LIVING YOGA

​James Hilton's book, Lost Horizon, has popularised the concept of Shangri-La, a mythical land that has, for years, captured people's idea of paradise. His vision is the backbone and inspiration behind our Road to Shangri-La sojourn through northwest Yunnan, undeniably my favourite part of China thus far. The people are sincere and warm, nature is abundant, and there is plenty of history and culture to dip into.

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As my first trip to Shangri-La has clearly shown me, our external journey to the destination of Shangri-La is but a reflection of our inner journey towards all the ideals that Shangri-La entail: abundance, contentment and an unwavering peace of heart and mind. As such, in the second reiteration of this retreat, we will intentionally involve all our sense organs in an external-internal journey, as possible pathways to living in greater alignment both within and without.​

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Itinerary overview

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When you land in Lijiang on Sun 20 April, our guide will meet and will drive you to Shaxi, where our adventure begins. A former caravan town steeped in history, Shaxi was a key stop along the ancient Tea Horse Road, a route that connected Chinese traders (who traded primarily in tea and horses) to those in Tibet, India and Nepal. We will spend our first three nights in a modern courtyard hotel owned by my friend and one of our guides, Dahua. He belongs to the Bai ethnicity, a minority group who has a long and colourful cultural history and tradition in Yunnan. He is also an outdoor enthusiast who will initiate us into the wonders of nature (like a horse trek excursion to picnic by the river) and slow-living village days. 

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In this first part of our trip, we will take it easy so as to allow our bodies time to ​​​​acclimatise to the region's elevation (2,100 metres above sea level). Apart from strolling the ancient markets and alleyways of Shaxi, we will also take a trip out to learn about tea with my tea master friend Liu, and visit the former residence of a writer and explorer, whose articles were believed to have inspired James Hilton's idea of Shangri-La.

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Once we have eased into our travel rhythm, we will drive out to a dramatic riverside gorge for an easy hike along quiet trail across picturesque hillsides, where we will spend the night in a family-run guesthouse. The next morning, we will drive to the eastern edge of the Himalayas, towards Shangri-La. Part of geographical Tibet, Shangri-La provides the perfect backdrop for an insight into Tibetan culture.

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We will visit a traditional thangka painter in the old town, swing by a Tibetan brewery with a soul-stirring story, circle a seasonal lake where yak and horses roam the grasslands, and take a morning walk to a small temple frequented only by Tibetan locals, who visit to pray for good health and be blessed with children. We will end the retreat on a high, capping off our adventure by going glamping in a hidden valley. 

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Our time together ends after lunch on Sat 26 April in Shangri-La. Transport will be arranged to take you back to Lijiang to catch your evening flight back to Singapore (lands Sunday morning).

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Our days will be bookended by morning Yoga practice and post-dinner satsang, where we will gather to chat and share insights and reflections from the day's travels.

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Please note

• We will be staying in charming, safe and comfortable hotels and guesthouses (whose owners or managers we are familiar with), with all modern amenities. This includes ensuite showers and toilets, towels, toiletries, a hair-dryer (220V only) and free Wi-Fi internet. The only exception is our last two nights glamping, where bathroom and toilet facilities are shared (very clean, not at all campground-ish). Each fixed tent also comes with a wash basin, with water that is heated by a gas stove.

• Accommodation and itinerary details will only be shared with retreat participants, about three months before the trip commences.

• We will be travelling in six-seater vans, each with a driver, who doubles up as our bilingual guide. Our guide(s) will be with us all the time, so you don't have to speak Mandarin to join this retreat.
   

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Retreat fee (early bird until 25 Dec 2024)
SGD2,950 for twin-share; top-up S$650 for single occupancy

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Inclusions​

• Daily accommodation

• Three meals a day, except for two meals during free-and-easy timings

• Daily morning Yoga practice

• Airport pick-up and drop off, if you travel on recommended flights

• All planned excursion transfers during the retreat

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Exclusions​​

• Flight tickets

• China visa fees, if required

• Compulsory travel insurance

• Expenses incurred should you fall ill in China. Please make sure your travel insurance adequately covers this.

• Any necessary Covid tests, should regulations require them then

• Optional activities

• All personal expenses eg. laundry, shopping, extra food orders during group meals