekeepers, drivers, helpers and guides. These people may be rewarded at ones discretion. Guideline for tipping:
Driver: USD 5.00 per person per day
Guide: USD 10.00 per person per day

Don’t Forget to Pack

• Lightweight clothes

• A wrap or thin jacket for the evening

• Comfortable walking shoes 

• A hat or cap

• Sunscreen 

• Medication (if you are taking
  any)

• Bring a camera

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