The Surya Circuit (starting soon)
6:00 – 7:00 AM daily · before the valley wakes
- Surya Namaskar
- Breathwork
- Ice bath, timed to sunrise over the ridge
- No sauna. Ice and movement only.
₹999Get energised for the day ahead — in the most amazing way.
तपस्
Aavya · Upper Tapovan · Rishikesh
TAPAS
Fire & Ice
Movement. Stillness.
Rishikesh's first contrast therapy circuit — and one of the most unique experiences, set in a jungle environment.
- Cedar sauna
- Cold plunge
- Soaking pool
- Movement zone
Move & breathe
It starts before the sauna.
Your body likes to move first.Calisthenics bars. Rings. Mobility.Hang for a while. Open the shoulders. Wake up the spine.Let the lungs fill properly. Get conscious of your breath and movement.Get ready for what comes ahead — the heat, and everything after.
Now we turn up the heat.
Fire
Step inside the deodar cedar sauna.Sit. Sweat. Slow down.Fifteen minutes. Let the body soften.
Why heat?
Heat raises circulation and heart rate, loosens muscle and lets the nervous system come down a gear. Most people find it easier to be still in a sauna than anywhere else.
Soak
First, float back down.
Step out into the open air.Sit in the soaking pool.Look at the mountains.
Do absolutely nothing useful for some time.
Ready?
Ice
Cold changes the conversation.
Step into the ice bath. Breathe through the first reaction.Stay composed. Meet resistance without fighting it.Not about suffering longer — about staying calm when your body says otherwise.
Why cold?
Cold water sends the body into alert: heart rate climbs, breath shortens, everything tightens. Learning to slow the breath inside that response is the practice. Afterwards comes the part people come back for: clear-headed, awake, and oddly calm for hours.
The rhythm
Then you do it again.
MovementSaunaSoakIceRepeatRest
Two rounds is the circuit.There is no medal for a third.Lie down. Breathe. Talk to somebody. Or don't.
Afterwards
And somewhere in all this, you get hungry.
Stay for a bowl.Eat something warm.Sit around longer than you planned.
See Aavya CaféDaily at Tapas
Okay. How do I do this?
6:00 – 7:00 AM · Surya Circuit8:00 AM – 2:00 PM · on your own4:30 – 6:30 PM · guided6:30 – 9:00 PM · on your own
The Signature Evening Guided CircuitMost popular
4:30 – 6:30 PM daily · facilitator-led
- Movement and breath
- Sauna → soak → ice, twice
- Rest and integration
₹2,500₹2,200 students and long-stay guests · ID required
Complete facility access
At your own pace · 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM and 6:30 – 9:00 PM
- Use the circuit in your own rhythm, in your own time
- No facilitator — for those who already know their way around a sauna and an ice bath
- Or one element only: sauna, ice bath or soaking pool
₹2,000Complete facility access · ₹1,000 single element
Make a day of it
Half-day pass · 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM or 4:30 – 9:00 PM
- Unlimited circuit access
- A spa session — any therapy you choose
- A meal from the Tapas menu at Aavya Café
₹4,60010% off booking the three together · plus taxes · a complete experience.
Coming back more than once
Packs & memberships
Plain and clear: buy sessions in a pack, or take a membership. Pricing below.
Guided Circuit packs
Use on any 4:30 – 6:30 PM circuit
₹10,500 · 5 sessions · ₹2,100 each
₹18,000 · 10 sessions · ₹1,800 each
Facility access packs
The circuit at your own pace
₹8,000 · 5 sessions · ₹1,600 each
₹14,000 · 10 sessions · ₹1,400 each
Single element packs
Sauna, ice bath or soaking pool
₹4,500 · 5 sessions · ₹900 each
₹8,000 · 10 sessions · ₹800 each
Membership
I live here. This may become a habit.
Up to three visits a week, every week of your membership. Introductory pricing.
One month
₹9,999★ ★ Includes Club Aavya
Six months
₹49,999★ ★ Includes Club Aavya
Twelve months
₹89,999★ ★ Includes Club Aavya
Club Aavya
25% off spa therapies and 25% off meals at Aavya Café. Bring one friend with you and they receive 25% off the Tapas Circuit, spa therapies and meals too. Preferential access to events at Aavya.
Every membership — one month included — comes with Club Aavya.
Tapas might be what brings you in.Club Aavya is what makes the whole place yours.
From the circuit
But what does it actually feel like?
FAQ
Contrast therapy in Rishikesh: FAQ
What exactly is Tapas?
The first dedicated contrast therapy circuit in Rishikesh, at Aavya Creative Wellness Retreats in Upper Tapovan. A session moves through movement and breath, the round deodar cedar sauna, the open-air soaking pool, and the ice baths — sauna heat, ice plunge, and everything in between.
Do I need experience with saunas or cold water?
No. The guided evening circuit is fully facilitator-led — every step is explained, and you go at your own pace. There is no pressure to stay in the cold longer than feels right. Most first-timers are surprised by how manageable — and how good — it feels.
When can I come?
Every day. The Surya Circuit runs 6:00 – 7:00 AM — movement, breathwork, and an ice bath timed to sunrise. Complete facility access is at your own pace, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM and 6:30 – 9:00 PM. The signature guided circuit runs 4:30 – 6:30 PM, facilitator-led.
What is the difference between guided sessions and facility access?
Guided sessions are the signature evening circuit, 4:30 – 6:30 PM, led by a facilitator who takes the whole group through movement, breath, sauna, soak, and ice in sequence. It is structured, social, and ideal for first-timers. Facility access is simply the space open to you — sauna, ice bath, and soaking pool — so you move at your own rhythm without a facilitator, or use just one element.
What does it cost?
From ₹1,000. The Surya Circuit is ₹999. The guided evening circuit is ₹2,500 (₹2,200 for students and long-stay guests). Complete facility access is ₹2,000, or ₹1,000 for a single element — sauna, ice bath, or soaking pool. The half-day 'Make a day of it' pass is ₹4,600.
Can I come without staying at Aavya?
Yes — Tapas is open to everyone, guests and day visitors alike. If you are staying at Aavya, ask us about including the circuit in your stay.
Are there packs or memberships?
Yes. Guided circuit packs (5 sessions ₹10,500, 10 sessions ₹18,000), facility access packs (5 sessions ₹8,000, 10 sessions ₹14,000), and single element packs (5 sessions ₹4,500, 10 sessions ₹8,000). Memberships run one, six, or twelve months — up to three visits a week — and every membership includes Club Aavya: 25% off spa therapies and meals. One friend joining you also receives 25% off the Tapas Circuit, spa therapies and meals.
How often should I come?
Once or twice a week — you notice improved sleep and mood within two weeks. Three times a week — cardiovascular adaptations begin, energy becomes more consistent, the nervous system baseline shifts. That is exactly what the membership is built for.
Fire & Ice · Upper Tapovan
Are you up for Tapas?
Move. Sweat. Cold. Eat. Stay.
Tempted enough to stay? Explore the stay options at Aavya.