Seven-Day Himalayan Yoga & Ayurveda Retreat in Pokhara, Nepal

The school sits in Pokhara, Nepal's second city and the gateway to the Annapurna circuit, on a hillside above Phewa Lake. Rooms are large with attached private bathrooms, hot and cold running water around the clock, and terraces that look out over the water and the mountains. The yogashala is a big open practice room, and there's a separate dining hall where everyone eats together. Wi-Fi runs throughout.

A standard day starts at 6:00 A.M. with Hatha Yoga, forty-five minutes of held postures and alignment work designed to loosen the body up. Pranayama follows at 8:00 A.M., then breakfast. The afternoon session is Flow Yoga at 4:30 P.M. — a faster, vinyasa-style class — and the day closes with meditation at 6:00 P.M. Between sessions the school runs Ayurvedic treatments: Abhyanga oil massage, Shirodhara (warm oil poured slowly over the forehead), Swedana herbal steam, and a one-hour cleansing therapy session combining gentle postures, breathwork and massage. There are also yogic cooking classes where you cook vegetarian dishes with Ayurvedic herbs and learn how the food is meant to balance the doshas.

What separates this from a generic wellness week is the Ayurveda side. Treatments are run daily rather than sold as add-ons, and the kitchen cooks to the same principles — seasonal greens, fresh fruit, detox juices, herbs and spices rather than a spa menu. The teachers are trained in the classical Hatha and Ashtanga styles and teach a mixed group of retreat guests and teacher-training students, so the level of instruction is higher than you'd get at a hotel yoga week.

The excursion programme depends on how long you book. Everyone gets the Sarangkot sunrise trip, the Peace Pagoda, boating on Phewa Lake and a visit to Barahi Temple. Book fourteen days and you add Gupteshwar Temple, paragliding, the Poon Hill trek and Devi Falls. Twenty-one days brings in the Bat Cave, a mud bath, sound healing, white water rafting and a yogic cooking session.

Note that this location is presented as legacy information — the school currently runs its active programmes in Kerala and Goa. Confirm availability for the Pokhara dates before booking.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation (private, twin or shared) with attached private bathroom - 3 vegetarian meals daily (vegan on advance request) - Daily Hatha Yoga classes - Daily Flow Yoga classes - Daily pranayama sessions - Daily meditation sessions - Ayurvedic massage treatments - One-hour cleansing therapy session - Yogic cooking session - Glands and joint movement work - Cold and hot therapy sessions - Sarangkot sunrise excursion - Peace Temple visit - Boating on Phewa Lake - Barahi Temple visit - Free Wi-Fi - 24-hour hot and cold running water - Access to the spacious yogashala

What's not included

- International flights - Domestic flight or bus to Pokhara - Airport pick-up and drop-off (available at extra cost) - Travel insurance - Nepal visa fees - Personal expenses and shopping - Additional spa or Ayurveda treatments beyond scheduled sessions - Excursions on the 14-day and 21-day programmes if you book only 7 days - Tips and gratuities