10 Day Yoga Retreat to Restore Your Wellbeing in Dharamshala, India
Yoga Retreat in India
Treat yourself to a fully catered one with the opportunity to completely relax on their beautiful campus in nature’s lap. Nourish your mind and body with yoga classes to start your day, a relaxing meditation session in the evening, and the space and time to reconnect to your true inner self. This deeply transformative yoga meditation retreat offers a therapeutic customized approach for all participants, and they try their level best to focus and balance all areas of their mind, body, and soul by allowing them to experience not only Hatha yoga with Patanjali and Ashtanga but also teach Kurunta yoga along with Kundalini yoga and meditation.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Mantra chanting and Kirtan
- 2 daily yoga and meditation classes
- Sightseeing excursions to famous spots
- Body Dosha profiling and remedies as per naturopathy or Ayurveda
- Village life exposure and try hands-on goat milking and more
- 9 nights accommodation
- Daily vegetarian sattvic, Ayurveda-based meals
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
Yoga styles
Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (US$ 82 per person)
Chandigarh Airport (US$ 82 per person)
Accommodation
Facilities
- Dining area
- Kitchen
- Multilingual staff
- Free Wi-Fi
- Internet access
- Laundry
- Tour assistance
As their campus is amidst the beauty of nature with numerous trees, flowers, Himalayan birds, and farming fields all around, you can also plan and explore staying in one of their tent accommodation with clean washrooms. Being a yoga center, please expect only purely ashram-like living with not too much luxury and such a natural ashram environment is always conducive to encouraging your yoga learning process.
They do have modern facilities like Wi-Fi, hot water, and much more since it is now difficult to do without these. They represent an organic return to nature, no harm to nature, and a simpler way of living, which is very different from a hotel stay. They are confident that you would love and appreciate this dimension of living too, which is more real and close to nature and close to your inner core—your blissful body. They offer three kinds of accommodation for their guests.
Basic comfort
In which you get a spacious double bed with all bedding and blankets with an attached bath, hot and cold water, a Western attached toilet, internet Wi-Fi, and more. You will also get a nice view of the Himalayan Mountain peaks or fields.
Deluxe comfort
You will get a more spacious and nicely maintained double bed with sitting space outside, partial balconies, and the same facilities as the Basic Comfort room. This still comes with a panoramic view of the Himalayan Mountain peaks or fields.
Super deluxe comfort
This provides you with more space, with cupboards, a work table, and more. You will also have the same amenities as the previous accommodation.
Rooms and accommodation
The basic comfort rooms are neat and clean home-type stays with double beds and an attached washroom (hot water geyser) at a walkable distance from the yoga ashram in mountain fields just five minutes walk.
No room service for food is there. Since they are living close to nature and follow Karma yoga, expect nature nature-friendly living and family-type environment.
Program
The retreat includes daily two practice sessions and one philosophy cum meditation class, one free naturopathy consultation, and 3 sattvik daily meals—nurturing ayurveda meals at the yoga ashram. Unlimited Himalayan Green detox tea and one natural protein drink or herbal shake daily as per your body constitution (as per Ayurveda dosha profiling done by Swaraj Yoga Institute & Wellness Retreats).
Yoga session and other timings:
- Morning 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., from Monday to Saturday: Holistic session details - Cleansing detox practices like nostril cleansing (JalaNeti) and eye cleansing (Netar Dhoti) followed by pranayama (breathing) practices in the open sun on mountain rocks on campus. Physical postures asana inside the studio. Practice yoga style from Hatha traditional and Vinyasa sequences, Sun salutations, Iyengar-inspired ropes (areal), guided yoga Nidra practice, at last for bio feedback. The session ends at last with prayers for humanity and mantra chantings for well-being.
- Second lesson: Multi-style yoga practice at 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday
- Third lesson (daily, Monday to Friday) 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Yogic philosophy from ancient Indian texts, pranayama, and meditation by various techniques like mudras, Trataka (Light gazing in dark room), mantras, etc.
What to avoid
Social media use, late-night outings in town, sleeping later than 10:30 p.m.. You are encouraged to practice digital fasting and avoid smoking and alcohol during the retreat to detox and regain a healthy body, mind, and spirit.
Help the ashram staff like family and be open for Karma yoga.
Other activities during retreat
- Sound healing session Nada yoga - for retreat participants can be organised during stay
- One free excursion to the beautiful Bhagsu Waterfall (subject to weather from centre side, with minimum one-week retreat)
Other activities you can indulge:
Free time is every day from lunch to 4 p.m. You shall have enough time to explore panoramic Himalayan trails, and good temples, and monasteries can be seen.
Or you can relax and explore spiritual book reading by borrowing books on yoga from the center.
The Dharamshala city tour or Triund Mountain trek can be organized with extra payment on request, and you can decide afterward once you are there.
Swaraj Yoga Institute wishes you a great yogic wisdom learning and holistic health care understanding during your stay. This could be a new landmark in your life for achieving new elevation at physical, mental, and spiritual levels. May Almighty bless you and your sacred endeavors.
This self-guided retreat opportunity is created in such a nature’s lap location that is predesigned by the creator for you to experience natural living. It offers a great opportunity to reconnect with your inner self, especially during these changing, uncertain times of COVID-19. Open hilly step fields and nature’s bounty all around, with a beautiful village, jungle, and mountain peaks just around the campus, make it an ideal place to uplift life’s joy and bliss.
You will experience practices from Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga (primary series), Kurunta yoga (yoga with hanging ropes and a lot of props inspired by Iyengar, which becomes a perfect methodology for beginners and intermediates to explore the path of harmonizing and purifying all body systems), Kundalini yoga, and meditation. Kindly note that Swaraj Yoga Institute and Wellness Retreats welcome anyone interested in being in a spiritual community to explore and renew themselves.
However, they are not a place for individuals who are in transition from addiction or other serious mental health issues. They do not have the resources available to support these circumstances. The retreat includes two to three daily yoga classes as prescribed by the teacher on the date of joining, looking at your health conditions. You can also participate in their regular ashram classes, jam sessions, and spiritual events lectures.
Their evening programs include meditation (Trataka sessions), mantra chanting, Aarti, and Kirtan. You will be getting your yoga classes from professional and renowned yoga expert teachers with over 15 years of yoga experience in asana (Hatha, Vinyasa, and Iyengar-inspired ropes yoga), pranayama, shatkarma, meditation, naturopathy, quantum healing, sound healing (Tibetan singing bowls), and holistic health counseling.
Daily schedule
- 08:00 - 09:30 or 10:00 - 11:00 (You can join one out of these two sessions) Swaraj Yoga Institute and Wellness Retreats teach yoga, pranayama, and meditation
- 09:30 - 10:00 Breakfast
- 10:00 Dosha profiling - health lecture
- 12:00 Lunch
- 16:00 - 17:30 Vinyasa or Ashtanga for beginners
- 17:30 Evening tea and fruits
- 18:00 - 19:00 Meditation and yoga philosophy
- 19:00 Dinner
Included excursions
- Sightseeing trips on foot to surrounding hills
- Galu Temple
- Bhagsu Waterfall
- Bhagsu Temple
- Main Square - McLeod Ganj
- Dalai Lama Temple
Instructors
Anil Swaraj
He was part of screening committee member for Govt of India Yoga for competitions like - MY Life My Yoga by CCRYN, Ministry of Ayush, Along with this, he has trained students of various backgrounds for Yoga Alliance, IYCB – Level 1, Level 2 certifications along with Yoga Alliance aspirants. He has vast experience in holding yoga & meditation classes of more than 10 yrs through yoga camps, workshops, seminars & love kindness meditation.
Retreat location
McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala is the home of the spiritual leader of Buddhism, the noble laureate, Dalai Lama, and is a famous tourist destination in North India. The natural beauty and picturesque surroundings of Dharamshala, as well as the presence of Buddhism, have made it one of the best and most visited hill stations in the country. The word Dharamshala refers to a shelter or rest house for spiritual pilgrims. However, their Swaraj Yoga Campus is just nearby the quiet, serene tribal village of Dharamkot, which has managed to maintain its quaint charm. With just five minutes walk around their location, you can easily access:
- Departmental stores
- Chemist medicine shop
- Restaurants or roadside eating points
- Street shopping
- Massage centers
- Live music concerts in the evening
- Several beautiful mountain trails leading to temples for daily short treks
- Lots of monasteries
- Hobby classes like cooking, music, painting, etc.
- Farming fields and nature's bounty is all around
Unique features
General
- Balcony
- Dining area
- Kitchen
- Multilingual staff
Services
- Free Wi-Fi
- Internet access
- Tour assistance
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Click to see more vegetarian-friendly Yoga Retreats
Food
Three healthy and delicious vegetarian Sattvic meals are served as per individual body constitution (Ayurveda and yogic diet concepts). They will do a free dosha profiling to know the body type as per the Ayurveda Dosha concept of every participant, and the food is also offered as per their expert experience to improve guests' holistic health. Herbal and naturopathy are also suggested and added to the food platter of participants without any additional cost.
You will also get unlimited purified water and free hot drinks (Indian chai, lemon grass tea, ginger, lemon, Tulsi, local herbal tea, black tea, etc.) All food and drinks are served in their campus kitchen area and no room service is given. If any special herbs are needed in case of a participant's health issues, participants are asked to buy them on their own from local Ayurveda shops and are only applicable if participants wish to take them. To help promote sattvic eating, no meat, fish, or any non-vegetarian food is permitted.
Good food equals a good mood! The food service timings:
The whole week - Monday to Sunday
- 10:00 Breakfast: fruits and light meals based on the Ayurveda food concept, followed by green tea and beverages
- 12:00 Lunch (salad, cooked sabji mix vegetables, millets roti (Indian bread), rice, various lentils, curd, papad, etc.)
- 16:00 or 17:30 Health drink, natural protein, or as per your health need
- 19:30 Dinner lighter than lunch, followed by local golden milk from Himalayan cows who only eat Himalayan herbs
- Note: If you are vegan or have any food allergy, please let Swaraj Yoga Institute & Wellness Retreats know beforehand.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Detox juices
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Naturopathic
- Yogic
- Ayurvedic
Things to do (optional)
- Sound healing session (with payment extra available, not included in package)
- Tibetan singing bowls, Chakra healing, and aura cleansing
- Learn a musical instrument - on demand (at reasonable prices)
- Paid trekking with guide assistance - Triund, river trek, Kareri Village trek, sunset point, and Bhagsu Falls
- Overnight camping in tents, bonfire, and dinner
- Paid sightseeing - Dal lake Naddi village, Norbulingka Institute, Chinmaya Mission Tapowan, Indrunag paragliding point, museum, Palampur, Bir Biling - International Paragliding spot, a famous church, Baijnath temple, tea gardens, and an international sports stadium. There is no paid entry ticket to the majority of these places
- Numerous spas, alternative treatments, and Ayurveda massage treatments are available within walking distance from the center
What's included
- 2 to 3 daily yoga and meditation sessions
- Dosha profiling and naturopathy remedy consultation
- Disease management through yoga
- Evening programs (meditation-Trataka sessions / mantra chantings agni hotra, Aarti, and Kirtan)
- Village life exposure and try hands-on goat milking
- Sightseeing excursions
- Use of a yoga hall for personal practice
- 3 Sattvic Ayurveda yogic diets and meals per day
- 9 nights accommodation
- Detox magic water, herbal tea, or coffee
What's not included
- Airfare
- Local transportation
- Pickup or drop off
- Local sightseeing
- Travel insurance
- Any medical expenses
- Laundry services
- Any guide expenses
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport
155 km
Transfer not provided
Chandigarh Airport
179 km
Transfer not provided
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 25% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaRetreats.com. All major credit cards supported.