Not Just a Retreat — A Return
Roots & Retreats isn’t just a retreat, it’s a portal into a hidden world. Born from years of quiet exploration, these journeys are rooted in lived experience: walking Himalayan paths, sharing chai with locals, and uncovering moments that can’t be Googled, only experienced.
Picture meditating in a 2,000-year-old stone temple at Kasar Devi, one of only three places on Earth where the rare Van Allen Belt, said to heighten spiritual energy, touches ground. Sipping rhododendron tea, brewed from an exotic, cherry-blossom-like Himalayan flower, as the sun rises over Himalayan peaks Trishul and Nanda Devi. Lying beneath a sky so clear, you see 200 shooting stars in fifteen minutes.
These aren’t fantasies, they’ve been lived. And your journey will carry its own kind of magic. Led by those who know the land deeply and held by teachers who guide with presence and care, each retreat invites you to walk ancient trails, visit hidden shrines, and sit with the quiet wisdom of the land, not as tourists, but as humble guests.
This is sacred travel - not just to breathtaking places, but to parts of yourself you’ve been longing to return to.
Our First Journey: Kasar Devi, Uttarakhand
7 Nights, 8 Days | October 2025
Perched on a quiet ridge in the Kumaon Himalayas, Kasar Devi has long drawn seekers, sages, and artists. From Swami Vivekananda to Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Steve Jobs — all magnetized by its energy. In the late 1800s, Swami Vivekananda meditated here for days in a cave below the temple. His time in Kasar Devi is said to have shaped the clarity behind his global Vedanta mission. One of only three places on Earth aligned with the rare Van Allen Belt (alongside Machu Picchu and Stonehenge), it’s believed to support deeper states of meditation and inner awareness. Since the 1960s, it’s also been a quiet hub for mysticism, counterculture, and spiritual exploration.
On this journey, you’ll stay in a heritage retreat run by a local family, walk forest trails, visit hidden shrines, and experience the mountains through a slower, more intimate lens - not as a tourist, but as a guest.
The journey will include meditation, sound healing, QiGong and conversations with local wisdom keepers, creating space for presence, reflection, and connection with the land, its people, and yourself.
Why I Started Roots & Retreats
Roots & Retreats wasn’t born from a business plan - it began as a quiet feeling.
Hi, I’m Rhea.
My journey with the Himalayas began on a trip with my father, drawn by a shared fascination with the mountains and the stories of sages who once walked these ridges. A few months later, I returned with friends for two weeks… and stayed five months. It wasn’t just the beauty that drew me in, it was the stillness, the rhythm of life, and the way the land quietly invites you inward. That’s how I’ve always loved to travel: not as a tourist, but as a listener, getting to know the people, the culture, and the land beneath my feet.
On my journeys, I’ve been welcomed into village homes, cooked with local families, and sat with herbalists and wisdom keepers whose teachings live beyond books. With each visit, something softened. And one thought kept returning:
“More people need to experience this, not just the beauty of the place, but the stillness it stirs inside.”
That’s what led to Roots & Retreats, not a brand or a business plan, but a heartfelt offering. An invitation to travel slower, listen more deeply, and reconnect with the land, with one another, and with yourself.
I’d be honoured to walk that path with you.
With love,
Rhea
The Ones Who Walk Beside You
Guides, teachers, and keepers gently weaving land and practice into your journey.
Tanya Mistry
Facilitator & Holistic Wellness Practitioner
We’re grateful to have Tanya Mistry as the lead teacher on this journey. A certified sound healing therapist and Qi Gong teacher, Tanya brings a deep passion for sound, nature, and healing. Her work helps others reconnect with themselves through sound therapy, meditation, and gentle movement — creating heart-centered spaces for reflection and balance. Tanya has spent years immersed in the rhythms of the natural world — from working as a PADI Divemaster to walking in forests and mountains. Her love for wild places infuses her offerings with a deep sense of reverence. Through her sessions, she invites you to slow down, soften, and reconnect with the wisdom within.
Stories Shared, Hearts Opened
Testimonies not just of place, but of what moved within
"Hey love - i just wanted to genuinely thank you from the bottom of my heart for such an amazing trip to Kasar Devi. Coming back here really put into perspective even more how magical the trip was - at least for me. The energy was so powerful. Honestly words will never do justice for how I feel about everything and how much it meant to me and still means to me. I feel very fortunate and blessed and hope to go on more adventures with you "
Aarushi Bhardwaj
Notes Along the Way
Moments & memories from life in the hills
Join The Journey
If you feel called to join us in Kasar Devi, we’d love to hear from you.
Please fill out this short form so we can learn more about you and share next steps.