8 Day Spiritual Yoga and Meditation Retreat with Monastery Experience in Nepal

During this amazing yoga and meditation retreat, you will be experiencing the daily life of a Buddhist monk living in a monastery performing their daily schedule of prayers and devotion. Himalayan Yoga Academy would like the students to explore the new insights of life or new module of a peaceful and happy life. This yoga retreat will not only provide you with an amazing retreat experience but also will provide you wonderful experience of tour and travel in the most amazing locations of Nepal.

Nepal being a country with a majority of Hinduism and Buddhism is home to thousands of monasteries and temples. A monastery is a building for persons (monks) under religious vows. Normally, a monastery consists of workplaces of monks, a place for prayers, a dormitory, a refectory, library, infirmary, and balneary.

In Kathmandu City, there are many monasteries found around the various corners of this beautiful Kathmandu city. Such monasteries reflect on the historical events of Buddhism and spiritual practices. Monks and nuns practice monastic life in the monastery, governed by community rules. Also in recent times, various monasteries in Kathmandu have been progressed into a center of learning Buddhism.

This yoga retreat in the monastery will bring peace, happiness, joy, calmness, and many more benefits to your insights into life. You will explain many aspects of the body, mind, and soul and will also learn a more amazing way of handling different life situations through perfect mind management.

General itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Himalayan Yoga Academy
• Day 2: Whole day in Himalayan Yoga Academy with Kathmandu sightseeing
• Day 3: Transfer to the monastery
• Day 4 - 6: Retreat in the monastery
• Day 7: Return to Himalayan Yoga Academy
• Day 8: Departure

Daily schedule

Day 1: Arrival day (Himalayan Yoga Academy)

• Before 14:00 Check-in; room arrangement, and rest
• 15:30 - 16:30 Free time (exploration)
• 17:00 - 17:15 Herbal tea
• 17:15 - 18:45 Bhakti yoga (prayer / chants), spinal asana / Suryanamaskar; yoga Nidra, mudra, dhyana yoga (meditation)
• 19:00 - 19:30 Dinner and herbal tea
• 19:30 - 20:30 Bhakti yoga (prayer / chants), Trataka (concentrated gaze) and discussion
• 20:30 - 21:45 Evening walk, Vajrasana, self-study and practice
• 22:00 Bedtime (lights out)

Meal plan: Lunch, dinner

Day 2: Yoga and sightseeing

• 06:00 Wake up and Ushapan (early drinking water)
• 06:30 - 07:00 Jala Neti (nasal cleansing) and herbal tea
• 07:00 - 08:45 Bhakti yoga (prayer / chants), warm-up exercise, Suryanamaskar, yogasana, bandha, pranayama, Shanty Path (peace mantra)
• 09:00 - 10:00 After breakfast, you go for the Kathmandu sightseeing tour of three major attractions in Kathmandu. After sightseeing, you will be transferred to Himalayan Yoga Academy
• 17:30 - 18:45 Meditation
• 19: 00 Dinner
• 19:30 - 20:30 Bhakti yoga (prayer / chants), Trataka (concentrated gaze), and discussion
• 20:30 - 20:45 Evening walk, Vajrasana, self-study, and practice
• 22:00 Bedtime (lights out)

Meal plan: Full board

Day 3: Transfer to the monastery and monastery retreat starts

• 06:00 Wake up and Ushapan (early drinking water)
• 06:30 - 07:00 Jala Neti (nasal cleansing) and herbal tea
• 07:00 - 08:45 Bhakti yoga (prayer/chants), warm up exercise, Suryanamaskar, yogasana, bandha, pranayama, Shanty Path (peace mantra)
• 09: 00 Breakfast
• 10:00 Transfer to Pharping (Monastery)
• 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
• 15:00 - 16:00 Silence and exploration
• 16:00 - 17:00 Monastery Puja
• 17:00 - 18:00 Silence
• 18:00 - 19:00 Meditation
• 19:00 - 20:00 Dinner
• 20:00 - 21:00 Silent sitting in meditation room
• 21:00 - 21:30 Meditation sleep

Meal plan: Full board

Day 4 - 6: Main retreat days at the monastery

• 05:00 Wake up and be ready for Puja
• 05:30 Puja ceremony
• 06:30 Tea break
• 07:00 - 07:30 Jalaneti
• 07:30 - 08:45 Traditional Hatha and Ashtanga yoga
• 09:00 - 10:00 Breakfast
• 11:00 - 13:00 Dhamma talk
• 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
• 15:00 - 16:00 Silence
• 16:00 - 17:00 Monastery
• 17:00 - 18:00 Silence
• 18:00 - 19:00 Meditation
• 19:00 Dinner
• 20:00 - 21:00 Silent sitting in meditation room
• 21:00 - 21:30 Meditation sleep

Meal plan: Full board

Day 7: Transfer to Himalayan Yoga Academy and relaxation

• 05:00 Wake up and be ready for Puja
• 05:30 Puja ceremony
• 06:30 Tea break
• 07:00 - 07:30 Jalaneti
• 07:30 - 08:45 Traditional Hatha and Ashtanga yoga
• 09:00 - 10:00 Breakfast
• 10:00 - 13:00 Transfer to Himalayan Yoga Academy
• 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch and rest
• 14:30 - 15:00 Relaxation therapy
• 15:00 - 17:00 Self exploration, shopping, and recreation
• 17:00 - 17:30 Group tea
• 17:30 - 18:45 Retreat conclusion and meditation
• 19:00 - 20:00 Dinner
• 20:00 - 21:00 Group talks and farewell speech
• 21:00 Lights out (bed)

Meal plan: Full board

Day 8: Departure from Himalayan Yoga Academy

• 06:00 Wake up and Ushapan (early drinking water)
• 06:30 - 07:00 Jala Neti (nasal cleansing) and herbal tea
• 07:15 - 08:45 Bhakti yoga (prayer / chants), warm-up exercise, Suryanamaskar, yogasana, bandha, pranayama, Shanty Path (peace mantra)
• 09:00 - 10:00 Breakfast and herbal tea
• 10:00 - 13:00 Rest / pack, relaxation / shower / rest
• 13:00 - 14:00 Lunch and herbal tea
• 14:00 Check out

• One day hike
• One day sightseeing

The retreat will be happening in two locations :

• Himalayan Yoga Academy
• Nagi Gumba or Regon Tashi Choling Gumba

Monastery location

Nepal is home to thousands of monasteries. Beautiful monasteries can be found all over Nepal in beautiful locations. Pharping is a small town that is around 23 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu Valley. Tibetans know Pharping as Yanglesho and Nepali they call it Pharping.

Pharping is the place where Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) had attended enlightenment. So, it is one of the most sacred sites related to him. For Tibetan Buddhists, the hills of Pharping are believed to be as sacred as Bodhgaya in India. Within the area of Pharping, there are two sacred caves, Asura cave and Yanglesho cave on the mountainside, several Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries and retreat centers in and around this small town.

Nagi Gumba is a popular monastery located in the middle of your journey to the Shivapuri Peak from the Pani Muhan. The atmosphere here is enchanting, with the cool breeze and zen vibes flowing here endlessly. You will see grown women and little girls wrapped in red sari, yellow shirt, and red shawl living the life of a 'Ani', a Buddhist nun.

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You will be provided organic fruits cooked by the staff of Himalayan yoga in Academy premises and delicious food cooked by the monastery personnel during your retreat in this retreat program.

• Extra yoga sessions
• Extra therapies
• Singing Bowl
• Extra hike

One therapy (massage / Sirodhara / steam) is included on day 7. This therapy is included in the price.

• 7 nights accommodation in Himalayan Yoga Academy and a monastery
• All food (breakfast, lunch, dinner) throughout the retreat
• Use of yoga mats
• Sightseeing in Kathmandu
• Hot water and Wi-Fi
• Hike to a cave
• Pick up from the airport
• Transportation: Kathmandu – Monastery and return
• Monastery fees
• Yoga, meditation, and other sessions fees
• One relaxation therapy (steam or massage or Sirodhara)

• Flights tickets
• Airport departure
• Travel insurance
• Additional therapies

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.