Search Your Soul
Retreat & Tour to Sri Lanka
22 Nov - 5 Dec 2024
Avril Bastiansz will be your host, teacher & guide bringing a very personal touch to this exclusive retreat for women, showing you around this magical island where she was born & raised.
“What we are seeking is a way back to ourselves to reclaim & reunite with our authentic Self, our Soul” - Avril Bastiansz
Born in the beautiful tropical North-Eastern harbour town of Trincomalee, Avril grew up in Sri Lanka until her twenties before moving to Melbourne, Australia where she resides today. Avril says that this has shaped the woman she has grown up to Become.
“The best way to know a place is through the lived experience of its’ people, myths and stories’'
Avril combines this with her love for spirituality, yoga, meditation, Ayurveda & healing to bring you this exclusive offfering.
If you are a Woman who’s Soul is calling you to know your Self and Sri Lanka is on your bucket list, this Retreat is for YOU!
Rediscover Your Soul & Inner Joy
'Search Your Soul' is more than just another yoga retreat, it is an exclusive tour with your personal guide & teacher, a spiritual journey designed to re-orient you with your soul and Self. We often feel tired and hopeless not because we are doing too much but because we are not doing enough of what lights us up, of what ignites our soul. This retreat is an opportunity for you to step away from hampster wheel and indulge yourself, to re-kindle that inner fire and re-align with your soul path. Although it may seem indulgent, a retreat is an investment in YOU.
You can expect an authentic experience as you immerse yourself in Sri Lanka’s unique history, beauty & culture. Avril will be showing you around weaving in stories about her childhood, the people, the customs, the culture, the food and Sri Lanka’s rich heritage in Buddhism and Indiginous Ayurveda. Visiting significant sacred sites & cities. Your daily itinerary will include transformative spiritual teachings & practices that will help create a conscious memorable experience for you. Most importantly, you will return with the gift of having learned to meditate.
Individual Inititation into VEDIC MEDITATION is included in this tour.
“Avril’s meditation and yoga retreat to western, central and southern Sri Lanka was unforgettable. It was interesting, relaxing, well organised and most importantly, an elixir for the body mind and spirit.
Highlights included a 4 day stay at an Ayurvedic Treatment Centre and our daily group yoga and meditation sessions looking out over rainforests, the tea plantations of Ella and the Indian Ocean. Avril is such an inspirational and stimulating teacher. She provided us with so many tools to weave into and enhance our daily lives, and loads of resources to explore Vedic meditation and yoga further.
Avril looked after us all so well in so many ways. All my expectations were met and more. It was truly transformative.”
Sally, 2023.
DETAILS & INFORMATION
DATES : 22nd November - 5th December 2024 (14 Days)
As most International flights arrive/depart to and from Colombo late at night, your accommodation for the 22nd of November & 5th December and airport transfers to and from are included in the cost of the retreat. The retreat begins on the 23 November, at 12PM Noon at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo where you will be staying on arrival. The retreat will conclude on the 5 December with transfers from Villa Saffron in Hikkaduwa to the Colombo International Airport.
ITINERARY
Colombo, Kandalama, Kandy, Ella, Galle, Hikkaduwa
Days 1 & 2
Welcome to Colombo, the Capital City of Sri Lanka
22 & 23 November - COLOMBO
Retreat begins at 12pm on the 23 of November Welcome. Colombo City Highlights Tour. Blessing at Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple followed by Lunch and a bit of Shopping at Barefoot Gallery Cafe adn Shop. Back to hotel for tea & rest. Welcome dinner, briefing on itinerary before bed.
Days 3 & 4
Visit to the Elephants & Climb Sigiriya Rock
24 & 25 November - KANDALAMA & SIGIRIYA
Travel to Kandalama after breakfastt via Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage & stop for lunch. Arrive at Kandalama Hotel for Tea. Rest by the pool until sunset. Yin & Meditation Circle before Dinner.
Next day we climb Sigiriya rock & tour of Sigiriya. Back in time for lunch and to relax by the pool. Afternoon tea followed by restorative Yoga & Meditation before dinner.
Days 5 - 8
Kandy Samadhi Ayurveda & Meditation Centre
26 - 29 November - SAMADHI
We travel to Kandy after breakfast from Kandalama via the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Lunch on way. Arrive at Samadhi Ayurveda & Meditation centre for tea. Rest.
Shakti Vedic Meditation Course begins with daily knowledge & practice sessions and Satsangs after dinner each night. Individual Consultation with Ayurveda Doctor & treatments will be scheduled in between Vedic Meditation Course program & yoga over the four nights here. All three meals will be Ayurvedic & Vegeterian. Plenty of time to basque in nature in this beautiful setting.
Days 9 & 10
Scenic Train Ride Through The Hill Country & Tea Plantations to Ella
30 November & 1 December - ELLA
We leave Samadhi after morning meditation with a packed breakfast via Nuwara Eliya and the Tea Plantations to get the scenic tain ride to Ella.
Arrive in Ella ifr a bit of shopping & evening meditation before dinner in town. Explore Ella the next morning by foot, meditation in the hills followed by more shopping or rest in the afternoon. Evening medittion & Satsang before dinner at the hotel
Days 11 - 14
The South Coast, Galle Fort & Hikkaduwa
2 - 5 December - GALLE & HIKKADUWA
We leave Ella after meditation and breakfast via Ravana Waterfalls for Galle & Hikkaduwa. Stopping for a lunch on way at the Galle Fort. Arrive at Villa Saffron in Hikkaduwa in time for tea. Rest. Walk, Swim. Meditation. Dinner. Satsang & Women’s Circle.
Daily Yoga & Meditation with lots of beach time, rest time and shopping time. Another visit to the Galle Fort or Lunuganga ( The Home & Gardens of Legenary Architect, Geoffrey Bawa) for lunch. A special closing celebration dinner on Day 13, the eve of before our departure Day 13.
Day 14 is a leisurely day, time to pack-up. Transfer to Colombo airport after an early dinner and a closing women’s circle at approx 6pm.
INCLUSIONS
All Meals - during our stay at Samadhi Ayurveda & Medtation Centre we will have Vegetarian cuisine.
All Accommodation - 14-nights stay in unique accomodation including 5-star hotel, a unique ayurveda & meditation centre and an exclusive private villa on the beach, all twin-share basis. Please enquire for single room supplement.
All yoga practices - No prior experience needed.
Vedic Meditation Course with Individual Mantra Initiation (valued at $999 AUD)
Ayurvedic Consultation & 2-hour full-body treatment (valued at $250 AUD)
Satsang, Knowledge Sessions, Womens Circle
Sri Lankan Cooking Class
Train Ride to Ella
Tour (s) of Sigiriya Rock, Dambulla Cave Temple, Pinnawela Elephant Orphange, Temple of the Tooth, Tea Plantation & Galle Fort
All transporation around the island in an air-conditioned van with a Driver.
Transfer to and from airport on arrival (22 Nov) & departure (5 Dec)
Souvenir Gift
EXCLUSIONS
Airfares are not Included - Sri-Lankan Airlines flies direct from Melbourne to Colombo daily. Airfares are approx $2000 AUD
Entry Visa is required with valid Australian passport and is approximately $50 USD. It can be purchased through the Sri Lanka Immigration Official website : Online Visa Application (eta.gov.lk)
Travel Insurance (Highly recommended)
Additional Drinks, Coffee or Alcoholic Beverages & Snacks
Gratuities, laundry and incidentals
A Special Note
SRI LANKA IS A DEVELOPING COUNTRY AND THINGS MAY NOT ALWAYS GO TO PLAN. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND TRAVEL WITH A GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS OF SPIRIT
Additional Information about Sri Lanka can be found at :
SLTDA | Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority
PRICING
$4,444 AUD
Bring a Friend and Receive $100 Off the Full Price
BOOKINGS & PAYMENT
Only 8 spaces available for this exclusive tour
Reserve your spot with a $900 Non-Refundable Deposit
Balance due on or before 30 September, 2024
Pay to : AVRIL BASTIANSZ | COMMONWEALTH BANK| BSB 063141 |ACCOUNT 1053 0477
Payments can be made via PayPal - Please Inquire. Fees Apply.
Sleeping Buddha , Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka