OVERVIEW

FIVE SENSES AT THE SIX SENSES - Wellness + Creativity Retreat

After several years, we are finally returning to India…but this time to the exotic north region of Rajasthan on a special luxury partnership with Six Senses Fort Barwara. We will enjoy this creative retreat during the season where our tiger safari is favored for spottings! Before the height of the summer heat, we’ll be able to relax on the beautiful grounds to gather plenty of inspiration, and each day will be themed with the senses.

The senses match with both the elements and our chakras. Each day we will steep our activities and classes around moving though these. Besides daily yoga/meditation and creativity classes, some of the additions will be:

SMELL / EARTH / ROOT CHAKRA
Aromatherapy Class, Welcome temple incense blessing, Walking tour to village
TASTE / WATER / SACRAL CHAKRA
Cooking class, Indian liqueur tasting, Aqua yoga
SEE / FIRE / SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA
Tiger Safari at sunrise, Candle meditation
TOUCH / AIR / HEART CHAKRA
Barefoot walking meditation, Pottery workshop, Ayurvedic spa treatments
HEAR / ETHER / UPPER CHAKRA
Closing temple blessing with chants, Soundbath

Yoga and meditation classes will be held daily to prepare our bodies and minds, and then our travel journal creation classes will help us find news ways of seeing. Both yoga and art work together to find focus in the many layers of smells, sites, and sounds that abound in this amazing part of the world. *NO PREVIOUS ART OR YOGA BACKGROUND REQUIRED. All levels are welcome, and participation is voluntary. Projects and classes will be offered as a completely exploratory, unintimidating and personal experience.

ACCOMMODATION

A royal palace of well-being, this beautiful 14th-century fort was sensitively converted to become a Six Senses sanctuary of wellness. Originally owned by a Rajasthani Royal Family, it faces the Chauth ka Barwara Mandir temple. The significant conservation effort incorporates two palaces and two temples within the walled fort. The design of Six Senses resort in Rajasthan reinterprets the gracious and regal ambiance of a bygone era dating back 700 years.

The honeypot sites of royal Rajasthan—spliced by the brown slopes of the Aravalli Range, the state emerged after Partition from a mosaic of 22 feudal kingdoms—are so many people’s taster to India. Which stands to reason—it’s near impossible not to fall in love with this place. It took almost a decade for this 700-year-old fort to be converted into a 48-suite hotel... The spa, in the fort’s ancient temple, blends Ayurveda with Six Senses’ inimitable touch. Its small garden grows everything from cauliflowers and cabbages, guavas and jamuns to desi roses. A commitment to working with local communities is evident everywhere: local women brew hot masala chai and cook bajra and jowar rotis during the day; block-printers and bangle makers set up shop in little corners; fresh nimbu paani detox drink counters are dotted around the hotel. It is encouraging to see global brands arrive in India so conscious of local heritage and riches, and to strive to imbue their openings with as much of this as possible. — Conde Nast

CUISINE

Healthful, vegetarian food is part of the retreat experience. Dining is a locally sourced and inspired culinary journey. The chefs at Six Senses Fort Barwara offer a creative approach to their menus. They combine the best of regional Rajasthani and pan-Indian cuisine with a sprinkling of international influences while embracing the philosophy of local, fresh and seasonal produce. Where possible, they harvest ingredients from the resort’s organic gardens and carefully selected farmers from the villages and townships nearby.

Our program includes daily breakfast and most dinners and lunches. We will participate in a cooking class, as well as an Indian liqueur tasting during the week. And our meals will be in various locations around the palace in order to enjoy some beautiful settings alongside our meals.

*Provided meals are vegetarian, although daily breakfast is an open menu for all guests to enjoy whatever they choose on the menu. Plus, at a few selected meals, guests will be on their own to dine as they wish, thus allowing all diet preferences to be accommodated. Special allergy and dietary restrictions can also be noted and taken care of.

ACTIVITIES

Not only will we take advantage of the amenities and beauty of our hotel and the Six Senses wellness experience, but we’ll enjoy some cultural activities such as a walking tour to the local village, a pottery class, private cooking class, and two blessings at the temple. One of the highlights mid-week will be a sunrise TIGER SAFARI, where we’ll set off on this adventure to explore the depths of Ranthambore National Park on the trail of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Once the former hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur, today Ranthambore National Park draws the attention of many passionate wildlife lovers and photographers. Expert naturalists lead the way in luxury safari jeeps showing us all things small and large that live in the wilds of Ranthambore.

WELLNESS + CREATIVITY

Daily practices will be offered in a way to relax, stimulate, and help guests grow in the mindfulness nature of the trip. Classes are open to all levels, beginner to practiced, and can range from gentle, restorative, and vinyasa flow.* Plus meditations such as yoga nidra, guided meditation and a walking meditation will be offered. We will have the opportunity to attend a candle meditation, temple blessings, and aqua yoga, as well a relaxing sound bath. India’s culture and rich yogic background lends itself to be more mindful and intentional, and we will embrace just that as we experience the week and how we approach the itinerary.

Style and class levels will be determined and moulded to fit participating students' needs, and with a small intimate retreat class size, students will be able to get personalized attention and comfortability to deeply explore their practice. Our yoga and meditation classes during our time in India will take place at beautiful settings around the sprawling palace and grounds, and we’ll also participate in ceremonies at the on-site temple.

MINDY JOHNSTONE

This retreat will be led by EPM collaborator, MINDY JOHNSTONE. Living in the awe inspiring Canadian Rockies, Mindy has a love of the outdoors, all things artistic and wellness related. Her hometown in Banff is her foundation for teaching art and yoga for the past 20 years. No travel experience is complete without a journal to record the finer details of her surroundings through sketches combined with watercolours, acrylic pens and ink. On retreat, prepare to be inspired and nurtured as her strength lies in the ability to cater to groups and individuals needs. Mindy loves to inspire guests to see the delight in their surroundings through art and how we can feel at ‘OM in the world.’

* Participation in classes and activities is optional throughout the retreat. All levels welcome!

WHAT PAST EPM GUESTS ARE SAYING

DETAILS / PRICING

• 7 days / 6 nights (Apr 20-26, 2025)

• Inclusive Retreat Price = $5,680 (shared room*), +$2150 (single room)

• Deposit to hold space = $1,500

• Max # Guests = 14
  * Guests traveling alone can choose the shared room and we match up based on guest profile. Rooms are spacious with separate beds and private bathrooms.
  ** 50% of final balance due 120 days before retreat start date, and remaining 50% due 60 days before retreat start date.
  Read full cancellation policy in our Terms & Conditions.

INCLUDED*:

• Luxury Hotel accommodation in spacious Sanctuary Suites (each with over 800sq ft, a living room, separate bedroom, and generous bathroom, private outdoor garden)

• Daily Yoga classes in gorgeous settings around the palace

• Creativity and travel-journal classes

• Daily Breakfast

• Most dinners and selected lunches

• Welcome reception

• Guided walk to nearby Rajasthan village

• Welcome ceremony at temple

• Aromatherapy class

• Private cooking class

• Indian liqueur tasting

• Sunrise Tiger Safari

• Pottery Workshop

• Spa Treatments

• Soundbath

• Candle Mediation

• Group airport transfer

• Taxes

* airfare not included

*tentative schedule, activities may be substituted based on weather and seasonability. All activities are carefully chosen based on the best experience for the guests.

LOCATION:

• Nearest international airport: Jaipur International Airport (JAI)

• One group transfer will be offered at 1:00pm on arrival day from Jaipur airport to the hotel, and one return transfer at 10:00am on departure day. It is a 2.5 hour drive

• For guests arriving outside of these times, we can assist you in organizing a private transfer through the hotel.

SUGGESTED PACKING:

Besides the basic packing and travel needs, here are a few things to think about bringing with you.

• Bathing suit

• Yoga clothes

• Smart phone with camera and/or digital camera

• Plug adaptors / converters

• Light layered clothing, sun hat