4 Day Ayurvedic Yoga & Shamanic Sweat Lodge Riverside Wellness Retreat, UK

The retreat runs from Friday to Monday. Friday is arrival and settling in — you pitch your tent, meet the group, and get an introduction to your ayurvedic constitution before the first shared meal and an opening circle around the fire. Saturday is the sweat lodge day: a morning wild swim, a Kundalini yoga class introducing yogic cleansing techniques, then the sweat lodge ceremony itself, led by Andy Jupp of Buzzard Medicine, which runs through the day with several sweating rounds. Sunday is gentler, with workshops on daily routines (dinacharya), a guided tree meditation with the ancient oaks on the grounds, and mantra meditation in the evening. Monday closes with a final swim, yoga, and a closing circle before you pack down and head home.

The location is Hardwick Estate, a community-run rural estate in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about 40 minutes by train from London. The campsite sits right on the riverbank, with a clean section of the Thames that's listed as one of the best wild swimming spots in the UK. There's a riverside sauna, hot shower cabins, and compost toilets, with flushing toilets and indoor showers just next to the field.

The teaching team is small and specialised. Andy Jupp runs the sweat lodge, a ceremony gifted from Canadian indigenous traditions that he's been leading for 12 years. Dmitry, the founder, teaches the yoga and ayurvedic workshops — he's a certified Vedic Institute Ayurvedic Practitioner and has trained in Hatha and Kundalini yoga. Kiranjot leads the Kundalini yoga classes, and Sophia facilitates the singing and live music each evening.

What's included

- 3 nights accommodation (camping field with own tent, or pre-erected tent options to hire) - Sweat lodge ceremony led by experienced practitioners - Daily Kundalini yoga classes with Kiranjot - Yoga and Ayurveda workshops with Dmitry - Ayurvedic assessment of your constitution - Wild swimming in the river Thames - Riverside sauna - Tree meditation guided sessions - Mantra meditation and chanting - Creative writing workshops - Evening singing and live music around the campfire - Organic, plant-based ayurvedic meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Ayurvedic teas - Boat rides and kayaks on the river - Parking next to the camp ground - Hot showers and compost toilets on site

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Tent for personal rest (bring your own or hire one at checkout) - Bedding (sleeping bags, blankets, pillows) - Cutlery and crockery (plates, bowls, mug) - Massage and healing treatments (available on site at reduced rates) - Yoga mat - Flights costs