WHOLEHEARTEDLY EXPERIENCES 
 
TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR TANTRA 

From the idea of a retreat to be back to Tantra. We all have in ourselves a tantric origin. An ability to flow naturally, and not be caught from one habit to the next. Finding another concept, meeting other people to feel inspired, catching a different path, and a new way of life is what is all about when joining our retreats in Mongolia, at the Yak Valley Meditation Camp.

Here we created a space made for your needs: for the Dharma seekers, and for resting in an incredible place: between a valley rich in its culture and nomadism lifestyle and a comfortable setting both traditional with the Mongolian Gers and the luxury and technologies we brought to make this stay as pleasant as it can be. 

The yak valley camp is the start for practicing mindfulness meditations, Tantra meditations, spending time in Nature, and recharging your very own batteries. Here, far from the beaten paths, you have the opportunity to really disconnect, and do a “digital detox” that can be really beneficiary for our modern lives. Not only will you have a chance to relax, but you will also be taken care of by our staff to attend to all your needs. 

Creating the ideal environment for you to enjoy your personal space, and a peaceful spot among nature to benefit from all the natural conditions we need as human beings, the Yak Valley camp is welcoming you for unique retreats in Mongolia, far away from the noise of classic tourism. 

Here you will find the key elements that will bring up your experience of Mongolia, together with a personal development approach, for those who need to calm their mind, reflect, learn about themselves, or develop a more spiritual lifestyle. 

Get an idea of a program here.

Our Meditation Hall

The beautiful Yak Valley as well as many of the locations we promote throughout our journeys are set to propose you participate in your own journey of self-development. Here, we are welcoming people from all around Mongolia and our friends from abroad to our warm and quiet meditation hall, dedicated to the practice of mindfulness and tantric meditations, lectures, and personal consultations, so that you can really focus your attention on the present moment, and find your way. 

Our meditation hall can welcome up to a dozen of participants for group meditations, during the summer months and even winter, the structure is heated by a wooden stove. It is a cozy and safe place, isolated to maximize privacy and very welcoming.

Aside from the meditation hall in itself, we also conduct meditations within nature. Either around our camp or during further explorations, this is a unique look at some of the best destinations surrounded by sacred mountains for the Mongolian people, traditional locations used for meditations themselves, and also great places with spectacular views to enrich your experience. 

Our Gers

More than a peaceful location, you shall be received and hosted in traditional and fully decorated Gers - the Mongolian Yurt - which are the preferred rooms to spend your precious nighttime resting. Not only beautiful and comfortable, but there is also something special to spending nights in this centuries-old treasure of the country. The round shape resembles the rhythm of thoughts and the infinite circle of life and has a profound calming effect on our minds. Even in the remotest places, you shall feel comfortable, warm, and just in the right place. It simply feels like organic sleeping among natural materials such as wood, felt, and iron that are the foundations of any Ger.
Our unique decoration reinforces this feeling and has been created by our artisan builders and club members in Ulaanbaatar. The choice of furniture and mattress makes the most comfortable and warm beds you could find.

For colder nights, a wooden stove right in the middle of the Gers are providing the warming fire you need. There is nothing like it spending one night - almost like a comfy camping experience - under the stars in remote lands with the light, smell, and warmth of a fire.

Our Lounge/dining room:

Another highlight of any trip is the time spent sharing a meal or enjoying a simple relaxed moment with your group on the sofas with a view of the raw countryside. We welcome you to a fully decorated lounge with warm tones of wood, paintings, and frames of the nomadic life and landscapes we visit in the West and a full-service of buffet and people focused on your needs. The occasion is given to share your experiences with one another have a drink, rest for a time, and observe the soft life around the camp. Here you will be served some of the best meals you can have in Mongolia - compatible with your dietary preferences. 

And Eco Ger camp to respect the land

Here, the facilities we built are respecting the ambitions we have for the place: to impact the least nature and its ecosystems. This is why we built on purpose the cleanest ways we know our water systems so that the use of toilets, showers and washrooms, and kitchen remain as Eco as possible. Here, the liquids and solids are separated in our toilet facilities, with a deep hole dug under the surface, and a system of ventilation allows you to minimize the smell of odors so that you can also enjoy your time there. You can learn more about those developments when visiting our camp, as we built some information and signs to explain how this all works. Warm showers are available during your stay - with respect to water usage - to also make your journey unique during your retreat.

Time spent during retreats is an excellent opportunity to observe and reflect on the intricacy of our lives, by paying attention to our bodies and mind. Our meditation and retreat camp is the ideal location for that matter. To allow yourself a state of deep relaxation: feeling at home right between the mountains, where pristine mountains, animals freely roaming, and the natural ways of life of the local nomads are always present.

Besides the comfort of our Gers and lounge overall, you will also have a chance to experience deep meditation and personal consultations with our meditation practitioners and teacher. Both in Nature and at the camp. The meditations we practice during the retreats are based around Tantra. More than just experiencing meditations among nature, Tantra is about teaching you back your own freedom and building the foundation for self-development. It is not a vision compatible with the current Society, since it relies on building habits that are in fact causing much of our suffering in this world. Instead, Tantra is about flowing freely in a truthful life, and the start of creativity and adaptability.

Therefore our meditations are developed for Dharma seekers: for those looking for their karma, seeing new ways of thinking, and experiencing this sense of freedom and connections. Next to a tantric master, we look into the case of what takes us out of our own freedom and understand our ego. When we are able to see through our own tantra, a connection is then created: for you to feel the originality and the uniqueness of this world and life, like an opening of a new spirit to our reality. 

You can read further about Tantra and our practice here.

Access to your Self Development, through the fire meditation. Develop this life force energy, the source of all living nature and land.
Inspired by our location deep into the countryside, about 700km North-West of Ulaanbaatar city, it is a country of horses and yaks living together with their owners in a traditional fashion. Their spirit is free, not hanging to any particular location or buildings like we typically do in cities. Right the opposite of the urban lifestyle, the nomadic-free spirit - the ancient way of life doesn’t bring the complexity and the artificial mindset we experience in Western countries. 

A free spirit living is about accepting the challenges of nature and having less comfort-building philosophy. Here in the countryside, even helped with the use of modern technologies, comfort will always be more limited. It is only with this kind of culture that our meditation lights us up. It is the path of the fire meditation, to living this life with a free spirit and a wild insight. 

Ancient Buddhism practices developed through centuries in Mongolia created their own unique meditation culture.

Here, the land doesn’t display many cities, but instead a wide landscape of high plateaux and mountains where people live on average at the altitude of around 2000 meters above sea level. A land is unforgiving, especially during the long winter months, where a high adaptive spirit is key for off-the-land living. Everything here, including animals, plants, and humans, has to be adapted to these strong weather conditions to carry and support life.

The yak valley meditation camp, brings a unique opportunity, as being one of the perfect spots to light the fire within you with fire meditation. Inspired by this land and the local living conditions. This is a concept that sits at the opposite of the water meditations with a spirit that relies on comfort and complacency.

Some meditations are heading toward mindfulness, creating comfort, and self-realization. But fire meditation is more about maintaining and understanding more about nature, people, and its nonstop movement and change. 
During our retreats, you will find the courage to meet many more friends from this world, from whom you will be able to meditate and create the fire inside, and flow together. 

This is usually what the people are searching for when coming to our camp: finding the courage to leave their Egos and face their realities, and some of their difficulties. 

Lastly, our meditations are in phase with the spirits of the adventure, when the body and the soul can collaborate into new experiences. Perfect for where our camp sits: in a land of raw beauty, where the connection between body-mind-spirit can be achieved even easier. 

Our experiences here can definitely add to your life, helping you to grow as a soul. Establishing a fire meditation is a very beautiful and fast way to connect you to a different perspective. 

The Yak Valley is the perfect setting to start some new activities close to the unique culture of Mongolia. A healthy dose of yoga, accessible hikes, and horse riding in the valleys surrounding complete this contract you have with yourself to develop a healthy mind and body connection. Engaging activities bring the most joy and fulfilling experiences especially when they are done in total freedom.

We do provide you with assistance for those activities so they remain safe and enjoyable, with our yoga coach, and local guides for the hikes and rides. 

One key element to appreciating your experience to the fullest definitely is connected with food. We believe in a healthy, clean, and nourishing source of energy through the meals we consume, and what we offer is no different. 

Here you will be delighted with a rich variety of organic foods we prepare, with vegetarian meals - but not only - some based on the traditional Mongolian recipe, and Western delicacies alike. 

Our meals are delicious, simple, and light, and bring the most energy value to your days. They allow you to digest very easily, and contribute together with the outdoor activities to remain lean and develop your vitality and a clear mind. Vegetarian, meat-lovers or gluten-free options are available upon request! Please feel free to ask before booking your retreat!

The beautiful side of our retreats is that they can be tailored to your needs. We do have requests from groups of friends, families with children, or individuals that would like to spend time in the countryside in our camp and discover the surroundings and the benefits of such service we offer.

The key factor is, that no retreats are the same: they are different from one another depending on your request, on your wish. Some people want to have just a few over the course of a weekend, to a week, or even as we proposed to families up to 2 weeks duration. And all of them are possible. It is after all your time, and what you are searching for that matter. 

Please kindly consider requesting well in advance your retreat options, by contacting us and giving us detailed information about what you wish to fulfill. We will be happy to answer you as soon as we can to offer you a matching experience!

If you are interested into traveling to the Yak Valley Camp for a first retreat but don’t know what is possible to do, you will find below an idea of a program that many of our meditation practitioners and friends really enjoy:

Day 1 (optional) - Arrival in Mongolia, or a start from Ulaanbaatar. We can spend about half a day tour in order to discover the capital city together. Visit the National History Museum to immerse yourself into the rich history of the Mongols. A local restaurant is reserved for a traditional Mongolian meal in the center. The afternoon is dedicated to the Choijin lama Museem with its pristine Buddhist collection and a later local dance and singing performance for the evening. Diner at a local restaurant of the city before bringing you back to your hotel. A 3 star hotel of the hyper center can be booked for you upon need. The booking depends on the time of your arrival.

Day 2 - After your breakfast, we drive out to the countryside. Passing the sand dunes of Elsen Tasarkhai and some large opened steppes, our first stop will be at Kharkhorin city, the former capital under the Mongolian Empire. Just about four (4) hours drive is required. The Night will be spent at a local guesthouse, owned by one of our hiking and meditation club members, Batjargal. If the time is compatible we may visit of the ancient Erdene Zuu monastery or the local museum (either one can also be rescheduled at the end of your stay).

Day 3 - From Kharkhorin, let’s drive up to the Yak Valley directly, home of the retreat. Entering the Arkhangai Province closer to the West, the landscapes are changing between mountains passes and lakes on our sides. We shall arrive in the early evening. A delicious dinner will be offered at the camp. We can spend our first evening visiting the surroundings with short walks. Here will be the first occasion to meet with our Tantra and meditation master who will be happy to provide you teachings and guidance for the meditations throughout your stay. Our first night under a starry sky will welcome you under the traditional Ger (Mongolian yurt).

Days 4 to 7 -  These days, the program will allow you to experience the ways of Tantra, each day including various meditations and little activities.

Experience Life a Tantric way: during this time, up to three (3) meditations can be done per day, and is proposed by default an “intermittent fasting” type of schedule ideal to not disturb the flow, ideal to the tantric meditation. A rich breakfast and an early dinner will be served in this matter.
Personal consultations are possible with Mr. Boya, and talks about destiny, Karma, the meaning of connecting to Nature and a Tantric way of Life.
These days are left to the appreciation of the retreatants to practice fully or also rest. 

One  day of the retreat shall be dedicated to a beautiful hike to the triangle mountain located on the upper side of the Yak Valley. A pique nique lunch will be provided with a stunning view. Here you will be guided to your own Nature and will realize every mountain can be beautiful and recognized as your own home country and birth land (practicing Tantra while hiking in virgin countries slowly brings adaptation of your mind and body to the land. And through finding this emerging feeling within your body, you start feeling yourself connected with this Nature, just like being trekking from the comfort of your living room). We therefore see the mountains as our home: this is the way and feeling of the Tantra.

There will be other smaller hikes up the nearby hills, together with spiritual rituals and offerings to the mountains throughout your stay. Any activity can be experienced as a meditation, as to extend your view into seeing and connecting with people and Nature through the ways of Tantra. 
Along the retreat itself, you shall experience the warmth and the cultural aspect to the Nomadic lifestyle, with the occasion to visit and be part for a short period of the life of the nomadic families living close to the Yak Valley Camp. Around their livestock and land, you will observe and feel a way of life that only changed little for centuries.

Day 8 - Early drive back to Kharkhorin. Again, visit erdene zuu/museum after lunch is possible upon time. Dinner at the guesthouse. 

Day 9 - Back to Ulaanbaatar. Some time can be proposed to go out shopping to souvenir shops, or a cashmere factory, for some of the finest pieces of clothing Mongolians are proud of. Transfer back to your hotel. 

Day 10 (optional) - Transfer to the international airport for your departure to home. 

Optional: We could extend your stay by another day visiting of the Tuvkhun mystery monastery.
From your time in Kharkhorin, it is an easy access, with less than an hour driving up to our hiking start. Hiking through the forest to unpaved path, unbeaten path following a water source from the mountain, and reaching the clearing opening of the tree lines, and having a view to the rocks and Tuvkhun monastery. Snack packed in the backpack with sandwich. Potential meeting with local monks living in the monastery for a more unique approach of the experience, at a time when tourism is no operating in Mongolia, with no more groups up there. 

What are the best times to come to your retreat?

1. To enjoy the quietness and the beauty of Nature at its best without the crowds of tourists we do recommend to come from the late August and up to October. If you want to feel a little chill, a weather changing, strengthening your own body, we propose you to adapt and prepare yourself to the colder months and have a chance to experience the earth and fire meditations. Also for the beautiful changes in colors of the landscapes. It is also a great chance to interact with the Mongolian people who will start their own Fall/winter retreats themselves: to have an insight of how they themselves do their meditations/retreats.
Furthermore the very beginning of September is corresponding to the time for the nomadic families to move to their winter camps. Moving vehicles, and all their animals is an incredible moment to witness. 

2. Experience the deep Mongolian Winter: it is also possible between the 2nd half of January to the 1st half of March: when the full winter conditions are set and the white unique landscape is all yours. This is the time of smaller adventurous hikes among snowy and ice everywhere, and the most popular lunar new year festival is going on. Here many possible families to visit with the colorful culture of celebrating Tsagaan Sar, and see a true winter experience with a small trek to the upper Yak Valley.

The retreat itself can serve as an extension to other main adventures with ideal locations for meditations, hikers and Nature lovers, between the rockies and 108 meditation caves or the Little dune lake trips we provide.