21-Day Ayurvedic Panchakarma & Yoga Detox Retreat Near Kathmandu, Nepal

Nepal Yoga Home runs this 21-day retreat as a proper Ayurvedic detox, not a spa week. It starts with an Ayurvedic consultation where the doctor reads your pulse and asks about sleep, digestion and mood to determine your dominant dosha. That consultation sets everything that follows: which oils are used for your massage, which yoga postures you're given, what you eat, and which of the panchakarma therapies you'll do. Two people on the same retreat can have quite different weeks.

A typical day starts early with yoga asana — restorative Hatha and Yin with long-held postures and slow stretches rather than a strong flow class. After breakfast there's pranayama, then the day's main panchakarma therapy. These include Abhyanga (warm oil full-body massage), steam bath, basti, and on certain days Shirodhara, where a thin stream of warm oil is poured over the forehead for 30-45 minutes and most people fall asleep. The retreat also uses fasting days and herbal preparations as part of the cleanse.

Afternoons are lighter. There's meditation — the programme lists breathing meditation, kundalini, chanting, Vipassana and mindfulness — plus Yoga Nidra, the guided 'yogic sleep' practice that runs from toes to the top of the head. Several people say the Shirodhara and Yoga Nidra combination is what shifted their sleep. Meals are simple vegetarian or vegan food cooked at the home, with herbal and green tea available all day.

What sets this apart from a hotel spa is the medical oversight. The panchakarma is prescribed and adjusted by an Ayurvedic doctor, treatments are sequenced rather than picked off a menu, and you're expected to follow the diet and routine for the full three weeks — that's why the programme is 21 days and not a long weekend. Founder Dr. Prakash Acharya (Ananda Prakash) and the resident yoga teachers run the yoga and meditation side, while the Ayurvedic team handles consultations and therapies. Communication is in English.

The setting is a quiet property just outside Kathmandu, away from the traffic and noise of the city but close enough for a day trip on your free afternoons. Accommodation is on site in a choice of room types, priced according to your budget. Laundry, local travel and sightseeing are not included, so bring a little spending money. To book, email the home directly with your dates and details; they confirm availability, you pay by bank transfer or Western Union, and you get a confirmation email with your booking details.

What's included

- 20 nights' accommodation at Nepal Yoga Home - 3 vegetarian or vegan meals daily - Ayurvedic consultation and dosha assessment - Personalised panchakarma therapy programme (Abhyanga, basti, steam bath, Shirodhara as prescribed) - Daily yoga asana classes (Hatha, Yin, restorative) - Daily pranayama and meditation sessions - Yoga Nidra and guided relaxation - Unlimited Nepali, herbal and green tea - Free Wi-Fi - Closing Ayurvedic consultation with diet and lifestyle advice

What's not included

- International flights - Visa fees - Travel insurance - Airport transfers and local travel - Laundry - Sightseeing tours and excursions - Personal expenses and shopping - Additional treatments not prescribed in your programme