ॐ Pilgrimage Treks & Retreats
Far West Wilderness Retreat
Far West Nepal is the hidden gem of the Himalayas, a remote wilderness that's notoriously challenging to reach, making it a silent and untouched paradise, free from tourism and the established trekking routes of more popular areas of Nepal.
This trip is for people seeking silence and a moment away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. We'll visit sacred natural places and practice meditation and yoga in the Himalayan foothills.
Whether you're completely new to yoga and meditation or an advanced practitioner, this trip will transform your relationship to yourself, encouraging you to embrace the present moment and healing old pains and melting away stress.
There's a reason why the yogis of ancient times came here, this is a special place far from modern civilsation that will not only take your breath away with its beauty, but activate deep changes within.
The Gateway to Mount Kailash
This part of Nepal is touched by the Indian and Tibetan borders and is the gateway to Mount Kailash, the most sacred of all Hindu pilgrimage sites, and the home of Lord Shiva.
Because of the famous pilgrimage route to Mount Kailash, the foothills of the far west are steeped in the history and mysticism of Nath Yogis and Shaktipeeths (places with powerful Goddess energy).
The energy of this place lends itself to meditation and the astounding silence and vast beauty produces a stirring in the heart of everyone who visits.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Remote wilderness landscapes & off-the-beaten-track trails
- Silent meditation & natural vipassana environment
- Khaptad Baba hermitage & penance ground
- Ayurvedic, plants, herbs & mushrooms
- Rare birds, wildlife & endangered species
- On the route to the holy Mount Kailash
- Views of the far west Api Himalaya Range
- Tiny temples, sacred lakes & pilgrimages
- Unexplored ancient woodlands
- Daily yoga, meditation and teachings on scriptures & dharma
Live in the yogic discipline
Each day we will rise early and practice our yogic Nitya Karma practices, meditate and align ourselves with the ancient methods of traditional Hatha Yoga, designed to increase our flow of Kundalini energy.
We will enjoy hearty, organic, vegetarian meals made according to the Dharmic rule of Ahimsa (non-violence), and try rare Himalayan herbs and flower essences to aid our digestion, focus and mood.
Throughout the journey, we will either trek on foot, just as the pilgrims did, or travel by vehicle, depending on your ability and interest. We will visit a variety of different spiritual and religious locations including temples, holy lakes and rivers, mountains and forests, as mentioned in the scriptures of Sanatana Dharma.
Hi I'm Kave and I'll be sharing my knowledge of the yogic tradition, Sanatana Dharma Hindu mythology and the many wonders of my country, Nepal.
Rare Birds and Abundant Wildlife
Since there are less people here, the wildlife in the Far West of Nepal is abundant and easily visible.
Animal lovers will be thrilled to see red pandas, leopards, musk deer and the endangered pangolin, langur monkeys, yellow throated martens, wild dogs and many others.
This area is often on the bucket list of birdwatchers, since various types of rare Himalayan birds can be spotted, the brightly coloured Dhanfe and the regal Himalayan Monal are just two of the species found on the trails of the far west.
Khaptad Baba & Medicinal Plants
The legendary Khaptad Baba's hermitage is here, located inside the national park that he worked for half a century to protect. Khaptad Baba, also known as Swami Sachchidananda, was a celebrated saint, remembered for his contributions to yoga, botany and plant medicine.
After walking thousands of kilometres across the Himalayan pilgrimage trails, Khaptad Baba chose this area as his penance ground. It was here in this vast and poetic landscape that he attained self-realisation, became a renowned healer and wrote several books on the science of thought and plant medicine.
The far west of Nepal is known for its rare medicinal herbs and plants and is home to more than 135 species of flowers, more than 200 species of medicinal herbs and rare herbs and minerals like Yarsagumba and Shilajit, both of which are treasured remedies and life elixirs in local folk medicine and ancient Ayurveda.
A Cultural Land Before Time
Culturally, the far west is notoriously dazzling and the ancient Nepali culture can still be seen and experienced in this region, blowing the mind of every person who visits. People here live colourfully but slowly, with the land, something we can all learn in our fast-paced modern lifestyles.
Worshipping nature is the oldest tradition in the world and when you visit this area, you can experience the energy of nature, the Great Spirit in the heart of the local indigenous people here.
The rivers and holy mountains are sacred here, and the lakes are a place of spiritual gatherings, a way to worship as well as connecting thousands of different people from the tiny remote villages dotted across the landscape.
Romance, Poetry and Presence
Through the dense mossy forests of ancient oak, sal, teak and rosewood, the yogic trails pass through the deepest wild jungles and highest ridges with views of Mount Api, Saipal, Jethi Bahurani, Bobaye and Gurans Himalayas catching our attention and bringing a presence to each moment that just can't be found back home.
This area is known for its astounding beauty which has been referenced in poetry and even Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were said to have spent their honeymoon here, frolicking on the banks of sacred lakes and basking in the beauty of their eternal love story.
Many ancient yogis believe that Goddess Parvati used to perform meditation in these mountains of the far west, the silence in the air is itself enough to take us into a meditative trance state – no wonder it's named by locals as the land of the goddess.
Find out more about my values for pilgrimages on the FAQ page here.