Traveling to India for Ayurveda - 10 suggestions
Most ayurveda lovers and tourists visit India during September to February every year. The purpose of the visit is to learn ayurveda, to get ayurvedic - panchkarma treatments, to relax, and to have some leisure time with joy with local sight seeing. There are thousands of websites offering various courses, treatments and claiming for the best quality. There is no specific standardized method to select proper center for the tourist. Our best suggestion is for ayurveda visitors to follow this basic things;
1. Decide your travel period first, avoid monsoon.
2. Decide the region, you want to visit in India. India is such a vast country and having very different climatic, social conditions. Such as South and North India are very different. East or West are also different from others. Try to explore new regions, where most tourists don't go, this way you can avoid overcrowded centers. Remember Ayurveda is in all corners of India. It does not belong to any one region, one tradition or one family. You can find good, genuine ayurveda doctors and centers all over India.
3. Real India lies in villages. Big cities and small towns also reflect mixed impression of India. Ask your tour operator to include visit to real village, forest, riverside etc.
4. Contact yr selected ayurveda center and clearly know the facilities for accommodation, food, treatments, local traveling etc. before you finalize it.
5. Select your priority for panchkarma treatments. Your options are panchkarma for wellness or for real health problems (Therapeutic). Ask for daily treatment plan, training plan from the center, accordingly.
6. Most important: Inquire for the doctor's qualification, who is going to look after you. Many so called ayurveda spa/ resorts are not having any full time doctors with them, they are carrying their business with massage therapists.
7. Inquire for Total prices, including all other / supplementary expenses. Sometimes basic charge for treatments or training is less, but you pay more for additional / supportive facilities etc.
7. Inquire and decide for the mode of payment before you finalize the center.
8. Please select your priority first - Treatments / training or sight seeing. Many visitors can not control their wish to have all together, which is not good.
9. Take care for illness - epidemics. Prevent yourself from Malaria, G.I. Tract infection and related complains.
10. Inquire for local festivals, try to accommodate the dates with your visit, so that you can enjoy Indian traditions and social customs too.
Best wishes,
Dr. Prerak Shah www.ayulink.com
