Yoga Retreat Nepal- Yoga, Wellness and Spa

Once you reach KTM airport and finish with the immigration and custom formalities  be prepared to confront the confusion outside the airport which is common in most of the south Asian countries. As you walk out of the Exit door into the passenger pick up area you will see hundreds of people with different sign boards in their hands, taxi drivers looking for fares, hotel touts looking for customers and porters trying to help with the luggage for tips. Please remain calm and do not walk out of the restricted area into the crowd straight away. Remain there and try to find the Hi On Life sign board. Once you spot it, walk straight to the signboard and identify yourself. From here we will take care of you. When you arrive to your hotel you will be briefed about your activities and "do's and don’ts" while your stay in Kathmandu. We will also collect some documents from you.   Please have the following things handy when arriving.

Travel/ Medical Insurance (photo copy)
2 passport size photos
Photocopy of your passport.

In the evening we will go for a traditional Nepali dinner at Kathmandu's finest Nepali restaurant.

Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal was once thought to be the fabled and inaccessible Shangri-La. It is now a hub for independent travelers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets. The city with a population of 2.5 million stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal. It is surrounded by four major hills: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri. Kathmandu was ranked third among the top 10 travel destinations on the rise in the world by TripAdvisor and ranked first in Asia. 

Today we explore and experience the grandeur of the ancient Hindu and Buddhist culture and architecture, and the finesse of the ancient traditional Newari craftsmanship in their temples. This guided tour is focused on presenting you the history and culture of the Kathmandu valley. After breakfast you have a half day guided city tour around the valley, where you will visit the following:

Boudhanath Stupa: This Buddhist stupa is one of the largest in the world. As of 1979, Boudhanath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha.

Kathmandu Durbar Square: This Square held the palaces of the Malla and Shah Kings who ruled over the city. Along with these palaces, the square surrounds quadrangles, revealing courtyards and temples. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Several buildings in the Square collapsed due to a major earthquake on 25 April 2015. Kumari Ghar, or the Temple where the Living Goddess resides, also lies in this Square. In Nepal, it is the tradition of worshiping young pre-pubescent girls (known as Kumari) as manifestations of the divine female energy or “devi” in Hindu religious traditions.

You will end your sightseeing with lunch at OR2K, an organic vegetarian restaurant. After your lunch we will return to the hotel and your Group leader will give you your trip briefing and issue you your ‘travel pack’ consisting of a duffle bag, Hi On Life T shirt, micro fleece pullover which is perfect while doing yoga in the early morning chills, and down jacket. Your afternoon is free for you to do your packing and purchasing your last minute items for your trip.

After breakfast, we drive 45 mins to the old city of Bhaktapur.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most captivating architectural showpieces of the Valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal. It is situated in Bhaktapur, which used to be the largest of the three Newar kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley, and was the capital of Nepal during the great Malla Kingdom until the second half of the 15th century. The Square consists of pagodas and shikhara style temples and stone monoliths perched with golden effigies that surround the main palace of brick and wood. It is also famous for beautiful wood carvings in every gateways and windows. The Golden Gate is said to be the most beautiful and richly moulded specimen of its kind in the entire world.

We eat lunch at Bhaktapur and continue to drive to Namo Buddha, which takes about 45 mins.

On arrival we check in to Namo Buddha Resort. It is famous for its Namo Buddha Monastery which is regarded as a scared Buddhist pilgrimage place. The resort is built on hilltop with magnificient mountain views. You can stroll around the property of the resort or walk down to the local village.

In the afternoon you will then be treated with a deep relaxing head and shoulder massage by our experts. An evening meal made of freshly picked vegetables from the organic garden of the resort and the peace and quietness away from the bustles of the city makes it a relaxing way to end the day.

Namo Buddha is a tiny terraced farming village amidst pine forest, providing a panoramic mountain view, temples, and diverse variety of landscape. On a clear day you get views of the majestic Mt. Everest (8848 m), Mt. Lhotse (8510 m), Mt. Cho Oyu (8201m) and Mt. Manaslu (8163 m) and Mt. Shishapangma (8010 m) along with several other gigantic mountains.

We begin our day at sunrise with Surya Namaskaram (Salutation to the Sun), followed by other Yoga under the instruction of our qualified Yoga instructor.  Breakfast is served at the common hall of the resort. The mornings are always the best time of the day for mountain views. You can have a relaxing morning, exploring the village or within the resort enjoying the mountain views and the beautiful landscape. Depending on the timing of the Monastery, which is either in the morning or in the afternoon, we go the Monastery to participate in the meditation with the monks.

Namo Buddha Monastery is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal and one of the holiest in the world. It is known as the place where the Buddha, in a previous life as a prince, gave his body to a starving tigress and her cubs out of love and compassion. There is a cave with statues of the prince, the tigress and the cubs on this site. Namo Buddha is otherwise known by Tibetans and people of the Himalayan regions as “Takmo Lu Jin”, which is literally translated as “Tigress Body Generosity”.

In the afternoon, you can take turns for the Flotation therapy.

Flotation Therapy is essentially a way of achieving deep relaxation by spending an hour or more lying quietly in darkness, suspended in a warm solution of Epsom salt. A therapeutic session in a flotation tank typically lasts an hour. For the first forty minutes, it is reportedly possible to experience itching in various parts of the body (a phenomenon also reported to be common during the early stages of meditation). The last twenty minutes often end with a transition from beta or alpha brainwaves to theta, which typically occurs briefly before sleep and again at waking. In a flotation tank, the theta state can last indefinitely without the subject losing consciousness. Many use the extended theta state as a tool for enhanced creativity and problem solving or for super learning. 

10 Benefits Of Floatation Therapy

Improving Sleep
Stress Relief and Treating Stress-Related Illness
Treating Fibromyalgia
Pain Relief
Reduced Anxiety
Magnesium absorption from the Epsom salt-infused water helps to facilitate flushing of lactic acid from tired muscles, allowing them to recover from an intense workout faster.
Better skin
Restoring healthier hair
A break from those electronic gadgets
Overcoming addiction

Evenings are usually spent sharing experiences and problems with the Yoga instructor who is also a qualified Reiki healing practitioner.

To avoid the traffic we drive early morning from Namo Buddha. It is 190 kms from Namo Buddha to Bandipur which takes about 6 hours on a normal traffic day. . We drive in to the Kathmandu Valley from the East and again drive out of the Valley at Thankot in the West. The road follows alongside the Trishuli river and then the Marshyandi river. There are interesting views of the paddy fields and villages and Nepali landscapes of undulating hills and valleys as we cross from one valley unto the next. At Dumre, we leave the National Highway and drive 7 kms on a picturesque windy road to Bandipur.

Bandipur is one of the new emerging destinations of Nepal in the form of community-based tourism. It is an ancient Newari mountain town, untouched by modernization, thus offering a splendid variety of natural and socio cultural diversity. charming and peaceful environment, and friendly locals. Bandipur is an ancient trading town along the India-Tibet trade route, established by the Newar traders from the Kathmandu valley. With them they brought their cultural heritage and architecture which basically has remained unchanged to this day. Time seems to have stood still here, although it has taken a lot of effort to preserve the magic while developing the town as a destination. There are charming cafes and lodges offering outdoor dining along the street of the main town which is pedestrian zone giving it delicate mix of its 18th century traditional experiences with a distinctly European feel. To the North, the skyline is dominated by the Majestic Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Langtang ranges.

Upon arrival we check in the Old Inn, the finest hotel at Bandipur known for its old Newari architectural building, comfortable stay, beautiful surroundings and mountain views. Afternoon is free to explore the old ethnic town, which is known for its old Newari architecture,  We meet for tea in the late afternoon; after which you will be treated with Deep Tissue massage Therapy by our experts. (You will enjoy this after the long drive)

Deep Tissue Massage focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissues. It aims to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contacted areas, either following or going across the fibers of the muscles, tendons and fascia. 

We walk to Tundikhel which is the vantage point for sunrise in the Himalayan range. After sunrise view we begin our morning Yoga session followed by breakfast.

There are several options for short hikes in Bandipur, the hike to the Siddha Cave being one of them. Siddha Cave is the second largest cave in Asia. You can also just relax and walk through the old town absorbing the relaxing 18th century ambience.

Siddha Cave is a must-see destination in Bandipur, discovered only in 1987. Rich In stalactites and stalagmites, it is said to be the largest cave in the Himalayan region. We come back to the hotel for lunch. Afternoon is free for you to have time on your own.

We meet for tea in the late afternoon, after which you will be treated with Reflexology by our experts!

Reflexology is based on the belief that there are reflex areas on feet (and hands) corresponding to all the parts of the body including major organs. It is believed that applying pressure to specific areas on the feet and hands can affect internal organs and the body systems, and therefore promote good health.

Yoga session in the morning followed by breakfast, then after we drive to Pokhara which is 80 kms from Bandipur and takes about 2 ½ hours.

Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal. With spectacular scenery, adventure activities, and accommodation and food choices galore, Pokhara is Nepal's number 1 adventure and leisure city.  Pokhara is well-known as a starting point for various trekking trail and expeditions in the Annapurna making it a favorite hub where travelers and adventure lovers from around the world meet. Other than being famous for being a starting point of some of the best treks in the world, Pokhara also offers adrenaline activities such as ultralight flying, paragliding, skydiving, ziplining, bungee jumping, rafting and kayaking. There are plenty of souvenir shops. 

The Lakeside, where your hotel is located, is a chilled-out and charming town stretching along the shore of a tranquil lake with bobbing paddle boats.

On arrival to Pokhara we will check in to the Temple Tree resort. In the afternoon you will have a session of trekker’s massage which is a mixture of Thai and Ayurvedic massage. It is a perfect relaxation after trekking or long drives.

In the evening you can eat at the restaurants along the lakeside where you can meet travelers from around the world. Recommendations- The Olive Café, Moondance, OR2K, Roadhouse Café etc. Your Group Leader will arrange a dinner at one of these fantastic restaurants.

Early morning Yoga will be held either at the hotel garden or at the Peace Stupa which is a short drive from the hotel. After breakfast you have a free morning. You can walk along the lake side, hire a bike and ride around the town, go shopping or simple go to a restaurant facing the lakeside where you can get a hammock, order a smoothie and read your book. There are several restaurants to choose from for your lunch.

We meet at the hotel at 3 PM for a pampering session- The Serenity Spa Package.The Serenity Package includes Body Scrub, Facial, Manicure, Pedicure.

Dinner at the OR 2K restaurant is a perfect end of this pampering and relaxing day.

Today, we have an early start. After breakfast we start our walk towards the Dam side of the lake. From here we begin our trek through a forest called Raniban. Easy trek for about 2 hours will bring us to the Peace Stupa from where you get breath taking views of the Annapurna range and the lake below. After spending some time at the Peace Stupa we will continue to trek to The Raniban Retreat where we will spend the night.

The afternoon is free to explore the area. After sunset, we go into meditation to relax and cleanse our mind.  Dinner will be served at the Hotel.

The lodge provides a brilliant place for a Yoga session in the front yard before breakfast.

After breakfast your belongings will be taken to Pokhara in a car and you will trek through the forest to the lake below from where you will be taken on a boat ride to Pokhara.

In the afternoon you will be pampered with another half day spa, The Ayurvedic Package (Picu treatment, Shirodhara, Body Massage and Reflexology)

Picu is Ayurvedic process that uses herb-infused cotton strips over certain areas of the body. It stimulates and strengthens the nervous and muscular systems, increases the blood circulation and the metabolic rate.

Shirodhara is a unique treatment where medicated oils are poured over the fore head in a regular stream for a definite period. It is an effective therapy for mental relaxation. It cures insomnia, stress, depression and increases mental agility.

Reflexology is basically a foot (and hands) massage, based on the belief that there are reflex areas on  feet (and hands) corresponding to all the parts of the body including major organs. Pressure is applied to specific areas on the feet and hands can affect internal organs and the body system’s, and therefore promote good health.

Final session of Yoga which will also include a meditation reconfirming all the benefits of this physical and spiritual journey this trip has made. After breakfast we drive to the airport and fly to Kathmandu which is a 30 min scenic mountain flight flying parallel to the Himalayas. On arrival, we check in to HotelYak and Yeti. The rest of theafternoon is free until evening, when we will go for a nice farewell dinner, a perfect way to end this trip of a lifetime!

We give you transportation to the airport according to your flight times. You need to check out of the Hotel at 12:30, but we can organize to store your luggage if you have a late evening flight and you wish to take a walk into the town.