JOURNEY TO THE HEART
A BEACH RETREAT IN GOA
WITH CHIARA AND SARA
9th – 16th MARCH 2025
Join Chiara and Sara for a week of yoga, qigong and meditation at the blissful Nalanda Retreat Centre in Mandrem, North Goa.
The retreat has been planned to be nourishing and restorative, with two daily classes and plenty of free time for you to chill by the pool or on the beach, explore the local area or have a holistic treatment. This time of the year, in correspondence with the spring Equinox, is perfect to gently awaken your body, refresh your mind, set new intentions and connect with nature in the motherland of yoga.
Nalanda is set amidst lush, tropical gardens, at walking distance from the beach. All rooms come with a private bathroom, balcony, comfortable beds, spacious cupboards, fresh linen, air conditioning and ceiling fan. Delicious breakfasts and tasty dinners will be served at the beachfront in-house restaurant. All meals are prepared with healthy, organic ingredients.Nalanda’s spa offers a wide range of treatments and therapies, if you fancy some extra pampering and relaxation. You could also join a variety of activities such as Kirtan, Indian music, beach fire and rituals, and boat trips (not included in the price).
WHAT’S INCLUDED
• Welcome drink
• 2 daily classes (averaging 2-3 hours per day)
• 1 hour ayurvedic massage treatment
• 7 nights accommodation
• Bed linen, bath towels, hand soap and housekeeping services
• Two buffet meals, breakfast and dinner
• Filtered drinking water and hot drinks, including lemon ginger and chai available all day long
• Full use of the resort amenities, including two swimming pools, relaxation areas, gardens, and private beach access with sun loungers
• Wi-Fi in rooms and public area
• Pool towels
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
• Flights
• Airport transfers / taxis
• Travel insurance
• Workshops / Treatments / Excursions
• Laundry service
• Beach towels
ACCOMMODATION AND PRICES
Early bird offer, book by 1st September 2024 and save!
INLAND STANDARD ROOM
Inland standard rooms are situated on the banks of Mandrem River amongst the swaying palms, just 200m away from the golden sands of the beach. The Inland building has its own private pool set on the beautifully landscaped part of the resort and gives you an incredible view of the evergreen hills. All our standard rooms come with a comfortable bed, private bathroom, storage cupboard, fan, and air conditioning.
Double Occupancy £1,040 (£990 early bird) per person. Twin/double available. Bring a friend.
Single Occupancy £1,300 (£1,250 early bird)
POOL VIEW CHAKRA ROOM
The Pool View Chakra Rooms are tastefully adorned in colours and artefacts that will give you a sense of Rajasthani Royalty. With warm interiors of vibrant Indian colours, these rooms showcase Indian craftsmanship in the details of its carpentry work and rich fabrics, offering its guests a world of comfort, hospitality and a taste of luxury. The elegant suites come with a sitting room in addition to the comfortable bedroom and ensuite bathroom. They include a private outdoor seating area with a garden or a pool view serving as an inviting reading corner.
Double Occupancy £1,300 (£1,250 early bird) per person. Twin/double available. Bring a friend.
Single Occupancy £1,750 (£1,700 early bird)
DAILY SCHEDULE (subject to change)
07:30 Wake up – Silent morning until 08.30
07:45 Pre-yoga tea/coffee
08:00-08:30 Time for journalling, meditation, walking, reading and reflection
08:30-09:45 Morning Qigong/Yoga (Flow, Hatha, Mandala)
09:45-11:00: Buffet Breakfast
11:00-17:30pm Free time (beach, treatments, activities, chill)
17:30-18:45pm Evening Qigong/Yoga (Yin, Nidra)
19:00-20:30 Buffet Dinner
PLEASE NOTE: Check in from 2pm, Check out 10am
A tourist visa is required to travel to India. Details can be found here
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/
No yoga on arrival and departure day, there will be introductions and opening and closing circles
BOOKING POLICY AND CANCELLATIONS
To secure your spot, you just need to pay a 30% deposit of the full price. The deposit is non-refundable. The balance is due by 9th December 2024. We will send a reminder closer to the time.
Please let us know as soon as possible if something comes up and you cannot attend our retreat. We always endeavour to treat cancellations fairly and sympathetically, but as spaces are limited the following applies:
We’ll refund you the full amount you’ve paid minus the deposit (30% of the room selection) if you cancel 90 days BEFORE the start of the retreat. If you cancel WITHIN 90 days of the retreat, no refund will be issued. However, if you find a replacement for the vacancy created by your cancellation, your space is transferrable and you can arrange for someone else to come in your place, within 30 days.
If the retreat must be cancelled due to government policies regarding COVID19 or any other force majeure, we will do our best to reschedule the retreat. You will have the option to 1) ask your travel insurance to reimburse your deposit or 2) apply your deposit towards the new dates for the retreat or a future retreat.
It is your responsibility to inform us of any health issues and to always practice with care. We accept no liability for any loss, damage, injury or illness obtained during your retreat, training, workshop or any other class sessions with us, or for travel costs to or from the venue. We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance.
Please note that a tourist visa is required to travel to India. Details can be found here:
YOUR TEACHERS
Chiara Donati
Chiara has been a devoted student of yoga and meditation since the late 90s. She was first drawn to the mat by Ashtanga and strong dynamic flows and later fell in love with the stillness and meditative qualities of practices such as Yin and Nidra. Her teaching style is friendly and relaxed. She fosters a safe and grounding environment where her students can feel welcome and at ease. Ultimately her aim is for people to feel good and inspire them to cultivate a balanced yoga practice. She is a big advocate for Mindfulness and encourages her students to explore both body and mind with breath and awareness. Chiara offers regular community classes and volunteers weekly. She works with homeless girls, the elderly and women from ethnic minority backgrounds. She draws a lot of inspiration for her classes from the cycles of nature and the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Chiara has been regularly practicing Qigong and Tai Chi since 2011 and enjoys bringing elements of these martial arts into her yoga classes. She also teaches self-standing Qigong classes.
Sara Fusaro
Sara’s personal yoga practice began over 20 years ago, when she discovered her love for Ashtanga. Since then, Yoga has been the most meaningful, transformative, and informative force in her life. Sara initially trained in London as a vinyasa teacher, but has since taken traditional Hatha and Mindfulness training in India. After specializing in Yin Yoga, she started to be more interested in asana practice as a very subjective experience, less focused on dramatic postures as an end in themselves, but as a practice that can be gentle yet transformative and bring more balance for the mind and body. During her classes she uses her extensive knowledge and keen eye to adapt each pose according to individual needs and thereby better facilitate personal growth and inner confidence. Inspired by Yoga as emotional and psychological transformation, Sara has deepened her knowledge in therapeutic yoga and Well Woman Yoga Therapy and she has been working with NHS offering yoga as a complementary treatment in mental health disorders and in patients with breast cancer offering meditation, Yoga Nidra and Sound healing as support.