Embodied Dharma - Mantra, Mudra and Dzokden Yoga - Nepal 2026

START DATE September 29, 2026

END DATE October 12, 2026

COST $3000 USD

You are invited on a rare pilgrimage-retreat through the sacred landscape of Nepal—where Guru Rinpoche and Mandarava attained realization, where the blessings of Kalachakra flourish, and where the living Jonang lineage continues to preserve authentic Vajrayana practice. More than a journey, this is an immersion into embodied Dharma—learning mantra, mudra, sacred movement, and Kalachakra yoga so your body, speech, and mind become the mandala itself.

The Blessings at the Beginning

Our pilgrimage begins in Kathmandu, where Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow the Six Buddha Family Blessings of Kalachakra and offer oral transmissions of Guru Rinpoche prayers to be practiced in the sacred caves and power places of Nepal. These blessings prepare us to enter the pilgrimage not as tourists, but as practitioners walking a sacred path. Following the opening days, Yeshe Wangmo will guide the retreat through embodied meditation, sacred sound, deity practice, and contemplative movement. In Pharping, we will study directly with Jonang monks, learning traditional chanting, ritual mudras, and—if time allows—sacred instruments and monastery pujas or Tsok feasts. At each holy site, we will chant Guru Rinpoche prayers, make offerings, raise prayer flags, and practice together in places saturated with realization and blessing. This is Vajrayana practiced where the great masters themselves awakened.

Who can come?

This retreat is for open to everyone. It is designed for sincere practitioners who wish to deepen their Vajrayana practice beyond intellectual understanding to experience Dharma through an intuitive embodied practice.

Be the First to Start Dzokden Kalachakra Yoga

With the blessings of Khentrul Rinpoche, this is a new expression of ancient wisdom integrating breathwork, self-massage, circulation exercises, vajra postures, deep relaxation, and visualization. These are all based in trul khor without sharing any of the secret teachings. The yoga practices are open to all levels of experience.
Lessons include – Dzokden Kalachakra Yoga Asana / Self-massage for the subtle body / Yoga Nidra and restorative meditation

Place We Will Visit

Tours Features

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The tour includes

13 nights stay in Nepal
Oral Transmissions and Blessing from Khentrul Rinpoche in the Jonang (6 Buddha Families Blessing) and Nyingma Tradition (prayers and transmissions to be determined for us to practice in the various caves).
Chanting, Music and Mudra Lessons from Jonang Monks
Daily guided Dzokden Kalachakra Yoga and Devotional Singing from Yeshe Wangmo and Renee Saggar
Meals, Transport in Nepal and Accomodations

Tour Details

Tentative Schedule

Day 1 | 29th September – October 02 in Kathmandu

Arrive in Kathmandu on September 29th for check in in the afternoon. Join for the welcome dinner and evening yoga nidra session to start rest into your sacred self in the sacred space of the temple on the property of Hotel Domaling. Khentrul Rinpoche will join us for the beginning days in Kathmandu to bestow oral transmissions related to the Nyingma tradition and the blessing of the 6 Buddha Families in the Jonang Kalachakra tradition for success in the Dzokden Kalachakra yogas. We will start to learn the yoga practices as well as tour a few sites nearby in Boudha and Kathmandu. Renee will help us get in touch with our inner sacred sound through devotional singing and chanting in a variety of modalities. This starts our journey as deities of the mandala working with our body, speech and mind.

Day 4 | October 2nd to 6th in Pharping

We will transition to Pharping to visit the caves of Guru Rinpoche and Mandareva. We will start the day with a short yoga practice then visit the various caves to chant the Nyingma prayers. During the day we will have mudra, chanting and music lessons with the monks of the Jonang Monastery.

Day 8 | October 6th - 10th at Maratika Caves

We will travel on to the caves in Halesi. These are the most sacred caves where Guru Rinpoche and Mandareva achieved the deathless state (immortality) through the practice of Amitayus. Jonang monks will accompany us to do pujas in the cave. We will contiue to practice yoga daily. We will hang prayer flags and visit the nearby Garuda cave which is particularly powerful for clearing karmas connected to cancer and naga illnesses.

Day 12 | October 10th - 11th Dhulikhel

On our way back to Boudhanath, we will stop to visit Namo Boudha, the spot where Shakyamuni Buddha in his previous life offered himself to the tigress and her cubs. We will chant devotionally practicing the mantras and mudras we have learned on the trip as well as have a final lesson in Dzokden Kalachakra yoga in a beautiful spot where the sun rises and you can see the himalayas.

Day 13 | October 11th to 12th Boudha Stupa

We will conclude the final night of our tour at the Hotel Mudita in Boudhanath. We can conclude with any final circumambulations around the stupa and integrate the process of walking, chanting, exploring, singing, yoga, hand mudras and living embodied as the deity in the mandala.

Food & Accommodations

Food

Yeshe Wangmo has worked with a tour operator she has traveled with many times such as throughout India without a single tour participant encountering any gastro issues. This is to ensure that our meals are all at places safe for international travelers. Some of our accommodations are in rural areas. In order to prevent any gastro issues that may limit people from practicing the yogas or fully participating the restaurants have been booked as safely as possible. Bottle water is often provided on the bus. Please drink boiled water. Do not drink iced water on this tour. If you choose to eat out, be mindful of where you eat to prevent coming down with an illness that may limit your participation.

Accommodations

We will be staying in a mix of modern hotels, and monasteries. All rooms are shared. The hotels are 3 to 5 stars for their area. Please do not expect that to translate into what you would consider 3 to 5 stars in your country. This is rural Nepal. The rooms will not be primitive to allow people of varying health and age abilities the possibility to join our trip.

Accommodations are Subject to Change
SEP 29 – OCT 02: KATHMANDU:
Hotel Dolmaling
=> https://hoteldolmaling.com/home

OCT 02 – 06: PHARPING:
Champadevi Hillside Resorts
=> https://www.chr.com.np/
This may change to a monastery Rinpoche has suggested we stay in.

OCT 06 – 10: HALESI:
https://www.facebook.com/HolesungResort/

OCT 10 – 11: DHUILIKHEL
Dhulikhel Village Resort.

OCT 11 – 12: KATHMANDU
Hotel Mudita, Boudhanath
=> https://hotelmudita.com/

Transmissions and Blessing from Khentrul Rinpoche

Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow the blessings of the 6 Buddha families that is linked to the 6 Chakras to help purify and prepare students for the yoga practices. Khentrul Rinpoche will also bestow the transmission of several traditional Nyingma prayers for students to chant at the caves of Guru Rinpoche. An additional purification practice such as Droje Namjon may be added in but this is dependant on the collection of registrants and the time available.

Dzokden Kalachakra Yoga

On this pilgrimage journey, we will be introduced to the first level of Dzokden Kalachakra Yoga through gentle, restorative practices designed for every body type and level of experience. These sessions are not focused on athletic performance or physical intensity, but on cultivating balance, ease, and inner harmony. Through mindful movement, breath awareness, and subtle postures, practitioners are invited into a state of “rest and digest,” allowing the nervous system to soften, the body to release tension, and the mind to become more clear, grounded, and spacious.

This system is inspired by the foundational principles of Tibetan yogic movement practices known as Trul Khor, yet it is intentionally not Trul Khor itself. Out of deep respect for the integrity of the Vajrayana tradition, Khentrul Rinpoche does not wish to publicly teach any of the restricted or secret yogic practices associated with the completion stage systems. Instead, this introductory level of Kalachakra Yoga offers a skillful and accessible foundation that prepares the body and breath in a safe and appropriate way. The emphasis is on developing flexibility, alignment, stability, and energetic balance so practitioners can comfortably sit in the vajra posture and gradually become physically prepared for more advanced yogic training in the future.

Inspired by the profound wisdom of the Kalachakra tradition, these practices help restore the body as a support for meditation and inner transformation. In modern life, many people experience chronic stress, fatigue, and disconnection from their bodies. This gentle approach to Kalachakra Yoga helps harmonize body, energy, and awareness so that practitioners can experience greater vitality, clarity, and emotional balance. Rather than forcing the body into difficult forms, the practice encourages deep listening and natural integration, allowing healing and stability to arise gradually.

Although rooted in an authentic Vajrayana lineage, this introductory system is completely accessible and appropriate for everyone, regardless of age, flexibility, or spiritual background. It serves as a compassionate bridge into the deeper principles of the Kalachakra path without requiring prior experience or commitment to advanced practices. Practicing in the sacred atmosphere of pilgrimage makes these sessions especially meaningful. Surrounded by holy places connected to enlightened beings and centuries of spiritual practice, participants can harmonize outer pilgrimage with inner transformation. In this way, the yoga becomes more than exercise—it becomes a method for cultivating presence, peace, and the awakened potential already within us.

Frequently Asked Questions and Financial Information

Fitness Level and Health: The yoga practices are open to all levels of experience; however, please note that one of the cave pilgrimages may involve a moderately difficult hike with uneven terrain and extended walking.

Health and Wellbeing – Two of the caves are remote and without easy access to healthcare. Please plan accordingly.

Fiancial Information – The deposit is non-refundable. Min of 10 people are needed for the tour to happen. The tour is limited to around 20 guests due to the challenges of travel and space. The full balance of the tour must be paid a month in advance of departure.

Registration This Pilgrimage

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Practicing the Prayers in the Sacred Sites

Asura Cave (Pharping) – The place where Guru Rinpoche attained Mahamudra realization.
Yangleshö Cave (Pharping) – A sacred meditation site connected to Guru Rinpoche and the blessings of Vajrakilaya practice.
Mandarava Cave (Pharping) – A cave associated with Guru Rinpoche and Mandarava’s realization and long-life practices.
Maratika – Pujas in the holy cave where Guru Rinpoche and Mandarava attained Vidyadhara realization and the realization of long life beyond death.
Garuda Cave – This cave is renowned for helping practioners dealing with cancer, skin and other naga related illnesses recover.

The Purpose of This Retreat

The purpose of this retreat is to learn how to practice Vajrayana in an embodied way – not only seated – not during formal ritual
but throughout the day. The body forms mudras. Speech transmits mantra. Mind is Meditating in Motion.The environment is a Buddha Field for all Beings to Enjoy

Your Tour Guides

Shar Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö will only join for the beginning of the tour to provide the transmissions and inspiration for the pilgrimage. Yeshe Wangmo will be your tour and Dharma guide.

Khentrul Rinpoche

Jonang Kalachakra and Rimé Master

Khentrul Rinpoche spent the first 20 years of his life herding yak and chanting mantras on the plateaus of Tibet. Inspired by the bodhisattvas, he left his family to study under more than twenty-five masters across all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Because of his deeply non-sectarian approach, he became known as a Rimé (unbiased) master and was recognized as the reincarnation of the Jonang Kalachakra master Ngawang Chözin Gyatso, who is remembered for illuminating and developing many Vajra Yoga and Kalachakra asana practices within the Jonang tradition. While rooted in the Jonang-Shambhala tradition, Rinpoche emphasizes the value and wisdom found within the diversity of spiritual traditions. In addition to his extensive Jonang training, Rinpoche trained deeply in the Nyingma tradition, including within the Dudjom Tersar and Longchen Nyingthig lineages at Palyul Monastery in Golok and other Nyingma monasteries. He completed five different Nyingma ngöndro practices and received teachings, transmissions, and guidance from numerous Nyingma masters. For this pilgrimage, Rinpoche will offer Guru Rinpoche transmissions and Kalachakra blessings to prepare practitioners to engage the sacred sites of Nepal through authentic Vajrayana practice rooted in both the Nyingma and Jonang traditions.

Yeshe Wangmo

Dharma and Yoga Tour Guide

Yeshe Wangmo is the CEO of Dzokden and Khentrul Rinpoche's assisstant. She has studied with him since 2015 will lead... Read more

Renee Saggar

Devotional Chanting

Renee Saggar will lead devotional singing and buddhist sacred chants throughout the journey to help everyone unleash their own sacred... Read more

Jonang Monastery Monks

Mudra, Music and Chant Instructors

Monks from the Jonang Monastery near the Asura Cave will train you in chanting and mudras. A couple of them... Read more

Required Travel Documents and Information

You are responsible for organizing your international travel and transportation to and from the airport.

Plane, Airports

The arrival airport is Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. You are responsible for your own transportation to Hotel Domaling where the pilgrimage will start from.

Visa, Passport

For many countries Nepal has a Visa upon entry at the Kathmandu Airport. Please make sure you have checked and registered for all your Visa before coming on the tour.

*Dzokden doesn't require you get travel insurance but highly encourages you to get it. Please ensure you have whatever medial insurance you need for travel if personally neccessary. The places we will be visiting in Nepal are rural and without easy access to Medical care. If you have a medical emergency at Maratika cave you would need to be airlifted by Helicopter to a good hospital. Please check locally with your governments health site and be aware of all shots and vaccines you may want to receive in advance. A common pre-exposure vaccine to consider for this area is rabies due to wild dogs and bats in the caves.