Lakeside Yoga Retreat & Himalayan Trek in Pokhara, Nepal

Atmashree sits in the foothills above Phewa Lake, about a 20-minute drive from central Pokhara, and it functions as a traditional ashram rather than a hotel. The day follows a set schedule: early morning pranayama and meditation, then a stronger asana class, breakfast, free time, an afternoon session (restorative, philosophy or alignment work), dinner, and evening chanting or sound healing with tabla and harmonium. Expect three to four practice sessions a day, not one.

The standard short stay is a 3-day, 2-night Yin, Restorative & Sound Healing retreat, but most people book the 6-day Yoga Holiday & Wellness Retreat or add a trek. The 8-day Yoga Trek to Poon Hill combines daily yoga at the centre with a guided hike to the 3,210 m viewpoint for sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, and the 5-day Post-Trekking Retreat is built specifically for recovery afterwards, with slower classes and more restorative work.

For something longer, the 200-hour Holistic Yoga Teacher Training runs 24 days and covers asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy, anatomy and teaching methodology. Past students describe the teaching style as demanding but accessible, with adjustments and variations given for every level. One of the teachers has developed his own style of yoga massage, which is taught on some programmes.

What separates this from a generic yoga holiday is that it's a working family home. Sita cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner, the teachers live on site, and guests are treated as part of the household. The centre is small and the group sizes stay low, so you get hands-on corrections rather than a big class. Around 600 Tripadvisor reviews put it in the top five spas and wellness venues in Pokhara, and the most common thing people write about is the food and the authenticity of the practice.

The location does a lot of the work. You're away from Pokhara's tourist strip but close enough to reach it easily, and every room floor has a balcony facing the lake and the hills. Mornings are quiet, birdsong is the main noise, and the temperature stays mild most of the year.

What's included

- Accommodation on site for the duration of your programme - Three vegetarian Nepali meals daily (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Three to four yoga sessions per day (pranayama, asana, meditation) - Evening mantra chanting or sound healing sessions - Yoga philosophy, anatomy and alignment workshops - Guided Himalayan trek with a licensed guide (on trek programmes) - Teahouse accommodation during trek nights (on trek programmes) - All teaching materials and course manuals - 200-hour Yoga Alliance certification (on the teacher training programme)

What's not included

- International flights - Domestic flight or bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara - Travel insurance - Nepal visa fees - Personal expenses and souvenirs - Airport or bus station transfers (arrangeable for an extra fee) - Massage and spa treatments - Additional nights beyond your booked programme