Monica Matera
THE SPLENDOUR OF THE YOGINĪ TEMPLES
INDIA · 11 FEBRUARY – 1 MARCH 2027
The Splendour of the Yoginī Temples
A small-group adventure to the circular, open-sky Yoginī temples of India, with painter and traveller Monica Matera. Beauty, colour, stories, local life and plenty of laughter.
20 days of travel · 6–8 travellers · €3,300 until 15 November · Madhya Pradesh · Uttar Pradesh · Odisha
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Is this journey for you?
Come with open eyes and a sense of humour. This isn't a lecture tour and it isn't a "spiritual" retreat. It's an adventure through the real India: noisy, colourful, surprising, sometimes chaotic, and very, very beautiful.
It's for you if…
You love beauty: art, sculpture, colour, fabrics, faces.
You enjoy a good story, especially one told among thousand-year-old goddesses.
You like adventure, mixing with local people and saying yes to the unexpected.
You're happy to get a little creative (yes, there may be an Indian princess gown).
It may not be for you if…
You get bored in museums or at archaeological sites.
You dislike long journeys by car, minibus or train.
You find waiting, schedules or group life difficult.
You'd rather stay put than keep changing scenery. "India: love it or leave it."
You don't need to know anything about India, yoga or the Yoginīs. Just bring curiosity, comfortable shoes and a sense of humour.
Monica Matera
YOUR GUIDE
Monica Matera
Monica is a painter first, and she travels like one: always looking for beauty. She isn't an archaeologist or a guru. She fell in love with India in 2014 and keeps going back for its colours, its people and the stories of the Yoginīs, which she loves to tell.On the first day she sends the women off to buy an Indian princess gown. The group arrives in boring western clothes and leaves looking like royalty. That's the spirit of the trip: creative, adventurous, curious about everyone we meet, and a lot of fun. Monica speaks Italian, English and French, and she's with the group every day.
8th group journey to India · 2014 her first journey to India · 3 languages: IT · EN · FR
THE JOURNEY
Stone circles open to the sky
The Yoginī temples are some of the most beautiful and mysterious places in India: circles of stone, open to the sky, lined with goddesses carved a thousand years ago. Very few survive, and most are far off the tourist trail. Monica isn't an archaeologist, but she knows some wonderful stories about the Yoginīs, and she'll tell them right there, among the statues.
Mitaoli
A perfect stone circle on a hilltop near Gwalior, glowing gold at sunset. Our first wow moment of the trip.
Sculpture and museums
Goddesses, dancers and lovers carved in stone, from Delhi's National Museum to the temples of Khajuraho. Pure beauty.
The temples of Odisha
Bhubaneswar, Konark and Hirapur, the small circle of 64 Yoginīs rediscovered only in 1953.
India in full colour
Flowers, bells and packed temples, the ghats of Varanasi and a boat on the Ganges at dawn. India at full volume.
Villages and music
Painters' villages, local cooks, musicians and sadhus. We stop, we chat, we join in.
Far from the crowds
Ranipur Jharial and other remote sites where we're often the only visitors. A real adventure.
THE ROUTE
11–12 FEB Delhi
Arrival, Old Delhi, the National Museum13 FEB Gwalior and Mitaoli
The fort, the Sas Bahu temples, sunset at Mitaoli14–16 FEB Khajuraho
The UNESCO temples and Bachon Kalika Devi17–18 FEB Bhedaghat
81 Yoginīs above the Narmada and the Marble Rocks19–21 FEB Varanasi and Sarnath
The ghats, the Ganges, the old city and its temples22–24 FEB Bhubaneswar, Puri, Konark, Hirapur
The heart of Odisha and the Hirapur circle25–26 FEB Kila Dalijoda and Jajpur
A heritage house in the forest, the Sapta Matrika temples27–28 FEB Ranipur Jharial
One last sunrise among the ruins1 MAR Raipur → Delhi
Flight and onward journey home
A DAY ON THE JOURNEY
Dawn at Bhedaghat
It's still dark when we walk to the temple. We climb the steps, sit inside the circle among 81 Yoginīs carved a thousand years ago, and wait. Then the sun comes up over the Narmada and the goddesses appear one by one. Breathtaking.After breakfast by the river we go to see the Dhuandhar waterfall, where the Narmada pours through white marble. In the afternoon we take a boat between the marble cliffs, or wander through the gorge and the little market.
Every day has this rhythm: something beautiful, something unexpected, and plenty of time to enjoy it.
Between the marble cliffs
A boat ride on the Narmada at Bhedaghat, between walls of white marble.
Music with the locals
An afternoon of drums, clapping and singing that nobody planned. That is how the best days happen.
A lucky encounter
On the ghats of Varanasi one night, we found ourselves right in the middle of the Shankaracharya's procession.
FROM PAST TRAVELLERS
In their words
"An extraordinary, unforgettable experience, far from the tourist circuits. The programme is rich and well put together, and still leaves each of us our own space of freedom."
Valerie Huslin
Travelled with Monica in 2019 and 2022
"You keep travelling long after it ends. Monica has created a unique, unconventional journey into the heart of the real India."
Alberto Orlandi
Yoginī journey, 2026
"A rare and unique opportunity to visit places that are still vibrant and wrapped in mystery. An authentic India that keeps living inside you."
Chiara Poggio
Yoginī journey, February 2026
THE PRICE
One price, almost everything included
€3,400
per person, shared room
€3,300 if you sign up by 15 November 2026
Single room supplement: on request
Length: 20 days
Group: 6–8 people
Indian tax (5% GST): included
Included
3- to 5-star hotels and heritage houses
All breakfasts and dinners in the programme
Private transport with driver
Domestic flights in the programme
AC-class train journeys
Entry to temples, museums and sites
A boat on the Ganges at dawn
Local guides
24/7 assistance
Monica's company and stories, every day
Not included
International flights to and from Delhi
Indian visa
Travel insurance (required)
Lunches and alcoholic drinks
Personal expenses
Travellers from Europe usually budget €4,500–5,200 in total, including flights, visa, insurance and lunches (approximate). From North America, allow more for flights.
PEACE OF MIND
Cared for in every detail
A conversation first
Monica speaks with every traveller before they sign up, so you can decide together whether the journey is right for you.
A local partner agency
Travel services in India are organised and paid through Lyfvibes, our partner agency in India. Monica's guiding fee is paid separately, last.
Confirmed at 6 travellers
The journey goes ahead with at least 6 travellers. If it doesn't go ahead, what you've paid is refunded.
Never on your own
Monica is with the group every day, with a private driver, local guides and 24/7 support.
"I felt privileged to discover the most beautiful, the most secret and the most sacred places of India, while always feeling safe. More than six years later, the memory is as vivid as ever."
Aurélie Gendron
Travelled with Monica, January 2019
"The superb organisation took away every worry about travel, lodging and meals, and gave the journey a depth that still nourishes me today."
Caroline
Travelled with Monica, February 2024
QUESTIONS
Your questions, answered
Do I need to know about India or the Yoginīs?
Not at all. Monica tells the stories as we go, right in front of the statues. All you need is curiosity and a good sense of humour.
How demanding is it?
A normal, healthy fitness level is enough: you'll walk on uneven ground, climb temple steps and have a few early starts. The real challenge is the long drives and train journeys, and Indian trains are not European trains. The accommodation is beautiful and the food wonderful, but this isn't a luxury trip.
Is it safe, including for a woman travelling alone?
You're never alone: Monica is with the group every day, with a private driver, local guides and 24/7 support. Clothing that covers shoulders and knees is recommended at temples.
What is the food like?
India is one of the easiest places in the world to eat vegetarian, and some stays are fully vegetarian. Tell us about allergies or special diets when you sign up.
What will the weather be like?
February is one of the best months: cool mornings (around 10–15 °C) and warm, dry days (around 25–30 °C). Bring layers for the early mornings.
Do I need a visa?
Yes. Most European and North American citizens can apply online for an Indian e-Visa a few weeks before travel. We'll send you step-by-step instructions.
How do I sign up?
Book a 30-minute call with Monica. If the journey is right for you, you'll receive the full programme and payment instructions: travel services are paid to Lyfvibes, and Monica's fee last.
REGISTRATION OPEN
It all begins with a conversation
Monica meets every traveller before they sign up. The group is limited to 8, and places are confirmed in the order people register.
1
Book a 30-minute call with Monica, or message her on WhatsApp.
2
Talk about the journey, your questions and what you're looking for.
3
If it's the right journey, you receive the full programme and how to register.
WhatsApp +39 349 710 1536 · Email [email protected]
© 2026 Monica Matera · Yoga Tantrico Kashmiro · Your details are only used to send you information about this journey.