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Photos show the Near Delhi, Rajasthan & Gujarat region. See the retreat's own site for its rooms and grounds.

Vagalwad, Gandevi (Navsari district), Gujarat

Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre

Free 10-day and long Vipassana courses near Navsari

Retreat centre
Meditation
Silent retreat
Spiritual
Countryside

Details checked on the official site, October 2026. We never take bookings or commissions.

More in Gujarat More meditation retreats

A Goenka-tradition Vipassana centre at Vagalwad village in south Gujarat, just off the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway near Navsari. It runs free residential 10-day silent courses in Hindi, English and Gujarati, plus longer courses for experienced meditators, funded by donations.

Our take · editors' note

Suits: Suits meditators in south Gujarat and Mumbai wanting a silent ten-day Vipassana course just off the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway, taught in Hindi, English or Gujarati, at no charge.
Maybe not for: Not for anyone who can't give up phones, reading and talking for ten days, or who wants a flexible schedule; days run from 4 am to 9:30 pm.

Written by RetreatAdvisors editors from the retreat's official information, October 2026. Not a guest review, and nobody paid for it.

Great for

deep practice
spiritual seekers
digital detox

Maybe not for

Short breaks (11-night minimum)
Staying reachable by phone

Runs both 10-day and long (30-day) courses
Instructions in Hindi, English and Gujarati
Serves Surat, with a city office there

Reviews elsewhereGoogle Maps

Price and dates

Free

donation-based

Stay
Meals
Meditation

10-day course is free incl. food and lodging; only past students may donate

Courses here are free or by donation. Never pay an agent or another website to book.

Indicative. Checked on the official site, October 2026.

Fixed course dates · apply on their site

10-day Vipassana course11 nights
Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta course (old students)8 nights
30-day course (experienced students)31 nights

Rooms: Segregated residential blocks for men and women

Programme names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.

Practical facts

Classes in · Women

Classes in
Hindi, English, Gujarati
Women
Men and women are fully separated during the course, couples included.

Upcoming dates

All dates in the calendar

Nov13
Satipatthana Sutta course for old students
Wait list
13–21 Nov · 8 nights
Hindi, English, Gujarati
Wait list
Nov13
10-day Vipassana course
Wait list
13–24 Nov · 11 nights
Hindi, English, Gujarati
Wait list
Nov26
10-day Vipassana course
Opens 26 Oct
26 Nov – 7 Dec · 11 nights
Hindi, English, Gujarati
Opens 26 Oct
Nov27
30-day course for old students
Open
27 Nov – 28 Dec · 31 nights
Hindi, English, Gujarati
Open

All dates in the calendar Official schedule

From Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre's published schedule, checked October 2026. Open, full and wait-list labels are as of October 2026; after three weeks we show “Check site” instead. Dates change: confirm on the official site before you plan travel.

A typical day

4:00 am wake-up bell … 9:00 pm questions in the hall; lights out at 9:30

4:00 amWake-up bell
4:30 amMeditation in the hall or your room until 6:30
6:30 amBreakfast and rest
8:00 amGroup meditation in the hall
9:00 amMeditation as the teacher directs
11:00 amLunch, then rest and teacher interviews
1:00 pmMeditation in the hall or your room
2:30 pmGroup meditation
3:30 pmMeditation as the teacher directs
5:00 pmTea break
6:00 pmGroup meditation
7:00 pmRecorded evening discourse by S.N. Goenka
8:15 pmGroup meditation
9:00 pmQuestions in the hall; lights out at 9:30

As the retreat describes it. Schedules change with the season and the programme.

What's included

Included

Ten-day course teaching
Simple vegetarian meals
Room for the course
No charge; donations only from past students

When to go

Best Nov–Feb. Nov–Feb is dry and mild; Mar–May is hot and humid; Jun–Sep has heavy monsoon rain

Winter · Dec–Feb

Weather by month

16° to 35°C through the year · wettest in July

Average daily high and low (°C) and rain for the month (mm).

Best monthsRain: dry to very wetHighs: cool to hot

Long-term averages (1981–2010) for the area around Vagalwad, Gandevi (Navsari district), on a grid of about 1 km; any one year can differ. Data: CHELSA V2.1 (Karger et al., 2017), CC0.

Getting there

Nearest airport
Surat (STV), ~1.25 hr drive (about 55 km)
By train
Navsari, ~30 min drive (about 15 km)
From big cities
- ~6 hr drive from Mumbai
- ~930 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
- ~1,290 km from Delhi NCR, best to fly

From your town

See the drive, the nearest airports and the easiest way to get to Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre from where you live. The trip estimate below uses it too.

Estimate your trip

Free or by donation: just the travel to plan

Nights

People

Stay at Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre: Free · donation of your choice

Rough estimate from the published starting price; set your town in “From your town” above to add the drive. Rooms, seasons and programmes change the total; Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre's own quote is final.

Before you book

Arrival
Fixed course dates only
Couples
Couples stay separately
Phones
Phones handed in
Food
Vegetarian food
Booking
Apply on their site

Not stated on their site: taxes. Ask the retreat before you book.

Good to know

Just off the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway (NH48), 2 km west of the Boriyach toll plaza
Apply online through dhamma.org; long courses are for experienced students only
Phones and valuables are handed in for the whole course

What to pack

4 things the retreat asks you to bring, plus 1 tips

The retreat asks you to bring

Simple, modest, loose clothes for ten days
No shorts, leggings, sleeveless or tight tops
Clothes you can hand-wash (no washing machines)
Your medicines, declared on the application form

Also useful

General tips for the setting and the months people go, not from the retreat.

A torch for paths after dark

Tick things off as you pack. Nothing here is saved.

Day, inclusions, packing and facts from Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre's official information, checked October 2026: ambika.vridhamma.org, dhamma.org/en/schedules/schambika, dhamma.org/en/about/code, dhamma.org/en/about/qanda. Ask them if anything matters for your stay.

Read before you go

Contact Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre

Ask about dates, rooms and programmes directly. They take bookings themselves; nothing passes through us.

Call +91 99090 38250 Email

Courses here are by application

Apply on their official site; they confirm a place by email. Please don't send them booking enquiries.

Apply on their site

Centre: +91 99090 38250
Centre mobile: +91 99043 81318
Surat city office: +91 261 242 7973
Email: info@ambika.dhamma.org

From Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre's official website, checked Oct 2026.

Questions people ask

How much does a stay at Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre cost?

Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre doesn't charge a fixed fee; it runs on donations. 10-day course is free incl. food and lodging; only past students may donate.

What's included in the price?

The official site lists: Ten-day course teaching; Simple vegetarian meals; Room for the course; No charge; donations only from past students.

What's the minimum stay?

Stays follow fixed course dates, and the shortest is 11 nights.

When is the best time to visit Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre?

The best months are Nov–Feb. Nov–Feb is dry and mild; Mar–May is hot and humid; Jun–Sep has heavy monsoon rain.

7 more questions

How do I get to Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre?

Nearest airport: Surat (STV), ~1.25 hr drive (about 55 km). By train: Navsari, ~30 min drive (about 15 km). Times are rough estimates by road.

Can couples stay together?

No. Couples stay in separate rooms at Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre.

Can I use my phone?

Phones are handed in at Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre, so plan to be unreachable during your stay.

What food is served?

The food is vegetarian.

How do I book Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre?

You book directly with Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre, by applying on their official website. Courses run on fixed dates, so check their calendar first. RetreatAdvisors doesn't take bookings or commissions.

What should women travellers know?

Men and women are fully separated during the course, couples included.

What language are classes in?

Classes are taught in Hindi, English and Gujarati.

Answered from our research on Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre's official information. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with them before you book.

Researched from the retreat's official website and public sources. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with Dhamma Ambika Vipassana Meditation Centre before booking.

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