Tag Archives: Binsar

Binsar Forest Retreat, Events, Food, Foodie Retreat

Loki’s 3 day Foodie Retreat – Oct 2019

Join Loki (MasterChef Australia 2018 contestant) and other passionate foodies, cooks, culinary enthusiasts on this exclusive Foodies’ Retreat at the Binsar Forest Retreat, Binsar, Uttarkhand. Imagine an immersive retreat where you go totally OFF THE GRID (literally and metaphorically) and RECONNECT, REPAIR and REJUVENATE your relationship with FOOD! If you care about sustainable food, vegetarian / plant based eating, healthy yet tasty cooking, Indian flavours, locally sourced ingredients and Time to WANDER and PONDER, THEN THIS ONE IS JUST FOR YOU!

This Retreat is going to bring like minded foodies together and consist of food & creative workshops, Masterclasses, Private classes, local food tours, recipes, cooking sessions, feasts and total CELEBRATION of food and how it connects all of us. All this activity and “CHILLAXING” with Loki surrounded by the gorgeous Himalayas amidst one of the best forest reserves and retreats India has to offer. So come join us on this amazing food journey.

A typical day at the retreat would consist of the following (indicative only). The 3 day schedule will be provided prior to the retreat.

  • Morning Tea / Coffee
  • Yoga and Meditation – not guided by a practitioner (self led)
  • Breakfast – Group discussion about the day’s program
  • Nature Walk
  • Lunch
  • Group workshop – on specific thematics
  • Tea
  • 1:1 meetings with Loki (free time for those who are not booked that day)
  • Cooking Masterclass
  • Dinner
  • Bonfire/gratitude and closing

All inclusive Price: ₹25,000 / person
Note: Rooms will be on twin sharing basis. If you want a room for yourself: ₹30,000

Dates:
11-Oct-2019 to 14-Oct-2019
17-Oct-2019 to 20-Oct-2019

Contact:
WhatsApp: +61 451 959 252
Mobile: +91 99020 12405
Email: loki@trusttheloki.com / info@binsarforestretreat.com

Binsar Forest Retreat, Himalaya, Monsoons

Monsoons in the Hills

Monsoons in the Himalayas are magical. This photograph is from my first monsoon in Binsar (2014). A ceiling of clouds all the way to the horizon, thick fog rising up from the moist forest floor and a narrow band of clear view into the distance to remind you that you are in the Himalayas. One can easily forget – we have only briefly seen the rolling hills in the past few weeks and are yet to sight the higher Himalayas.

As I look out the window, I can barely see past the periphery of the Retreat. It is foggy and raining. To be sure, the sun has been making appearances; peeping out from behind the clouds every now and then. In minutes, however, the fog rolls in and the air becomes wet, cold and opaque.

Binsar Forest Retreat, Yoga

Yoga at Binsar Forest Retreat

It was when we were renovating the Retreat in late 2014 that Francois Gautier visited us. We learned a few things: he had lived in what is now our home in Binsar many years ago; Sri Sri Ravi Shankar had visited the Retreat and liked a few hours that he spent here. Francois suggested a Meditation course could be organized at the Retreat, taught by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar himself. The thought has stayed with us.

Over 2 years since this meeting, we were able to organize our first Yoga Retreat. We had 15 participants training in the Yogic way under Divya Sunil Yogacharya.

Samagra Yoga at Binsar Forest Retreat

Binsar has everything the Himalayas have to offer those seeking harmony, within and without. It gives us great satisfaction that we are able to facilitate this journey for our guests. We hope many Yoga / Meditation teachers and students alike will pass through the Retreat on their journey to teach / learn this ancient knowledge which remains as relevant today.

Binsar, Binsar Forest Retreat, Birds

Verditers are back!

The Verditers are here! I saw that first brilliant verditer blue fly into the canopy of a big oak and I stopped in my tracks. They are here! They are back! And as I sat down for breakfast outside, I heard that familiar song and looking in the direction I saw this beautiful blue bird perched on the walnut tree, singing. The joy it brought to me can only be compared to Wordsworth’s, on spying ‘a host of golden daffodils’. So these birds that had left Binsar sometime in October last year for their wintering grounds have arrived after a stupendous round trip to the western ghats. What a journey!

Most of these long distance migrants fly south to their wintering sites and come spring they return back north to their breeding grounds. Some fly by day, some fly by night. They get their cues to commence their long journey from nature, the length of the day to be precise. They use the earth’s magnetic field to guide them. They also use the position of celestial objects like the sun and the stars to navigate. They probably also make mental maps of the earth’s physical features as they fly. These incredible fliers maintain a very high site-fidelity. They go back to the very same locations year after year, unless conditions in these locations have drastically changed. So most birds that have arrived here now are the same ones that left these shores last October. Many of those that have returned probably were born here last summer and learnt to take their first flight here. What a joy to have them back. What a joy indeed.