Forest campus above Bir, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
Dharmalaya Institute
Retreats and eco-building courses in the forest above Bir
- Retreat centre
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Wellness
- Mountains
- Forest
Details checked on the official site, October 2026. We never take bookings or commissions.
Dharmalaya Institute is a non-profit 'compassionate living' campus on a forested hill above Bir, built from earth, bamboo and stone. It runs short residential retreats in meditation, yoga and reflective practice alongside natural-building and permaculture courses, plus donation-based personal retreats.
Our take · editors' note
Suits: Suits people wanting a structured, community-based retreat on a forested hillside above Bir, with vegan meals and shared chores, or seasoned meditators planning a 10-day-plus solo retreat.
Maybe not for: Not for anyone wanting a casual stay, hotel comforts or steady internet: you must register for a programme, help with chores, and retreat dates are sparse, so check the events page.
Great for
- solo travellers
- deep practice
- burnout & stress
Non-profit campus of mud-brick, bamboo and stone buildings on a forested hill
Sliding-scale fees so lower-income participants can join group retreats
Donation-based personal retreat cottages, mostly available in the monsoon and winter
Reviews elsewhereGoogle Maps
Price and programmes
Starts from
₹18,500 for 5 nights
per person
- Stay
- Meals
- Activities
Standard rate for a 6-day residential retreat, shared room and meals; sliding scale ₹12,700–24,300
Indicative. Checked on the official site, October 2026.
Courses or any-day stays · apply on their site
- Group residential retreats (meditation, yoga, reflective and creative practice; none listed after Oct 2026 yet)5–6 nights
- Personal meditation retreat in a retreat cottage (experienced meditators)10+ nights
- Natural building and permaculture workshops7–30 nights
Rooms: Private rooms, private tents, shared dorms and shared tents in earthen buildings; a few retreat cottages
Programme names and lengths change. Check the retreat's calendar for current dates.
Practical facts
Classes in · Getting around · Single rooms · Women · Diet options · Age
Classes in
EnglishGetting around
Hilly, with slopes and stairsSingle rooms
AvailableWomen
There is separate accommodation for women only.Diet options
VeganAge
Children welcome only under close parental supervision
A typical day
6:00 wake … 21:30 lights out
- 6:00Wake
- 6:30Personal practice: walk, yoga, meditation or journaling
- 8:00Breakfast
- 9:30Morning session
- 12:30Lunch
- 14:30Afternoon session
- 18:00Dinner
- 19:00Quiet time for reading, journaling and meditation
- 21:30Lights out
As the retreat describes it. Schedules change with the season and the programme.
What's included
Included
- Shared accommodation in earthen buildings
- Three plant-based meals a day, plus tea
- Programme materials
- Natural soap for hand-washing clothes
Not included
- Private room (limited, extra cost)
- Laundry service; clothes are hand-washed at an outdoor station
When to go
Best Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov. Mar–Jun and mid-Sep to mid-Dec are temperate and busiest; Jul–mid-Sep is very wet (the traditional season for long retreats), winters are cold
- Summer · Mar–May
- Post-monsoon · Oct–Nov
Weather by month
-2° to 26°C through the year · wettest in August
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 Forest campus above Bir, Kangra, 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
Dharamshala/Kangra (DHM, Gaggal), about 2 hr by road (~70 km)By train
Ahju on the narrow-gauge Kangra Valley line, about 4 km; Pathankot Cantt (broad gauge), about 4 hr by roadFrom big cities
- ~520 km from Delhi NCR, best to fly
- ~2,020 km from Mumbai, best to fly
- ~2,100 km from Kolkata, best to fly
From your town
See the drive, the nearest airports and the easiest way to get to Dharmalaya Institute from where you live. The trip estimate below uses it too.
Estimate your trip
Stay from ₹37,000 for 5 nights, 2 people
- Stay at Dharmalaya Institute
- from ₹37,000
- ₹18,500 for 5 nights × 2 people
Rough total
from ₹37,000
Stay and GST where added. Doesn't include travel.
- Taxes may be extra; ask the retreat.
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; Dharmalaya Institute's own quote is final.
Before you book
Arrival
Fixed courses, or arrive any dayFood
Vegetarian foodBooking
Apply on their site
Not stated on their site: couples, phones, taxes. Ask the retreat before you book.
Good to know
- No casual stays: accommodation is only for people registered on a programme
- The campus is fully vegan and everyone helps with chores such as cleaning and dishes
- Personal retreats need at least a year of regular meditation and a previous guided 10-day retreat
What to pack
4 things the retreat asks you to bring, plus 4 tips
The retreat asks you to bring
Also useful
General tips for the setting and the months people go, not from the retreat.
Tick things off as you pack. Nothing here is saved.
Day, inclusions, packing and facts from Dharmalaya Institute's official information, checked October 2026: dharmalaya.in/programmes/workshops-retreats-meditation-yoga-, dharmalaya.in/events/2026/creative-play-retreat, dharmalaya.in/events/dharmalaya-events, dharmalaya.in/programmes/meditation/personal-meditation-retr, dharmalaya.in/about/dharmalaya/faq-frequently-asked-question. Ask them if anything matters for your stay.
Read before you go
Contact Dharmalaya Institute
Ask about dates, rooms and programmes directly. They take bookings themselves; nothing passes through us.
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 (opens in a new tab)From Dharmalaya Institute's official website, checked Oct 2026.Their contact page
Questions people ask
How much does a stay at Dharmalaya Institute cost?
Prices start from ₹18,500 for 5 nights per person. Standard rate for a 6-day residential retreat, shared room and meals; sliding scale ₹12,700–24,300. We checked this on the official site in October 2026.
What's included in the price?
The starting price covers your room, meals and activities. The official site lists: Shared accommodation in earthen buildings; Three plant-based meals a day, plus tea; Programme materials; Natural soap for hand-washing clothes. Not included: Private room (limited, extra cost); Laundry service; clothes are hand-washed at an outdoor station.
What's the minimum stay?
The shortest stay is 5 nights.
When is the best time to visit Dharmalaya Institute?
The best months are Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov. Mar–Jun and mid-Sep to mid-Dec are temperate and busiest; Jul–mid-Sep is very wet (the traditional season for long retreats), winters are cold.
8 more questionsFewer questions
How do I get to Dharmalaya Institute?
Nearest airport: Dharamshala/Kangra (DHM, Gaggal), about 2 hr by road (~70 km). By train: Ahju on the narrow-gauge Kangra Valley line, about 4 km; Pathankot Cantt (broad gauge), about 4 hr by road. Times are rough estimates by road.
What food is served?
The food is vegetarian. The kitchen offers vegan options.
How do I book Dharmalaya Institute?
You book directly with Dharmalaya Institute, by applying on their official website. There are fixed-date courses, and you can also arrive any day for a regular stay. RetreatAdvisors doesn't take bookings or commissions.
What should women travellers know?
There is separate accommodation for women only.
What language are classes in?
Classes are taught in English.
Are single rooms available?
Yes, private single rooms are available.
Is it easy to get around?
The site is hilly, so expect slopes and stairs.
Is there an age limit?
As the retreat states it: Children welcome only under close parental supervision.
Answered from our research on Dharmalaya Institute'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 Dharmalaya Institute before booking.
- Photo: Okorok, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Mohit Khatri, Unsplash
- Photo: Abhinav, Unsplash
- Photo: Sreehari Devadas, Unsplash
Run Dharmalaya Institute? Claim this listing to correct details, add your own photos and answer questions as the official team, or partner with us.
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From ₹18,500 for 5 nights
Courses or any-day stays · apply on their site · best Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov