Is Swaastik Yog School Good? An Honest Self-Review

Written by Mayuri Shewale, E-RYT 500 (Yoga Alliance), founder of Swaastik Yog School in Rishikesh. Prices and dates checked on 20 October 2026.

Disclosure: Swaastik Yog School wrote this guide about itself. Please read it as our own account, and check everything below against the independent sources we link to.

"Is Swaastik Yog School good?" is a fair question. You are about to spend weeks of your life and a real amount of money with people you have never met, in a country you may never have visited. You should ask it about us, and about every other school on your list.

We cannot give you an unbiased answer. Nobody can about their own school. What we can do is give you the plain facts, show you where to check them without trusting us, and tell you honestly who we are not right for. That last part matters most. A student who chose the wrong school has a hard month, and so do we.

Who is Swaastik Yog School? (facts at a glance)

Swaastik Yog School is a women-led yoga teacher training school in Tapovan, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, founded in 2015. I founded it and I am still the head teacher. I personally lead every 200-, 300- and 500-hour batch. My co-founder, Rahul Badoni, leads the philosophy teaching. You can read more about our story on the About Swaastik Yog School page.

Question	Answer
Location	Tapovan, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India. New garden campus (moved 2026), a short walk from the Ganga.
Founded	2015
Founder and head teacher	Mayuri Shewale, E-RYT 500, 15+ years of teaching. Leads every 200/300/500-hour batch.
Co-founder	Rahul Badoni, E-RYT 500, 15+ years. Leads philosophy.
Yoga Alliance registration	RYS 200, RYS 300, RYS 500, RCYS and YACEP
Batch size	15 to 20 students
Teaching language	English
Main styles	Classical Hatha with alignment, led Ashtanga introduced step by step, pranayama, meditation, anatomy and philosophy
Rooms	Dorm (bamboo cottages, bunk beds), twin-shared and private rooms with attached bath
Winter	Heated halls and a heated blanket in every room, November to February
200-hour price	$440 dorm / $880 shared / $1,100 private, all-inclusive

We are women-led in practice, not just on paper. If that matters to you, our women-led yoga school in Rishikesh page explains what it means day to day: gender-separate dorms, female staff on campus and a written code of conduct. You can also read my own background on my teacher profile.

How can I check if Swaastik Yog School is legit?

The fastest way to check any Rishikesh yoga school is to look it up in the Yoga Alliance directory, then read its Google and Tripadvisor reviews. All three are outside our control. Here is where to find us:

1. Yoga Alliance directory. Our public school profile is at app.yogaalliance.org (Swaastik Yog School). Check that the listed designations (RYS 200, RYS 300, RYS 500, RCYS, YACEP) match what we claim. They should.
2. Google reviews. Search "Swaastik Yog School Rishikesh" on Google Maps, or open our Google Maps listing. Read the most recent reviews first, and read the low ones too.
3. Tripadvisor. Our listing is Swaastik Yog School on Tripadvisor. It is a second, separate set of student voices.
4. Ask for a video call. Any real school will show you the campus and the rooms live. We will, and you can contact us to set one up.

We are not quoting star ratings or review counts here on purpose. Those numbers change every week, and you should see them on the review sites themselves, not as a screenshot chosen by the school.

Red flags to look for in any school, including ours

• The lead teachers are not named, or their Yoga Alliance credentials cannot be found.
• The school name on the certificate is different from the school you are paying.
• The price looks low because meals or accommodation are not really included.
• Reviews praise only the view, the food or the river, and never mention a teacher by name.
• Pressure to pay the full fee immediately, with no clear written refund terms.

What do students consistently praise about Swaastik?

The things students most often thank us for are personal attention, the teaching itself and feeling safe on campus. We are describing patterns we see in feedback and in conversations at the end of each course, not quoting anyone. Please read the reviews to see how students put it in their own words.

• Small batches. With 15 to 20 students, teachers know your name, your injuries and where you are stuck. Corrections are hands-on and specific.
• The same senior teacher all month. I lead every 200-, 300- and 500-hour batch myself, so you are not handed to a different junior teacher each week.
• Clear teaching of the method. Students tell us they leave knowing how to sequence and cue a class, not only how to do the poses.
• Philosophy that feels alive. Rahul's classes on the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and Hatha texts are often a highlight for people who expected philosophy to be dry.
• Safety, especially for women travelling alone. Gender-separate dorms, female staff and a written code of conduct help many solo women feel settled quickly.
• Value. The price includes the training, the room, sattvic vegetarian meals, materials and the certificate. There are no surprise extras for the course itself.

What do students find hard at Swaastik?

A residential yoga teacher training is demanding, and ours is no exception. These are the honest difficulties students tell us about, so you can decide before you book rather than after you arrive.

• 6am starts. Hatha practice begins at 6:00 am, every training day. If you are not a morning person, the first week is tough. Most people adapt by week two, but not everyone enjoys it.
• The intensity. The day runs from early morning practice to evening mantra chanting, with study in between. Bodies get sore, emotions come up and tiredness builds. It is a training, not a holiday.
• Simple vegetarian food. Meals are sattvic: vegetarian, lightly spiced, with no meat, eggs or alcohol. It is nourishing and fresh, but it is simple. If you love variety, you may miss it after a couple of weeks.
• A quiet location. Tapovan is quieter than the busy cafe streets around Laxman Jhula. That is why many students love it. If you want nightlife and lots of cafes outside your door, you will need a short walk or a taxi.
• Shared spaces in the dorm. The dorm is the cheapest option and it is sociable, but light sleepers sometimes wish they had chosen a shared or private room.
• Weather. Rishikesh summers are hot and winter mornings are cold. Since we added heated halls and heated blankets for November to February, winter is far more comfortable, but early mornings are still chilly.

Who is Swaastik Yog School right for?

Swaastik is a good fit for students who want a traditional, well-taught Yoga Alliance course with a senior teacher, a small group and an honest all-inclusive price. In particular, it suits:

• Beginners and intermediate students taking their first 200-hour course, who need clear foundations.
• Women travelling alone who want a women-led school with gender-separate dorms and female staff.
• Budget-aware students who want the full course, room and meals from $440 without cutting corners on teaching.
• People who want classical Hatha, led Ashtanga, pranayama, meditation and philosophy in one balanced course.
• Teachers continuing to the 300-hour after a 200-hour, or doing the full 500-hour in one stay.
• Anyone who wants a quiet place close to the Ganga to focus.

Who is Swaastik NOT right for?

Swaastik is not the right school for everyone, and we would rather say so now. You will probably be happier somewhere else if:

• You want a luxury resort. Our garden campus is clean, green and comfortable, but it is a yoga school, not a spa hotel. There is no pool, room service or a la carte menu.
• You want Mysore-only Ashtanga. We teach led Ashtanga, introduced step by step, alongside Hatha. If you want a traditional Mysore-style self-practice programme every morning, look for a dedicated Ashtanga shala.
• You need teaching in a language other than English. All classes are in English. We do not run translated batches.
• You want a holiday with optional classes. The timetable is full and attendance matters for the certificate.
• You want a very large, anonymous group. With 15 to 20 students, you will be seen and corrected every day.
• You need meat, alcohol or a party scene on campus. Neither is part of life here.

Swaastik Yog School pros and cons at a glance

Here is the same assessment in one table, so you can compare it with the other schools on your list.

Pros	Cons
Women-led, founded 2015, founder leads every 200/300/500-hour batch	6:00 am starts every training day
Yoga Alliance RYS 200, 300 and 500, plus RCYS and YACEP, all checkable online	Full, demanding timetable with little free time on weekdays
Small batches of 15 to 20	Simple sattvic vegetarian food, no meat or eggs
All-inclusive price from $440 for the 200-hour	Not a luxury resort
New garden campus (2026), short walk from the Ganga	Tapovan is quieter, with fewer cafes on the doorstep than Laxman Jhula
Gender-separate dorms, female staff, written code of conduct	English-only teaching
Heated halls and heated blankets November to February	Led Ashtanga only, no Mysore-style programme

If you are still comparing schools, our guide to the best yoga schools in Rishikesh in 2026 looks at several other options with their strengths and considerations.

How much does Swaastik Yog School cost?

A 200-hour yoga teacher training at Swaastik Yog School costs $440 in a dorm, $880 in a shared room and $1,100 in a private room, all-inclusive. Every price below includes the training, accommodation, sattvic vegetarian meals, course materials and your certificate.

Course	Length and start dates	Dorm	Shared	Private
100-hour YTT	14 days, 2nd and 15th monthly	$275	$660	$880
200-hour YTT	22 days, 5th and 15th monthly	$440	$880	$1,100
300-hour YTT	22 days, 5th and 15th monthly (needs a 200-hour)	$660	$990	$1,485
500-hour YTT	51 days (200 + 300), 5th monthly	$880	$1,650	$2,200
Aerial YTT (50-hour, via Aerial Rishikesh)	7 days, every Monday	$195	$385	$550

We also run sound healing teacher training (YACEP, three levels, from $220), retreats (3-day from $100, 5-day from $200, 7-day from $250) and an online 200-hour course for $440 with a maximum of 4 students. You can see every course and current dates on our yoga courses in Rishikesh page, or go straight to the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh.

Not sure which room to pick? Our guide to dorm vs shared vs private rooms shows real photos and who each room suits.

Which claims about Swaastik online are out of date?

Some older listings, directories and blog posts describe Swaastik Yog School as it was years ago. If you read any of the following, please know they are no longer true.

Outdated claim you may see	The current fact (October 2026)
Swaastik teaches in more than one town or location	We teach only at our Tapovan, Rishikesh campus.
Swaastik teaches acro yoga	We do not teach acro yoga. Our aerial yoga training (hammock-based) runs through our specialist brand, Aerial Rishikesh, on the same campus.
The 200-hour course costs $400	The 200-hour is from $440 (dorm), $880 (shared) and $1,100 (private), all-inclusive.
Rooms are in an old, basic building	Since 2026, rooms are on our new garden campus in Tapovan: bamboo dorm cottages, twin-shared rooms and private rooms with attached bath.
You can get an "RYT-300" from Swaastik	Yoga Alliance has no RYT-300. Our 300-hour course gives an RYS 300 certificate. A 200-hour plus a 300-hour from an RYS, plus 100 teaching hours, lets you register as RYT-500.

If you find another claim about us that does not match this page or our website, message us. We would like to get it corrected at the source.

So, is Swaastik Yog School worth it?

For the right student, yes: Swaastik offers a Yoga Alliance-registered course led by an E-RYT 500 founder, in a small group, at an all-inclusive price from $440. For the wrong student, no price is worth a month of early mornings in a place that does not fit you.

The best next step is simple. Check our Yoga Alliance profile. Read our Google and Tripadvisor reviews, including the critical ones. Then ask us anything on a call. If after that we still look like the right fit, we would be glad to welcome you to Tapovan.

Frequently asked questions

Is Swaastik Yog School legit?

Yes. Swaastik Yog School is registered with Yoga Alliance as an RYS 200, RYS 300 and RYS 500, plus RCYS and YACEP. You can check this yourself in the Yoga Alliance online directory. The school was founded in 2015 by Mayuri Shewale, E-RYT 500, and has public reviews on Google and Tripadvisor.

Where can I read Swaastik Yog School reviews?

You can read independent reviews on our Google Maps listing (search "Swaastik Yog School Rishikesh") and on Tripadvisor, where we are listed as Swaastik Yog School Rishikesh. We suggest reading the newest reviews first and the critical ones too, so you get a balanced picture.

Who teaches at Swaastik Yog School?

Founder and head teacher Mayuri Shewale, E-RYT 500 with 15+ years of teaching, personally leads every 200-, 300- and 500-hour batch. Co-founder Rahul Badoni, also E-RYT 500 with 15+ years, leads the philosophy teaching, including the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita and classical Hatha texts.

What is the hardest part of training at Swaastik?

Most students say the hardest part is the rhythm: practice starts at 6:00 am and the timetable runs into the evening, so tiredness builds in the first two weeks. The food is simple sattvic vegetarian, and Tapovan is quieter than Laxman Jhula. Most students adapt well, but it is a training, not a holiday.

Is Swaastik Yog School good for beginners?

Yes. Our 200-hour course is built for beginners and intermediate students, with clear alignment teaching and Ashtanga introduced step by step. Batches of 15 to 20 mean teachers can adjust for your level. You do not need to do advanced poses before you arrive, only a regular practice and willingness to work.

Does Swaastik still teach outside Tapovan, or teach acro yoga?

No. We teach only at our Tapovan, Rishikesh campus, which moved to a new garden site in 2026. We do not teach acro yoga. Our aerial yoga teacher training uses hammocks and runs through our specialist brand, Aerial Rishikesh, on the same campus with the same team.