Guide
What should I pack for a yoga teacher training in India?
SHORT ANSWER
Pack light, modest clothing you can move in, a shawl, a head torch, earplugs, any prescription medication in original packaging, and a thermal layer if training between November and February. Mats, blocks and most toiletries are available locally and cheaper. Nobody has ever regretted bringing fewer clothes.
Last updated · Written by the team at Junegiri Yoga School, Rishikesh
The single most common mistake
People pack for a holiday and arrive with a suitcase they use a third of. A residential training is a month of the same routine: you practise twice a day, you eat, you study, and laundry is usually included. Four sets of practice clothes covers it.
The second most common mistake is packing for the India of photographs rather than for the mountains. Rishikesh sits in the Himalayan foothills at about 370 metres, and mornings between November and February are genuinely cold in unheated buildings.
Most of the over-packing comes from not knowing what the rooms already provide. That is listed on the accommodation page, so you can pack against the actual room rather than a guess about it.
What to bring by season
Our month-by-month climate notes go into more detail, but this is the short version for packing purposes.
| Season | Conditions | The thing you must not forget |
|---|---|---|
| Nov–Feb | Cold mornings, 5–20°C, bright days | A thermal base layer for sunrise practice. Everyone who skips this regrets it |
| Mar–Apr | Warm and dry, 15–30°C | Sun protection — the light is stronger than it feels |
| May–Jun | Very hot, up to 40°C+ | Electrolyte sachets and loose cotton. We do not recommend training in these months |
| Jul–Aug | Monsoon, humid, heavy rain | Quick-dry everything. Most schools, including ours, do not run trainings then |
| Sep–Oct | Warm, clearing, 18–32°C | A light layer for evenings, which cool quickly |
The things people wish they had brought
Earplugs
You are sharing a room for a month with someone whose sleep habits you did not choose. This is the single most-recommended item by every graduate we have asked.
A head torch
Power cuts are ordinary in Uttarakhand and paths between buildings are unlit. A phone torch works until your phone is charging.
Prescription medication in its original packaging
With the prescription itself, ideally. Indian customs is generally relaxed about this, but loose pills in a bag is an avoidable conversation.
A shawl or large scarf
Doubles as a blanket in savasana, a layer at dawn, and shoulder cover for temples. The most-used item most people bring.
A notebook you actually like writing in
You will write more than you expect, and phone notes do not work in a room where phones are put away.
What to leave at home
A yoga mat
Every residential school provides them, and Rishikesh sells good mats for a fraction of Western prices if you want your own. Carrying one across the world is wasted baggage allowance.
Most toiletries
Shampoo, soap, toothpaste and laundry detergent are all available within walking distance and cost very little. Bring what you are particular about; buy the rest.
Revealing or tight clothing
Not a rule so much as a comfort issue. Rishikesh is a pilgrimage town and modest dress attracts less attention, which matters most if you are travelling alone.
Expectations about Wi-Fi
Not a packing item, but bring lower ones than you think are reasonable. An Indian SIM with data costs a few hundred rupees and is more reliable than most school connections.
Related
Other questions worth answering first
What is a month of yoga teacher training actually like?
Expect eight to ten hours a day, six days a week, starting around 6am. The physical load is lower than people fear and the mental load is higher. Most people struggle in week two, when novelty fades and fatigue accumulates, and most recover by week three.
Is a yoga teacher training in India safe for a solo female traveller?
Yes, and the majority of students on most Rishikesh trainings are women travelling alone. Rishikesh is unusually easy compared with much of India: it is a dry, vegetarian pilgrimage town. The main risks are on the journey and in the town at night, not at a residential school.
Still deciding?
We would rather talk you out of the wrong course than sell you one. Ask us anything — including whether another school suits you better.
Or see dates and prices.
