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View of snow-covered Himalayas from Basunti resort
Sunset at Basunti
Veranda of the main house
The yoga shala: where many a sun salute and child's pose will take place
Pool with lake in background
Morning mist at Basunti
Garden and pond
Just another one of the endlessly captivating views from Basunti
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Yoga instructor Sandi Boerum and guitarist Stu Newman are hosting an eight-day yoga retreat in India, at Basunti – a private lakeside resort, sitting at the heart of a wildlife sanctuary, surrounded by water, with commanding views of the Himalayan mountains.
Reserve by Feb 29, 2012 and receive 10% off:
$825 US - double occupancy
$1295 US - single occupancy
After Feb 29, 2012:
$916 US - double occupancy
$1439 US - single occupancy
What's Included:
- Seven nights accommodation
- Room with two beds and en-suite bath
- All gourmet meals
- Yoga and meditation
- Two days of excursions
- Pool and wireless internet
- Breathtaking sunsets and lake views
- Extensive grounds for hiking and birdwatching
What's Not Included:
- International and dometic airfare
- Transfers to/from Basunti
More:
Dining at Basunti is supervised by David Butterworth, a co-founder of Neal's Yard Bakery and Restaurant of London. He will be serving Indian village vegetarian cuisine with a number of European dishes. Much of the fruit and vegetables are grown organically in the garden. Fresh juices are made from the garden's fruit trees. Fresh bread and cakes are baked on site each day. Meals are served buffet style on the spacious verandas or in the lounge of the main house. Alcohol is available for purchase separately.
Throughout the week, live music will add to the yoga and dining experience as Stu finely blends his guitar with the sights and sounds of nature's surrounding symphony.
All yoga equipment (i.e., mats, blocks, blankets) will be provided. When not yoga-ing, there is hiking, birdwatching, canoeing, swimming, angling, napping, reading, tea-sipping, and luxuriating to be had.
Two days of excursions are included in the price of the retreat (the first one will be to the sunken temples at Bathu, and the second one will be to Mcleod Ganj, the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in exile). In addition, the hosts at Basunti will happily arrange for you other day excursions to a variety of destinations including ancient villages, shrines, monasteries, fortresses, temples, islands and markets.
Sample Itinerary:
All yoga, meditation, meals, and excursions mentioned below are included in the price, but of course, all are optional. In addition, you can hike the wildlife reserve and its paths, swim in the lake or pool, lounge about, or arrange an excursion of your own.
FRIDAY
- arrival
- sunset yoga to unwind
- dinner
SATURDAY
- breakfast, 8 - 10 AM
- yoga, 10:30 AM - 12 PM
- lunch, 12 - 2 PM
- yoga and meditation, 5 - 6 PM
- dinner, 7 - 9 PM
SUNDAY
- breakfast, 8 - 10 AM
- yoga, 10:30 AM - 12 PM
- lunch, 12 - 2 PM
- yoga and meditation, 5 - 6 PM
- dinner, 7 - 9 PM
MONDAY
- breakfast
- day excursion to sunken temples at Bathu, including lunch
- dinner
TUESDAY
- breakfast, 8 - 10 AM
- yoga, 10:30 AM - 12 PM
- lunch, 12 - 2 PM
- yoga and meditation, 5 - 6 PM
- dinner, 7 - 9 PM
WEDNESDAY
- breakfast
- day excursion, including lunch, to Mcleod Ganj, the home of
the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan
community in exile
- dinner
THURSDAY
- breakfast, 8 - 10 AM
- yoga, 10:30 AM - 12 PM
- lunch, 12 - 2 PM
- yoga and meditation, 5 - 6 PM
- dinner, 7 - 9 PM
FRIDAY
- breakfast
- group departure
Location and Getting There:
Far from city life, Basunti sits in the northwest corner of India, in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh. The nearest towns are Pathankot and Dharamsala. The nearest internal airport is in Dharamsala, approximately two-and-a-half hours from Basunti. There are daily 90-minute flights from Delhi via Kingfisher Airways to Dharamsala.
The nearest international airport is in Amritsar. It has direct flights from London and Toronto plus internal flights from Delhi and Mumbai. This route offers an opportunity to spend a night in Amritsar to visit its golden temple. Transfer to Basunti is approximately three hours.
By rail and road: Chakki Bank near Pathankot is the nearest rail station serviced by an overnight sleeper train from Delhi, leaving at 9 PM the night before and arriving at 7 AM the next day. Alternatively, there are day-time trains. The transfer from Chakki Bank to Basunti is 90 minutes. As an alternative rail connection, there is a five-hour express train between Delhi and Amritsar.
Weather:
Average temperature in October is 77 F (25 C), with little rainfall. The average low and high are 59 - 93 F (15 - 34 C).
Required U.S. Travel Documents:
Passport and visa.
Transfers:
Once your flights are arranged, the hosts at Basunti will arrange your transfers to/from the resort.
Since everyone will be arriving and departing on the same days, affordable ride shares can be coordinated. Current transfer rates are as follows:
1. $125 US for group of five persons from Amritsar to Basunti, in an air-conditioned jeep. So, if traveling with four others, rate would be $25 US each.
2. $117 US for group of five persons from Dharmasala to Basunti, which again is divided among passengers.
3. $109 US from Pathankot/Chakki Bank (connects to Delhi by train), which also can be shared among passengers.
Reservation Info:
Reserve by Feb 29, 2012 and receive 10% off.
Deposit:
A $200 US paypal deposit will reserve your space for a shared room. $250 US will reserve your space for a private room.
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Remaining payment to be made by Jul 31, 2012. No refunds after that date. (Basunti requires full payment for the yoga retreat two months in advance.)
Discount:
Full payment with 10% off ($825 US - double occupancy, $1295 US - single occupancy).
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Feel free to email me (sandi@yogigirl.com) with any questions.
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