Rishikesh has been a centre of yoga and Vedantic study since the late 19th century, long before international visitors arrived. The town now has hundreds of yoga schools, ranging from serious institutions with multi-week teacher training programmes to drop-in classes aimed at tourists. The main concentration is around Ram Jhula and Swarg Ashram on the eastern bank of the Ganges.
Among the most established schools: Sivananda Ashram (founded 1936 by Swami Sivananda, runs structured residential programmes in the classical tradition), Yoga Niketan (traditional Hatha yoga, relatively affordable residential stays), and the centres within Parmarth Niketan. A 200-hour teacher training certification typically runs three to four weeks; intensive residential packages cost from around ₹30,000–80,000 depending on accommodation and lineage. Day drop-in classes are ₹300–600. Quality varies enormously — if you are coming specifically for yoga, research instructors and lineages carefully before booking.