A week built around rest rather than sightseeing. After one night in Kathmandu, you spend three nights at Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel for yoga, meditation, the spa and a walk to Namobuddha monastery, then three nights at The Pavilions Himalayas, an organic farm outside Pokhara, with gentle lake and ridge walks.
Nepal is a good place to slow down. The air in the foothills is cool for most of the year, the mornings start with a mountain view, and Buddhist and Hindu practice is part of daily life rather than a performance for visitors. This journey uses two properties built for rest. Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel, 1,550 m up on the eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley, runs yoga, meditation and spa programmes and grows food on its own organic farm.
The second half is at The Pavilions Himalayas outside Pokhara, eco-luxury villas on a working farm with a spa and pool, about 25 minutes by air from Kathmandu. We keep sightseeing light and early: a walk to the Tibetan monastery at Namobuddha, an afternoon in the Newar town of Panauti, a rowing boat on Phewa Lake at dawn, and the path to the World Peace Pagoda. Your days have one fixed thing in them at most, and the rest belongs to you.
Highlights
Why this route works
Daily yoga and meditation at Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel
A walk through farmland to Namobuddha monastery
Butter lamps and the evening kora at Boudhanath
Phewa Lake at dawn in a wooden rowing boat
Spa days at The Pavilions Himalayas farm
Day by day
The journey
Day01
Arrive in Kathmandu
Overnight: Kathmandu≈ 3 km · 15 minMeals: Dinner
We meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport and drive you to Dwarika's Hotel in Battisputali, a few minutes away. Its courtyards of salvaged Newari woodwork are quiet even in the middle of the city, and there is a pool for the afternoon. At about 5 pm your guide takes you to Boudhanath, the largest stupa in the valley, for the evening kora, when Tibetan families walk clockwise turning prayer wheels and butter lamps are lit. It is an easy first hour in Nepal. Dinner is at the hotel.
Day02
Pashupatinath, then up to Dhulikhel
Overnight: Dhulikhel≈ 35 km · 1.5 hMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
An early visit to Pashupatinath, the great Shiva temple on the Bagmati, when morning puja is under way and the ghats are quiet. Non-Hindus cannot enter the main temple but can watch from the terraces across the river. After breakfast we drive east along the Araniko Highway to Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel, set on the valley rim at about 1,550 m. The resort's wellness team meets you in the afternoon to plan your days around yoga, meditation and treatments. Sunset over the Himalaya from the terraces ends the day.
Day03
A full day at the resort
Overnight: DhulikhelMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
If the sky is clear at dawn, the Himalaya runs across the north from Langtang to the Gaurishankar range; October to February give the best chance. The day is yours to shape with the resort's programme: a morning yoga class, a guided meditation, a walk round the organic farm that supplies the kitchen, and a spa treatment in the afternoon. We schedule nothing outside. Your guide is on call in Dhulikhel if you want to see the old town, a short walk from the resort, with its Newar houses and small temples.
Day04
The walk to Namobuddha
Overnight: Dhulikhel≈ 50 km · 2 h in totalMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast we walk out of Dhulikhel through pine forest, terraced fields and small Tamang villages to Namobuddha, a half-day walk with some gentle climbs. The Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery sits on the hilltop, and if you arrive at the right hour you may hear the monks' chanting from the assembly hall. A Buddhist story tells that a prince gave his body to a starving tigress here. The car meets you for the return, or you can drive both ways in 40 minutes. In the afternoon we visit Panauti, an old Newar town 7 km from Dhulikhel.
Day05
Fly to Pokhara and The Pavilions
Overnight: Pokhara≈ 28 km · 1.5 h to the airportMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
A last morning class at the resort, then we drive back to Kathmandu airport for the 25-minute flight west to Pokhara. On a clear day the Manaslu and Annapurna ranges fill the right-hand windows. Your car meets you on arrival and takes you to The Pavilions Himalayas, a group of villas spread across an organic farm outside the city. Each villa stands on its own, and much of what the kitchen serves is grown on the land. The afternoon is free for the pool, the spa or a walk round the fields.
Day06
Phewa Lake at dawn
Overnight: Pokhara≈ 30 km · 1 h in totalMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
We drive to Phewa Lake while the water is still and take a wooden rowing boat out as the sun comes up over the hills; on a clear morning Machapuchare, 6,993 m, shows in the water. We row to the small island temple of Tal Barahi, then to the far shore, where a forest path climbs for about an hour to the World Peace Pagoda at about 1,100 m. We are back at the farm for a late breakfast. The afternoon is for rest, with an optional treatment at the spa.
Day07
Rest, or Sarangkot at sunrise
Overnight: PokharaMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
One optional early start: Sarangkot, about 1,600 m, where Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I and Machapuchare catch the first light. If you would rather sleep, the day has nothing in it. Many guests choose a long spa session, a yoga class or a slow walk around the farm and the nearby villages. In the afternoon we can visit Begnas Lake, smaller and much quieter than Phewa, for a row among rice terraces and fish ponds. Dinner is at the farm.
Day08
Fly to Kathmandu and depart
Overnight: DepartureMeals: Breakfast
After breakfast we drive you to Pokhara International Airport for the 25-minute flight back to Kathmandu. Sit on the left side of the plane for the mountains. We book a morning flight and leave at least four hours before your international departure, since cloud sometimes delays domestic flights. Our representative meets you in Kathmandu and stays with you through the transfer to the international terminal. If you have a late flight, we can book a day room at Dwarika's Hotel for a final hour by the pool.
Wellness programmes and class times are set by each resort; we book them for you before arrival
Spa treatments are popular in October and November, so we reserve them when you confirm
Valley mornings in winter can be 2 to 5 °C; bring warm layers for dawn yoga
Mountain views are clearest from October to February and usually hidden by cloud from June to September
Indian nationals need no visa; most others get a visa on arrival (check current status before you travel)
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Is this a yoga retreat or a holiday?
It is a holiday with daily wellness built in, not a strict retreat. You can join a yoga or meditation class every day at Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel, book spa treatments at both resorts, and skip anything you like. There are no fixed group programmes, no diet rules and no early curfews. If you want a formal residential programme, ask and we will arrange one.
Do I need yoga experience?
No. Classes at the resorts are adapted to beginners and to experienced practitioners, and we can book private sessions if you prefer a teacher's full attention. Tell us about any injuries before you travel and we will pass them on. Meditation sessions are guided and suitable for complete newcomers. Bring comfortable clothes; mats are provided by the resorts.
What is Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel like?
It is a wellness resort on the eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley at about 1,550 m, from the same family as Dwarika's Hotel in Kathmandu. It offers yoga, meditation and a spa, has an organic farm that supplies the kitchen, and faces the Himalaya. It is about 30 km and 1 to 1.5 hours from Kathmandu, far enough to feel removed from the city.
Why stay at The Pavilions Himalayas rather than by Phewa Lake?
For quiet. The Pavilions Himalayas, also called The Farm, is a group of eco-luxury villas on an organic farm outside Pokhara, away from Lakeside's traffic and shops. It has a spa, pool and kitchen that uses its own produce. If you prefer a mountain-view ridge, Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge is the alternative we would suggest, with guided walks from the door.
How much walking is there?
Very little is required. The longest walk, to Namobuddha on day four, takes three to four hours with gentle climbs, and you can drive instead in 40 minutes. The World Peace Pagoda path is about an hour up through forest. Everything else is short, flat and optional. Wear comfortable shoes with grip for temple steps and forest paths.
Can I visit a Buddhist monastery and meditate there?
Yes. Namobuddha's Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery welcomes respectful visitors, and you can sit quietly in the assembly hall during prayers. Formal teachings depend on the monastery's calendar. In Kathmandu, Kopan Monastery runs meditation courses for foreigners on set dates. Dress modestly, remove shoes before entering halls, and walk clockwise around stupas and prayer wheels.
What is the food like at these resorts?
It is fresh and largely local. Both Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel and The Pavilions Himalayas grow much of their produce on their own farms, and both cook Nepali and international dishes. Expect dal bhat, momos and seasonal vegetables alongside lighter salads and grains. Tell us about dietary needs, including vegan, Jain or gluten-free, and we will pass them to the kitchens before you arrive.
When is the best time for a wellness trip to Nepal?
October to February is best, with clear skies, dry days and cool mornings that suit yoga outdoors. March and April are warm and green, with rhododendron in the hills, but haze often hides the mountains by midday. June to September brings monsoon rain and cloud, though the spas run all year. December and January nights are cold, so pack warm layers.
Can I extend this with a short trek?
Yes. The easiest addition is two or three nights in the Annapurna foothills from Pokhara, walking four to six hours a day between villages such as Dhampus and Ghandruk. A licensed guide and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit are required; check current status before you travel. We would add this before the final Pokhara nights, so you finish with rest.
Himalayan foothills wellness retreat7 nights · from ₹3,10,000 per personCheck dates and price
