Himalayan & Wellness Retreats

This Is Not a Holiday. This Is a Pilgrimage.

Most wellness retreats promise rest and relaxation. The Anandabodh Himalayan Retreat promises something more difficult — and more rewarding. It promises transformation.

You will be asked to wake before sunrise. You will sit in silence. You will practice asanas when your body is stiff and your mind is restless. You will eat simply, sleep soundly, and discover — perhaps for the first time in years — what it feels like when nothing is competing for your attention.

The Himalayas have been the home of yogis, sages, and seekers for thousands of years. The mountains do something to the mind that no city can. The air is different. The silence is different. The quality of awareness that arises in that environment is unlike anything available in an ordinary daily practice.

Master Shivachittam leads every session personally. This is not a managed retreat with multiple facilitators and rotating schedules. It is an intimate immersion — small group, deep practice, continuous guidance.

“Meditation is the only thing that can transform you. Don't snooze. Start today.”

— Master Shivachittam, Founder & CEO, Anandabodh

Where the Retreat Is Held

Anandabodh's flagship residential retreat is held at the Himalaya Yoga and Holistic Living Institute in Bhimtal, Uttarakhand — a town nestled in the lower Himalayan ranges of Kumaon, at an altitude of approximately 1,370 metres above sea level.

Bhimtal is one of the most peaceful and naturally beautiful locations in Uttarakhand — less visited than Nainital but more serene, surrounded by forests, hills, and the famous Bhimtal lake. The clear mountain air, the absence of city noise, and the natural sattvic environment make it an ideal setting for deep yogic practice.

Beyond Bhimtal, Anandabodh also offers retreats at other Himalayan locations — like Jim Corbett, as above — and at other carefully chosen locations across India, as batches are scheduled. Every location is selected for the same qualities: quiet, nature, and an environment suited to deep practice.

How to Get to Bhimtal

• From Delhi / Gurgaon: approximately 7–8 hours by road. Pickup assistance from Kathgodam railway station available on request.
• From Kathgodam (nearest railway station): approximately 1.5 hours by road.
• From Pantnagar Airport: approximately 1.5 hours by road — served by IndiGo from Delhi.
• International students: fly to Delhi (IGI Airport), then train to Kathgodam or a private transfer to Bhimtal. Full travel guidance provided on registration.

Choose Your Retreat

Anandabodh offers three residential retreat formats at Bhimtal and other Himalayan locations, each suited to different needs, time availability, and depth of practice. All are led personally by Master Shivachittam or a senior teacher trained directly under him.

Retreat 01 — Weekend Immersion Retreat (3 Days / 2 Nights)

An introduction to the Himalayan experience

A three-day residential retreat designed for those who have limited time but a genuine desire to experience what a complete yogic immersion feels like.

• Morning Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Evening Meditation, Mantra
• Sattvic meals, Nature walk, One-to-one session with Master Shivachittam

Ideal for: working professionals, first-time retreat participants, those within driving distance of the venue.

Retreat 02 — 5–7 Day Yoga & Meditation Retreat (Most Popular)

“By day three, something shifts. By the end, you will not want to leave.”

Our most popular retreat format. Five to seven days in the Himalayan foothills, practicing twice daily, eating sattvically, sleeping deeply, and slowly releasing the accumulated weight of months and years of ordinary living.

• Daily morning and evening Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Quantum Meditation
• Trataka, Shatkarma (cleansing practices), Yoga philosophy sessions
• Mantra and Bhajan evenings, Nature walks, Sattvic Ayurvedic meals
• Individual sessions with the retreat's lead teacher

Ideal for: anyone seeking genuine renewal — students with health conditions, international students, corporate professionals.

Retreat 03 — 21-Day Himalayan Immersion TTC (Certification)

For those ready to transform completely — and learn to teach

Anandabodh's deepest residential offering — simultaneously a profound personal transformation and a teacher training certification, AYUSH/YCB globally recognised.

• Complete Hatha Yoga asana curriculum, Advanced Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Meditation TTC curriculum
• Shatkarma, Swara Yoga, Prana Vidya, Yoga philosophy and Upanishads
• Teaching methodology and practicum, Ayurvedic nutrition, Personal sadhana development
• AYUSH/YCB examination preparation and registration

Ideal for: experienced practitioners ready to teach, those seeking AYUSH/YCB certification, international yoga enthusiasts.

Note: requires at least 6 months of consistent prior yoga practice. The Weekend and 5–7 Day retreats require no prior experience.

Three Ways to Experience the Mountain

Once a duration is chosen, participants also choose an emphasis — same venue, same team, same overall structure, different weighting of practices.

Yoga Emphasis

A more holistic, physically grounded track. More time on the mat — asana refinement, alignment, Hatha Yoga sequences — alongside Shatkarma cleansing practices (Neti, Kunjal, Trataka and others), for those who want their practice to deepen physically and energetically as much as inwardly.

Meditation Emphasis

A rich, structured spectrum of meditation and spiritual practice, introduced progressively across the retreat. Each day begins with an hour of unguided Silent Self-Practice — the group gathers and simply sits, each participant free to work with silent meditation, mantra, breath awareness, or contemplation, before anything else begins.

The practices drawn on through the retreat include:

• Breath Awareness Meditation · Ajapa Japa · Antar Mouna (Inner Silence)
• Chakra Meditation · Chidakash & Hridayakash Dharana · Nada Brahma Meditation
• Mudra Meditation · Quantum Consciousness Meditation · Prana Vidya Based Healing Meditation
• Yoga Nidra · Pranayama · Contemplative & Mantra Practices · Trataka (Candle-Flame Gazing)
• Witnessing & Awareness Practices

Asana is included only lightly — to prepare and support the body for meditation, not as an intensive practice in its own right. On selected afternoons, sessions turn to the Patanjali Yoga Sutra itself: the nature of the mind, Abhyasa and Vairagya, the obstacles to meditation, and the path through Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi — moving from understanding, to contemplation, to direct practice and experience. One evening includes a Mahamrityunjaya Havan, a sacred fire ceremony with the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra chanted 108 times, for prayer, healing, and purification.

This track asks more of you than the others: sincerity, openness, discipline, and a real willingness to step away from your usual patterns — less conversation, less distraction, less external stimulation, and more awareness, more silence, more of yourself. It is not the right fit for someone primarily looking for sightseeing, adventure, or a resort holiday.

Spiritual Emphasis

More philosophy, satsang, mantra, and self-inquiry. Evening sessions extend into deeper study of the Upanishads and Yoga Sutras, with more time for reflection and silence — for those seeking meaning and inner awakening as much as technique.

On the booking form, this is a second choice alongside duration: “Which are you most drawn to right now — Yoga, Meditation, or Spiritual?” Participants can also choose “Balanced / Not Sure” and receive the standard mix described in the daily schedule below.

What a Typical Day Looks Like

Shown below: the general Yoga & Meditation retreat rhythm. A Meditation Emphasis retreat like ‘A Journey Within’ follows a similar structure but with longer sitting periods and lighter asana, as described above — exact schedules are confirmed on registration.

• 5:00–6:00 AM — Silent Self-Practice (Meditation Emphasis) or wake-up and preparation (other tracks)
• 6:00/6:30 AM — Morning practice: Hatha Yoga (asana + pranayama + bandhas), or Morning Sadhana for Meditation Emphasis
• 7:30–8:00 AM — Yoga Nidra — deep relaxation and guided awareness
• 8:00–9:15 AM — Sattvic breakfast — Ayurvedic, vegetarian, freshly prepared, mindful eating
• 9:30–11:00 AM — Yoga philosophy / Patanjali Yoga Sutra, or Shatkarma cleansing practices, or deeper meditation practice
• 11:00 AM–12:15 PM — Free time — self-study, journaling, nature walk, rest
• 11:30 AM–1:00 PM — Sattvic lunch
• 1:30–4:00 PM — Contemplation and deep practice, or rest and personal time
• 4:00–5:00 PM — Tea and personal time
• 5:00–6:00 PM — Theory session, or additional silent meditation / self-practice
• 6:00–7:00 PM — Sattvic dinner
• 7:30–8:30 PM — Evening practice — Trataka, Mantra, Kirtan, Satsang, Q&A
• After 8:30/9:00 PM — Silence and rest

A note on devices: screens and mobile phones are gently discouraged during scheduled sessions. Many participants choose to limit screen time for the full retreat — and consistently report this as one of the most valuable parts of the experience.

What Your Retreat Includes

Accommodation & Meals

• Comfortable residential accommodation at the retreat venue
• All meals — vegetarian, sattvic, Ayurvedically informed, freshly prepared daily
• Morning herbal tea and evening herbal infusions
• Clean mountain water and a pure, nourishing environment throughout

Practice & Teaching

• All yoga and meditation sessions led personally by Master Shivachittam or a senior trained teacher
• Hatha Yoga (classical Satyananda tradition) — asanas, pranayama, bandhas, mudras
• Yoga Nidra — guided deep relaxation with awareness
• Quantum Meditation — concentration, dharana, dhyana, Antar Mouna
• Shatkarma — traditional yogic cleansing practices (Jala Neti, Trataka, and more)
• Yoga philosophy sessions — Upanishads, Yoga Sutras, the complete science of yoga
• Mantra practice and evening Bhajan / Satsang

Individual Attention & Support

• At least one personal session with the lead teacher during the retreat
• Adjustments and corrections during practice sessions
• Personalised guidance for those with health conditions or injuries
• Pre-retreat consultation to prepare you for what to expect

Additionally for the 21-Day TTC: AYUSH/YCB examination registration and support, teaching methodology and supervised practice teaching, course materials and manual, and a government-recognised certificate of completion.

Who the Retreat Is For

Open to anyone 18 years and above. No prior yoga experience is required for the Weekend, 5–7 Day retreat, or 21-Day Residential TTC

You are ready for this retreat if:

• You have been practicing yoga or meditation and want to go deeper than daily life allows
• You are facing burnout, exhaustion, or a crossroads and need space to think clearly
• You have a health condition improving with yoga and want to accelerate the healing
• You want genuine Himalayan yogic living — not a luxury spa with a yoga label
• You are a corporate professional who needs to reconnect with body and breath
• You are an international student wanting an authentic, non-commercial Indian yoga experience
• You simply feel called. That is reason enough.

Every retreat is conducted in small, carefully selected groups, so the atmosphere of depth, personal attention, and (for the Meditation Emphasis track) silence can genuinely be maintained.

For Students Coming from Outside India

• Visa: e-Tourist Visa, or a Yoga/Student Visa for the 21-Day TTC. A letter of invitation is provided on request.
• Best time to visit: October to March — clear skies, cool temperatures, the mountains at their most beautiful.
• What to bring: comfortable, loose-fitting yoga clothes (modest — this is a traditional setting), warm layers, a journal, an open mind.
• Language: all sessions in English. Hindi is used in some philosophy discussions, with translation provided.
• Fees: quoted in USD for international participants, including accommodation and all meals. Contact info@anandabodh.com for the current schedule.

What Participants Say

“Shiv ji is a teacher who is totally committed to his students' growth and wellbeing through yoga. I haven't come across anyone like him in the UK.”

— Fiona Hedger-Gourlay, Choir Director, Scotland, UK

“Daily yoga and meditation is the single most powerful and authentic practice in my life. Through it I have discovered my true nature, my spirit fire.”

— Dipika Upadhyay, London, UK

Upcoming Retreat Dates

Custom or private retreat dates: if none of the scheduled dates work for you — or if you are a group of 4 or more and wish to book a private retreat — contact us and we will create a schedule that works for you. info@anandabodh.com · +91 98914 28646