Experience The Colors of Himalayas: immersion of culture, yoga & Nature

Experience the Colors of the Himalayas!
with Monika, Martin & Heidi

October 17th - 27th, 2024

Experience the white Himalayas, orange houses, and colourful prayer flags that make every day in Nepal a vibrant adventure. Don't miss out on this opportunity!

Explore the lively city of Kathmandu, the serene town
of Pokhara, and the gateway to the majestic Himalayas

Book a one-of-a-kind trip today!

Who will guide you on the way

Martin & Monika, team Leela :)
We were guiding people from the Swedish lapland snowy mountains on snowscooters and dog sleds, through sandy beaches in the Phillipines. We have been through jungles & mountains, you are in safe hands with us! We are implementing yoga practice in daily life - yoga of the mat :) 

Heidi Parviainen is a long term yoga practitioner and teacher. Heidi spent some years practicing with teachers like Patabi Jois, his grand son Sharat, and Petri Raisanen. Our paths crossed in Yogagurukula, and since then we somewhat travel togther. You will be able to experience her years of practice in yoga field, during the classes. 

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: October 17th

Your colourful vacation begins as you depart from Home, and arrive in Kathmandu! Get your first taste of Nepal's lively and vibrant capital city as we explore the bustling streets of the famous tourist district of Thamel.

Arrival in Kathmandu, check-in at a hostel owned by a local Nepali family. We'll gather at 5 pm to have an early dinner and an introduction to our upcoming trip.

Advice: Plan your arrival either in the evening of October 16th or the morning of October 17th :)
*If you arrive earlier and need an extra night in Kathmandu, let us know ahead of time, and we will arrange it for you!

Day 2: October 18th

Explore the oldest part of the city with a visit to Durbar Square, where history comes alive with its mixture of old woodcarving and brick architecture, colorful Nepalese clothing, and vibrant scenes. We will make our way through Thamel, passing pashmina and trekking shops, to the royal Durbar Square. Here, we'll meet holy men, cows, pigeons, and the only living goddess on our planet - Kumari.

After lunch, we will explore Thamel, a busy shopping area in Kathmandu, where you can find all the Nepali heritage crafts like Pashmina shawls, woolen sweaters from warm yak wool, Tibetan prayer flags, and many more.

In the evening, we will watch the sun setting from the Boudhanath Stupa while listening to the Buddhist chants from the surrounding temples. The massive mandala of Boudhanath Stupa makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal and the world!

Day 3: October 19th

We'll take an early morning flight to Pokhara.

After arrival, we will check in at our hotel, and after lunch, we will explore the lakeside. Here we will take a boat, have a cruise on Phewa Lake, and walk up the hill towards Shanti Stupa-World Peace Pagoda.

We will enjoy the sunset on the lake while sailing back to our side of the lake.

Day 4: October 20th

We'll wake up early to enjoy the sunrise with a panoramic view of the Himalayas. We'll take a ride to the Sarangkot lookout, 600 meters above the city. If the weather is good, we'll enjoy a perfect panorama of over 20 peaks from the Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Manaslu ranges. Among them, the most iconic peak, Mt. Fishtail (6,997m), is a major attraction considered holy by the local community.

After returning for breakfast, we will jump into a jeep, which will take us to Astam, SWARA retreat center, which will be our base for the next few days. We will have a delicious vegetarian lunch prepared from local ingredients and explore Astam area. 

After dinner, we will share some stories in the light of a campfire.

Day 5 - 7: October 21st - 23rd
Morning Yoga with Heidi & Breakfast.

Exploring Astam with its rice and millet fields and having a bath in the ice-cold Himalayan Seti River will end our peaceful stay in Astam.
Chanting classes and rest :) 

Day 8 – 9:  October 24^th – 25^th

After enjoying the sunrise and yoga practice with Heidi, we will have breakfast and set off for a 5-6-hour day hike.

That night, we will sleep over in Pothana, in one of the tea houses, to be even closer to all the peaks and get ready to wake up early to experience the deafening silence of the place. We will climb the viewpoint and watch as the sun magically floods the hills and valleys.

The next day, on the way down, we will stop for chai in one of the villages and try to reach Astam before lunch. We will rest, wait until dusk, and end the day with evening meditation in the shala.

Day 10: October 26th

After morning practice and breakfast, we will check out at SWARA and take the jeep back to Pokhara. We will have lunch there and head to the airport to take an afternoon flight back to Kathmandu.

In the evening, we will visit Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple sitting on the Bagmati River (Nepali Ganga), where we can attend Aarati Pooja. This extraordinary cultural experience takes place every evening at around 6:00 PM and lasts for about one and a half hours.

Aarati Pooja, often called the 'ceremony of light,' involves waving lighted wicks before the sacred images to infuse the flames with the Deities' love, energy, and blessings.

October 28th

It is time to say goodbye and head back to your exotic home destination!
You can book flights from early morning, as we will already be in Kathmandu, a 20-minute ride from the airport. We will arrange transport to the airport for you.

More details:

The price includes:

• Accommodation in double rooms in +3* hotels with breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Accommodation in double rooms in tourist guest houses on the trek with breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Flight tickets to and from Pokhara
• Rented private transports - from airports and transfers between cities and the retreat center
• Experienced guides
• Yoga, chanting and pranayama classes
• Itinerary "What to pack?"
• Assistance with flight tickets to Nepal (finding the best connections)
• Assistance with visa process
• 24/7 support throughout the trip
• Travel in a small group of a maximum of 10 people.

The price does not include:

• International ticket to Kathmandu
• Tourist Visa (30 €)
• Travel insurance
• Laundry fees
• Alcoholic beverages
  
  

Additional information:

If you want to book a single room for the whole duration of the trip, there is an additional charge of 150 € for the entire stay.

Price:

• Per person in a shared twin room: 1,600 €
• Per person in a single room: 1,750 €

Please note: The deadline for signing up is September 15th.

Cancellation:

We know it might feel too far off, but time is running faster than we expect.
As we know, things are always changing, and therefore we try to be as flexible as possible.

In case you will not be able to attend the trip after payment, here are the cancellation policies:

• Cancellation before September 15th: Full amount refunded.
• Cancellation from September 15th to September 31st: 50% of the price refunded.
• Cancellation after September 31st: No refund. By the end of January, all the rooms and flight tickets will be booked, so unfortunately, we cannot refund the amount.

This will be an immersion in Nepalese culture, yoga practice, and a profound experience of connecting with the grand forces of nature - the Himalayas!

Seize this opportunity to explore ancient Nepal with its gems! The number of participants is limited.

We will travel in a small group of MAX 10 people.

Make sure you book your spot before it's too late!

Looking forward to meeting you and exploring together!

SEE YOU IN NEPAL!

Monika & Martin, Heidi :)
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DISCOUNT AT LEELA SHOP FOR PARTICIPANTS

For all the participants we offer a 30 % discount on all products from our e-shop. You might find handy to travel with a light weight, foldable yoga rug which you will use for yoga classes.