Tibetan Buddhism Retreat Dharamshala 2021

Vibrant Women Travel provides retreats and inspirational journeys for women. Shared adventures in extraordinary places. Bespoke, curated, fully escorted, small group women’s travels and experiences for the soul.

Solo travellers can take the opportunity to travel in the safety of a small group, as well as doing some exploring on their own. People travelling with friends will have wonderful memories to share well into the future.

Arrivals

You will arrive and depart from Dharamshala Kangra Airport (DHM) via Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi.

There are no direct flights to Dharamshala. Depending on the airline you travel with you may need to transfer from the international to the domestic terminal. If you need to spend a night in Delhi we suggest the Aloft Hotel at the Delhi Aerocity. The Lemon Tree Premier Airport Hotel or Red Fox Hotel at Delhi Aerocity are also fine, just rooms are a lot smaller (they are all within a 3 minute walk to each other and we can do drop offs and pick ups). Tammie will be staying at the Aloft hotel on the night of the 4th and 13th of April and can fly with you the next day to Dharamshala. *Flights are not arranged as yet but we will put them here when we have them.

Please note you can arrange to get a taxi from the airport to the hotel etc, for around $20AUD each way if you prefer that. Our quote is more expensive because it is someone who will wait at the arrivals gate for you with a sign with your name on it and even if your flight is delayed will still wait for you. Not everyone is comfortable arranging taxis although it is fairly straight forward at Delhi airport. The drive to the hotel is only around 7 minutes.

Departures

You can depart anytime on the last day of the retreat this is the 12th or 21st of April. You need to leave the retreat centre 4 hours before your flight departs so please consider this while you are also considering your return international flight. You will possibly need to take a shuttle bus from the domestic to international terminal so please also allow time for this. DIAL provides a complimentary shuttle bus service for passengers, every 20 minutes between domestic and international terminals of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. You can also spend an extra night in Delhi we can help you will all arrangements. 

Airport Transfers

Return trip from airport  to hotel with car and driver and drop off to airport with car and driver – A$120 (this is only if you are spending the night in Delhi, airport transfers in Dharamshala are included in your package) *This is per car which can take 3 people and you can divide the cost. If there are more than 3 people we will have to send a mini bus and will notify you of the price.

Flights Delhi to Dharamshala

We will discuss flight times with you to fit in with your international arrival and departure flights. Please note: cost for flight is subject to change until they have been paid for. Flights are currently fluctuating so we suggest contacting Donna McHugh – [email protected] our personal Travel agent if you wish her to book flights for you. She will send you a quote first and charges $55 for the booking and will post tickets to you. She can arrange international and domestic flights anywhere in the world. 

Flight Booking

Donna McHugh from Wauchope Travel to arrange all of our flights please contact her if you require assistance on (+61) 02 65852288 or email [email protected] Donna can arrange flights to and from anywhere in the world and she knows our itineraries.

We prefer the Aloft Hotel Delhi but you can also stay at a cheaper hotel, the Red Fox which is adjoined to the Lemon Tree Hotel and is around $35 a night cheaper, you can book these yourself online, please note all bookings are subject to 25% tax and you may want to include breakfast in your room rate. You can book this yourself via their website on the link below and when you go to add your personal details it also gives you the option to add an airport transfer. I cannot vouch for these not having used them before.

If you want us to book for you

1 Night accommodation at Delhi Aloft– $250AUD per room single, (*Lemon Tree is cheaper and very small room with single bed you can book this yourself here) $290AUD twinshare per room (A$145 per person)

*you may not need this accommodation if you are flying on the same day as the start day and can arrive to Dharamshala before 2pm in the afternoon. 

Your Workshop Leader

Lozang Drolma (Emma Billsberry) is originally from a small village in the English countryside. Emma met the Dharma in 2005 when volunteering at an FPMT centre in Australia, Chenrezig Institute. Within a few months she was ordained as Lozang Drolma and began her formal studies with the five year Buddhist Studies Program and became a registered FPMT teacher in 2012. She continued with two years of further Masters studies completing nine years of studies while living and serving in Chenrezig Nuns Community.

While at Chenrezig she assisted the spiritual program offered at Chenrezig leading meditations and pujas. She also regularly taught introductory courses and led retreats at Chenrezig a becoming well known for her natural warmth, kindness and wisdom. In 2012 she assisted the Kopan November course as meditation leader. Since arriving in India in 2015 where she is learning Tibetan and has taught at Tushita Meditation center and Root Institute. Currently Drolma resides in Dharamsala as a student at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics.

Your retreat leader

Tammie Day  is a mindfulness, meditation, yoga, nia teacher and group facilitator. A social worker by profession she spent 17 years as a counsellor. She runs retreats and workshops worldwide. Tammie has been facilitating retreats for 10 years and has found the most unique and beautiful places for you to visit whilst engaging in personal development acclivities. She likes to call these meaningful holidays. 

Your Local Guides 

Vikas and Ashish Kumar are a local guides who come from a small, picturesque village above Dharamsala. They are passionate about the area and the Himalayas and have worked as a trekking guides since leaving school. In this time both guides have introduced many international visitors to the wonders of the India and the Himalayas. They are very excited to be showing us around their local area, (beware everyone knows them so its a bit of a slow process walking down the main street in McLeod Ganj). One of the guides will be with us on outings and for our hike.

Introduction to Buddhism

This retreat is equally appropriate for beginners and those with some background knowledge however please let us know if you are a very experienced practitioner as we want to ensure your expectations are met and or exceeded. Although this retreat is a great reminder of Buddhist fundamentals it is aimed at people with a beginners curious mind, as is the yoga and meditation.

To study about Buddhist Philosophy is to study yourself. During our retreat, our experienced teacher will explain Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and practices giving instruction in order to help you apply this ancient wisdom to increase peace, happiness, and compassion in your daily life.

Topics include:

• What is Buddhism? The Buddha’s life story
• How Tibetan Buddhism differs from other types of Buddhism
• How to be respectful and considerate when visiting Buddhist sites and places of interest
• The Four Noble Truths – How to release yourself from suffering
• The Noble Eightfold Path – The path to liberation and spiritual enlightenment
• Wheel of Life, Karma & Re-birth

The body of the course is composed of philosophy classes supported by yoga and meditation sessions, as well as visits to local monasteries and nunneries and opportunities to practice meditation.

Practicing Buddhism In Daily Life

You don’t have to be a Buddhist to learn from the Dharma. There are so many ways we can incorporate the wisdom of Buddhism into our busy modern lives. During these workshops Tammie will weave tips, tools and spiritual practices from her many years of teaching mindfulness and meditation to give you a fresh perspective on your daily life and activities.

Topics Include:

• Mindfulness and Meditation practices for busy people
• Buddhist Rituals
• Incorporating the “Six Perfections” in our daily living

Yoga and Meditation

During this retreat participants will be welcomed to take place in either morning yoga, and/or meditation. This will be a gentle hatha/yogalates style, allowing space for those to work at their own ability and comfort level. Please note these sessions are in no way compulsory, and if yoga isn’t your thang, you can just come to the meditation or sleeping in is also an option. 

The Place – Dharamshala Northern India

When travellers talk of staying in Dharamsala, McLeod Ganj is usually where they mean, however we are staying in the quieter, more relaxed and peaceful town of Sidphur. A sweet village that is home to the Norbulingka Institute, (where our accommodation is based) and some cute cafes. 10km’s up the road is the residence of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and home to a large Tibetan population, including many maroon-robed monks and nuns. The Tibetan government-in-exile is based in between at Gangchen Kyishong. McLeod Ganj attracts thousands of international visitors, many of them volunteering with the Tibetan community, taking courses in Buddhism, meditation or yoga, trekking in the Dhauladhar mountains, shopping for Tibetan crafts, or just hanging out enjoying the spiritual/alternative vibe and the plethora of good cafes where you’re never far from an interesting conversation with new friends. Dharamshala is also for people who believe in the magic of mountains, the nature lovers. 

Our Accommodation – Norling House

Located in the ground of the Norbulingka Institute, Norbulingka is a unique institute dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan art and culture. They are a self-sustaining community located in Dharamsala, India, dedicated to ensuring that the integrity of Tibetan artistic traditions is maintained for generations to come. Art is a large part of culture, and by maintaining artistic lineages, the institute helps to conserve the unique identity of Tibetans and the sacred traditions which took root in Tibet. Their studios produce museum-quality artwork using methods that have been practiced and passed down for many centuries.

Norling House is located within the grounds of the Norbulingka Institute and is surrounded by the lush gardens and flowing streams. Each room is themed according to a different animal from Tibetan mythology and is a showcase of the work of Norbulingka artists, as all the furniture and original paintings were lovingly hand crafted and painted in Norbulingka workshops. Our guesthouse is the perfect place to spend a relaxing retreat, in a setting so peaceful you will feel you have stepped into paradise. We strive to offer our guests all the modern comforts in a setting of traditional Tibetan charm.

During the day Norbulingka Institute is open to the general public and is a popular tourist destination, outside of the hours of 9 – 5pm we have the place to ourselves. Within the grounds there is also a cafe, restaurant, shop, museum, temple and workshops for the artists, it is a truly special location to host a retreat. It is also safe to walk around the local area outside of the institute which is mainly one street that leads up a hill, there are cafes and shops close by.

I’m hoping people can choose their favourite mythical animal for their room, after booking I will let you know what rooms are left. Perhaps think about which one you would you choose, the Snow Leopard, Dragon, Parrot, Tiger, Snow Lion, Ibex, Phoenix, Garuda, Fish or Sea Monster!

The Place – Andretta

Andretta is a village and an artists’ colony in Himachal Pradesh. The artists’ colony was established in the 1920s, when Irish theatre artiste and environmentalist, Norah Richards moved to the area. Just 13 km from the tea gardens of Kangra valley’s Palampur district this peaceful village is home to around 550 species of birds and sits on the gentle gradient below the snow covered peaks of the Dhauladhar range. Andretta is approximately a 2 hour drive from Norling House and the location of our Retreat Centre The Mirage.

Our Accommodation – The Mirage

The Mirage is a cluster of traditional Himachali mud houses which have lovingly been restored to an inviting homestay with modern amenities.

Set amongst dense foliage in the artist’s colony of Andretta, against a backdrop of jungle & bamboo groves of the Shivalik hills, the Mirage is a veritable museum of hand picked Indian furniture & artifacts.

Indian Rupees are only available in India as it is a closed currency. You can change some money at the Delhi airport on arrival and then a credit card and an ATM card as well just in case you need a back up. Good to have a few options in case one doesn’t work.

You will need to take some money to cover drinks, laundry and souvenirs, plus any additional sightseeing that may be offered to you. We think around AUD$300/£165/$215USD per week should be enough. Your India retreat does not include some lunches and some dinners however, you will also need to allocate a certain amount of money for shopping and drinks while on retreat. These meals are at your own arrangements so the amount allocated will be different for each participant. On average in 2019 our meals were around $15 AUD.

Visa Requirements
The most convenient and cheapest way to get your visa is online e-Visa – To complete online choose E-Visa Application. The online application can only be completed 30 days prior to travel, unless you want a 12-month visa. Previously it has taken 3 days to receive the E-Visa. This cost is between $10 and $50USD, prices change all the time sorry but just to give you a guideline.

Some further details – India Mission is where your application will be lodged ie Canberra, Sydney etc the office closest to you. You can use these contact details for hotel and reference in India sections. You can use these contact details for hotel and reference in India sections.

Address:
NORLING HOUSE
Mohli Lahrandi,
Himachal Pradesh 176057,
India Phone: +91 94184 36410

or alternatively

Ekno Tours and Travels Pvt Ltd,
Dickey Cottage Village Molhi,
PO Sidhpur, HP 176057,
Ph 0981685999

Your reference in Australia is your emergency contact. It seems there is no other option but to request a 1-year visa and for 60 days even though you may only be travelling for 8 days. You also only require single entry unless you are planning on visiting India twice in the same period. Good Luck and welcome to Indian Bureaucracy!