Khargipur village, near Sarnath (Varanasi), Uttar Pradesh
Dhamma Cakka Vipassana Centre
Ten-day silent Vipassana a short drive from Sarnath
Details checked on the official site, October 2026 · We never take bookings or commissions
Dhamma Cakka is the Vipassana centre for Varanasi, in Khargipur village about 4.5 km from Sarnath's Deer Park. It has run courses since 2004 and usually holds two 10-day silent courses a month in the S.N. Goenka tradition, with longer courses for past students; there are no fees.
First course held in 2004
About 4.5 km from the Deer Park where the Buddha first taught
Usually two 10-day courses a month
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.
Before you book
Arrival
Fixed course dates only
Couples
Couples stay separately
Phones
Phones handed in
Food
Vegetarian food
Booking
Apply on their site
Taxes
Not stated: ask the retreat
Great for
- first-timers
- budget travellers
- digital detox
- spiritual seekers
Maybe not for
- Short breaks: the minimum is 11 nights
- Anyone who needs to stay reachable by phone
Good to know before you go
- Instructions are in Hindi and English; complete silence and no devices for the whole course
- Popular winter courses fill and waitlist; apply when applications open
- Short (1–3 day) and long courses are only for past students
Programs & stays
Rooms: Separate men's and women's residences (capacity not published)
Program names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
When to go
Best Oct–Mar. Oct–Mar is pleasant (Dec–Jan mornings are foggy and cold); Apr–Jun is very hot; Jul–Sep is monsoon
- Winter · Dec–Feb
- Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov
Getting there
Nearest airportVaranasi (VNS), ~45 min drive (~25 km)
By trainVaranasi Jn, ~30–40 min drive
- ~840 km from Kolkata, best to fly
- ~920 km from Delhi NCR, best to fly
- ~1,360 km from Hyderabad, best to fly
- ~1,700 km from Mumbai, best to fly
Researched from the retreat's official website and public sources. Details change, so confirm prices, dates and policies with Dhamma Cakka Vipassana Centre before booking.
- Photo: Hardy Explorer, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Olga Pukhalskaya, Unsplash
- Photo: Milan Popovic, Unsplash
- Photo: Jared Rice, Unsplash
Run Dhamma Cakka Vipassana Centre? Claim this listing to correct details and answer questions as the official team.
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