Join me on a sacred retreat to the ancient land of Yoga, Ayurveda and deep Spirituality. For 15 days we will be in the South Indian State of Kerala, also known as “God’s Own Country”, immersing ourselves in the practices of Ayurveda, Tantra, Yoga and Meditation in one-of-a-kind Ayurveda mountain retreat, heritage hotels and bespoke homestays – oases of serenity in the midst of beautiful nature and stunning scenery, allowing us to go deep within.
HIGHLIGHTS
REGISTRATION & FEE
Investment – Early Bird – $3,400 register by Mar 31, 2019 ($600 deposit required); *early bird pricing extended to April 30*
Regular – $3,600
Includes all accommodations (single occupancy at Ayurveda retreat and shared at other places), all meals, Ayurveda treatments, sightseeing, cultural programs, ground transportation, and tour guide services; Does not include airfare to and from the US to India and discretionary tips; Space is limited to 12 retreatants.
Contact Sandhiya at [email protected] or 949.842.7504 to register
About me, your retreat curator & creator – Sandhiya Ramaswamy
For nearly 10 years, I’ve been a practitioner, master teacher and chef of Ayurveda, facilitating the improved wellbeing of hundreds of women and men through my one on one consultations, workshops and retreats. My practice Alchemy Ayurveda www.alchemyayurveda.com, is in Dana Point, California. Originally from India, I have had a life-long and intimate connection with all aspects of Spirituality – Ayurveda, Tantra and Yoga. Having lived in both India and America, I strive to bring the right blend of Eastern and Western sensibilities to my offerings. Guiding people on transformative spiritual journeys to India is one of my greatest passions, and I am so honored and grateful to be able to do this. Namaste.
OUR HOMES AWAY FROM HOME
Boutique Heritage Hotels, Kochi (Cochin) – 3 nights
Our homes away from homes in Kochi include stays at 2 of Kochi’s finest heritage properties, steeped in stories of Fort Kochi’s colonial past. The ancient and bustling port city of Kochi serves as our point of arrival and departure (airport code – COK) for this trip. During our stay we will take in the sights –among them the Chinese fishing nets, museum, and a 400 year old synagogue. One evening will be spent attending a dance performance at the cultural center.
River Resort, Calicut (Kozhikode) – 2 nights
Nestled on the banks of the legendary Chaliyar River is this beautiful resort. Inspired by the Nallukettu style (traditional Kerala homestead) of architecture this resort is spread across nine beautifully landscaped acres. The colorful Kerala mural art depicted throughout the resort, brings alive the mystical heritage of this state. This will be our resting point to and from the mountains of Wayanad.
Ayurveda Holistic Retreat, Wayanad – 7 nights
Our temple of Ayurveda for 7 days. Authentic Ayurveda retreat set on a serene and breathtaking mountain top, in the middle of a nature preserve in beautiful Wayanad – the land of misty peaks, paddy fields and virgin forests. This place is a gift of nature for those who seek quietude, calmness and serenity. The healing begins by just being in this womb of Mother Nature. We will be LIVING Ayurveda (and Yoga) for 7 days here. In this temple of Ayurveda, along with communing with nature, we will be immersed in daily Ayurveda (customized treatments, herbal medicines, food), Yoga, Mantra, Yoga Nidra, Satsangs and Poojas (fire ceremonies). Here, all the food comes from the organic garden, the milk (and ghee) from the cows lovingly tended to on the premises, and the honey from the forest. This promises to be a deeply spiritual experience, allowing us to retreat and go deep within. Here you will have your very own private cottage to enhance your experience of going inward.
Organic Farm Homestay, Vechoor – 2 nights
No trip to Kerala is complete without visiting it’s legendary backwaters. This homestay is a breathtakingly beautiful organic farm on it’s own island in the famed Kerala backwaters. This is a working farm – growing coconuts, bananas, various spices and vegetables. Here, we will be lovingly taken care of by the family (the grandmother is renowned for her cooking), who have been farming this land for generations. We will be staying in beautiful and spacious villas, located on the outer dyke facing the peaceful backwaters. These villas,designed by famous local architects, are furnished with antiques, including some beautifully carved and hand crafted doors and windows, which have been meticulously collected over the years. With plenty of lush green space to Yoga, meditate and contemplate, this place is a true paradise on earth.
PRICING DETAILS
Acommodations
– For the 7 night stay at the Ayurveda retreat, each of you will be given your own private room/cottage – single occupancy
– The rest of the 7 night, stay will be double occupancy
If you would prefer your own private room for the entire trip, please let me know as soon as possible. It can be arranged based on availability and at an additional cost (add $1000)
Trip Costs
$3,400 Early Bird Special (Registration and $600 deposit required by Feb 28 2019) ***extended to April 30, 2019
$3,600 Regular (after April 30 2019)
Add $1000 for 100% single occupancy accommodations for entire trip
What’s included
- Accommodations for 14 nights
- All meals (15 days)
- Ground transportation for entire stay (including airport pickup and drop-off)
- 7 day Ayurveda Program – Treatments, doctor consultations, medicines, food
- Yoga, yoga nidra, meditation, Pooja, Satsangs
- Ayurveda talks, Tantra workshops, Bagavad Gita discourses
- Tour guide services
- Cultural program, entrance fee to museum visits & attractions
What’s not included
- Airfare from US to Kochi (Cochin) and back
- Any medicines prescribed by Ayurvedic doctor to take back home with you
- Personal Shopping expenses and items of a personal nature
- Food and beverages outside of what is provided as part of the retreat
- Tips (discretionary)
Payment Policy
Early bird
$600 deposit (non-refundable) by April 30 along with completed registration and signed forms to reserve your spot
Balance – $2,800
First Payment – 50% – $1,400 by May 10
Final Payment – 50% – $1,400 by May 20
Note – Trip can always be paid in full before May 20; Add $1000 for 100% single occupancy
Regular
$600 deposit (non-refundable) along with completed registration and signed forms to reserve your spot
Balance – $3,000
First Payment – 50% – $1,500 by May 10
Final Payment – 50% – $1,500 by May 20
Note – Trip can always be paid in full before May 20; Add $1000 for 100% single occupancy
Payment can be made by check, cash or Paypal friends and family (avoid service fee).
Credit Card payments are possible, with an additional 3% service fee.
Retreat Cancellation Policy
- $600 initial deposit is non-refundable
- If, for any reason, you need to cancel your participation in the retreat, 50% of registration (minus initial deposit) will be issued up to 90 days prior to retreat start date
- Cancellations made less than 90 days in advance will result in no refund to the registrant
- In the rare case of cancellation of trip by me (due to unforeseen circumstances including but not limited to, family emergency, natural disasters, political unrest, dangerous weather, significant currency fluctuations or low sign-ups) you will be fully refunded
Please note that the cancellation policy is pretty strict, as I have to pay the retreats / resorts upfront and abide by their strict cancellation policies. Also, we will be traveling to India during the onset of ‘peak’ season when accommodations are in great demand, so it’s necessary to book well in advance, especially since the places we will be staying at are boutique and much smaller in scale than your average hotel / resort.
DETAILED TRIP ITINERARY
(OCTOBER 16 – 30)
Detailed Trip Itinerary (October 16 – 30)
Please plan on arriving into Cochin on the 16th, ideally during the day time (I will send information regarding suggested airlines and flights with ideal arrival times into Kochi, once the group has coalesced). You will need to fly out of the US, either on Thu Oct 14 or Fri Oct 15 to reach Kochi on Wednesday, Oct 16. Similarly, on the way back, please book your departure on a flight that leaves Kochi on Wednesday Oct 30 during the day time versus very early morning flights, if possible.
If you would like to arrive in India 1-2 days earlier (i.e. earlier than Oct 16), please let me know and I can give suggestions and/or help make arrangements for your accommodations, transportation, meals etc.
Please note that some of the activities (like boat cruises) may be subject to change due weather conditions, timing of arrival etc. Also, please remember this is your retreat. You are welcome to refrain from participating in some activities if you so choose.
Day 1, Wednesday Oct 16 – Arrival at Kochi (Cochin) airport * A day of rest and relaxation after a long plane trip *
You will be picked up from the airport and brought to the Malabar, an exquisite heritage hotel in Fort Kochi.
Noon – Opening Circle, Intention setting and meditation (subject to change based on participant’s arrival times)
1:00 – 2:00pm – Lunch
4:00 – 5:00pm – Yoga Nidra / Gentle Yoga
6:30 – 7:30pm – Dinner
8:00pm – Evening circle – Spiritual Talk / Mantra meditation
Day 2, Thursday Oct 17- Leave Kochi for Calicut (Kozhikode)
7:00 – 8:00am – Yoga
8:30am – Breakfast
10:00 am – Approx. 4 hour road trip to Calicut (resting point en-route to the Ayurveda retreat)
2:00pm – Arrival at Raviz Resort & Spa, Kadavu and check-in
2:30pm – Lunch
4:30pm – River cruise
7:00pm – Dinner
8:30pm – Evening circle
Day 3, Friday Oct 18 – Leave Calicut for Udayagiri Holistic retreat (Tholpetty)
8:00am – Breakfast
9:00am – Approx. 4 hour roadtrip to Tholpetty
1:00 pm – Arrival at Udayagiri Holistic Retreat; Check-in
1:30pm – Lunch
4:00 – 5:30pm – Afternoon Yoga
6:00pm – Dinner
6:30pm – Evening Pooja and Fire Ceremony (Agnihotram)
7:30pm – Evening circle – Ayurveda talk, meditation
Day 4, Saturday Oct 19– Day 9, Thursday, October 24 at Udayagiri Holistic Retreat –
The following schedule will be followed daily
5:00 – 6:00 am – Morning Pooja and Agnihotram (Fire ceremony)
6:00 – 7:30 am – Yoga
8:30am – Breakfast
9:00am – 12:00pm – Ayurveda Doctor consultation and treatments (up to 2 hours in total) – Some of us will have treatments in the am and others in the pm
12:00 – 1:00pm – Yoga Nidra
1:00pm – Lunch
2:00 – 4:00pm – Ayurveda Doctor consultation and treatments (up to 2 hours in total) – Some of us will have treatments in the am and others in the pm
4:00 – 5:30pm – Afternoon Yoga
5:30pm – Dinner
6:00 – 6:45pm – Evening Pooja and Agnihotram (Fire Ceremony)
7:00pm – Satsang (Wednesday and Saturday only)
7:30pm – Evening circle – talks, meditation, reflection
Day 10, Friday, October 25 Last day of treatments, leave for Calicut
5:00 – 6:00 am – Morning Pooja and Agnihotram (Fire ceremony)
6:00 – 7:30 am – Yoga
8:30am – Breakfast
9:00am – 12:00pm – Final day of consultation and treatments
12:00pm – Lunch
12:-30pm – Depart on roadtrip to Calicut (approx.. 4 hours)
4:30pm – Arrival at Raviz Resort & Spa, Kadavu and check-in
6:30pm – Dinner
8:00pm – Evening circle
Day 11, Saturday, October 26, Leave for Vechoor
7:30 am – Breakfast
8:30 am – Depart on road trip (approx. 6 hours)
2:30pm – Arrival at PhillipKutty’s Farmhouse ; check-in and lunch
5:30pm – Sunset cruise on country boat
7:30pm – Dinner
8:30pm – Yoga Nidra and Evening Circle
Day 12, Sunday, October 27
7:00 – 8:00 am – Yoga
8:30am – Breakfast
10:00 – noon – Farm Tour
12:30pm – Lunch
2:30 – 4:30pm –Ayurveda / Tantra workshop
5:30pm – Sunset cruise on country boat
7:30pm – Dinner
8:30pm – Evening Circle
Day 13, Monday, October 28
7:00 – 8:00 am – Yoga
8:30am – Breakfast
11:00 am – Check-out and depart for Kochi (1.5hrs.)
12:30pm – Arrive at Malabar, a boutique heritage property in Fort Kochi
1:00pm – Lunch
2:30 – 6:00pm – Kochi sightseeing & shopping – spice market, handicrafts, apparel
6:30pm – Cultural program
8:00pm – Dinner
Day 14, Tuesday Oct 29 – Exploring Kochi
7:00 – 8:00am – Yoga
8:30am – Breakfast
10:00 am – 4:00pm – Sightseeing (Museum, Port, Jew town) with break for lunch
6:30 – 8:00pm – Celebratory dinner
8:30pm – Closing circle, meditation, reflections, feedback
Day 15, Wednesday, October 30
7:00 – 8:00 am – Yoga
8:30am – Breakfast
Drop off at Kochi airport – board flight back to US
IMPORTANT STUFF
Travel Insurance
It is highly recommended that participants purchase a comprehensive trip insurance that includes trip cancelation, international medical & emergency evacuation insurance – there are many companies to choose from including Travelex, World Nomads and InsureMyTrip that offer such coverages at a modest cost
Passport & Visa Requirements
A valid passport and visa are required for entry into India!
US Passport: If you don’t already have a passport please log onto www.travel.state.gov for more information. Please note that your passport MUST be good for six months after the completion of your trip.
Visa
You MUST have a valid tourist visa to travel to India and it is recommended to arrange for this sooner than later, because depending on your choice this process can take up to a month. However they also have an E-visa that can be got in a short amount of time.
Here is a link to the online portal
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/index.html
E-Visa
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
Private Agencies
The following company is a private firm that will handle the whole procedure for you, there is an
additional charge, but this is absolutely the easiest way to proceed.
Travisa: https://www.travisa.com
For Orange County residents, there is a local company that handles visas
The Passport Pros – http://thepassportpros.com/visas/
Visa applications sent by mail generally are said to take about 7-9 business days to process from the date of receipt. However, it is better to err on the side of caution. If you are applying for a 6 month visa, please know your visa’s validity begins on the date of issue! Please plan accordingly. Tourist visas are available for 6 months, 5 or 10 years.
Vaccines
Alchemy Ayurveda does not offer medical advice. We recommend speaking to your primary care physician or a travel clinic in your area before deciding upon vaccines. For up-to-date information, you can consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website www.cdc.gov
INDIA!
Deeply spiritual and utterly unforgettable, India is unlike anywhere else on earth – a melting pot of ethnicities and religions, a treasure trove of history and culture, and a curious mixture of chaos and serenity.
Stretching across more than three million square kilometres, it encompasses a staggering array of landscapes, vistas and environs, and offers unparalled travel experiences – from the beautiful beaches of Goa to the compelling craziness of big cities like Mumbai and Kolkata, the sacred Ganges river banks of Varanasi, the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas in Kashmir and the ancient, exquisitely crafted temples dotted across the entire country. Not to mention the vibrant, friendly people, and the incredible cuisine.
This mystical and beautiful continent with its allure of exotic cultures and traditions offers a diverse array of experiences. From the majestic landscapes of the snow-dusted Himalayas, geometric tea plantations, vast Camel-dotted deserts and the sun-washed beaches; to the tranquil temples, colourful festivals, crumbling fortresses, swarming spice bazaars and vibrant cities, India is an intoxicating cultural cocktail that has been known to capture the heart and elevate the soul.
Home to a billion and an half people, India is not for everyone! While it is getting more ‘westernized’, it can still be a challenge for many not used to this part of the world. It is exotic, colorful and deeply spiritual. It can also be chaotic – a crazy mix of sounds, smells, and sights. The best way to experience India is to be open minded and open-hearted. Be open to all the experiences and delight in the beauty, the warmth and the ancient mysticism of India and her people, and you will have the trip of your lifetime!
I hope you will join me on this spiritual sojourn.
Namaste,
Sandhiya
