Bodhidham
Home Stay Yoga Retreat

Home Stay Yoga Retreat

Duration2N/3D
Group capSmall group
IncludedAll-inclusive
Overview

Home Stay Yoga Retreat — 2 Nights / 3 Days

An authentic cultural home stay experience in the village of Ghachowk, combining yoga and meditation practice with immersion in Nepali mountain village life, local cuisine, and cultural exchange.

The Home Stay Yoga Retreat is a distinctive program that places participants in the home of a local Ghachowk family for two nights, providing an intimate window into Nepali mountain culture and daily village life. Mornings begin with yoga and meditation at the Bodhidham ashram, followed by home-cooked Nepali meals with the host family, village walks, visits to local farms and temples, and evenings of cultural exchange — stories, songs, and traditions shared around the family hearth. This program is ideal for travellers who want not just a yoga retreat but a genuine cultural encounter that connects them with the warmth of the Nepali people.

Why you will love this retreat?

  • A real village homestay.

  • Sunrise yoga and evening guided meditation, suitable for all levels

  • Home-cooked, local organic vegetarian meals

  • Village walks, short hikes, and time with the family who host you

  • Evenings of shared singing, dancing, and conversation with the hosts

  • A short, easygoing trip, ideal as a first taste of rural Nepal

  • Private jeep transport from Pokhara and back, and everything included in one price

Retreat Overview

The 3 day Mountain Home Stay Yoga Retreat is Bodhidham's village homestay experience, and it is different from the ashram retreats. Instead of staying at the ashram, you travel by jeep to a mountain village near Pokhara and stay in a local family's home, sharing their food and daily life.

The retreat pairs this with a simple practice: sunrise yoga, evening guided meditation, walks and short hikes in the hills, and unhurried time with your hosts. Meals are home-cooked, local, and vegetarian, and evenings are spent informally with the family, often with singing, dancing, and conversation.

It is a short, gentle trip, three days and two nights, and suits all levels, including beginners. It is best for anyone who wants a genuine, friendly taste of rural Nepali life and culture alongside their yoga, rather than a structured ashram programme.

What the retreat includes:

  • A village homestay. Two nights in a local family's home in a mountain village, sharing their daily life.
  • Sunrise yoga. Morning yoga sessions, including one with mountain views, suitable for all levels.
  • Guided meditation. Calm evening meditation.
  • Village life and culture. Walks through the village, meeting local people, and learning about the way of life.
  • Hiking. A short hike in the surrounding hills and forest.
  • Evenings with your hosts. Informal evenings of singing, dancing, storytelling, and conversation.
Ready to step out of the noise?

Reserve your seat at Bodhidham.

TripAdvisor4.9 ★ from 140+ students

Reviews from our students

★★★★★Google · Verified
Bodhidham is a truly special place. I joined the 200-hour YTT and it was the best decision of my life. Swami Ananda is an extraordinary teacher — knowledgeable, kind, and deeply committed to authentic yoga. The ashram environment, the organic food, the mountain views... everything was perfect. I left with skills, confidence, and a profound inner shift. Highly recommend to anyone serious about yoga.
CT
Christina TreiberGermanyYoga Teacher Training
★★★★★Google · Verified
Attended the Silent Meditation Retreat and it exceeded all expectations. The silence was challenging at first but became deeply nourishing. The structure was perfect — yoga, meditation, philosophy, walks in nature. Swami Ananda's dharma talks were the highlight. I have attended many retreats in India and Europe and Bodhidham stands out for authenticity, warmth, and the incredible natural setting.
JB
Jogi BishwanathNepalYoga Retreats
★★★★★Google · Verified
The 100-hour YTT at Bodhidham was an incredible experience. Despite being shorter than a full 200-hour program, the depth of teaching was remarkable. I learned more about real yoga in 11 days at Bodhidham than in years of studio classes back home. The environment — the village, the mountains, the organic farm, the community — creates the perfect conditions for deep learning. Already planning to return for the 200-hour.
BC
Binaya ChaurasiyaNepalYoga Treks
★★★★★Google · Verified
Bodhidham exceeded all my expectations. The Yoga Trek was an incredible combination of physical challenge, natural beauty, and deep inner practice. Doing yoga at sunrise on Poon Hill with the Annapurna range in front of you is an experience that defies description. The guide was expert and the daily yoga sessions were adapted perfectly to our physical state after trekking. Absolutely magical.
BM
Blue MarinaItalyWellness & Healing
★★★★★Google · Verified
I came in thinking mantra was a bit esoteric. By day four I was chanting on the bus back to the airport. The most practical meditation tool I've ever been given.
ML
Marion LeclercLyon · March 2025Mantra & meditation retreat
★★★★★Google · Verified
I spent 3 weeks doing the 200hr YTT at Bodhidham and it was truly life-changing. The teaching is authentic and deep — not just postures but the full philosophical and spiritual dimension of yoga. The location in Ghachowk is stunning. Waking up every morning to Himalayan views and birdsong sets the perfect tone for practice. The food is delicious and healing. I returned home a different person.
MM
Manvi MishraIndiaYoga Teacher Training
★★★★★Google · Verified
Best retreat experience I've had. The ashram has a beautiful family atmosphere. Teachers are genuinely experienced and caring. The food is outstanding — all organic, freshly prepared, and absolutely delicious. The mountain views are unreal. I came for a 7-day retreat and extended by another week because I didn't want to leave. Will definitely return.
PB
Prakash BhusalNepalYoga Retreats
★★★★★Google · Verified
I came to Bodhidham for the singing bowl and sound healing course and it was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. The instructor's knowledge is encyclopedic — history, technique, therapeutic application, the spiritual dimension. The sessions in the ashram garden at dusk with the Himalayan backdrop were genuinely magical. I left with a professional-level skill and a beautiful Nepali hand-hammered bowl. Unforgettable.
BR
Benoit RidardFranceYoga Treks
★★★★★Google · Verified
I attended the Detox Yoga Retreat and felt genuinely renewed by the end of the 7 days. The Ayurvedic diet, the daily yoga and pranayama, the kriyas, the mountain walks — it all worked together seamlessly to produce a sense of lightness and clarity I haven't felt in years. The teachers are knowledgeable, caring, and genuinely invested in each participant's wellbeing. The ashram is beautiful and peaceful. Highly recommend.
LV
Liz VKDBelgiumWellness & Healing
★★★★★TripAdvisor · Verified
I'd tried Vipassana once and struggled. Mantra gave me something for the mind to do — the first time concentration felt accessible rather than a test I was failing.
KT
Kei TanakaTokyo · September 2025Mantra & meditation retreat
★★★★★BookYogaRetreats · Verified
The two nights of silence landed me somewhere I haven't been since childhood. Not mystical — just genuinely quiet. Came home unable to small-talk for a week.
SA
Sofia AlvarezBarcelona · January 2026Mantra & meditation retreat
★★★★★Google · Verified
This is the real thing. Not a yoga resort or a wellness hotel, but a genuine ashram with genuine teachers in a genuinely beautiful natural setting. The 300-hour advanced YTT was rigorous, comprehensive, and transformative. Swami Ananda and the team pushed us hard and supported us completely. I left as a significantly more capable and confident teacher. Best professional development investment I have ever made.
JV
Joy Victoria WagnerUSA
Pricing & what’s included

Everything in. Nothing hidden.

Every plan includes sessions, sattvic meals, accommodation and free Pokhara pickup. Pick the room that fits you.

Available start datesYear-round, weekly start
Shared / Couple

Sharing room

245per person
  • Best for couples & solo travellers
  • Twin beds, shared bath
Reserve sharing →
Single

Private room

280per person
  • Quiet, south-facing rooms
  • Private bath, hot water
Reserve private →
Group booking
Contact usfor a custom quote
  • Special group discounts
  • Flexible dates & rooms
WhatsApp us →

All-inclusive of stay, three sattvic meals, every session and free pickup from Pokhara airport or bus park. 20% deposit confirms your seat.

Cost includes & excludes

6 included·5 excluded

Included in your fee

  • Two nights homestay accommodation in a village family's home (sharing basis)
  • All home-cooked local vegetarian meals
  • Sunrise yoga and guided meditation sessions
  • Guided village walks and a short hike
  • Cultural activities and evenings with the host family
  • Private jeep transport from Pokhara to the village and back

Not included

  • International and domestic flights
  • Nepal visa
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips for host family (optional but appreciated)
The teaching team

Taught by 3 Yogis

  • Swami
    SwamiFounder & Spiritual Head
  • Deepika
    DeepikaYoga & Anatomy Teacher
  • Ratheesh
    RatheeshGuest Yoga Teacher
Why Bodhidham

Why choose Bodhidham?

  • i.Traditional lineage-based teaching from experienced yogis
  • ii.Family Environment
  • iii.Organic food grown on a local farm.
  • iv.Away from the city. At the height of 1320 m, Ghachowk Village.
  • v.Pollution-Free Location, Best AQI.
  • vi.In a lap of the holy mountain, Machhapuchhre.
Bank details & booking

How to reserve your seat.

To confirm your booking, a 20% advance of the total program fee is required. The remaining 80% is due on arrival, before the program begins.

Bank transfer

Primary account (EUR/USD)
Bank
Nepal bank — details shared on enquiry
Account name
Bodhidham Yoga School and Spiritual Retreat
Account number
Provided on booking confirmation
SWIFT
Provided on booking confirmation
Branch
Pokhara, Nepal

Exact bank details are shared by WhatsApp/email once your dates are confirmed.

Before you book

Frequently asked

How is this different from a retreat at the ashram?

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This retreat is a village homestay, not a stay at the ashram. You travel out by jeep and stay in a local family's home, eat their home-cooked food, and join their daily life. The other retreats are residential programmes on the ashram grounds. This one trades a structured schedule for a genuine, friendly experience of rural Nepali village life, with yoga and meditation built around it.

Do I need yoga experience to join?

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No. This is a short, gentle retreat open to all levels, including complete beginners. The sunrise yoga and evening meditation are guided and relaxed, so you do not need any prior practice. The focus here is as much on the village experience as on the yoga itself.

What is the accommodation actually like?

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You stay in a local family's home on a sharing basis. The rooms are simple and clean, and the facilities are basic and traditional, in keeping with village life. This is part of what makes the retreat genuine, so come expecting a real family home rather than hotel-style comfort. If you would like more comfort and privacy, our ashram retreats are a better fit.

What is the food like, and can dietary needs be met?

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Meals are home-cooked by your host family, entirely vegetarian, and made with local, mostly homegrown ingredients. It is simple, authentic village food. If you have specific dietary needs or restrictions, tell us when you book so we can arrange them with the family in advance, rather than expecting changes on the spot.

Where is the village, and how do I get there?

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The retreat is in a mountain village near Pokhara, reached by a private jeep that is included in the price, around a 1.5 hour drive each way. We arrange the transport and the homestay, so you do not need to organise anything yourself.
Our kitchen

Three sattvic meals, mostly from the farm.

All meals at Bodhidham are organic, freshly prepared and vegetarian, following Sattvic (yogic) dietary principles. Breakfast includes oats, fruits and herbal teas. Lunch is the main meal, dal bhat with seasonal vegetables.

Dinner is lighter with soups, bread or rice with vegetables. Special dietary requirements (vegan, gluten-free, allergies) can be accommodated with advance notice.

  • Herbal Tea: Provided With Each Meal.
  • Source: Mostly own organic farm
  • Meals: Three a day, included
  • Special diets: Vegan & gluten-free on request
Three sattvic meals,Three sattvic meals,Three sattvic meals,Three sattvic meals,
Around Bodhidham

Ashram premises and Accommodation Yoga Ashram

We offer you both private and twin sharing rooms by allowing you to choose what best suits for your comfort and budget. Guided by the principle that cleanliness is next to godliness, our rooms are kept clean, simple, and comfortable with all basic amenities provided.

  • Hot Water: 24/7 hot water is available in the bathrooms.
  • Beds: Bedsheets and towels are changed regularly.
  • Toiletreies: Basic toiletries are provided by the Ashram.
  • Room: Rooms are cleaned routinely to maintain a peaceful and hygienic living space.
Ashram premises and AccommodationAshram premises and AccommodationAshram premises and Accommodation
Know before you arrive

The practical side of it.

A few honest notes before you book. Most students fly into Kathmandu and either fly or bus to Pokhara, and we collect you from the airport or the bus park, free.

Visa

Visa on arrival at Kathmandu (Tribhuvan) for 80+ nationalities. USD 30 (15 days) / 50 (30 days) / 125 (90 days). Bring 2 passport photos and USD cash.

Best season

September to November and February to May are the clearest. Monsoon (June to August) is quieter and often better priced. We run year-round.

What to bring

Modest yoga clothes, warm layer (mornings are cool), refillable water bottle, journal. Mat, blanket and bolster are provided.

Health

No mandatory vaccines. If on prescription medication, bring a supply. Pokhara has good clinics; we are 20 minutes from the city hospital.