Booking a retreat is easy. The weeks before it are when the questions arrive: What do I pack? Will I manage the schedule? What if I can't sit still? After welcoming students from more than eleven countries, we know the worries by heart — and most of them dissolve by the second morning. Here is what genuinely helps to prepare.

The practical part

• Visa: Most nationalities receive a visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport (USD $40 for 30 days). Bring cash in USD and a passport photo.

• Getting here: We provide free airport pickup — send your flight details a week ahead and look for your name at arrivals.

• Money: Nepal is a cash economy. ATMs work in the city; withdraw before coming to the center.

• Weather: October–April mornings are cold in Kathmandu. Bring warm layers; the days are usually mild and sunny.

• Health: No special vaccinations are required for the Kathmandu valley. Bring personal medication and basic travel insurance.

What to pack

• 5–7 changes of comfortable, loose practice clothing

• A warm layer and shawl for early mornings

• Slip-on shoes for moving between rooms

• Reusable water bottle, notebook, and pen

• Eye mask and earplugs for deep-rest days

• One set of white or light clothing for ceremonies

We provide yoga mats, cushions, blankets, and props — you do not need to carry equipment across the world.

What the days feel like

Retreat days start early — the wake-up bell rings at 5:30 — and follow a steady rhythm of practice, meals, rest, and satsang. The first two days, the schedule feels demanding. By day four, it feels like the most natural thing in the world, and the early mornings become the part people miss most when they leave.

What to let go of

The single best preparation is lowering your expectations of yourself. You do not need to be flexible. You do not need to meditate well. You do not need to have read the Bhagavad Gita. Retreats work not because participants perform well, but because they stay — through the restlessness of day two and the doubts of day three, into the quiet that reliably follows.

““Come as you are. The schedule, the silence, and the mountain air do most of the work — your job is simply to remain.”” — — Anupam Chidananda

Join a Retreat: Our 10-day meditation retreat with Maa Nisha Kabir runs monthly, in person and online. See dates and pricing on the retreat page, or ask us anything on WhatsApp.