Dwarika’s Sanctuary, Nepal | Private Stays with EVC

Dhulikhel, east of the Kathmandu Valley · about an hour from Kathmandu, Nepal · four categories of suite on a terraced hillside

Dwarika’s Sanctuary

Nepal

An all-suite Himalayan wellbeing retreat set on the terraced slopes of Dhulikhel above the Indrawati valley, shaped by the Pancha Kosha, the five layers of being, with resident Ayurvedic doctors, a spa village and the snow peaks on the horizon.

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The house

In stills

A first reading of the stay: rooms, light, and the quiet between them. Each still is a note, not a catalogue.

Morning sun breaking over the hillside buildings of Dwarika's Sanctuary, Dhulikhel, gardens and pines below — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Aerial view of the Shiva Lingam Maze at Dwarika's Sanctuary, its hedged paths among the gardens — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Two guests on a swing on the hilltop at Dwarika's Sanctuary, the Himalaya on the horizon — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

The terrace of the Zero Zone at Dwarika's Sanctuary, a parasol and the hills beyond — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

The Zero Zone lounge at Dwarika's Sanctuary: armchairs in a glass room with the forest outside — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A guest walking among tall pines in the grounds of Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A guest on a stone path between planted beds at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

The Meditation Buddha in the forest at Dwarika's Sanctuary, a guest seated in quiet beside it — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Fusion Bar at Dwarika's Sanctuary: low sofas, carved timber and stone walls, a window onto the trees — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Sofas and armchairs around low tables in Fusion Bar at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Mako’s Zen at Dwarika's Sanctuary: a low table, painted screens and ceramics in a white room — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A Nepali thali of small bowls around rice, served at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A garden salad scattered with flowers at Ananta Poolside, Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A table beneath a parasol on a dining terrace at Dwarika's Sanctuary, the mountains on the skyline — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Tea and cake laid out on the grass at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Two daybeds and a table set on a hilltop meadow at Dwarika's Sanctuary, the Himalaya rising beyond the valley — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Terraced fields of the organic farm at Dwarika's Sanctuary, cloud lying in the valley beyond — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Guests at a cooking class with a chef at Dwarika's Sanctuary, preparing dishes at an outdoor counter — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A guest learning to prepare herbal remedies at a garden table at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

An Ayurvedic consultation in a sunlit room at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

An evening blessing by lamplight among the trees at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A small chamber lit from within among the trees of the wellness gardens at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A guest seated in meditation in a quiet chamber at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Guests in a yoga pose on a timber deck among the trees at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Two guests in a standing yoga pose on an open terrace at Dwarika's Sanctuary, the Himalaya behind them — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A teacher seated among Tibetan singing bowls at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A singing bowl therapy session in a warmly lit room at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A sound healing session at Dwarika's Sanctuary, guests resting among bowls and gongs — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A guest resting on a massage table in a spa pavilion open to the forest at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

The Brahmanda Indoor Pool at Dwarika's Sanctuary, a swimmer beneath a coffered ceiling and tall windows — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A guest in the indoor pool at Dwarika's Sanctuary, tall windows open to the trees — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

A guest painting at a table in a studio at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Hands at work beside a clay pot on the potter’s table at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Cloud filling the valleys below the hills around Dhulikhel, Nepal, in early morning — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

The Experience

How the days feel

High above the valleys east of Kathmandu, where prayer flags lift in the wind and terraced fields fall toward the Indrawati River, the hills of Dhulikhel open onto the Himalaya. For centuries this has been a place of retreat for monks and seekers. In 2006 the family behind The Dwarika’s Hotel found a hillside here, and in 2013 they opened Dwarika’s Sanctuary, carrying a philosophy of heritage preservation into one of holistic renewal.

The Sanctuary unfolds like a mandala across the slopes. Suites of timber, stone and handwoven linen rise in the rhythm of the fields, and between them sit the spaces that give the place its character: a Himalayan Salt House walled with more than twenty tons of salt, a Crystal House of quartz and amethyst, a meditation maze encircled by eighty-four Shiva Lingams, a cave lined with rudraksha beads, seven Chakra Chambers and a Garden of the Nine Planets laid out in nine terraces.

Everything follows the Pancha Kosha, the ancient Vedic understanding of the self in five layers: body, energy, mind, insight and bliss. A stay begins with a personal consultation with a resident Ayurvedic doctor and unfolds through yoga at sunrise, breathwork in the Salt House, sound healing, pottery and painting, and meals drawn from the family’s six organic farms. Beyond the walls are a monastery lunch at Namobuddha, a farm hike to the Farmer’s Table and the old Newari towns of the valley.

It is a place that asks very little and gives a great deal: the mountains sharp and cold in the morning, haze softening every edge by afternoon, and in the evening a sundowner on the ridge at Zero Zone as the light moves from gold to indigo.

In motion

Unhurried hours at Dhulikhel

Pools, gardens and quiet paths on the hillside, with the valley falling away below.

Why EVC loves it

Why we would send you here

A philosophy, not a menu The whole Sanctuary is built around the Pancha Kosha, the five layers of being, so every suite, meal, ritual and treatment belongs to a single idea of renewal.
Ayurveda with real depth Each stay begins with a resident Ayurvedic doctor reading your dosha and shaping the days that follow, from diet to therapies in the Pancha Kosha Spa village.
Salt, crystal and stone A Salt House of more than twenty tons of Himalayan salt, a crystal meditation room, a maze of eighty-four Shiva Lingams and seven Chakra Chambers, all on one hillside.
The Himalaya at the edge of the pool The Ananta Infinity Pool, the Infinity Deck and the Zero Zone ridge all look across the Indrawati valley to the snow peaks.

Accommodations

Four suites on the hillside

Every room at Dwarika’s Sanctuary is a suite, from an intimate room with its own terrace to a 312 square metre residence at the highest point of the hill.

Room 01

The Suite

79 to 86 m² · King bed · Private terrace with daybed

Shaped for quiet arrival: terracotta floors, soft organic linens, handmade furniture from the Sanctuary’s own workshops and morning light that finds its way in slowly. A private terrace with a divan daybed extends the room into the mountain air.
Room 02

The Sanctuary Suite

131 m² · King or twin beds · Private garden with daybed

Where the garden becomes the room: 62 square metres inside and a private garden of 69 more beneath the pines, with a daybed and lounge furnishings for reading, tea in the morning and rest that runs deeper than sleep.
Room 03

The Himalayan Sanctuary Suite

144 m² · King bed · Terrace with outdoor living and daybed

Perched at one of the Sanctuary’s highest points, with 77 square metres indoors and a 67 square metre terrace facing the full span of the Indrawati valley and the peaks beyond: an outdoor living room at the edge of the view.
Room 04

The Royal Suite

312 m² · Private kitchen, chef on request · Outdoor hot tub and dining deck

A Himalayan residence named for Dolpa, one of Nepal’s most remote regions, set at the highest point of the Sanctuary. Terraces span nearly as much as the interior, with a dining deck among the trees and a hot tub facing the mountains.

Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Inside the stay

The house, in notes

Where you sleep, what you eat, and how you arrive: the essentials, in brief.

Aerial view of Dwarika's Sanctuary, Dhulikhel: suites and pavilions set among forest on the hillside, the pool among the trees — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

The suites

Timber, stone and the long view

Every room at Dwarika’s Sanctuary is a suite, set along the terraced slopes so that each opens to forest, valley or peaks. Inside are terracotta floors, natural fabrics in earth and sky tones, organic linens and furniture made by hand in the family’s own workshops.

Four categories. The Suite is the most intimate, with a private terrace and daybed. The Sanctuary Suite opens onto its own garden among the pines. The Himalayan Sanctuary Suite sits high on the slope with a wide terrace facing the peaks. The Royal Suite, at the highest point of the Sanctuary, is a residence of 312 square metres with a private kitchen, a chef on request and an outdoor hot tub.

Made in house. Bath amenities are produced by the Pancha Kosha Himalayan Spa from organic ingredients and Himalayan herbs, with herbal teas, French press coffee and freshly baked cookies in every suite, and in-room dining.

A table laid on the terrace of Nature’s Flavours at Dwarika's Sanctuary, the hills and mountains beyond — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Dining

From the family farms to the table

At the Sanctuary each meal begins long before it reaches the plate, on the family’s six organic farms across Nepal, where fields are tilled by hand, herbs are gathered at dawn and grains are ground in small stone mills. The farm at Dhulikhel, close to the Sanctuary, grows culinary herbs, kiwi, almonds and shiitake. Menus follow the seasons and the principles of Ayurvedic nourishment.

Nature’s Flavours. The heart of the kitchen, beside terraced fields and the forest edge, for breakfast and dinner that blend Himalayan ingredients with Ayurvedic balance.

Mako’s Zen. A chef-led dinner of courses in the spirit of shizen ryori, built on what the farm and the Himalayan rivers offer: Japanese technique, Himalayan soul, and no menu to choose from.

Fusion Bar. Hearth and timber as dusk gathers over Dhulikhel, with herbal teas, crafted mocktails, Nepali infusions and small plates from the gardens, and a fire on cooler nights.

The Farmer’s Table. After a hike to a family farm, a lunch of rice, lentils and vegetables gathered hours before, prepared by the farmers themselves and shared under Himalayan skies.

A massage in an open pavilion among the trees of the Pancha Kosha Spa at Dwarika's Sanctuary — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Wellbeing

The five layers of being

Ayurveda. Resident Ayurvedic doctors assess each guest’s dosha through observation and conversation, then guide diet, daily rhythm and therapies. Treatments are personalised to that reading, with warm oils, rhythmic strokes and herbal blends.

The Pancha Kosha Spa village. Rooted in Ayurveda and Buddhist medicine, with signature Himalayan rituals such as the Pancha Kosha Newari massage, with oils of ajwain, fenugreek and camphor, and Kwon Jyajo, a Newari ritual of herbal oil, powdered herbal scrub and steam once performed for girls entering womanhood.

Spaces of stillness. The Himalayan Salt House for slow breathwork, the Crystal House, the Meditation Cave lined with rudraksha beads, seven Chakra Chambers each tuned to a single chakra, the Shiva Lingam Maze, the Navagraha Garden and the Meditation Buddha in a forest clearing.

Water and movement. The Ananta Infinity Pool above the valley, the Brahmanda Indoor Pool beneath a vaulted ceiling pricked with points of light, a hot tub open to the mountains, an open-air yoga space, a yoga hall and a fitness hall.

A Nine Planet Balancing ritual in the Navagraha Garden at Dwarika's Sanctuary, incense smoke drifting through the trees — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Experiences

Ritual, craft and the hills beyond

Every experience here belongs to one continuous rhythm, and a stay can be as quiet or as full as you wish.

Rituals at the Sanctuary. A dawn meditation walk barefoot on dew-wet dubo grass through the Shiva Lingam Maze; a blessing by a priest within its spiral paths; Nine Planet Balancing with a Vedic priest in the Navagraha Garden; sound healing with hand-struck bowls; mantra chanting in the cave; and the sundowner at Zero Zone as the sun sets behind the high peaks.

Hands and soil. Pottery with a pottery master, using earth from nearby fields; painting with a resident artist; herbal home remedies of ginger, turmeric, basil and neem from the garden; a cooking class with the chef; and seasonal planting on the farm terraces.

Namobuddha. A journey to one of Nepal’s most sacred Buddhist sites, about forty kilometres from Kathmandu, to hear the morning chant, share a simple lunch with the monks and sit for a dharma talk with the Khenpo, with views across to Langtang, Gaurishankar and Dorje Lakpa.

Beyond the hill. A ride of some thirty kilometres by bicycle through Newari villages and orange orchards to Panauti, one of the oldest towns in Nepal, with its pagoda temples and stone ghats; mountain biking on pine trails with a picnic; a walk through the cobbled streets of Bhaktapur; and, for a morning to remember, a helicopter from the Sanctuary at dawn for breakfast in view of Everest.

A guest at a railing above the valley at Dwarika's Sanctuary, looking out to the snow peaks of the Himalaya — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Who it is best for

For renewal, reflection and quiet company

Two travelers

Travelers who want more than rest from a journey: a few unhurried days with real depth, in a setting that does much of the work.

Couples and solo travelers. For whom a suite with a garden or a terrace, a consultation, a daily practice and a view of the Himalaya is the whole point of the trip.

Wellbeing journeys. Guests who want Ayurveda, yoga, meditation and breathwork shaped around them, or a longer retreat on a theme such as regenerative yoga therapy, metabolic reset or immunity and vitality.

Small groups. Private wellbeing retreats, leadership offsites and creative residencies, with the Library, the Zero Lounge and the forest pavilions to work in, and the whole Sanctuary available for complete privacy.

A Nepal journey. Paired with The Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu, about an hour away, for the courtyards and temples of the Valley before the stillness of the hills.

A rooftop terrace at Dwarika's Sanctuary, Dhulikhel above forest, with cloud filling the valley below and mountains on the horizon — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Arrival

An hour from Kathmandu

Dwarika’s Sanctuary stands on the hills of Dhulikhel, east of the Kathmandu Valley, about an hour by road from Kathmandu.

By air to Kathmandu. International flights arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu, the gateway to Nepal.

By road to Dhulikhel. The drive leaves the Valley eastward into the Himalayan foothills. Many guests spend the first nights at The Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu and travel on to the Sanctuary, a natural progression from heritage to horizon.

By helicopter. Helicopter flights from the Sanctuary can be arranged for mountain mornings, including breakfast in view of Everest.

Your advisor arranges the arrival, transfers and the sequence of nights between Kathmandu and Dhulikhel.

Sunrise over the hills and valleys around Dhulikhel, Nepal, mist lying in the folds of the land — Courtesy of Dwarika's Sanctuary

Seasonality

Clear mornings and green hills

The Sanctuary is open through the year, and each season changes the character of the view.

Autumn and winter. After the monsoon, the air clears and the snow peaks are often at their sharpest in the cold mornings, with long days of sun on the terraces.

Spring. Warmer days and blossom on the hillsides, with haze that softens the mountains by afternoon.

The monsoon. From early summer into September the rains turn the terraced fields and forests a deep green, and cloud drifts through the valley below the Sanctuary.

Your advisor can time a stay around the clearest mountain weather, the festival calendar in Kathmandu or a particular retreat.

Pair it with

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Dwarika's Sanctuary, Dhulikhel, Nepal