Since a few years, I’ve been collaborating with an befriended guide from Nepal to organize the Yoga Trekking in the Himalayas. Going back each year, I am always grateful for the delightful experience that yoga and hiking create together. The combination of yoga and trekking allows you to go back to basics, connect with nature and learn to listen to your own needs. Here’s five reasons why I love the combination of yoga and trekking in Nepal!
- Keep your body strong and flexible
A multi-day trekking in the Himalayas can be a challenge for your body. Climbing and descending at large altitudes, where the oxygen in the air decreases, requires good physical health. This is why a regular yoga practice, with many benefits for general health and wellbeing, is a great way to prepare for trekking in the mountains.
During the yoga trekking in Nepal, we will also warm up our bodies in the morning before hiking. In the evening, we wind down and stretch with a more calming practice. This will keep the body strong and flexible throughout the trekking. It will make you feel great and also reduce the risk of injuries!
2. Experience nature with all your senses
Yoga is not just about the physical experience. A very important element of yoga is meditation or mindfulness. This is a way of cultivating awareness of the present moment. Bringing your full attention to your surroundings is not a bad idea when you find yourself in the impressive landscape of the Himalayas. Practicing mindfulness while you are hiking will help you to experience the journey to the fullest. At the same time, the breathtaking views will automatically intensify your perception of the moment. This may help you to deepen your practice of meditation, which you might have started or will continue back home.
3. Learn to listen to your own needs
When you are connecting to your body and your mind with awareness, you will also become aware of your own needs. During a trekking in the mountains it is of vital importance to listen to your own boundaries. You have to slow down when your body tells you to do so. A lesson that you could take with you into the rest of your life.
At home, in modern society, most of us tend to cross our boundaries continuously. We tell ourselves we shouldn’t complain and just keep going. However, it’s very important to take care of ourselves and take the signals of our body seriously. Daily yoga practice helpt you to turn your awareness inward and tune in to your own needs.
4. Connect to your inner self
“Going back to nature is going back to the origin of life, to the origins of ourselves.”
This is what the philosopher Henry David Thoreau said about connecting to your inner self – and I feel exactly the same. So I am very grateful to go back to Nepal every year for two weeks of hiking in the mountains. When I live in sync with the rhythm of nature, I feel more connected to myself as well.
There’s also plenty of time for self-reflection during the long hours of walking. You will encounter quite some obstacles, being far away from home and out of your comfort zone. But you might also realize what truly matters to you in your life, what the purpose of your life may be. Did you know that the question ‘Who Am I?’ is also the ultimate question in yoga philosophy? This is exactly why connecting with nature and practicing yoga simultaneously form a perfect combination. Both will help you to learn about your true self!
5. Discover spirituality in Nepal
A long trekking in the Himalayas is a full immersion into the powerful nature and spiritual culture of Nepal, which is deepened by the daily practice of yoga.
If you are interested in learning about spirituality, Nepal is the perfect place to be. The people in Nepal truly embody compassion, harmony and peace and other qualities that are central in Eastern philosophy. These themes may also help you overcoming challenges on this journey in the mountains. Altogether, the yoga trekking in Nepal really is a journey that can change your life!⠀
The first time I was in Nepal, it changed my life. I learned to go with the flow, to be more compassionate, to be open and trustful. The resilience of the people and the overwhelming power of nature keep inspiring me, every time I go back.
Something I’m endlessly grateful for!
Do you also love yoga, hiking and travel? You are most welcome to join one of the Yoga Trekkings 2020!
All our yoga trekkings are organized on a non-profit basis. This means all profit goes to the people in Nepal we work with, contributing to sustainable development of the locals.
In 2020, we have planned three different yoga trekkings:
- April-May 2020: Yoga Trekking & Tibetan Buddhism
- 1-15 November 2020: Yoga Trekking & Explore Nepal
- 5-19 October 2020: Yoga Trekking in Mustang, the Forbidden Kingdom
You can subscribe for updates on the yoga trekking in Nepal to receive more information, tips for preparing your trip and special offers!
More information can be found through Himalaya Travel Adventures. Also feel free to contact us if you have any questions, we always love to get in touch!
This blog has been published previously at Reistop5.com – a great place to find more inspiration for travel!
Yoga Lañā 
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