Rishikesh · Yoga Alliance USA RYS 200 · 300 · 500 · Est. 1999
Come here a student. Leave a teacher.
Yoga Alliance USA certified teacher training in Rishikesh, at an ashram that has been doing this since 1999. Your room, all your meals and the car from the airport are in the fee. Taught in English, in batches of 15 to 25.
Applications are reviewed first. No payment until you're accepted.
Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance USA: RYS 200 · RYS 300 · RYS 500
Four courses. One question: where are you starting from?
Every course includes your accommodation, three meals a day, all study materials, and free pickup from Dehradun airport. Fees below are for a private room with food. Cheaper tuition only and shared room options are in the fee table.
100 Hour
- A first, serious immersion in the foundations of hatha and ashtanga
- Pranayama, meditation, shatkarma cleansing, Ayurveda basics
- Includes one Himalayan excursion and library access
- Best if you have two weeks, not a month
200 Hour
- The internationally recognised qualification to teach
- Asana, pranayama, philosophy, anatomy, teaching methodology
- Sound healing, Yoga Nidra, Osho meditation, mantra chanting
- No prior certification needed, beginners welcome
300 Hour
- For teachers who already hold a 200 hour certificate
- Advanced asana, sequencing, hands on adjustment, mentorship
- Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras in depth
- Takes you to RYT 500 when combined with your 200
500 Hour
- The 200 and 300 hour trainings taken back to back
- Two full months, the deepest training we run
- Can be split: take the 200 now, return within the year
- For people making yoga their profession
One thing worth saying plainly: the 100 hour course carries our own school certificate, not a Yoga Alliance one. Yoga Alliance registers teachers at 200 hours and above. If your goal is to teach professionally and register as an RYT, start with the 200.
There are around a hundred yoga schools in Rishikesh. Here is what is different about this one.
An unbroken line, not a business plan
Founded in 1999 by Swami Yogananda Maharaj Ji, who began practising at seventeen, never took a single dose of medication in his life, and was still teaching here every Sunday at 106. The ashram is now directed by his student, Yogi Dinesh Chander Ji, registered with Yoga Alliance as an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 level.
Ten teachers, each a specialist
You are not taught everything by one person. Philosophy from a scholar of the Yoga Sutras, anatomy from an Ayurvedic doctor, alignment from an M.Sc. in Yoga, meditation from a teacher who spent years in a Himalayan cave.
Batches of 15 to 25
Small enough that your posture gets corrected by name, and that your teaching practicum is watched properly. Larger schools run forty or more.
Everything is taught in English
Every class, every philosophy session, every correction. Sanskrit terms are explained the first time you meet them, not assumed.
Registered at all three levels
RYS 200, RYS 300 and RYS 500 with Yoga Alliance USA, meaning the syllabus and the teachers' credentials have been independently reviewed, not something we simply claim. Your certificate registers you as an RYT anywhere in the world.
An ashram price, because this is an ashram
A month long 200 hour training with your room, every meal and all materials is $1,000. Not because anything has been cut, but because this is a working ashram in Tapovan rather than a resort with a marketing budget.
What you actually study
The syllabus is traditional, and it is wider than asana. This is the shape of the 200 hour; the 300 and 500 go deeper into every part of it.
Hatha & Vinyasa
An in depth study of every asana within these styles, and how to practise them correctly rather than merely deeply.
Ashtanga Vinyasa
The Primary Series, one breath to one movement, for internal cleansing and circulation. The traditional therapeutic sequence.
Pranayama
Ancient breathing techniques in preparation for meditation, with sitting postures, mudras and bandhas to build lung capacity.
Dhyana, meditation
Working toward samadhi. Tranquility of the emotions, and of the physical and mental being.
Yoga philosophy (Darshana)
History and ethics of yoga, Indian culture, kundalini, and at 300 level, the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras in depth.
Anatomy & physiology
Digestive, respiratory, circulatory, nervous and endocrine systems, organs and chakras, and how asana affects skeleton, muscle and joint.
Methodology & practicum
Demonstration, correct alignment, hands on adjustment, and instructing real students in front of your peers and teachers.
Shatkarma
The six classical purification practices, including Jala Neti, Rubber Neti and Agnisara. Cleansing materials are provided.
Mantra chanting & sound healing
Sacred sound used to focus and clear the mind, plus singing bowl and gong work for deep relaxation.
Yoga Nidra
Yogic sleep: a guided body scan and visualisation that rests the body completely while awareness stays awake.
Osho & laughter yoga
Active, dynamic meditation to break mental conditioning before silence, plus the laughter session nobody expects to enjoy.
Ayurveda
The three doshas and prakriti, daily and seasonal routine, yogic diet and nutrition, fasting, and Ayurvedic physiology.
Also taught across the courses: Yin yoga, restorative yoga, Sukshma Vyayama, alignment, satsang and Iyengar informed adjustment work.
A training day, hour by hour
Full, disciplined days. This is a professional qualification, not a holiday. Sundays are free, and the afternoon gap is real.
- Pranayama
- Asana practice
- Breakfast
- Yoga philosophy
- Asana practice
- Lunch and rest
- Anatomy
- Teaching methodology
- Meditation
- Dinner
- Self study
- Lights off
Across the course you will also take part in an opening and closing ceremony, daily morning kirtan, an Indian classical music concert, satsang, a walking tour to Parmarth Niketan for the evening Ganga Aarti, and a special Ganga Puja at Laxman Jhula. Outdoor yoga by the Ganges runs when the weather allows.
What the course fee covers
One payment. No compulsory extras when you arrive.
Arriving & staying
- Free taxi pickup from Dehradun Airport
- Accommodation for the full course, with attached bathroom
- Hot and cold shower, daily housekeeping
- Free 24/7 high speed WiFi
- Filtered drinking water, hot and cold
Eating
- Three Indian vegetarian meals a day
- Two Ayurvedic or herbal teas with light snacks
- Vegan and gluten free on advance request
Studying
- All teaching materials and course modules
- Course books and study manuals
- Yoga mat, props and a school tee
- Cleansing materials: neti pot, rubber tube
- In house library access
- Your certification on successful completion
Practising
- Daily pranayama and asana
- Philosophy, anatomy and teaching methodology
- Ayurveda class and yoga alignment
- Jala Neti, Yoga Nidra, Osho dynamic meditation
- Mantra chanting, laughter yoga, sound healing
Ceremony & culture
- Opening and closing ceremony
- Daily morning kirtan
- Traditional Indian classical music concert
- Satsang, spiritual talk
- Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan, Ram Jhula
- Special Ganga Puja at Laxman Jhula
- Outdoor yoga by the Ganges, weather permitting
Not included, so there are no surprises
- Flights and Indian visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance (we ask that you have it)
- Air conditioned room upgrade, $300 on dates where it is offered
- Yoga Alliance's own registration fee, paid directly to them after you graduate
- Ayurvedic treatments and massage
- Personal laundry, and meals taken outside the ashram
Dates & fees
All fees in US dollars, per person. "Tuition only" means you arrange your own room and meals in Rishikesh; every other column includes your accommodation and three meals a day for the whole course.
| Course dates 2026 | Tuition only | With food & private room | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 Aug to 16 Aug | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 13 Aug to 27 Aug | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 05 Sep to 19 Sep | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 16 Sep to 30 Sep | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 04 Oct to 18 Oct | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 01 Nov to 15 Nov | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 12 Nov to 26 Nov | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 01 Dec to 15 Dec | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
| 12 Dec to 26 Dec | $400 | $700 | Available | Apply |
14 days, 14 nights. Yoga School Certificate. A $200 deposit secures your place once your application is accepted.
| Course dates 2026 | Tuition only | Food & shared room | Food & private room | A/C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 Aug to 27 Aug | $600 | $800 | $1,000 | +$300 | Apply |
| 05 Sep to 30 Sep | $600 | $800 | $1,000 | n/a | Apply |
| 04 Oct to 29 Oct | $700 | $900 | $1,100 | n/a | Apply |
| 01 Nov to 26 Nov | $700 | $900 | $1,100 | n/a | Apply |
| 01 Dec to 26 Dec | $600 | $800 | $1,000 | n/a | Apply |
25 days, 25 nights. RYT 200, Yoga Alliance USA. October and November are peak season and priced accordingly.
| Course dates | Tuition only | Food & shared room | Food & private room | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Mar to 04 Apr 2027 | $1,000 | $1,250 | $1,400 | Available | Apply |
33 days, 33 nights. RYT 300, Yoga Alliance USA. A completed 200 hour certification is required to join. Minimum 90% attendance for certification; assessment is by written assignment, teaching practice and classroom participation.
| Course dates | Tuition only | Food & shared room | Food & private room | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Feb to 04 Apr 2027 | $1,700 | $2,100 | $2,400 | Available | Apply |
Two full months, combining the 200 and 300 hour trainings. RYT 500, Yoga Alliance USA. If two months away is too much at once, take the 200 hour now and return within the year for the 300. The certification is the same.
Full fee breakdown, deposits and what is not included: fees and cancellation terms.
Not seeing dates that work? We also run 50 hour, Yin, Ayurveda and sound healing trainings, and a 200 hour online course. Message us on WhatsApp and we'll tell you what's open.
How applying works
Four steps, and you don't pay anything until we've accepted you.
Send the form
Tell us which course, roughly when, and where you're up to in your practice. It takes about a minute.
We review it
Usually within a day. If a course isn't the right fit for your experience, we will say so and suggest the one that is.
You're accepted
Then, and only then, a deposit holds your place: $200 for the 100, 200 and 500 hour courses, $300 for the 300 hour. The balance is due before you arrive.
We help with the rest
Visa guidance, flight advice, a packing list, and a driver waiting for you at Dehradun airport with your name on a board.
Students from more than a hundred countries have trained here
Since 1999. Many of them are teaching now.
“Completed my 200 hours TTC at Om Shanti Om. I'm now back home but my heart is still there.”
“Signed up with an intention to learn and deepen my practice, and now leaving the place with so much more.”
“Om Shanti Om Yoga School is a wonderful place to learn authentic Hatha Yoga in India.”
Where you'll live for the month
This is an ashram, so the rooms are clean and calm rather than opulent, and we would rather tell you that now than have you discover it on the first night. Every room has its own bathroom with hot water, a proper bed, a desk, and a view worth waking up for.
Private room
Yours alone, with an attached bathroom. The quiet option when you have a manual to memorise.
Shared, women
Twin room with a fellow student. Cheaper, and most people end up glad of the company.
Shared, men
Twin room, same arrangement.
Deluxe & couples
More space and a better outlook, and double rooms for two training together. Ask about availability.
Air conditioning is offered on some dates for $300 extra. Worth asking about if you are training between April and June.
Three meals a day, cooked in the ashram kitchen
Sattvic vegetarian and lacto vegetarian food, prepared fresh each morning on Ayurvedic principles: light, seasonal, and designed to sit well before a 6:30am pranayama class.
Breakfast after the morning practice. Lunch at one, and the long, unhurried kind. Dinner at seven, at shared tables, which is where most of the friendships happen. Two Ayurvedic or herbal teas with light snacks through the day, and filtered water, hot and cold, around the clock.
Vegan and gluten free are prepared as a matter of course, provided you tell us when you apply so the kitchen can plan. Allergies and medical diets: put the details in the form and we will confirm exactly what we can do before you pay a deposit.
On the question everybody is too polite to ask: the kitchen cooks Indian food, and some of it is spicy. Tell your teacher on day one and it will be made milder for you. This happens every month. All drinking water is filtered. Nothing is cooked with tap water. Alcohol and meat are not served at the ashram.
Who will teach you
Swami Yogananda Maharaj Ji
He was born in Madhya Pradesh in September 1908 and began practising yoga at seventeen. He founded this ashram in 1999. He never took a single dose of medication in his life, kept his eyesight and his teeth to the end, and was still teaching Sukshma Vyayama here every Sunday at 106 years old. He reached Maha Samadhi in January 2015. Everything taught in this ashram comes down from him.
Yogi Dinesh Chander Ji
Born in the hills at Almora, he began studying Sanskrit and the Vedas in Rishikesh and Varanasi at twelve. Master's in Sanskrit and Yoga, the title Yogacharya, and Yoga Alliance registration as an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 level. Swami Yogananda Ji's close disciple, and the person who leads the ashram now.
Guru Buddhi Prakash Ji
Born 1953. Forty years of teaching. Initiated into the Shankaracharya tradition by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, with whom he spent years practising Transcendental Meditation, and several more in a cave in the Uttarkashi Himalayas.
Yogi Jitendra Ji
Master's in Yoga, with certification in Vedanta, philosophy and Sanskrit from the Sivananda Ashram academy in Rishikesh. He teaches the classical Hatha and cleansing practices, and lives simply at Bhagirathi Ashram in Laxman Jhula.
Yogi Kamal Ji
M.Sc. in Yoga from Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, a B.P.Ed., and two years of naturopathy training at the National Institute of Naturopathy under the Government of India's AYUSH ministry. He is the person who will quietly fix your posture.
Dr. Usha Vaishnava Ji
A five and a half year B.A.M.S. from a 150 year old Ayurveda university, with Panchakarma specialisation at Arya Vaidya Sala in Kottakkal, Kerala. Fourteen years of practice, and her own clinic in Tapovan.
Swami Amarna Ji
Trained at the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune. He has been sharing the active meditations for many years, and his classes are the ones people are surprised to find themselves enjoying most.
Also teaching: Sadhu Shri Ji (yoga philosophy: Patanjali, the Upanishads, Buddhist literature), Navneet Ji (Iyengar and Ashtanga, fifteen years of study, twelve teaching), Dr. Rakesh Ji (yoga anatomy and therapy) and Kannan Ji (anatomy, physiology and Marma therapy).
The ashram, unstaged
No filters, no models. This is what the month looks like.
Why train in Rishikesh
Rishikesh sits where the Ganges leaves the Himalayas. Yoga has been taught in this valley for centuries, and a certificate earned here carries that.
Rishi, sage. Kesh, hair. In the Hindu telling, Rama did penance here during his exile. Sages have practised in this valley since long before yoga had a word for itself in English.
He founded the Divine Life Society here in the twentieth century and drew serious students of yoga and meditation from around the world, and that was the beginning of Rishikesh's modern reputation.
They came to study Transcendental Meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The town has never been the same, and neither, arguably, has Western yoga.
Ashrams, schools, the annual International Yoga Festival, and the Ganges running through all of it. Not a resort strip that added a yoga shala.
Getting here is the easy part
Most of our students have never been to India. Here is exactly how you get from your front door to the ashram gate.
Fly to Delhi
Direct from most of Europe and North America. Then a one hour domestic hop to Dehradun (Jolly Grant, airport code DED). We'll tell you which flights connect comfortably.
We collect you
Our driver meets you inside the terminal at Dehradun with your name on a board, and drives you to the ashram. Included in your fee, whatever time you land.
Or come overland
Trains run daily from Delhi to Haridwar, about an hour from us, and we'll arrange the taxi from the station. There are frequent buses from Kashmiri Gate and Anand Vihar, and we can book a private car from Delhi airport.
Your visa
Most nationalities can apply for an Indian eVisa online. We'll send you the exact document list and check your details before you submit them.
When to come
The best months are September to April. October is close to perfect at 15 to 25°C. November to February is cold in the mornings, 5 to 15°C, and beautifully clear. March to June is warm, reaching 25 to 40°C. July to September is monsoon: heavy rain, and the valley at its greenest.
What to bring
Light, breathable clothes that cover shoulders and knees · a notebook and pen · a reusable water bottle · your toiletries and any medication · a Type D or M plug adapter · and a mat only if you prefer your own, since we provide them.
Where you'll be
Om Shanti Om Yoga Ashram, Baba Balak Nath Road, Tapovan, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249192. Five minutes from Laxman Jhula, and walking distance to cafés, pharmacies, ATMs, money exchange and a hospital.
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Frequently asked questions
Which course should I take?
If you want to teach professionally, take the 200 hour. It is the international entry qualification and needs no prior certificate. If you only have two weeks, or you want a serious immersion without the teaching qualification, take the 100 hour. If you already hold a 200 hour, take the 300. If you want the full RYT 500 in one go and can be away two months, take the 500. Tell us your situation in the form and we'll say honestly which one fits.
Do I need to be advanced, or able to do a headstand?
No. The 100 and 200 hour courses are open to beginners, and most people arrive far less experienced than they fear. Postures are adapted individually and nobody is asked to do anything they do not want to do. The 300 hour is the exception: it requires a completed 200 hour certification.
Will my certificate be recognised in my country?
Yes. Om Shanti Om is a Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance USA at RYS 200, 300 and 500. Graduates of those courses can register with Yoga Alliance as an RYT and teach internationally. The 100 hour course carries our own school certificate, not a Yoga Alliance one. Yoga Alliance registers teachers from 200 hours upward.
Can I combine a 200 and 300 from different schools into an RYT 500?
Yes, provided both schools are registered with Yoga Alliance. You submit both certificates to Yoga Alliance for the RYT 500 designation. You can also take your 200 hour with us, go home, and come back within the year for the 300.
How many students are in a batch?
Between 15 and 25. That is deliberate: it is small enough that every student gets hands on correction and a properly observed teaching practicum.
What do I have to do to pass?
Attend at least 90% of classes, complete a written assignment, teach in the practicum, and take part in class. It is a real qualification, not a certificate of attendance, but nobody who does the work fails.
How hard are the days?
Full. You start at 6:30am and self study runs to 10pm, with a two hour break in the middle of the day and Sundays free. Students describe the course as intensive but comprehensive. You will be tired in week one and adjusted by week two.
What exactly does the fee cover?
Accommodation for the whole course with attached bathroom, three vegetarian meals a day plus teas, all study materials and course books, a mat, props and a school tee, every class and ceremony, the cultural excursions, and airport pickup. Not covered: flights, visa, insurance, laundry, the A/C upgrade, and Yoga Alliance's own registration fee after you graduate.
When do I pay, and what if I need to change my dates?
Nothing is charged when you apply. Once your application is accepted, a deposit holds your place: $200 for the 100, 200 and 500 hour courses, $300 for the 300 hour. The balance is due before you arrive. If your plans change, talk to us as early as you can and we will do what we can to move you to another intake.
Can you cater for vegan, gluten free or allergy diets?
Yes. Tell us when you apply so the kitchen can prepare. All food is vegetarian or lacto vegetarian, cooked fresh on the premises. For medical diets, write the details in your application and we will confirm what we can do before you pay anything.
Is the water safe?
All drinking water is filtered and available hot and cold, around the clock. Food is cooked with filtered water in the ashram kitchen.
I'm travelling alone. Is that normal, and is it safe?
It is completely normal. A large share of our students arrive alone, and by the second dinner nobody is eating alone. The ashram is a residential campus with housekeeping and staff on site, shared rooms are arranged separately for women and men, and Tapovan is a quiet neighbourhood with cafés, pharmacies, ATMs and a hospital within walking distance.
Can I train if I'm pregnant, injured, or unwell during the course?
If you are pregnant and have a background in yoga you can join, but see your doctor first, since some postures will be adapted, and later in pregnancy we would suggest waiting for a later intake. If you fall ill during the course you can rest and recover, but attendance is required for certification, so tell your teacher early and catch up what you can.
Do I have to be religious?
Not at all. Kirtan, pooja, satsang and the Ganga Aarti are part of the tradition this ashram belongs to and you are welcome to take part or simply observe. Students of every faith and none train here.
Is there WiFi? Is alcohol allowed?
There is free 24/7 WiFi throughout the ashram. Phones stay away during class. Alcohol and meat are not served or permitted at the ashram, and Rishikesh itself is a dry town.
Still deciding which course? Message us on WhatsApp →
You'll come here a student and leave a teacher.
That is the ashram's motto, and it has held since 1999. The next batch has a place in it.
Applications are reviewed first. No payment until you're accepted.
Apply for a course
What happens after you send this
A person at the ashram, usually Dinesh, reads it and replies, normally within a day. They will confirm the course is right for your experience, tell you what's available on your dates, and answer whatever you asked.
If you're accepted and you want to go ahead, a deposit holds your place: $200 for the 100, 200 and 500 hour courses, $300 for the 300 hour. Nothing is charged from this form.
Would rather just talk? WhatsApp +91 97621 35058
Application sent.
Dinesh or one of the team will reply to , usually within a day, and always within two. If it's urgent, WhatsApp us on +91 97621 35058.