Ayurvedic Mind & Body Detox Retreat in the Wye Valley

The core of the retreat is the Ayurvedic detox programme, overseen by Dr Pooja Amin, who qualified in Ayurveda Medicine in India and now leads Plantation Villa's UK treatments. Each day includes one Abhyanga massage—a warm-oil full-body massage followed by a 20-minute herbal body scrub and a 20-minute detoxifying steam bath—plus herbal detox shots. These treatments are the practical engine of the cleanse, and they're included in the base price, not sold as an add-on.

Yoga runs twice daily, taught by teachers with serious lineage credentials. Laura trained her 200-hour YTT in Bali and studied Vinyasa Krama at Govinda Valley ashram in Australia; Liz Turner has 20+ years of practice and follows Krishnamacharya, with additional qualifications in children's, teen, and chair yoga. Sessions are therapeutic in approach, personalised to what your body needs on the day, so complete beginners sit alongside regular practitioners.

Afternoons are given over to workshops that teach you home methods: cookery classes using Ayurvedic principles, walking meditation in the gardens, talks on Ayurveda and Buddhist philosophy. Evenings wind down with yoga nidra, guided meditation, or a sound bath. The rhythm is deliberately structured—you're never bored, but you're also never rushed. Free time is built in for reading in the library, strolling the riverbank, or booking extra Ayurvedic treatments like a doctor consultation or life coaching session.

What makes this different from a generic UK detox retreat is the depth of the Ayurvedic practice. The food is designed by an Ayurvedic doctor—light and easy to digest in the morning, a larger rice-based lunch when your digestive fire is strongest, and a small early dinner. It's vegetarian, gluten-free, and free from refined sugar, and so popular they've published a cookbook. The teaching staff rotate through the year, but the monk Bhante is in residence two to three times annually for talks—worth checking dates if that appeals.

What's included

- 2 nights accommodation in a countryside farmhouse - 3 daily Ayurvedic meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Two daily therapeutic yoga classes - Daily meditation classes (breath meditation, loving-kindness) - Daily afternoon activities: cookery classes, walking meditation, Ayurveda talks, Buddhist talks - 1 hour Abhyanga body massage with 20 min scrub and 20 min steam bath - Daily evening activities: Yoga Nidra, guided meditation, sound bath - Free bike rental - Free wifi and on-site parking - Luggage storage - Access to lounge, library, and 14 acres of gardens - Online post-retreat support team

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Flights costs - Transport to the venue - Optional paid extras: life coaching, extra Ayurvedic treatments, doctor consultation