Bistarai Bistarai

Savouring the Slow in Nepal

September 22 - October 2, 2026

A journal entry from Nepal

06.10.2025

The mountains moved me.
The wind kissed my face.
The sun lit me up.

And the smiles made me feel like I was home.

The eagle soared above, and the people, oh, the people… they were the cherry on top. Emanating such warmth and kindness in every gesture.

Nepal, your tranquil beauty left an imprint on my heart and reminded me how simple life can be.

A fire lit in my belly as I trekked past the gentle giants of the Himalayas - I know I’ll be back, and next time - I’ll be bringing people with me.

Bistarai, bistarai (slowly, slowly), as my kind-hearted guide, Deepak, would say.

There is no rush - because step by step, one travels far.

September 22 - October 2, 2026

11 days of connection, introspection and savouring the slow amongst the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayan giants.

This immersion is an invitation to step out of the pace of modern life and into something simpler, steadier, and deeply enriching.

To walk slowly.
To breathe deeply.
And connect to the rhythm of the land.

Nepal has a way of opening you up, not by force, but by simply BEING there. The mountains take your breath away, the teahouses warm you from the inside, and the people welcome you like they’ve known you their whole lives.

As we venture into the depths of the Annapurna mountain range, the focus gently moves away from the destination and towards each small step that carries us there.

There's a saying from my meditation teacher that has been etched in my heart for some time now, and I believe it is the essence of this journey…

“It’s not the outcome that matters, but who you become in the process.”

So often we’re taught to fixate on the end result. But what if the magic lives in the in-between? In the quiet, ordinary moments. In the simplicity.

My intention for you on this journey is just that… to savour the sweetness of each step. To linger in the silence and spaciousness. To notice the moments that arrive unexpectedly: a shared laugh on the trail, a warm cup of lemon ginger tea at dusk, locking eyes with a Nepali dog who warms every cell in your body.

It’s in these small moments that something within us softens, there’s a change of heart, a shift in perspective - and that, to me, is a MIRACLE.

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The Experience

Over 11 days, we journey from the vibrant heart of Kathmandu to the lakeside calm of Pokhara, and onward into the villages, forests, and ridgelines of the lower Annapurna region.

We walk through rhododendron forests, terraced rice fields, and traditional Gurung villages. We rise before dawn to witness the sun touch the Himalayas from Poon Hill. We sleep in the cosiest teahouses and fill our bellies with the most nourishing local meals.

We’ll share stories around the dinner table and laughter along the trail. We’ll move our bodies with intention, spend time in reflection and allow silence to bridge the space between us and the land.

There will be moments of contemplation as we bring pen to paper, alongside cultural experiences that gently immerse us in the Nepali way of life.

We move slowly so the experience can move deeply.

Bistarai Bistarai - slowly slowly

(a phrase you will hear often on the trail)

Trip Facts

🌏 Region
Kathmandu (meeting place) Pokhara & Lower Annapurna region

🥾 Trek Grade
Easy/moderate - suitable for all levels

🏔️ Max Elevation
3,210 metres (Poon Hill)

🌿 Distance
Approx. 60 km total walking over 6 days

🧘🏽 Activities
Yoga, guided meditations, journaling & deep listening nature walks

🛏 Accommodation
Traditional Tea Houses & comfortable hotels in cities

🇳🇵Cultual Immersion
Private Nepali cooking class with locals in Kathmandu

🍲 Meals
Breakfast, lunch & dinner during the trek

🎒 Duration
10 nights / 11 days

🤲🏻 Group
Open to men & women | Limited to 10 guests

🗓️ Dates
September 22 - October 2, 2026

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What’s included

Everything is thoughtfully arranged so you can arrive, exhale, and simply be present with the journey.

Accommodation & logistics

  • Airport pick-up and drop-off in private vehicle

  • 3 nights accommodation in Kathmandu (bed & breakfast, twin share room)

  • 2 nights accommodation in Pokhara (bed & breakfast, twin share room)

  • 5 nights accommodation in traditional Nepalese tea houses during the trek

  • All ground transportation throughout the journey

  • Domestic return flights between Kathmandu and Pokhara

Guiding, safety & support

  • Experienced local trek leader (wilderness first aid trained)

  • Assistant guide and professional porters to carry luggage during the trek

  • All required trekking permits and staff insurance

  • First aid kit carried throughout the trek

Meals & nourishment

  • All breakfasts in Kathmandu and Pokhara

  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner each day during the trek

  • Daily tea, coffee or hot chocolate while trekking

Cultural immersion & experiences

  • Guided Kathmandu sightseeing in a private vehicle, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites

  • Private Nepali cooking class with locals in Kathmandu

  • Time in villages and daily connection with Nepali culture and way of life

Wellbeing & inner journey

  • Daily yoga classes with local Buddhist yogi, Dharma, who will accompany us throughout the journey

  • Guided meditations, nature-based reflection, deep listening walks and sharing circles facilitated by Monica

  • Space for journaling, contemplation and gentle movement (yes, possibly a little dance too!)

Thoughtful extras

  • Trek duffel bag (kit bag) provided for use during the trek

  • Custom Bistarai Bistarai t-shirt

  • Journal to support reflection along the way

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What’s not included

To keep things clear and transparent, the following are not included in the immersion:

  • International flights to and from Nepal

  • Nepal entry visa (approx. USD $30 for stays up to 15 days)

  • Travel insurance (REQUIRED and must cover trekking, medical expenses, evacuation, and trip cancellation.)

  • Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu and Pokhara

  • Personal expenses such as alcoholic beverages, cold drinks, bottled water, laundry, or souvenirs

  • Anything not specifically listed in the What’s Included section above

Detailed Itinerary

  • You arrive in Kathmandu and are warmly welcomed before being transferred to our hotel. This first day is for landing - physically and energetically. Rest, shower, breathe in the unfamiliar air. In the evening, we gather for a welcome dinner and our first circle together. You’ll meet Deepak and our local team, receive your trek kit bag, and begin settling into the rhythm of Nepal. The adventure begins gently.

    Note: this day’s program may vary depending on the timing of your arrival.

  • After breakfast, we explore two of Kathmandu’s sacred UNESCO sites - Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple). We wander ancient courtyards, prayer wheels, temples, and hilltop stupas overlooking the valley. Monkeys dart between shrines. Incense lingers in the air. There is history here but more than that, there is presence. Later, we return to Thamel to prepare for the mountains. Final packing, last-minute shopping, and an early night. Tomorrow, we begin walking

  • A scenic 30-minute flight takes us west to Pokhara. On clear days, the Annapurna range reveals itself from the air - an unforgettable welcome. After exploring the peaceful Lakeside area of Phewa Lake, we drive one hour to Kande, where our trek begins. The hike to Australian Camp takes about 1.5–2 hours, ascending gradually through farmland and village pathways. At the ridge top, the scale of the Himalayas becomes real: Machhapuchre (6,993m), Annapurna South (7,219m), Hiunchuli (6,441m). Our first night in the hills.

  • We wake to mountain light and practice yoga overlooking the peaks. Today we walk through rhododendron forests and traditional Gurung villages where life continues much as it has for generations. Stone pathways. Buffalo grazing. Children playing. We arrive in Landruk - a peaceful village nestled above the Modi River and settle into our tea house for the evening.

  • We descend through rice terraces before crossing a steel bridge over the glacial Modi Khola River. Then, slowly, we climb. Staircases carved into the hillside lead us upward, with panoramic Himalayan views unfolding around us. Ghandruk is one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, known for its strong cultural identity and panoramic views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchre. This is where mountain life and community meet.

  • The trail ascends through thick rhododendron forest, magnolia trees, and moss-covered trunks. Waterfalls cascade nearby. Orchids and wild ferns line the path. The air becomes cooler as we climb. Tadapani is a small mountain village - simple, quiet, surrounded by forest and sky. Tonight we sleep higher, held by the mountains.

  • We continue our steady ascent through forest and small settlements. The walking becomes more meditative now - breath, step, breath, step. Ghorepani welcomes us with wide mountain views and the anticipation of tomorrow’s sunrise. Early night.

  • Before dawn, we hike to Poon Hill. In silence, we watch the Himalayas shift from grey to pink to gold as the sun rises over Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I, Annapurna South, and Fishtail. It is one of the most breathtaking views in Nepal. After breakfast, we descend through forest to meet our transport and return to Pokhara. Hot showers. Soft beds. A lakeside dinner. Integration begins.

  • Today is spacious. We visit the Pumdikot Shiva Statue overlooking the valley and the International Mountain Museum, deepening our understanding of the Himalayas we’ve just walked beside. In the evening, we gather by Phewa Lake for dinner and reflection. The mountains feel closer now - not just outside us, but within.

  • We fly back to Kathmandu and spend the day learning to cook traditional Nepali dishes in a local home. Momos. Dal Bhat. Laughter. This is cultural immersion in its most intimate form. In the evening, we share our final dinner together.

  • Transfers to the airport according to your flight time. You leave Nepal differently than you arrived. Slower. Softer. Clearer. Bistarai Bistarai.

COUNT ME IN

Your Hosts

You’ll be guided by a small, heart-led team - each bringing their own flavour, depth, and experience to the journey.

Monica Posada

Retreat Facilitator and Mindfulness Guide

Mon is the heart behind Sol Being - a community devoted to creating experiences that gently strip back the noise and remind you of what matters most.

A mindfulness guide, nature lover, and journaling enthusiast, Mon creates environments where people feel safe to soften, to feel, and to become more deeply aware of themselves. Her work is rooted in connection, simplicity, and deep listening - both to the inner world and to the land we walk upon.

At the root of everything she offers is connection... to self, to others, and to something greater than us all - Mother Earth, Universe, Love, God (whatever name you give it).

Through Sol Being, Mon holds immersive retreats, women's circles, community events, and online sanctuaries that invite you to slow down, breathe deeply, and return to the wisdom within.

After travelling to Nepal in 2025 and being deeply moved by its people, mountains, and way of life, she felt a quiet but undeniable call to return - not alone, but with others.

This immersion is an extension of that call.

Deepak Thapa

Deepak was born and raised in the heart of the Himalayas and is the founder of Paradise Adventure Pvt. Ltd.

With over a decade of experience guiding treks across Nepal - including Everest, Annapurna, Mustang, and Langtang regions - he brings a deep knowledge of the land, its people, and its stories.

But more than his experience, it is the way he guides that sets him apart.

Deepak leads with warmth, presence, and a genuine love for his homeland. He has a natural ability to make people feel safe, supported, and deeply connected - not only to the mountains, but to the culture and spirit of Nepal.

For many, walking with Deepak becomes more than a trek - it becomes a meaningful and unforgettable experience.

Local Guide and Trek Leader

Dharmaraj Upreti

Dharma is a dedicated yoga teacher and mountain guide with over 15 years of experience.

He refined his practice in the sacred cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, India - immersing himself in traditional yogic teachings and spiritual discipline before bringing that wisdom back to the mountains he calls home.

His approach weaves together Hatha and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga - offering a balance of strength, breath, stillness, and flow that meets each person exactly where they are.

Dharma's presence is calm, grounded, and deeply centred. His classes invite you to slow down, tune in, and reconnect with your body and breath - whether on the mat or surrounded by the Himalayas.

What makes Dharma truly special is where he teaches. There is something about practising yoga at altitude, surrounded by the Himalayas, that no studio can replicate.

Yoga Teacher & Mountain Guide

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An invitation to walk slowly, and return differently

If something in you softened while reading this…
If the mountains are quietly calling…
If you feel the desire to step away from the noise and into something simpler, deeper, and enriching…

You are warmly invited.

Bistarai Bistarai - slowly, slowly - we journey together.

Spaces are intentionally limited to keep the experience intimate and personal.

Bookings now open.

BOOK YOUR SPOT

Investment

$3,500 AUD

To secure your place, a 30% deposit (non-refundable) is required.

A 9% booking fee is added to the deposit to cover payment processing and platform costs. If you would like to avoid the booking fee, you can transfer directly to my business account. Please message me at hellosolbeing@gmail.com if you would like to do this

Payment Structure

  • 30% deposit + 9% booking fee to reserve your space

  • Remaining balance paid via invoice in instalments or in full

  • Final balance due 30 days before departure

Once your deposit is received, I will get in contact with you to schedule an onboarding call.. You will then be added to the private group chat and will receive:

  • Full preparation guide

  • Packing list

  • Travel & visa guidance

I will also coordinate an online group call prior to our departure and an integration call once we get back from this incredible adventure.

  • By booking and paying a deposit, you agree to the following:

    Booking & Payments

    • A 30% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place.

    • A 9% booking fee is added to the deposit to cover secure payment processing and platform fees.

    • Your place is only confirmed once the deposit is received.

    • The remaining balance must be paid 30 days before the retreat begins.

    Payment plans are available upon request.

    Cancellation & Refund Policy

    Because this immersion involves advance bookings, staffing, and logistics, the following cancellation terms apply:

    • More than 90 days before departure
      → All payments (excluding deposit & booking fee) are refundable

    • 30–90 days before departure
      → 50% of payments (excluding deposit & booking fee) are refundable

    • Less than 30 days before departure
      → Payments are non-refundable

    The deposit and booking fee are non-refundable under all circumstances.

    If You Cannot Attend

    • You may transfer your place to another suitable participant (subject to approval).

    • If the retreat has a waitlist, we will do our best to help fill your place, but this cannot be guaranteed.

    If the Retreat Is Cancelled by the Host

    In the unlikely event that the retreat must be cancelled due to safety, insufficient numbers, or unforeseen circumstances:

    • You will receive a full refund of all payments made to us.

    • We are not responsible for external costs such as flights or insurance.

    (Travel insurance protects this.)

    Travel Insurance (Required)

    Participants must hold valid travel insurance covering:

    • Trekking up to 3,500m

    • Trip cancellation/interruption

    • Medical care and evacuation

    • Personal belongings

    Proof of insurance may be requested.

    Health & Responsibility

    • Participants are responsible for ensuring they are physically and medically fit to join.

    • You agree to listen to guides and follow safety instructions at all times.

    • The itinerary may shift slightly due to weather, safety, or local conditions.

    Unforeseen Circumstances


    In rare situations beyond our control (such as extreme weather, natural events, political conditions, or safety risks), the itinerary may need to change or the retreat may be cancelled.

    If this occurs, we will always prioritise safety and communicate transparently. Refunds will apply to payments made to us, however we cannot cover external costs such as flights or insurance.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • This journey is for men and women who:

    ✦ You're craving a genuine reset from the pace of everyday life

    ✦ You want to travel with depth, not just distance

    ✦ You're open to simplicity, stillness and stepping into the unknown

    ✦ You feel called to explore your inner world alongside the outer landscape

    ✦ You're ready to be gently stretched - physically, emotionally and spiritually

    Who may this not be for?

    • Those seeking luxury travel or fast-paced adventure

    • Those uncomfortable with simple mountain accommodation (tea houses)

    • Those unwilling to walk daily or embrace changing conditions

    • Those looking for a purely physical trek rather than an inner journey

  • The trek is easy/moderate and accessible to most people with a basic level of fitness.

    You should be comfortable:

    • Walking 4–6 hours per day, walking slowly and with plenty of breaks

    • Managing gradual uphill terrain

    • Being active for multiple consecutive days

    You do not need to be an athlete, just willing and prepared.
    A preparation guide will be provided after booking.

  • A full packing list and preparation guide will be sent once your deposit is received, including:

    • Clothing & layering guide

    • Trek gear essentials

    • Health & altitude tips

  • Yes. A private room upgrade is available for $500 AUD, subject to availability.
    (This applies primarily in Kathmandu and Pokhara — tea house rooms in the mountains are simple and limited.)

  • This journey is open to all ages! Over the years, I have had the privilege of guiding people as young as 13 and as wise as 76.

    Couples are also warmly welcome. Whether you're travelling together or joining solo, you will be held within a group that feels like family by the end of the trip.

    If you are under 18, we simply ask that you are accompanied by a guardian over the age of 18. Beyond that, all that is required is an open heart and a curiosity for what’s to come.

If the mountains are calling … trust it

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Get in touch.

If you have any questions about the Nepal Immersion or would like schedule a call to see if this is the right experience for you, please get in touch.