Days start early. On day two there is a 07:00 wake-up call and a 90-minute pranayama class on breath sensation, finishing with 15 minutes of Savasana. Breakfast is vegetarian with herbal tea, then you are free until 16:00, when a two-hour mantra chanting and meditation session begins. Bhakti yoga runs 18:00 to 19:30 and dinner is at 19:30. Later days follow a similar shape but change the subject: sensory awareness on day three, identifying thoughts and emotional patterns on day four, joint warm-ups and alignment postures on day five, Sankalpa intention setting on day seven.

The cultural side is substantial. Day four is a guided drive to Pashupatinath, the Hindu shrine on the Bagmati river, and to Boudhanath Stupa. Day five goes to Patan Durbar Square for Newari architecture and a Newari lunch. Day six takes in Bhaktapur Durbar Square and its pottery squares, then continues to Nagarkot for a two-hour guided walk with views of the Himalayan range and the sunset. Day seven covers Swayambhumath — the Monkey Temple — the Red Monastery and Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Treatments are built into the week rather than sold separately: the arrival foot massage, a one-hour Tibetan singing bowl session on day three, and a one-hour Ayurvedic herbal oil massage on day five. The final morning is a closing ceremony and a sharing circle, with a course completion certificate presented by the academy before you leave or extend your stay.

What separates this from a standard Kathmandu sightseeing tour is that the meditation sessions are tied to the site visits — the pilgrimage day ends with a guided self-meditation session set to sacred music and devotional songs, and the Nagarkot walk is bracketed by morning breathwork and an evening back at the hotel. What separates it from a strict meditation course is the amount of time out of the building: four of the eight days include a guided excursion.

The operator, Om Holidays Tour & Trek, runs this programme alongside a long list of other Nepal yoga, trekking and cultural trips, from a 2-day yoga retreat to Everest Base Camp treks. The teaching is delivered by English-speaking yoga instructors arranged by the academy; the page does not name individual teachers or list their certifications.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation - Daily vegetarian breakfast and herbal tea - Farewell dinner with typical Nepali vegetarian food on the last day - Morning warm-up exercises - Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises - Guided excursions to Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Nagarkot - Entrance fees - 20-minute foot reflexology massage on arrival - One-hour Tibetan singing bowl sound healing class - One-hour Ayurvedic herbal oil massage - Course completion certificate - Airport pick-up and drop-off by private car, van or bus - English-speaking yoga teacher - Yoga mats (returned after the trip) - Medical supplies (first aid kit available) - All government taxes, VAT, official expenses and service charges

What's not included

- Flights - Nepal entry visa fee - Travel insurance - Food while you are in Kathmandu - All alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks - Dry food and chocolate - Personal expenses - Any extra classes

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