The course runs to a fixed daily rhythm. Mornings begin with an early meditation session on the breath, followed by breakfast and then alternating blocks of sitting and walking meditation through the day. Noble silence is maintained throughout, so the walking periods are the only movement you get between sits. In the evening there is a discourse that explains the day's technique and sets up the next one. Day 1 is the exception: you arrive at the centre, are briefed on the rules and the silence discipline, and do a first guided sit before the schedule proper starts.

Days 2 and 3 are about concentration. You practise Anapana, watching the natural breath to steady the mind, and the sitting periods get longer. Day 4 introduces body scanning: moving attention through the body and observing whatever sensation is there without chasing or pushing it away. From day 5 onwards the sessions lengthen again and the instruction turns to equanimity, staying neutral whether a sensation is pleasant or unpleasant. Day 7 is the midpoint, described in the schedule as a phase of stronger discipline and clearer observation. Days 8 to 11 are the most intensive stretch, with long uninterrupted sits and continuous body scanning. Day 12 is for consolidation, and on day 13 the silence is lifted, there is a closing talk on taking the practice home, and you depart.

The teaching is the standard Goenka-lineage Vipassana structure, delivered at a centre in Nepal rather than a resort. That matters for what the week feels like: simple food, simple rooms, no entertainment, and a schedule you follow rather than choose. The reward, if the format suits you, is a working technique for watching your own mind and a fortnight away from noise.

The centre is in the Nepal Himalayas, and the course begins and ends in Kathmandu, where you make your own way to the meeting point. Service languages listed are English, German, Spanish, French, Mandarin and Japanese. Group size is capped at 20 people.

Because the whole course is silent, the social side is nil. You will share meals and a meditation hall with the same small group for two weeks without speaking to them. People who finish these courses often say the silence is the hardest part and the most useful part.

What's included

- 13-day Vipassana meditation course - Accommodation at the meditation centre - Transfer to accommodation on arrival - Orientation on Vipassana meditation and retreat rules - Daily sitting and walking meditation sessions - Evening discourses - Guidance in Anapana breath awareness and Vipassana body scanning

What's not included

- Travel to and from Kathmandu - Transport to the meeting point on day 1 - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Meals, unless confirmed by the operator

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