Himalayan Yoga and Trekking Retreat: 13 Days in Nepal's Annapurna Region

Each morning on the trek starts with an optional yoga class before breakfast: on day 4 at Nayapul, day 5 in Ghorepani, day 6 on Poon Hill with the Annapurna range in front of you, and day 7 at Jhinu Danda. Lauren teaches vinyasa-style sequencing set to music, and she also runs meditation sessions in the evenings. The walking itself is the main event: day 4 is a 4-hour climb from Nayapul to Thikedunga along the Burungdi river, day 5 is a 6-hour ascent to Ghorepani at 2,800 m, and day 7 drops 5 hours to Jhinu Danda.

The best morning is day 6. You hike 50 minutes before dawn to Poon Hill at 3,200 m and watch the sun come up over roughly 15 peaks, including Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m), Annapurna I (8,091 m) and Manaslu (8,156 m). After breakfast you continue to Tadapani through rhododendron forest, with about 400 m of up-and-down along the way. Day 7 ends with a soak in the natural hot springs at Jhinu, half an hour below the lodge on the shore of the Modi River.

Before the trek, you get two nights in Kathmandu. Day 1 is arrival day, with an equipment check and an evening yoga class on the rooftop, followed by dinner. Day 2 is a sightseeing tour covering the Monkey Temple, Pashupatinath Temple, Durbar Square and the Boudhanath Stupa, with a group meeting, a short yoga and meditation class, and dinner in the evening. Day 3 is the flight to Pokhara (about 6 hours by bus if the flight doesn't run), an evening meditation class, and a free evening by the lake.

After the trek you get a full day in Pokhara on day 9 to visit the World Peace Stupa, go boating on Phewa Lake, see the caves, shop or book a massage. Day 10 flies you back to Kathmandu for a cultural show and dinner, and day 11 is departure after breakfast. The trip runs October 19-31, 2016, and the group size is limited to 12 people.

Lauren Musselman is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher based in New York, with additional certifications in personal training and health coaching. She came to yoga from a dance background and teaches vigorous but controlled sequences with carefully chosen music. She has led this Nepal trip before and describes it as the point where she first pushed herself mentally, physically and spiritually at the same time. She's joined on the trail by a licensed English-speaking trek leader, an assistant trek leader, and Sherpa porters who carry the group's luggage, so you walk with a day pack only.

What's included

- Daily yoga practice with Coach Lauren Musselman - Daily trekking with expert guides through the Himalayas - 3 meals and coffee & tea each day during the trek - Best local teahouses during the trek - Swimming in natural hot springs at Jhinu Danda - Welcome and farewell dinners - Domestic flights (Pokhara–Kathmandu) - Accommodations in Kathmandu and Pokhara - An experienced English-speaking trek leader - Assistant trek leader and Sherpa porters to carry luggage - Pickups and drop-offs from hotels and airport - Down jacket, four-season sleeping bag and trekking kit bag/duffel if needed (returned after the trip) - All necessary paperwork and permits (ACAP, TIMS)

What's not included

- Nepalese visa fee - Monument sightseeing fees in Kathmandu - International airfare to and from Kathmandu - Excess baggage charges - Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara for early arrival, late departure or early return from the mountain - Travel and rescue insurance - Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottled or boiled water) - Tips for guides and porters