10 Days Special Yoga and Ayurveda Retreat in Sri Lanka

Our day will begin with meditation before a Vinyasa flow class to help awaken your mind, body, and soul. You will then have approximately two hours of Ayurveda treatments individually designed to meet your needs followed by time to soak in the effects of your treatments and just relax. After lunch, there will be optional daily activities including excursions to local places of interest, talks on the beautiful philosophy of yoga, temple excursions or time to simply be peaceful. A deeply relaxing Yin yoga class will bring the day to a close and set you up for a deep restful nights sleep.

Daily program

06:30 - 06:45 Meditation

06:45 - 08:00 Vinyasa flow practice

08:00 - 09:00 Breakfast

09:30 - 13:00 Two hours set aside for Ayurvedic treatments each day. Alongside the herbal decoctions you will be given daily the program will include synchronized massages, herbal or steam baths and other therapies depending on your medical needs.

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch

14:00 - 17:30 Choose from Ayurvedic lectures or short excursions to local places of interest (these include visits to special gardens, boat trips to the unique riverine vegetation and visits to temples.) You may also choose to walk on the beach, relax by the swimming pool or enjoy afternoon tea.

17:30 - 18:45 Yin yoga practice

19:00 - 20:00 Dinner

20:00 - 21:00 Watch a film / reading / personal time

Ayurveda treatments

Ayurveda gives equal importance to the maintenance of health and the curing of a disease. It does not simply suppress the disease, but rather aims at removing the disease from its root. Ayurvedic principles state that the imbalance of the three biological energies (Tri Dosha) creates a disease due to years of poor diet, weak digestion, improper metabolism, and incomplete elimination of waste matter, inadequate sleep, pollution, stress and production and accumulation of bio-toxins (Ama). During the initial Shodana (purification) process, these toxins are collected from various parts of body and expelled through the nearest outlet. Then, the Shamana (pacifying treatment) or the rejuvenating treatment will have better and long lasting effect on body.

Barberyn arranges short excursions to places of interests in the vicinity on most afternoons during the week. These excursions are free of charge to resident guests. The town adjacent to Beruwala provides facilities tourists may need, such as a post office, bank, a tourist office, a government handicraft shop, a teashop, and a few restaurants. It also offers a "bazaar" (a place where locals shop) and an open "wet market" where one can buy fruit or vegetables.

Brief Garden: Ten kilometers inland from Bentota. It used to be the home of Bevis Bawa, older brother of renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. His house is the highlight of the tour:the artwork on display is eclectic, including a piece from one-time house guest Donald Friend. The garden is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Galle: The port of Galle, thought by some to be the Biblical city of Tarshish, splendidly illustrates the solidity of the Dutch presence in Sri Lanka. The 36-hectare (89 acre) Dutch Fort, built in 1663, has withstood the ravages of time. Its massive ramparts surround the promontory that forms the older part of Galle, and shelters within its walls sturdy Dutch houses, museums and churches. This area has a quiet, relaxed atmosphere that seems almost detached from the flow of history. On the way, stop at the Ambalangoda mask making factory.

Gangatilaka Vihara: South of the Kalu Gaga Bridge on the main road. It is a hollow dagoba (Buddhist Shrine) with an interestingly painted interior.

River cruises

The Galapota Temple: A few kilometers inland, on the south bank of the river, is said to date from the 12th Century.

The Kechimalai Mosque: It is said to be built on the site of the landing of the first Arabic merchants and is the focus for a major festival at the end of Ramadan.

The Turtle Sanctuary at Induruwa

Warakagoda Temple: A small cave temple where you see tea and rubber plantations and village hamlets en route. The tour also includes a visit to a nearby tourist village where you can see traditional crafts being produced.

Wet market: Visit the wet market in a three-wheeler, where you can see people buying vegetables, fruits and daily ware. Browse around and get a feel for the locality and its people.

Kirsty Gallagher

Kirsty is a London based international Vinyasa Flow and Yin yoga teacher with an infectious passion for the practice and life. Kirsty spreads the yoga love and her enthusiasm for all things bendy and blissful teaching regular classes, workshops and retreats in the UK, Europe and beyond, encouraging everyone to find freedom in the flow.

Weaving together inspiration, fun and philosophy she creates fluid, playful and flowing sequences to open the body, enliven the soul and free the mind. Her classes explore postures and sequences that build strength and flexibility, encourage balance, increase the flow of prana and on occasion challenge both the body and the mind! Kirstys yin classes are the ultimate in deep relaxation and are the perfect way to take your awareness inwards and drift into a complete state of bliss.

Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort is set on a long strip of beach, with a reef running the length of the resort, forming a natural swimming lagoon. Sri Lankas well known landscape artist, Laki Senanayake, is doing the landscaping at the resort. The resort has a casual and serene ambience.

During the retreat you will be staying at standard room, however other room categories are available on request, please send an inquiry to Barberyn Reef Ayurveda resort. Barberyn Reef has 75 rooms which are furnished with hand crafted wood made on site by our own team of carpenters. Rooms have mosquito nets, attached toilets with showers or bath tubs, natural ventilation as well as electric fans and a terrace or balcony.

Air-conditioned Rooms

• The Air-conditioned Rooms are located on the ground floor adjacent to the reception area and French windows open to a terrace overlooking the sea.

Beach Front Rooms

These rooms are built in groups of two, four, six and eight rooms, very close to the ocean. All rooms are comfortable and have been elegantly furnished with wood and natural material. They have views of the ocean and a terrace or a balcony. A few of the Beach Front Rooms are on stilts and face the ocean on one side and open out to a passage overlooking the swimming pool.

Standard Rooms

Located on the ground floor and the first floor, standard rooms have all the amenities of the other rooms and the sizes vary. Each room has a balcony overlooking the garden and the swimming pool.

The dining room

The dining room spills out onto the terrace for outdoor dining. Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style. A wide range of food is served during this time. Dinner is a set vegetarian meal. Kitchen and dining room work closely together to see that the guests get the food that the doctors prescribe. Each table has an individual card with directions.

Guests also get herbal drinks and soups specially prescribed by the physicians. The menu takes account of the dietary needs of all guests. Those on a controlled diet are asked to avoid certain dishes. All guests eagerly await the meals at Barberyn Reef Ayurveda resort as they quickly learn the advantage of Ayurveda food: healthy food can also be tasty food. Fresh vegetables and fruits are a special treat, including the fruit service at breakfast.

The waiters will gently remind you what Ayurvedic food you should and should not eat. An Ayurveda physician is on hand at meal times and can advise you which specific vegetables, herbs and spices to select and which to avoid, according to the treatment prescribed by the consulting physician.

Sri Lankan delicacies such as the well-known hoppers are served for Sri Lankan Night each week. Morning and afternoon tea and fruit juices are served at the dining room or poolside. Sri Lankan traditional music is played several times a week at dinner time.

The Sunshine Restaurant

The Sunshine Restaurant, a little beach restaurant, serves tea, light meals and fruit juices. It is a magical place to enjoy the aroma of fresh Sri Lankan tea, or enjoy a relaxing drink as the sun goes down over the horizon.

Ayurveda cooking class

The Barberyn chefs believe that when you cook, you participate in the nourishment and vitality of yourself and all those around you. The more awareness you bring to this process, the greater the healing you derive from the food. Chefs and physicians thus come together each week at Barberyn to provide guests with an understanding of the dietary principles of Ayurveda, the basic ingredients used, and the ways of preparing simple and delicious meals. Participation is free for all resident guests.

Optional tours

Tourist attractions

Sri Lanka is a land of astonishing diversity. No major sight is more than a few hours drive away from Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort. Barberyn offers specially arranged tours of all of Sri Lankas numerous cultural highlights, including:

Kandy, the cultural capital in the islands center, home to Sri Lankas most important Buddhist temple, the Temple of the Tooth. Also home to the annual Perahera Festival, a world-famous spectacle, drawing visitors from around the globe.

North of Kandy lays the celebrated Cultural Triangle of ancient cities including Polonnaruwa, Anuradapura, and Sigiriya with templeruins featuring fabulous rock paintings, carvings, and magnificent Buddha statues dating back thousands of years.

The port city of Galle in the south: its rich colonial history stems from its unique combination of Portuguese, Dutch and Bost interesting British influence. Its main tourist draw is its ancient fort, a walled enclave containing a dazzling pot-pourri of traditional buildings that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Hill Country, whose long-established tea plantations produce some the world's finest tea. Nicknamed Little England for its cool, temperate climate, the regional capital Nuwara Eliya contains some famous colonial hotels.

Numerous dry- and wet-land nature reserves and wildlife sanctuaries around the country.

Customized tours

Barberyn is happy to put together a customized itinerary. This includes a private air conditioned vehicle with an English speaking driver and accommodation in hotels based on your preference and interests. This way, Barberyn can help make your visit both health-restoring and culturally rewarding. Tours are pre-arranged and usually commence on arrival at the airport and vary in length depending on the guest requirements. Depending on the time of arrival of the flight, some guests prefer to stay overnight close to the airport and start the tour the next day.

• 8 days approximately two hours daily Ayurvedic treatments (according to the individual Ayurvedic plan)
• 9 nights accommodation
• All daily yoga classes, meditation, and workshops
• Airport transfers
• Excursions
• Full board meals plus fresh juices and afternoon tea
• Lectures and all other activities offered by the resort

• Airfare.

Check in

Before 5 p.m.

Check out

At noon.

Airport transfers

Transfer from and to Colombo International Airport.

Itinerary information

The retreat starts at 5 p.m. on April 20, 2016. The transfer from the airport (provided by Barberyn free of charge) is approximately 2 hours. Please make sure to arrive with plenty of time to unpack and settle. Check out is Noon on April 29, 2016.

Accommodation request

You may upgrade a room with an additional cost, please send an inquiry to Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort.

Accessibility information

80% of the resort is wheel chair accessible and a few rooms in the main building close to the reception and the dining room are usually reserved for guests who have problems with mobility. The resort can also provide a special attendant if so required.

Passport / visa

A visa is required to travel to Sri Lanka. You can make an easy online application at Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization System website.

Additional information

For more information, ask your questions directly to Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort who will be happy to assist you. Simply click on the Contact Organizer button to send a message.

Arrival by airplane

Please fly to Colombo International Airport from where you will be picked up. The resort is 85 kilometers south from Colombo International Airport. It takes about 2 - 2.5 hours to drive to the resort from there, depending on the time of the day and traffic conditions. The hotel meets all its guests at the airport and provides transport to and from the resort as a special service, free of charge.

Distances

Colombo International Airport, 85 kilometers - 2 hour 30 minutes

Payment

A 30% advance payment is required to confirm the booking. Balance payment should be made on arrival at the latest.

Cancellation

In extenuating circumstances such as sickness and the like, the payment is refundable.

Accepted payment methods

Bank wire transfer, Credit card

Accepted currencies on location

United States Dollar, Euro, Great British Pound sterling, Sri Lankan Rupee 

Pricing information

The resort reserves the right to change the above prices from time to time. For payments in US Dollars, the price in Euro will be converted to US Dollars according to the exchange rate at the time of payment.