10 Day Immersive Retreats:
December 8th - 18th, 2024
January 11th - 21st, 2025
Two incredible experiences rolled into one retreat
5 days (4 nights) steeped in the culture of Northern Thailand with a focus on natural living, health, and healing north of Chiang Mai.
5 days (4 nights) in the high rolling mountains being hosted by families of the village and spending our days with rescued elephants, free living in the jungle.
The Elephant Village Project offers an elephant experience any time of the year.
If you would like to book your own trip, we can arrange 2 to 5 day excursions. We can accommodate your schedule.
All Inclusive Trip
We meet at noon on Saturday in Chiang Mai, Thailand (Either 12/8/24 or 1/11/25). From there, we will travel north to the small village of Mae Jo to Earth Home Retreat Center. 5 days of Yoga and Qi Gong, Thai cooking classes, Thai massage, and amazing meals, plus educational opportunities and cultural excursions. On Thursday, we will travel to be with the elephants. We will travel into the mountains to spend 5 days being hosted by a family in a karen hill tribe village. We will provided accommodations, meals, and open hearted smiles blessed to be steeped in their life and ways. We will spend the days venturing into the forest walking with the elephants. We can stroll into the village and meet the community, see how they weave cloth and baskets, visit the temple, and the school. It’s always an adventure.
Prepare to have your hearts broken open by the beauty, generosity, and wisdom of this place, the people, and the elephants. This portion of the journey is centered on honoring the elephants and the culture of the land and people we have the humbling privilege to experience. It is important that as a visitor, we do not center ourselves. This journey might test your comfort. It is important that you come willing to be transformed. We will be well cared for by my dear friends and guides. This can be an event that expands your capacity for compassion. This is the hope.
What to Expect
Earth Home Retreat: Our incredible hosts here believe in organic, sustainable ways of living, and generously share their region’s traditional culture. Besides a peaceful homestay in small adobe structures with private bathrooms, we will be provided with 3 amazing meals a day. They offer classes in Thai cooking, massage, organic farming and natural building. We will practice yoga daily and go on an excursion to Chiang Dao Temple, Ban Den Wat Temple, and experience a traditional herbal steam sauna at the local buddhist temple.
The Elephants: We will transition on Thursday morning and travel into the high rolling mountains where we will stay in traditional bamboo huts with families in a local village. It is quite a journey and a sacred and precious place. We will spend the next few days walking in the jungle with these noble elephants. This is an educational experience as well as a great privilege.
Getting There
Flying directly into Chiangmai is easy and it is recommended to arrive a day or two earlier than when we meet to get acclimated. We will meet at the Vieng Mantra hotel on Saturday at noon. From there we will travel together to our first destination. Transport to Earth Home is included in the cost of the retreat.
Cost
The cost of the retreat $1950 covers lodging, transport, meals, yoga, planned trips to the temples, a cooking class, and the educational experience of a lifetime. (This does not include your travel expenses or stay in ChiangMai. Sweethome can assist you with finding accommodations before and after the retreat.)
You will want spending money for the extras such as buying local wares, tipping the staff, buying coffee at the cafe at earth home, donations at the temples, etc. There is an opportunity to receive a traditional Thai Massage at EarthHome. It is highly recommended to arrive a day or two before we meet to get acclimated. Chiang Mai is a unique, bustling city with all kinds of wonderful things to discover.
After your application has been accepted, a deposit of $650 will save your spot. The balance is due December 20th, 2024 (30 days before the retreat).
What You Need to Bring:
Passport (You only need a visa if you are in Thailand longer than a month.)
Travel Insurance coverage is highly recommended
Hat, sunscreen, & insect repellant (no deet)
Sandals/flip-flops
Close-toed hiking shoes or rubber boots
Flashlight/ headlamp
Clothing for warm days and cold nights (the nights in the mountains can get cold)
Water bottle (we do our best to not purchase plastic bottled water)
Apply for the Northern Thailand Retreat
Refund/Cancellation Policy
No one books a retreat with the intention of canceling it, but unexpected events do occur. Our cancellation policy is in place to help us all in making it possible to make dreams come true and be held when unexpected arises and adjustments need to be made.
IN CASE YOU NEED TO CANCEL:
HOLD DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
Hold deposits (minus $100 USD re-listing fee) are transferable to another attendee found and assigned by the original attendee.
Full balance due one month before the start date of retreat unless otherwise noted.
Cancellation requests submitted within 30 days of retreat date, 50% of total amount (less deposit) will be refunded.
Within 14 days of your retreat: sorry but no refunds given, no exceptions.
Any refunds allowed will incur a 4% processing fee.
IN CASE WE NEED TO CANCEL:
In case we must cancel the retreat due to Covid or low participant interest, all money paid minus 4% processing fee will be refunded. Notification of cancellation for this reason will occur at least 2 weeks prior to retreat start date. We cannot be held responsible for any personal expenses, such as airline tickets due to changes in itineraries or retreat cancellations.