11-Day Silent Vipassana & Yoga Meditation Retreat in Rishikesh, India

The schedule is built around the traditional Vipassana format: wake at 5:00, sit, eat, sit, walk, eat, sit, yoga, sit, eat, sit, sleep. The first day or two are orientation — you'll get instructions on posture, on how to note sensations, and on the rules of silence. Then the seven-day silent block begins, and from there you're largely on your own with the practice, with a teacher available for short individual interviews each afternoon.

Vipassana here means the body-scanning technique: moving attention systematically through the body, noticing sensation without reacting to it. It's repetitive and it can be boring and frustrating in the first few days — that's normal, and the structure of the retreat is designed to carry you through it rather than let you bail. By day four or five most people find the sitting gets easier and the mind quieter.

The yoga is not the point of the retreat but it matters. Sessions are Hatha-based, gentle, and aimed at opening hips and hamstrings and releasing lower-back tension from long sits. Teachers adjust for people with injuries. The sound healing sessions happen three or four evenings across the eleven days — you lie down in a hall while bowls are played over and around you, and most people fall asleep, which is fine.

Abhyasa Yogmath is a small centre rather than a big commercial ashram, which means groups stay small and the teacher actually knows who you are by day three. The rooms are simple — bed, desk, bathroom, hot water — and the food is straightforward sattvic vegetarian: dal, rice, roti, cooked vegetables, fruit, herbal tea. No onions or garlic, no coffee, no alcohol. You'll be asked to hand in your phone on arrival.

The retreat runs year-round but the best months are October to March, when the weather in Rishikesh is cool and clear. April to June gets hot, and July to September is monsoon, which brings leeches and humidity along with the green. If you've never done a silent retreat before, eleven days is a real commitment — the first three days are the hardest and the eight or nine that follow are usually where the interesting stuff happens.

What's included

- 11 days' accommodation at Abhyasa Yogmath in Rishikesh - Private room with either private or shared bathroom (per booking) - Three vegetarian sattvic meals a day - Daily Vipassana meditation instruction and group sittings - Daily Hatha yoga sessions - Sound healing sessions with Himalayan singing bowls - Individual interviews with the teacher - Evening discourses - Bedding and meditation cushions - Full travel directions and guidance before arrival

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers to and from Rishikesh - Travel insurance - Indian visa fees - Personal expenses, laundry, and any shopping - Optional extras or upgrades - Medical treatment if required