Retreat & Tour to Sri Lanka
25 Jan - 6 Feb 2027
Discover the Spirit of Sri Lanka with Avril
"I was born and raised in Sri Lanka, and this retreat is an offering of my heart — a homecoming, not just for me, but for you too.
My hope is that you will feel the spirit of this magical isle of Sri Lanka — as medicine, as remembrance, and as a homecoming to your soul.
I invite you to join me on this sacred journey."
Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda & Spiritual Immersion
"There are places in the world that don't just welcome you — they awaken you. Sri Lanka is one of them. Lush jungles, golden beaches, ancient temples and warm, welcoming people. An ancient culture rooted in sacred traditions, a land where spirit and earth breathe as one, a place unconstrained by time.
This is where I was born and raised. I left Sri lanka in my twenties to come to Melbourne Australia, where I live today. There are so many things I loved about growing up in Sri Lanka which has made me the woman I am today and I want to share these with you. This retreat is not a tour, it is a homecoming — an immersion into ancient wisdom, sacred beauty, and soulful living."
I have created this retreat with you in mind — for the woman who longs to soften, to awaken, and to reconnect with the sacred. Through gentle spiritual teachings and embodied practices, you’ll be guided back to your soul — learning how to weave these rituals into your everyday life with ease and grace. This is not about doing more. It’s about doing more of what nourishes you. Because it’s not the doing that leaves us tired and depleted — it’s the absence of what lights up our spirit.
A glimpse of what awaits you
Yoga as a Way of Life
No prior experience is needed. This retreat will explore yoga not only as posture, but as an integrated path through the eight limbs of yoga.
Vedic Meditation Course
Valued at $999 AUD. You will come away having learned to meditate with your own personal mantra and a practice you can continue for life.
Spiritual Discourse & Knowledge Sessions
Teachings from Vedanta and the Vedas, including Self-Knowledge, inner inquiry, and the deeper purpose of spiritual practice.
Ayurvedic Lifestyle Practices & Treatment
Sri Lanka has its own rich Ayurvedic healing tradition. You will experience Ayurveda through daily rhythm, food, rest, treatment, and lifestyle practices.
Food as Medicine
Sri Lankan cuisine is world-renowned — vibrant, healing, fragrant, and deeply connected to the land. Meals will be nourishing, colourful, and prepared with care.
Cultural & Sacred Immersion
Temple visits, ancient sites, tropical jungles, beaches, local villages, sacred rituals, gentle hikes, and time to experience the beauty and spirit of the island.
Time to Rest, Reconnect & Heal
Spacious days, soulful practices, and time to simply be.
“I believe that what we are seeking is a way back to ourselves.” - Avril Bastiansz
“Avril’s meditation and yoga retreat to western, central and southern Sri Lanka was unforgettable. It was interesting, relaxing, well organised and most importantly, an elixir for the body mind and spirit. Highlights included a 4 day stay at an Ayurvedic Treatment Centre and our daily group yoga and meditation sessions looking out over rainforests, the tea plantations of Ella and the Indian Ocean. Avril is such an inspirational and stimulating teacher. She provided us with so many tools to weave into and enhance our daily lives, and loads of resources to explore Vedic meditation and yoga further.
Avril looked after us all so well in so many ways. All my expectations were met and more. It was truly transformative.”
Sally, 2023.
Details & Information
Dates: 25 January – 6 February 2027
Duration: 14 days / 13 nights
As most international flights arrive into and depart from Colombo late at night, your arrival accommodation and airport transfer are included in the cost of the retreat.
The retreat begins in Colombo on 25 January 2027, where you will stay on arrival before we begin our journey through Sri Lanka.
The retreat will conclude on 6 February 2027 with a transfer from Hikkaduwa to Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo for your return flight to Melbourne.
Itinerary
Colombo → Dambulla → Kandy → Ella → Hikkaduwa / Galle
Days 1 - 2
Welcome to Colombo, the Capital City of Sri Lanka
Colombo City Highlights Tour including a visit to the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple a visit to Pettah and Lunch & Shopping at Barefoot Gallery Cafe and Shop. Back to hotel for tea & rest. Welcome dinner, briefing on itinerary.
Days 3 & 4
Elephants & Sigiriya Rock
KANDALAMA , SIGIRIYA & DAMBULLA
Travel to Kandalama after breakfastt via Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage & stop for lunch. Arrive at Kandalama Hotel for Tea. Rest by the pool until sunset. Gentle Yoga & Meditation Circle before Dinner.
Next day we climb Sigiriya rock. Back in time for lunch and relax by the pool. Afternoon tea followed by restorative Yoga & Meditation before dinner.
Days 5 - 8
Kandy Samadhi Ayurveda & Meditation Centre
Travel to Kandy from Kandalama via the Temple of the Tooth. Arrive at Samadhi Ayurveda & Meditation. Vedic Meditation Course & Ayurveda Treatments begin.
Days 9 & 10
Train Ride Through the Hills & Tea Plantations to Ella
Leave Samadhi via Nuwara Eliya and the Tea Plantations to catch the scenic tain ride to Ella.
Arrive in Ella. Explore Ella, The Nine Arch Bridge & Hike Little Adams’s Peak.
Days 11 - 13
The South Coast, Galle Fort & Hikkaduwa
Leave Ella via Ravana Waterfalls for Hikkaduwa. Arrive at Villa Saffron in Hikkaduwa Time in the sun by the Indian ocean. Visit Galle Fort. Depart for airport from Hikkaduwa on Day 13 after dinner.
Inclusions
Accommodation
13 nights in carefully chosen bespoke accommodation, including some 5-star hotels, a unique Ayurveda and meditation centre, and an exclusive private beach villa on a shared-room basis.
Please enquire about the single-room supplement.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner are included each day throughout the retreat. Lunch is most often local snacks on the go which gives us a chance to sample local food and delicacies
All yoga practices
No prior experience is needed. Practices will be gentle, supportive, and suitable for all levels.
Vedic Meditation Course with Individual Mantra Initiation
Valued at $999 AUD. You will learn to meditate with your own personal mantra and receive guidance to support an ongoing home practice.
Ayurvedic Consultation & 2-Hour Full-Body Treatment
Valued at $250 AUD.
Satsang, Knowledge Sessions & Women’s Circle
Spiritual discourse, teachings, reflection, and sacred circle time.
Sri Lankan Cooking Class
Scenic Train Ride to Ella
Tours & Cultural Immersions
Including Sigiriya Rock, Dambulla Cave Temple, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Temple of the Tooth, a tea plantation visit, and Galle Fort.
Transport Around the Island
All transport around Sri Lanka in an air-conditioned van with a dedicated driver.
Airport Transfers
Transfer to and from Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
Souvenir Gift
Not Included
International airfares
Flights are not included in the retreat price. SriLankan Airlines currently operates direct flights from Melbourne to Colombo. Airfares are variable and should be booked independently. As a guide, return airfares may be approximately $1,500–$2,000 AUD, depending on availability, timing, and fare conditions.
Entry visa / ETA
An entry visa or ETA may be required for travel to Sri Lanka. Travellers are responsible for arranging their own visa or travel authorisation through the official Sri Lanka ETA / Immigration website. Visa requirements and fees can change, so please check the current requirements before booking and again before travel.
Travel insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance is highly recommended and should be arranged independently.
Additional drinks, snacks & personal purchases
Lunches, additional drinks, coffee, alcoholic beverages, snacks, and personal purchases are not included.
Personal expenses
Gratuities, laundry, room service, excess baggage, and other incidentals are not included.
Pricing, Conditions & Bookings
Retreat & Tour Price:
$5,555 AUD per person
For 14 days / 13 nights in Sri Lanka.
This includes accommodation, half-board meals, yoga, meditation, knowledge sessions, Ayurveda treatment, cultural tours, transport within Sri Lanka, airport transfers, and retreat experiences.
International airfares, entry visa / ETA, travel insurance, lunches, additional drinks, snacks, and personal expenses are not included.
Early Bird Offer
Book and pay your deposit by 1 August 2026 to receive $200 off the full retreat price.
Bring a Friend Offer
Bring a friend and receive a further $100 off the full retreat price.
This offer is available until 1 August 2026.
Bookings & Payment
Spaces are limited for this exclusive women’s retreat and tour.
This will be the final time I offer this Sri Lanka retreat and tour in its current format. After five years of holding this journey through the island, I feel called to create something a little different in the future.
If you have felt drawn to travel through Sri Lanka with me — to experience the island through my eyes, memories, teachings, and love for this land — this is a beautiful opportunity to join me.
To reserve your place, a $999 AUD deposit is required by 30 September 2026
Deposit: $999 AUD
Final balance due: On or before 1 December 2026
No refunds after:1 December 2026
After 1 December 2026, all payments are non-refundable, as accommodation, transport, guides, treatments, and retreat arrangements will have been confirmed.
Account name: Avril Bastiansz
Bank: Commonwealth Bank
BSB: 063 141
Account number: 1053 0477
Payments can be made via PayPal
A Special Note
Sri Lanka is a beautiful and deeply soulful island, rich in culture, history, spirituality, and natural beauty.
It is also a developing country, and while every care will be taken to ensure the retreat runs smoothly, things may not always go exactly to plan. You are warmly encouraged to travel with an open mind, a generous heart, flexibility, patience, and a spirit of kindness.
This is part of the beauty of travelling in a place that invites us to slow down, soften, and meet life as it is.
Additional information about Sri Lanka can be found through the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
Sleeping Buddha , Dambulla Cave Temple, Sri Lanka