Nestled amidst the breathtaking Dunagiri Mountains in the serene beauty of Uttarakhand, Dunagiri Retreat stands as a beacon for spiritual seekers. Founded in 2005, this eco-spiritual sanctuary transcends the typical yoga retreat, offering a profound journey into self-discovery. Revered for its proximity to the legendary Mahavatar Babaji's Cave and the sacred site of Dunagiri Temple, our retreat serves as a gateway to the transformative teachings of Kriya Yoga as expounded by Mahavatar Babaji and elucidated in Paramahansa Yogananda's 'Autobiography of a Yogi.' At Dunagiri, spirituality and sustainability seamlessly merge. Our eco-friendly accommodations and organic gardens are set against the backdrop of the Himalayan splendor, creating a tranquil space for meditation retreats and fostering a deep connection with nature. Immerse yourself in the spiritual essence of the holy river and the divine energy of Devi temples nearby.
Had the most wonderful time in Dunagiri retreat! It's truly one of the most serene places I've ever been to. The staff is extremely kind, warm and hospitable - Pandit ji makes the most delicious food I have ever eaten in my life, I couldn't wait for my next meal there. The owners Piyush ji and lovely Katy are gentle kind souls. This is a place I will be visiting year on year - it's just a piece of heaven on earth.
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Date of stay: December 2021
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed at the Dunagiri Retreat last month. We had an incredible experience, something you need to experience yourself as no words can explain. The retreat is a most serene, soul soothing place with the picturesque views of Himalayas. The place is surrounded by the beauty of nature, its freshness, openness, slow breeze and the warm sun was a great relief for our brains.
The room was very specious and artistically decorated with everything you need, totally loved it! It had large windows and veranda with seating arrangements to relax.
Katherineji and Piyushji are the most wonderful host, very approachable and happy to help with our travel arrangements to visit Babaji’s cave and surrounding areas. They provided all the meals which were freshly prepared and were most delicious. We will cherish our stay at your place until we visit again, Thank you for everything!
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Date of stay: February 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Must stay at this place!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dunagiri retreat is a special place. Beautiful scenery; perfect location and setting for a yoga and meditation focused trip. The food and service were excellent. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The owner Piyush is gracious and kind, and was very helpful in ensuring a warm and comfortable stay. Unforgettable experience.
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Date of stay: October 2024
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place is a sacred sanctuary to meditate and connect with oneself and nature. Highly recommended. I travelled solo from Los Angeles and felt so safe and taken care. The staff is like family. Home cooked meals were delicious!
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Date of stay: September 2023
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Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Prepare your taste buds for delicious meals.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I thought I knew everything about India. She’d been the object of my fascination, of my devotion, of my scholarship for 25 years. And yet when I first met Piyush Kumar and he told me about a place in India I’d never heard about—Dunagiri in Kumaon—I was yet again humbled. I didn’t know everything, after all, about India. In fact, I didn’t even know the best part of India.
It’s said that sacred things must be kept secret. The same can be said about Dunagiri. It’s a secret sacred place. It’s a place that’s a way of life that should never be lost. It’s timeless. It’s eternal. It’s ananta, without end.
And like all great things, it’s difficult to get to. It takes endurance to brave the roads up there from Delhi. They’re rough and unpredictable. At one point, you’ll feel like you’re spinning in a wheel, going round and round curves. (Write this down as you’re planning your trip: Bring Dramamine. A hefty supply.)
But then the journey reaps its rewards. You reach this zone. It’s where the wild is still alive in India. You can feel the presence of leopard. And you never want to change that. All around are signs of impending global warming, but you pray inside that this place will be spared. It’s just too beautiful.
If you’re like me, you’d arrive on a sparkling night of a full moon. The sky bursts with stars. The smooth, clean air thrills you inside. The earth itself feels to be vibrating. You swear you can hear priests chanting the Vedas. That’s the best way to approach Dunagiri.
When you open your eyes the following morning, you’ll think you entered a paradise. You’ll marvel at your good fortune. Somehow you did something right in one of your births to be blessed enough to see this place—in the morning light sipping a warm cup of Dunagiri chai and among such good friends. It’s India’s village life at her absolute best.
In Dunagiri, you notice that your out-breaths become sighs of relief. You don’t have to try to relax. You don’t have to do anything. You can just let go. And it feels so good.
Then everything becomes delightful. Piyush has made everything delightful—from the accommodations, to the comfort of the bed and bath, to the exquisite culinary details he brings to each meal, to the enjoyment of his conversation. You feel as if you’re in the country palace of a lord who has mastered the arts of enjoyment as well as the ambitions of a modern contemplative whose goal is to let go as much as possible.
For me, that is what’s so Indian about the place. The hospitality is genuine and refined—yet down to earth. Pure deshi. Right down to the fresh cow’s milk, naturally sweet from its diet of mountain herbs. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. And that’s a rare commodity in this world that the experience being at Dunagiri delivers in droves.
Days pass there magically. You feel simple. Free. And you hope it never ends. The worst part of Dunagiri is leaving. Trust me, you won’t want to.
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Date of stay: October 2012
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We went there for 10 days with a group of 29 in mid-April. They absolutely were not ready for such a large group. Most of the cabin didn't have electricity or running water for several days. When in India, a working toilet is kind of mandatory as people get sick easily. And buckets of warm water had to be asked each time to take a shower. It was cold and rainy for that time of the year and we had to wait several days before getting heating devices in each rooms and the owner wanted to make us pay extra for wood for the rooms with a wooden heating oven. There was no indoor dinning room, so we were obligated to eat outside in the cold all the time. The owner showed aggressivity several times. We had to do yoga in the smoke of their garbage burning fire. At that height oxygen is already more rare, so it was not pleasant to have to do yoga in that smoke. Positive side: They greeted us with a warm ceremony, the food was excellent all the time, the site is well located in the mountains. Unfortunately, the good didn't outweigh the bad.
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Date of stay: April 2014
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Rooms in the main buildings were the only ones ok. Don't let the owner arrange train tickets...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Infinite_Spaces, Owner at Dunagiri Retreat
Responded 13 Oct 2014
Dear “Yoga Retreat Group”, Thank you for giving us this opportunity to clarify certain matters related to your visit here. Please recollect we had welcomed your group wholeheartedly, we had gone out of our way to be of service to you, but unfortunately you choose to remain ignorant and ungrateful. Please be honest enough to admit to yourself that you were woefully unprepared upon arrival and unmindful of your surroundings during your stay. We were forced by you to heat your rooms because you did not carry appropriate clothing for visiting us. Charges for burning a precious natural resource such as wood for heating of rooms are clearly mentioned on our website but your group had neither the decency nor the heart to pay these charges, even while demanding unnecessary heating of rooms in the middle of Spring season. Somehow you insisted your lack of clothing was our burden. You claim to be surprised to have found there to be no 24x7 running hot water and no indoor dining hall. This should have been well known to your group and your group leader who had visited us a year before, and took specific and detailed notes of our facilities. We still have her compliments in our guest book from that visit! Our facilities did not get downgraded from the time of that visit till the arrival of your group; they had only improved! Please understand neither did we remove 24x7 hot running water nor did we make the indoor dining hall disappear! We were surprised to find you not carrying any warm clothing at all, as if you were expecting to go to a beach in summertime – so much so the poor villagers of this area had to lend you their clothing so you could keep warm. It may have come as a surprise to your group that Himalayas tend to get cold when it rains no matter what the season; however please know everyone else who has ever visited us has known this without us telling them. Your ignorance does not automatically become our fault. It came as a surprise to us that upon arrival your group declared its purpose of visiting us was to “shift the energies of Mahavatar Babaji’s cave to our pyramid meditation hall”! Please understand this was not the stated purpose of your yoga retreat; please also know this is not yoga or spiritual advancement but a delusional state of mind. It is unfortunate that people take practice of yoga to be merely contortions of body and change of breathing patterns while remaining unmindful of the need to practice the very fundamental tenets of yoga in their daily life. These are the practices of Ahimsa - non-violence; Satya – benevolent truth; Asteya – non-stealing; Brahmacharya – spiritual advancements by education and Aparigrapha – non-appropriation.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dunagiri found me one cold and dreary afternoon in Manchester. I had been thinking about taking some of my students to India, having visited a beautiful venue in West Bengal for several years, but looking for a change, I thought we would go to the South and perhaps visit my beloved Tamil Nadu.I started thinking about possibilities ..and that was all..because that same day a vision of peace and absolute authenticity appeared to me....where?..of all places on my facebook wall!! I immediately investigated and knew that this was where I must go with my students. As a long time Indiaphile and yoga teacher I am always keen to make sure that my yoga adventures give my students an authentic view of the part of India we are visiting, and I also like to know that we are giving something back. I couldn't have imagined what an absolute dream this would be! From my first contact with Piyush( an angel on earth!!) everything went smoothly, our transactions were clear and uncomplicated, he even helped me get some bolsters made as I teach therapeutic yoga, and provided blankets for me too.I didn't have to worry about anything and all arrangements were made for travel to and from Dunagiri. From the first moment we arrived at this blessed place we were welcomed with such sincere love and respect..from the tilak and flowers to our lovely welcome gifts...it was like coming home.And I felt like I had known Piyush and Dunagiri forever...the extraordinary sacred serenity of this place wraps its spell around you as soon as you arrive and you feel like you never want to leave!! The Dunagiri family is beautiful..Manoj.Gopal, Panditji,Kailashgiri and Vairinder, open hearted, smiling and untainted they carry a purity in their hearts which is palpable all around in the wildness of the Kumaon region.We were indeed treated as God..nothing was too much trouble and I was constantly chided( in a most respectful way!!) by Manoj for lifting tables and chairs!!! The group of 9 were quite diverse and we had a couple of people ill here and there and our friend Bernd struggled at times with the treks...but everyone was taken care of impeccably. We shared many amazing experiences..from meeting Dhanvantarigiri Baba at the temple, to seeing a leopard during early morning yoga practice, meditating in Babajis cave and carrying his energy home, to sharing milk with Meenaji and her gorgeous family and having our hearts cracked right open by her kindness. We had sunset meditation on the ridge and sunrise meditation at Dunagiri, we walked amongst beautiful flowers and carpets of butterflies and shared our outdoor yoga shala with eagles and dogs!! We had the joyous experience of seeing and hearing the local children learning English every morning and their teacher shared her lovely mehendi with us. We nourished our bodies and souls with the most delicious array of sattvic foods and enjoyed bucket baths in the wonderfully designed bathrooms, on cool nights our bhukari stoves were lit and there was always a hot water bottle for my poorly back!! We were lucky enough to have Prashanti deliver a lecture about Navaratri which enriched experience and understanding of the celebration going on all around and I was very fortunate to be able to share yoga with the Dunagiri family and other guests.The depth and quality of all our experiences here is hard to put into words...and I feel there is so much more I could write about but will save that for my blog!! Dunagiri really feels like heaven on earth if there could be such a thing and this part of India is so wonderful and spacious.. the silence speaks of eternity and the saints who have gone before and still are there.....we must help to protect it and to ensure that its inhabitants find ways to survive there so that the divinity and purity can continue to bring solace and inspiration to all who are embraced by these kindly mountains.By staying at Dunagiri and supporting Piyush and his "family" you are helping this to become a reality....if only there were more people like Piyush....lets hope the inspiration of Dunagiri is the beginning of a great shift for India and the world..I for one have benefitted from the peace and am spreading the news!!!! Shanti shanti shantih.
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Date of stay: October 2012
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great discoveries are made by chance; we were staying at Kalmatia Sangam Himalayan Resort at Almora – when its manager, Narendra Ji suggested us Dunagiri Retreat over Kousani and Mukteshwar. We are happy that we took his suggestion and drove to Dunagiri via Kosi - Someshwar – Binta. The route was a revelation of the natural beauty of Kumaun. Someshwar to Binta the road was in a valley with paddy fields on both sides – lush green during the Monsoon showers of August. From Binta to Dunagiri the forest range is too beautiful to describe in words. The road, the paddy fields and the jungles won our heart even before we reached Dunagiri.
Dunagiri Retreat is on a vast estate with fruit trees, vegetable farms and also a free English teaching institute that the owners run for village children. We visited the retreat in August, which is good time to see the greenery and to walk on clouds. Unfortunately it also means you have to sit in the room waiting for rain to stop and you can’t even pluck and fruit from the trees. Despite the seasonal hang, we thoroughly enjoyed our time and that’s because of awesome service that the staff provides.
The Retreat has a very personalized touch – it may be because the people working there are simple, innocent locals, happy with the fact that they have a good enough job without being forced to move to nearby towns. The kitchen in charge, Panditji is an awesome cook & serves with so much love. We cherished whatever he cooked. To top it he prepared awesome Kumaoni cuisine that my wife requested. The other guys Manoj doubles us as helping hand in kitchen, guide – if you want to go out and also guard during the night. His innocence & readiness to serve us for anything simply won our heart.
It’s just 2 weeks since I came back and I am already planning to visit Dunagiri again early next year – partly because I loved the Dunagiri retreat and its service and partly because I have fell in love with the place.
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Date of stay: August 2012
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dunagiri retreat is where one can just be with them selves & the nature. Its a beautiful place surrounded by snow peaked mountains, and a breath taking view. one of the best places you can go to if you want to run away from the chaotic and stressful life of cities. The place brings you really close to the nature...calm, serene and peaceful.. One can enjoy just being with themselves, reading a book, listening to music, enjoy the lovely sunrises and sunsets in the middle of the mountains... or go for some treks around to spot some not so popular but extremely beautiful views of the Himalayas !
The owner of the retreat ; Piyush ji looks into smallest of the things personally, which makes your stay really comfortable. He is the best person to approach for any local treks you want to do. His staff at the retreat beats any staff in a 5 star hotels we come across. They make you feel at home, they come running for any request along with a BIG smile - at any point of the day. whether its 12 mid night during freezing winters of 2 -3 degree C.
P.S. The food is finger licking good - totally organic !!
Overall a super awesome experience !! \m/
Totally recommended for each and everyone.
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Date of stay: December 2012
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:We stayed in the room called "TRISHUL" - had a lovely view from the room. - specially...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
from the moment we arrived to the moment we left we are all made to feel welcomed and part of a family and the wider community. The rooms are spacious and comfortable and the setting is amazing. Piyush and his team were all attentive to ensure we were comfortable at all times. The food was tasty and nourishing and the cook even gave us a demonstration on request so we make some of the dishes when we left. The setting and scenery and the landscape of the grounds are beautiful as many of the photos demonstrate. Pictures can never capture the atmosphere and energy of a place and the feeling of bliss and contentment that be experienced by sitting quietly amongst it. We enjoyed guided trips and walks to places of beauty and interest which added to our pleasure. I would not hesitate to recommend this wonderful place surroundings and team of lovely people. thanks again to Piyush and everyone involved in making our visit so special
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Date of stay: October 2012
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Chari area.
PRICE RANGE
₹12,643 - ₹14,288 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
IndiaUttarakhandAlmora DistrictChari
NUMBER OF ROOMS
23
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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