Himalaya and Kerala Wellness Retreat: 12 Days of Forest Yoga at Binsar and Ayurveda at Kumarakom

Into the Kumaon hills

Fly into Delhi and begin the journey into the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand. The quickest options are a short flight to Pantnagar or the Shatabdi express to Kathgodam, about six hours from Delhi, followed by a winding drive up through pine forests and hill towns. You can also drive all the way from Delhi, a long day on the road.

From Kathgodam the road climbs quickly. You pass the lake town of Bhimtal or the bazaar at Bhowali, then follow the Kosi river valley, with terraced fields stepping down to the water and roadside stalls selling oranges, apples or plums in season. The air cools noticeably as you gain height, so keep a warm layer within reach.

Most guests find it worth treating the journey itself as the start of the unwinding: put the phone away, watch the hills and stop for tea at a roadside dhaba. Depending on your arrival time, you reach Binsar late in the evening or break the journey on the way, so that you never drive the final forest track in the dark.

• DayFlight, train or drive towards Kumaon
• AfternoonDrive up through the Kosi valley, with a tea stop
• EveningArrive at Binsar, or overnight on the way

OvernightBinsar, or on the way, depending on your arrival time.

Settle in at Binsar Forest Retreat

Binsar Forest Retreat is an off-grid, solar-powered homestay deep inside the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, at around 2,000 metres. The last stretch is by four-wheel drive along a forest track. Binsar was once a summer retreat of the Chand kings of Kumaon, and the sanctuary was created in 1988 to protect its oak and rhododendron forest.

The rest of the day is unscheduled. Settle in, sit on the terrace and let the sound of birdsong and wind replace whatever noise you arrived with. Take a short, gentle stroll near the house to get used to the altitude; most people feel slightly short of breath on slopes for the first day or two, so drink plenty of water and go slowly.

Evenings are cool for much of the year, and cold from December to February, so dress in layers. Meals are home-cooked Kumaoni and continental dishes, often with vegetables from local farms. Look out for local dishes such as bhatt ki churkani, a dark soybean stew, and rotis made from mandua, the finger millet grown on Kumaon's terraces.

• DaySettle in and rest
• AfternoonShort stroll near the retreat
• EveningHome-cooked Kumaoni dinner

OvernightBinsar Forest Retreat, inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

A forest walk to Zero Point

Take a guided morning walk through dense oak and rhododendron forest to Zero Point, Binsar's highest viewpoint. On clear days, especially from October to December, the view stretches across a 300-kilometre arc of Himalayan peaks, including Nanda Devi, Trishul and the Panchachuli. Set off early: the sky is usually clearest in the first hours after sunrise, and cloud often builds by midday.

The retreat's hosts often lead these walks themselves, sharing their knowledge of the forest's birds and wildlife, which include barking deer, langurs and leopards, although leopards are rarely seen. Binsar is home to more than 200 species of birds; listen for laughingthrushes in the undergrowth and look for red-billed blue magpies and Himalayan woodpeckers. The path is a steady climb on uneven ground, so wear proper walking shoes and carry water, a warm layer and binoculars.

The afternoon is free to read, nap or sit in the garden. In spring, from about March to April, the rhododendrons flower deep red across the hillsides.

• Early morningGuided forest walk to Zero Point
• Late morningHimalayan views and birdwatching
• AfternoonFree

OvernightBinsar Forest Retreat, inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Vedic yoga and a free day

Begin with a gentle Vedic yoga and meditation session in the forest, with breathing practice and chanting. The session is suitable for beginners: the teacher adapts the postures to each person, and the focus is on slow movement and steady breathing rather than flexibility. Wear loose, warm clothes, as mornings can be chilly.

The rest of the day is unscheduled: read, walk alone on the sanctuary's trails, or simply sit with the silence. There is no phone signal here by design, which most guests describe as a relief rather than an inconvenience. If you want a little structure, the retreat can suggest a shorter loop walk through the forest, or you can sit out with binoculars and a bird guide.

In the late afternoon, watch the light change on the snow peaks if the sky is clear; on good days they turn pink and gold just before sunset. After dark, with no towns nearby, the night sky is full of stars. Bring a torch for walking around the property, as power is limited and lighting is kept low.

• MorningVedic yoga and meditation
• DayFree; walks, reading or rest
• SunsetLight on the Himalayan peaks
• NightStargazing

OvernightBinsar Forest Retreat, inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Almora and the villages of Kumaon

Drive to Almora, the old hill capital of the Chand kings of Kumaon, built along a ridge with views of the snow peaks. Walk through its old bazaar, where some houses still have carved wooden fronts, past copper shops and small sweet shops, and visit the Nanda Devi temple. Try bal mithai, Almora's own sweet of browned milk fudge coated in tiny sugar balls.

Just outside the town, the Kasar Devi temple sits on a ridge above pine forest; Swami Vivekananda is said to have meditated here in 1890, and the views from the ridge are wide. Your driver can include it if the morning allows.

On the way back, walk through a Kumaoni village to see terraced fields, stone houses with slate roofs and traditional farming. If you would like a longer day, visit the Jageshwar temples, a cluster of more than a hundred stone shrines, many built between roughly the 9th and 13th centuries, in a deodar forest beside a stream. Jageshwar adds two to three hours, so let your driver know in the morning.

• MorningAlmora's old bazaar and the Nanda Devi temple
• Late morningOptional Kasar Devi temple
• AfternoonVillage walk; optional Jageshwar temples

OvernightBinsar Forest Retreat, inside Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Fly south to Kerala

Drive down to Pantnagar or Delhi for your flight south to Kochi, connecting via a major hub. It is a long travel day, so set off early and keep snacks, water and a warm layer for the drive, and something lighter for Kerala, which is warm and humid all year. Your driver times the descent to your flight, allowing for slow hill roads.

The contrast is part of the journey. You leave pine and oak forests and cool mountain air in the morning and land among coconut palms and green paddy fields on the other side of India by evening.

On arrival, transfer to Kumarakom on the shore of Vembanad Lake, about an hour and a half to two hours by road, where the second half of the journey begins. Kumarakom Lake Resort is built from traditional Kerala homesteads, reconstructed among canals and coconut palms. After the long day, have a light dinner and an early night; the Ayurvedic programme starts tomorrow, and you will get more from it rested.

• MorningDrive down from Binsar
• DayFlights to Kochi
• EveningArrive at Kumarakom; light dinner

OvernightKumarakom, 6 nights, at Kumarakom Lake Resort.

Ayurvedic consultation

Meet the resort's Ayurvedic physician for a consultation. Based on your constitution, or dosha, and your health and lifestyle, the doctor shapes a plan of treatments, diet and rest for your stay. Expect questions about sleep, digestion, energy, stress and any medical history, and a check of your pulse. Bring a list of any medicines you take, and be open about your goals, whether that is rest, better sleep or easing stiff joints.

Your first treatment follows in the afternoon, perhaps abhyanga, a full-body massage with warm herbal oils applied in long, rhythmic strokes, often followed by a short herbal steam. Afterwards you are usually advised to rest, avoid cold drinks and bathe in warm water.

Meals from now on are light and simple, built around rice, vegetables, lentils and gently spiced Kerala dishes. Then rest by the lake as the light fades over Vembanad and the evening birds fly in to roost.

• MorningConsultation with the Ayurvedic physician
• AfternoonFirst treatment
• EveningRest by the lake

OvernightKumarakom Lake Resort, on Vembanad Lake.

Treatment and a village walk

Begin with yoga by the lake at sunrise, when the water is calm and the air is at its coolest. The sessions are gentle and suited to all levels, with breathing exercises to finish.

The morning is given to your personalised Ayurvedic treatment. Depending on your plan, it may include abhyanga oil massage, shirodhara, in which a steady stream of warm oil is poured across the forehead, or a treatment with warm herbal poultices pressed over the body. Rest afterwards and keep the day unhurried.

In the late afternoon, take an optional walk through the surrounding paddy fields and coconut groves to see village life along the lake: toddy tappers climbing palms, women weaving coir rope from coconut fibre and fishermen mending nets. The paths are flat and the pace is easy. Wear light, covering clothes and insect repellent, and ask before photographing people. Back at the resort, dinner is a light Kerala meal matched to your diet.

• SunriseYoga by the lake
• MorningTreatment
• Late afternoonOptional village walk
• EveningLight Kerala dinner

OvernightKumarakom Lake Resort, on Vembanad Lake.

The bird sanctuary and treatment

Take a morning boat ride to the nearby Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, a patch of mangroves and wetland on the shore of Vembanad Lake where cormorants, darters, herons, egrets and kingfishers nest, joined by migratory storks and waders in winter. Early morning is the best time, when the birds are most active and the light is soft. A naturalist or local guide helps with identification; bring binoculars if you have them, and wear long, light sleeves against mosquitoes.

The paths through the sanctuary are flat and shaded, and the walk is gentle. Move quietly and you may also see monitor lizards on the banks or otters in the water.

Return to the resort for lunch and an afternoon treatment session, then rest. Your physician may suggest a treatment such as udvartana, a brisk massage with herbal powders, or a herbal steam, depending on how your body is responding. The evening is free by the lake.

• MorningBoat ride to the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
• AfternoonTreatment
• EveningFree by the lake

OvernightKumarakom Lake Resort, on Vembanad Lake.

A houseboat cruise and treatment

Board a traditional kettuvallam houseboat for a half-day cruise through the backwaters. These long, curved boats of wood and coir once carried rice and spices along the canals; today they move slowly enough for you to watch life on the banks. Lunch of Kerala fish curry, vegetables and rice is served on board as you drift past palm-lined canals and paddy fields that lie below the level of the water.

From the deck you see the backwaters at work: children rowing to school, women washing at stone steps, ducks herded along the canals and small churches and temples on the banks. Sit at the front of the boat for the best views, and bring a hat and sunscreen, as the sun on the water is strong around midday.

In the evening, return for a final extended treatment session, often a longer combination of the therapies you have had so far. Your physician may suggest pizhichil, a soothing treatment in which warm oil is poured over the body while two therapists massage in rhythm.

• MorningHouseboat cruise with lunch on board
• AfternoonRest
• EveningExtended treatment

OvernightKumarakom Lake Resort, on Vembanad Lake.

Closing consultation and a free day

A closing consultation with your Ayurvedic physician gives you guidance on diet, routine and practices to continue at home. Ask for it in writing. Typical advice covers when to eat your main meal, which foods to favour or avoid for your constitution, a simple daily routine of rising early, gentle exercise and self-massage with oil, and how to ease back into ordinary life without undoing the work of the week. Any herbal preparations you are advised to take home should come with clear labels and instructions.

The rest of the day is free by the lake. Take a last slow walk along the canals, swim in the pool or sit in the shade with a book. If you would like to buy Kerala spices, tea or coir crafts, your driver can take you to nearby shops, but there is no need to leave the resort at all.

Watch the sunset from the infinity pool or from a canoe on the canals, as the herons fly home and the water turns gold.

• MorningClosing consultation
• DayFree by the lake
• SunsetPool or canoe on the canals

OvernightKumarakom Lake Resort, on Vembanad Lake.

Fly home from Kochi

After a last breakfast by the lake, transfer to Cochin International Airport, about an hour and a half to two hours away, for your departing flight. Kochi has direct flights to the Gulf, Singapore and major Indian cities for international connections. Pack any herbal oils or liquid medicines in your checked luggage, as liquids over 100 ml are not allowed in hand luggage, and keep your physician's written advice with you. On the way home, keep up the simple habits of the last twelve days: drink plenty of water, eat lightly and take a few minutes of quiet breathing.

• DepartureTransfer to Kochi airport