Healthy Holiday

Fort Ramgarh,a heritage hotel with a 360-year history,has introduced a Health and Rejuvenation package that’s royal in every way. “The concept is healthy living and rejuvenation,” says Amitabh Singh Chandel,the managing director. The three-day and two-night residential package offers meditation,yoga,spa therapy,health food,general health check-up,diet counselling and aerobics apart from beach cricket and rain dance.

Likewise,The Kikar Lodge is India’s first private forest reserve near Ropar (two hours from the city),and is spread over 1,800 acres of forest. “We have a range of ayurvedic packages,many of which are designed for relief from stress,and pains. We also offer massages and yoga in the outdoors,”’ says JS Chopra of The Lodge. The forest spa package can be combined with outdoor activities like night safari,jungle walks,bird watching and quad biking. As you detox your body,look out for a plethora of bird life,deer and the elusive barasingha in their natural habitat.

Spread over an area of 40 acres,the Yorks Health Resort,10 kms from Pinjore,is covered with thick bamboo trees. In these sylvan surroundings,you can indulge yourself with herbal and ayurvedic packages. The spa offers Kerala health massages. Acupressure passages lead towards the meditation room and from the windows,you can see the Shivaliks rising into the sky.

Timber Trail Moksha sits majestically at a 5,000 ft altitude and offers 62 luxurious suites with an unparalleled view of the valley. The spa,a 45-minute drive from Chandigarh,blends luxury and tranquility with activities like outdoor swimming. “The spa offers various therapies,including a body detox programme which lasts between three days and a week,body analysis by a doctor and a range of natural healing therapies,from Thai and Balinese to water therapies,” explains Naini.

Very popular are anti-ageing programmes with ayurvedic Himalayan herbs,and a variety of massages without oil for joints and muscles. “These are natural ways of healing,and help open up the body,aids in flexibility and are done by specialists,” adds Naini. The resort also offers meditative therapies that balance the seven chakras — “we start with the body,move to the mind and then the soul,” she says with a smile.