SKY MIND - Hiking & Yoga in Bhutan & Kathmandu

PRICING OPTIONS

TWIN SHARE $6,995pp (subject to availability)

SINGLE ROOM $7,990pp

• Includes all hotels, airport transfers, internal flights Kathmandu to Bhutan return, Bhutan visa, tours and entry fees as per the itinerary, all meals, daily yoga & meditation.

• Does not include return flights to Kathmandu from your home, alcohol, spending money.

DEPOSIT $1000 - required to secure your spot.

• Please pay your deposit via the checkout below.

• Once your deposit has been paid you will receive an invoice with your balance, to be finalised on receipt. Please read our terms and conditions prior to payment.

ITINERARY

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (April 25)

We gather at our hotel in Kathmandu in the afternoon (by 2pm) for our opening circle and traditional puja. After dinner enjoy a walk through the bustling night markets or catch some live music in this ancient (300BCE) city.

Our retreats in Mongolia, Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal are framed around the wisdom and teachings of tantric Tibetan Buddhism and the power of the Divine Feminine. Together we immerse in dharma talks on the evolution of tantric Buddhism, the 5 Buddha Families & Wisdom Dakinis, & the the 21 emanations of Tara. We enjoy daily practices that may include asana, pranayama, mantra, and meditation.

Day 02: Fly to Bhutan (April 26)

Highlights: Early morning flight to Bhutan over the Himalayas (flight & visa pre-paid and organised by us). Meet our local guide and have some to explore the capital city Paro. Evening yoga practice and meditation.

Day 03: Tigers Nest (April 27)

Highlights:  Today we walk the half day up to to the incredible Tiger's Nest Monastery perched on the edge of the rocky mountain. We go inside and explore the temple rooms and receive a blessing from a resident monk. The monastery/temple dates back to the 17th C, and is built at the site of a cave where Guru Rinpoche is believed to have meditated back in the 8th C. The walk takes nearly a full day with time at the Monastery and stopping for tea and lunch and the cafe half way up. The walk is very picturesque with stunning views of Paro valley and is a mix of natural path and steps. Return for yin and meditation.

Day 04: Dagala Trek (April 28)

Highlights: The first day of our trek begins in Genekha Village. We walk about 6 hours (7km) with some gentle up and down hills. This area is known for its wild mushrooms, terraced fields & coniferous forests. The trek takes down to a beautiful river, up to a rock platform at 3350m with spectacular views and we camp at Gur among the wild flowers. Evening yoga and meditation under the stars at 3290m.

Day 05: Dagala Trek (April 29)

Highlights: From Gur we trek about 12km through alpine meadows, rhododendron and birch forests, cross streams and high ridges. We do walk up about 1km to pagalabtsa Pass at 4250m where the views are panoramic. We then walk down into the Dagala meadows and yak herders camps, to Utsho lake where we camp for the ight by the lakeshore at labatama. Evening yoga and meditation.

Day 06: Dagala Trek (April 30)

Highlights: Today is a day for rest and acclimatisation. We practice yoga in the morning explore nearby lakes and for those very keen there is an option to walk up Jomo Peak 5050m. Lunch by the lake and afternoon yoga and meditation.

Day 07: Dagala Trek to Panka (May 1)

Highlights: Our 8km trek from Labatama to Panka is about 6 hours today. A very special day as we walk along beautiful Dalatsho lake and up to 4520m for spectacular views of Mount Everest and the Himalayas (Nepal). Trek down past yak huts to follow the Doccha Chuu River to Panka to camp for the night.

Day 08: Dagala Trek to Thimpu (May 2)

Highlights: Today we trek for 14km over about 8 hours. We have a small climb up to Tale La Pass 4180m for beautiful views of the Dagala Range and Thimpu Valley. Then we trek downhill through forests, villages and orchards to Champang where we meet our transport to Thimpu and a much awaited long hot shower and a relaxing yin practice!!.

Day 09: Thimpu (May 3)

Highlights: After yoga we visit the amazing Buddha Dordenma Statue - perhaps receive a blessing and listen to the monks chant, the Pangri Zampa Monastery - Bhutan's centre for Buddhist astrology, the takin reserve - the takin is Bhutan's national animal and very unique indeed, the Zilukha Nunnery nunnery, home to about 60 resident nuns, and the Zeus Nakula Dog Shelter (sadly Zeus has passed but happily there are no street dogs in Bhutan). Evening for strolling Thimpu town.

Day 10: Punakha & Gangtey Monastery (May 4)

Highlights: This morning is lots of fun as we visit Chimi Lhakhang - the temple of fertility. The walk to the temple is through a country village and you will notice a lot of phallic drawings on houses and phalli in all colours and designs to buy!!! The temple is lovely and you may hear the young monks chant and play classical musical instruments. In the afternoon we go river rafting - so much fun. Then we drive to Gangtey Monastery for evening meditation and to stay in the guesthouse.

Day 11: Gangtey Monastery - Paro (May 5)

Highlights: Gangtey Monastery belongs to the ancient Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma tradition. Built in the 17th C, it is the largest Nyingma Monastery in Bhutan. We practice yoga, meditate, & visit the monastery, in the afternoon we drive to Paro for our last night in Bhutan.

Day 12: Kathmandu (May 6)

Highlights: Today we fly back over the Himalaya to Kathmandu and enjoy free time for shopping in the markets, our closing circle and final dinner together.

Day 13: Home (May 7)

Highlights: Transfer to the airport for your onward flight, marking the end of your journey.

MEET YOUR RETREAT CURATOR, LEADER & YOGA TEACHER

Varanasi Holy Man

Bring your camera!!

Connect with sacred animals

Discover new places

Maa Ganga - River Ganges

Dog Rescue in Rishikesh

Yoga practice

Practices for everyone

Inspired yoga

WHAT MAKES NAMASTAYZ DIFFERENT

Our yoga & meditation retreats are different for a few stand out reasons

• Your retreat is planned, curated, tested & led by myself - I put my heart & soul into offering you the most wonderful experiences available

• I also teach you yoga and meditation while on retreat

• I am a highly trained yoga teacher with many years experience

• I am a lineage initiated Vedic meditation teacher

• I am a certified Level 1 IREST yoga NIDRA teacher

• I have run my own yoga shalas for nearly 10 years so I understand how to manage a successful business

• I am a qualified transpersonal counsellor & art therapist, making me your perfect spiritual guide on retreat

• From the moment you book your experience is personalised. It is me that emails you and answers your calls

• As a group we meet up before departure in person or via zoom to ask any questions and get acquainted (optional)

• I can help you book your flights, get your visa, and organise travel insurance - in a former life I worked for Flight Centre!

• I offer the option to book the same flights as me so we can meet at Sydney airport and travel together - this can be especially comforting if you are travelling alone

• Namastayz retreats are like adventures! We generally travel around quite a lot to truly experience a country, its culture and spirituality

• Our retreat destinations take you off the beaten track to places you have always wanted to travel to, yet did not want to go to alone

• The yoga practices I share with you are more than simply asana or postures, we dive into pranayama (breathing practices), learn mantras, discuss Vedic & Buddhist philosophy, & experience authentic rituals and ceremonies

• I have vast travel experience & have travelled to 25 countries and lived in 7 countries so I know how it feels to be somewhere unfamiliar and different

FAST FACTS

Who are Namastayz Yoga & Meditation retreats for?

Anyone! Anyone interested in starting yoga, anyone wanting to deepen their yoga wisdom, anyone wanting to inspire their yoga practice. Anyone who LOVES yoga &/or Meditation.

I have not practiced in years - will I be able to do the yoga?

Lets remember that yoga is a state of BEing rather than something we do. We do a range of practices that guide us toward the yoga state of BEing - which is chat sit ananda - the eternal bliss of pure consciousness. Those practices include asana (hatha, yin, Tibetan Buddhist yantra), meditation, guided meditations, IREST yoga NIDRA, philosophy talks, mantra, mudra, yantra, yajna, rituals, ceremonies, connecting with nature, visiting sacred places, temples, stupas or monasteries.

Do I have to do all the yoga & meditation practices?

No!! Everything on retreat is optional. You can choose to do all or none of the yoga depending on your personal intention.

What's included on retreat?

General inclusions are accommodation - 4 star where possible, some or all meals, airport transfers, travel guides when needed, transport around our destinations, entry fees to sites, daily yoga and meditation practices, & a tailor made Namastayz body/booty bag to keep essentials safe and handy. Some retreats include short flights between retreat destinations & your visa (Bhutan, Tibet). Please check each individual retreat for final inclusions.

Whats NOT included on retreat?

Your international flight from and back to Australia - although I do share my travel details so you can choose to travel with me, some meals on some retreats, spending money, alcohol, snacks, any extra excursions.

Who organises the retreats? and who teaches the yoga?

I DO

What is a TWIN SHARE room?

When you choose the TWIN SHARE option it means you are prepared to share a room with another person on the retreat who has also selected the TWIN SHARE option - you may not know this person. If you are travelling with a friend of course you can share your room just let me know before we leave Australia. If you are travelling alone and chose TWIN share please note we can not guarantee this option, and you may need to upgrade to the SINGLE supplement.

How do I pay & when do I need to pay by?

Your initial deposit, complete payment, or balance payment can be made through the NAMASTAYZ website. You can choose to pay CC, PayPal or Direct Deposit. You will a receipt. If you would like to enter into a payment plan after your initial deposit please contact me. I will issue you a plan to pay over 3 instalments depending on how much time you have before you leave. All payments are due 2-3 months prior to departure as stated on individual retreats. This allows us to make arrangements and book internal flights, and process visas when required. Please note failure to pay by due dates may forfeit your retreat and all monies paid are non-refundable. Funds may be transferrable on a case by case basis.

PRICING OPTIONS

TWIN SHARE $6,995pp

SINGLE ROOM $7,990pp

• Includes all hotels, airport transfers, internal flights Kathmandu to Bhutan return, Bhutan visa, tours and entry fees as per the itinerary, all meals, daily yoga & meditation.

• Does not include return flights to Kathmandu from your home, alcohol, spending money.

DEPOSIT $1000 - required to secure your spot.

• Please pay your deposit via the checkout below.

• Once your deposit has been paid you will receive an invoice with your balance, to be finalised on receipt. Please read our terms and conditions prior to payment.