Guided Fire & Ice
Daily at 4:00 PM, 120 minutes
A facilitator takes you through movement and breath, then sauna, soak and ice, twice. Rest at the end. Open to day visitors.
₹2,500
TAPASFIRE & ICE
Rishikesh's first contrast therapy circuit · a ritual at Aavya Sauna & Spa
Cedar sauna, ice bath, soaking pool and an open-air movement zone.
Just want the sauna? See Aavya Sauna & Spa →New to contrast therapy? Start with the knowledge series
When you can come
Every day of the week. Tap a time to see that session.
How the ritual works
- MoveBars, rings, mobility. Wake up the spine and the breath.
- SaunaFifteen minutes in deodar cedar. Sweat, slow down.
- SoakFloat in the open air and look at the mountains.
- IceBreathe through the first reaction. Stay calm.
- RepeatTwo rounds is the circuit. No medal for a third.
- RestLie down. Breathe. Talk to somebody, or don't.
Read the full ritual
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 ready for what comes ahead.
Fire
Step inside the deodar cedar sauna. Sit. Sweat. Slow down. Fifteen minutes. Let the body soften.
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.
Ice
Cold changes the conversation. Breathe through the first reaction. Meet resistance without fighting it. Not about suffering longer, but about staying calm when your body says otherwise.
Why we called it Tapas
Tapas is Sanskrit for heat, the fire of discipline that changes you. Tapovan, where Aavya sits, means the forest of tapas, where sages came to practise exactly that. Our circuit borrows the word honestly: heat, then cold, then stillness, done with attention. Building it took its own kind of tapasya. Coming up the hill to do it is the first step of yours.
Before you begin
First time? Join the guided circuit. Stay in the ice only as long as you can breathe calmly, and hydrate.
Not advised without medical clearance if you are pregnant or have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, recent surgery or another medical condition. Tell us when you book.
The knowledge series
What heat and cold actually do, written for people deciding whether to try it.
Why heat?What fifteen minutes in a cedar sauna does to the body and the mind.Why cold?The first thirty seconds in the ice, and why staying calm is the whole point.Why heat and cold together?How the circuit works, and what recovery research can and cannot tell us.Ice baths in winter: what changes?What colder weather changes, and how to prepare.
Read all contrast therapy articles
What it feels like
“The ice was terrifying… until it wasn't.”
“The sauna with that forest around us…”
“I thought I was coming for an ice bath.”
Make a day of it
Tapas is one part of Aavya. Stay for a bowl, a therapy or a night.
Questions people ask
Do I need experience with saunas or cold water?
No. The guided circuit at 4 PM is made for first-timers: a facilitator sets the timings and talks you through the breath in the ice.
What is the difference between guided and Sauna, Ice & Pool (at your own pace)?
Guided is a two-hour session with a facilitator, including movement and breath. Sauna, Ice & Pool (at your own pace) gives you the whole circuit to use in your own rhythm during open hours.
Can I come without staying at Aavya?
Yes. Tapas is open to day visitors every day.
What should I bring?
Swimwear or shorts and a water bottle. Towels are provided.
Is contrast therapy right for everyone?
If you are pregnant, have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, or any other medical concern, check with your doctor first and tell our team before you begin.
How often should I come?
Once is enough to feel it. Choose a sauna or full-access pass if you’d like to return regularly.
Are you up for Tapas?
Move. Sweat. Cold. Eat. Stay.
Just want the sauna? See Aavya Sauna & Spa →
Aavya, near Prakriti Café, Balaknath Road, Upper Tapovan, RishikeshHow to find us or WhatsApp +91 90688 58456
