What a day at a centre feels like, what to pack, how to prepare, and how to take the benefit home.
Last reviewed · Massvaa Care Wellness editorial teamOn this page
A day at a centre
- Wake with the light; warm water or herbal tea
- Yoga, breathing or a quiet walk
- Breakfast, cooked for your programme
- Consultation or check-in with the practitioner
- Therapies of the day
- Lunch, the main meal
- Rest — often the most important hour
- Gentle practice, a cooking class or a walk
- Light dinner
- Early night
An illustration only. Each centre and practitioner sets their own timetable.
Before you travel
A little preparation makes the stay safer and more useful.
- Complete the health questionnaire your concierge sends, and share recent reports.
- Make a list of every medicine and supplement you take, with doses. Bring the prescriptions.
- Tell your own doctor about your plans, especially if you have a long-term condition.
- Take travel insurance and check whether it covers wellness stays and activities.
- Ask a travel clinic about vaccinations for India, a few weeks before you fly.
- Apply for the right visa in good time.
What to pack
Loose cotton or linen that covers shoulders and knees; a light shawl or fleece for early mornings and air-conditioning.
Old underwear and a dark T-shirt you do not mind staining. Centres provide the rest.
Slip-on sandals: shoes come off often, at therapy rooms, temples and homes.
Comfortable practice clothes. Most centres lend mats; bring your own if you prefer.
Your medicines in their original packs, prescriptions, sunscreen, insect repellent and a small first-aid kit.
A universal adaptor (India uses types C, D and M), a reusable bottle, a torch and something to read.
Food and water
Most centres serve vegetarian food, cooked fresh and adapted to your programme, and many gently discourage snacks, caffeine and eating between meals. Tell your concierge about allergies and needs such as halal, Jain, gluten-free or vegan food; we confirm them with the centre in writing.
Drink filtered or bottled water. Centres provide it, and many serve warm water or herbal infusions with meals, following Ayurvedic custom.
Etiquette and customs
Modest clothing is appreciated everywhere and expected at ashrams and temples.
Remove them before entering therapy rooms, temples and homes.
Ask before photographing people and inside therapy rooms or temples.
Many centres keep silence in the early morning and after dark.
Not required. If you wish to thank staff, ask the centre whether it has a shared staff fund.
Use your right hand for giving, receiving and eating, as is customary in India.
Money, phones and internet
India’s currency is the rupee (INR). Cards are widely accepted in cities and at larger centres; carry some cash for small towns. Most centres bill the programme directly, in writing.
You can buy a local SIM card with your passport and visa, or use an eSIM. Wi-Fi is common but may be limited on purpose at some retreats — part of the rest.
Going home
The days after a programme matter. Avoid flying straight into a busy week if you can, and follow the diet and routine the practitioner gives you. Your concierge sends your take-home routine in writing and calls you in the weeks after you return.
Bringing herbal preparations home? Keep them in their labelled packs with the prescription, and check your own country’s import rules first.
Official sources
Rules, registrations and visa terms change. Where this page and an official source differ, the official source applies.
