ॐ · Kerala · India
Ayurveda Retreats · Yoga · MeditationAyurveda retreat in Kerala, where it never stopped being practiced
Kerala is one of the great cradles of Ayurvedic tradition and the place where it remains everyday medicine. We design your Ayurveda retreat with the center's doctor, according to your constitution and your current situation.
We also organize personalized retreats in Spain.
Ayurveda did not change its name. It changed continents.
In Kerala, Ayurveda never stopped. It's still what people do when they have back pain or can't sleep, with public hospitals and doctors with university degrees.
In 2022, the World Health Organization opened its first Global Center for Traditional Medicine in India to study, using scientific methods, what these traditions have practiced for centuries. It's not an endorsement of results, but it is a sign.
There's one word that sums it up: Karkidakam.
It is the last month of the Malayalam calendar and coincides with the monsoon: the traditional season of rejuvenation. The pace slows, and people eat medicinal porridge—the karkidaka kanji—and many families get their treatment annually. It's not a product for travelers: it's what's done in homes.
We organize the trip. Kerala provides the medicine.
Yoga · Ayurveda · Dhyana, the complete path to well-being
Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation are not three separate activities. In Kerala, they are practiced together and in this order.
Ayurveda, the science of life
On the first day, the doctor sees you: observation, pulse, history, and prakriti, Your constitution. Oils, therapies, food, and herbs are adjusted to what the doctor finds, not to what you have reserved.
Yoga, at dawn
Sessions with teachers trained in India, in small groups. More active at dawn; restorative at dusk. With pranayama integrated.
Dhyana, the return to silence
Guided meditation at dawn and dusk, and sessions where the root texts are read: the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita. Silence is not imposed: it appears on its own.
We choose where Ayurveda is still medicine
We don't list names here because there isn't just one. Depending on your needs, the season, and availability, the retreat will be held at one center or another. The choice is made with you.
Official classification of the Kerala Government
The Department of Tourism classifies Ayurvedic centers and conducts unannounced inspections. The category is now called Ayur Diamond, Ayur Gold House or Ayur Silver —formerly Green Leaf and Olive Leaf—, is issued by the Director of Tourism himself and expires after three years.
Doctor with a BAMS qualification
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery: a five-and-a-half-year degree with a one-year internship, regulated by the Government of India. Therapies are performed under their supervision.
Therapists of your own sex
Women are treated by female therapists, and men by male therapists, trained in institutions recognized by the Government. If you're traveling alone, this is probably the most important piece of information on this entire page.
Diagnosis before treatment
The plan is written after they see you. If a center gives you a closed program before getting to know you, it's not fulfilling its obligations.
What's included and what not
- Consultation with the Ayurvedic doctor and follow-up during your stay.
- Daily therapies as the doctor prescribes.
- Accommodation and full board with Ayurvedic cuisine.
- Yoga and meditation.
- Airport transfer.
- A written plan for home upon completion.
- The flights. We can find them for you, or you can buy them yourself.
- The visa. We'll help you process it.
- Travel insurance. We don't include it, but we do recommend it.
- In-person support. If you want someone to go, it's hired separately.
- Excursions and anything outside the program.
Three ways to experience a Ayurveda retreat in Kerala
Duration isn't a matter of scheduling: it determines how far the treatment can go. Choose your depth, not your destination.
First immersion
A week to break with routine and receive the first therapies. Enough to notice the change of pace; not for a complete purification.
Program Panchakarma
The Panchakarma are five purification procedures described in the classical texts. Not all five are applied to everyone: the doctor indicates which ones apply to your case. Two weeks is the minimum to do it with its preparation and recovery phases.
Immersion long
Three weeks for those seeking a profound change. It includes purification and, when indicated by a doctor, a subsequent phase of Rasayana. With time to explore Kerala.
No departure dates or groups to fill. This is how Ayurveda has always been practiced: a person, a doctor, a treatment.
The dinacharya
The retreat is organized around the dinacharya, the daily Ayurvedic routine: fixed schedules, a day that starts early, nothing improvised.
Your complete program is sent to you in writing before you travel. Nobody arrives without knowing what they're signing up for.
It's not a passive trip. And that's why it stays with you.
What you're left with
Dawn breaks early and you can hear it before you can see it: birds, the sea if the center is on the coast.
You smell the warm oil before entering the room. Then it smells of you for hours.
During monsoon it really rains. Suddenly, for hours, and afterwards everything is green, bright, and smells of earth.
And at some point something curious happens: You stop looking at the time. Not because they ask you to. It simply stops being necessary.
India is frightening. Kerala, less than you think
For many people it's their first solo trip, and what's most frightening isn't the retreat: it's the journey there.
We settle the dates and the program, and send you a guide with everything you need to know.
You go with everything booked and with the name and phone number of the person who will be waiting for you when you arrive.
Someone from the center will pick you up. You don't need to arrange your own transportation.
You have the doctor and the center's team available every day. And if something unexpected comes up, you can call us.
Kerala is one of India's most peaceful states and has been receiving people for decades who come here for exactly this.
What usually wonder
How much does it cost?
It depends on the dates and the program. Write to us and we'll send you a written quote.
How long does an Ayurveda retreat in Kerala last?
From seven to twenty-one nights. If you've never done anything like this before, seven nights. If you already know about Ayurveda or are coming with a specific goal, fourteen.
Do I need to know yoga or follow a specific diet?
No. Classes are adapted to your level, including having no level at all. The food is prepared by the center according to Ayurvedic principles, and if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions, please let us know beforehand.
Are you traveling with me?
No. We organize the retreat, arrange your trip, and pick you up at the airport upon arrival. During the retreat, you're under the center's care, and we're available by phone. If you'd like someone to accompany you in person, that's a separate service that you can book separately.
What if I have a medical condition?
Consult your doctor before booking and let us know: some therapies are not recommended in certain situations. If your doctor advises against it, we won't charge you for our services.
Is there anything similar without going to India?
Yes. We also organize personalized retreats in Spain, shorter and without flights. They're not the same, but they work well for a first introduction or for those who can't go away for three weeks.
What documentation do I need?
Passport valid for at least six months and an Indian electronic visa. We'll explain how to apply.
What is the best time?
All year round. Tradition marks the monsoon season—June to August, the month of Karkidakam—as the time of rejuvenation, and it is when Kerala itself is revitalized. From November to February, the weather is more comfortable for travel.
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