Yoga and Sacred Valley Retreat with Machu Picchu, Peru

The retreat is based at Samadhi Retreat Center in Peru's Sacred Valley, in the Andes. You sleep in either a Chakra Bungalow or an Element Suite, both of which have mountain views and private bathrooms. The bungalows are built from stones matched to one of the seven chakras, with stained glass above the shower in the corresponding colour, plus chromotherapy showers, aromatic oils, native flowers and crystals. The Element Suites are larger: four two-bedroom suites with two single beds, and three one-bedroom suites with queen beds, each with a private living room and a terrace or balcony.

A typical day starts with a Psychic Development Meditation class in the morning. That is a Dharma Yoga technique taught through breathing exercises, mantras and directed visualisations, passed down orally from Sri Dharma Mittra. Yoga classes run through the day, with Shiva Rest (a full-length yoga Nidra guided meditation) and Shiva Deep (long-hold deep stretching) in the afternoon and evening. Handstand Practice classes are also on the schedule for anyone who wants to work on balance and strength. You can skip any class you like.

The excursions are a big part of the week. There is a day trip to Machu Picchu, plus trips to Puma Huanca and Moray. Puma Huanca is a walk along the river through native forest to an Inca temple dedicated to feminine energy, with a stop to swim in warm water in the ravine. Moray is a set of agricultural terraces, and the visit includes a meditation inside one of the domes and a stop at the salt pools of Maras. Back at the centre there is a two-hour pottery class in the Arterapia studio or with local artisans, a two-hour vegan cooking class that starts in the organic gardens, and a 90-minute sound healing session with therapist musicians.

Garth leads the yoga programme. He is a 500-hour E-RYT with Yoga Alliance, a teacher trainer and yoga therapist, and has taught at Yogaworks in Santa Monica, Exhale in Venice and Equinox in Los Angeles. He trained with Annie Carpenter and James Brown at Yogaworks, with Sri Dharma Mittra at the Dharma Yoga Center in New York, and with Srivatsa Ramaswami at Loyola Marymount University, and has studied Ashtanga in Mysore with the Jois family. He created the Shiva Yoga style and owns the Shiva Yoga studio in West Hollywood. Michelle and Erin Yoffee teach alongside him; Erin is a sound healer and leads the sound session.

The retreat is open to all levels. Classes are taught with modifications for beginners and advanced variations for more experienced students, and the handstand classes are pitched the same way. The two-night Cusco add-on is not included in the package price and is charged separately, as are flights to and from Peru.

What's included

- 7 days and 6 nights at Samadhi Retreat Center - 2 nights in Cusco - All meals at the retreat centre - Accommodation in Chakra Bungalows or Element Suites - Day trip to Machu Picchu - Excursion to Puma Huanca - Excursion to Moray and the salt pools of Maras - Pottery class (2 hours) - Vegan cooking class (2 hours) - Sound healing session (90 minutes) - Daily yoga classes (Shiva Flow, Shiva Power, Shiva Deep, Shiva Rest) - Morning Psychic Development Meditation classes - Handstand Practice classes - Airport transfers

What's not included

- Flights to and from Peru - Additional time in Cusco - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Meals outside the retreat centre