Frequently asked questions
Level, altitude, group size, money, flights, visas and cancellations: what people ask us most before booking.
If your question is not here, write to us: we answer everything, even when the answer is that this journey is not for you.
- Do I need previous yoga experience?
No. The practice adapts to every level, with variations and personal attention. What does help is wanting to practise: yoga and meditation are not an extra on this trip, they are part of its rhythm.
- What physical level is required?
Being able to walk several hours over uneven ground without suffering. There is no climbing and nothing technical. In Ladakh the limiting factor is not fitness but altitude, and that is handled with acclimatisation, not training.
- How do you handle the altitude in Ladakh?
With gradual acclimatisation: the first days are gentle and low in activity, we insist on hydration and we keep an eye on the group. Leh sits at 3,500 metres and the route climbs higher. If you have a pre-existing heart or respiratory condition, check with your doctor before booking and tell us.
- How many people are in the group?
Small groups: a maximum of 20 people, and each edition has its own minimum to be confirmed (you will find it on each ritual page). If the minimum is not reached, the trip does not run and 100% of what you paid is refunded.
- How do I book?
Write to us through the contact form. We arrange a call to answer your questions, and if you go ahead we send you the registration form and the details for the deposit.
- How do payments work?
In stages: an initial deposit, a second payment and a final payment before departure. Exact dates are given in writing. Bank details are not published on this website: we email them to you from
info@matrikayoga.comonce we receive your registration. If they reach you by any other channel, do not pay and let us know.- Are flights included?
No. You buy the flights, and we walk you through it: once the group is confirmed the purchase is coordinated so everyone travels together. Do not buy flights before we confirm the group.
- What about insurance and visa?
Same: you contract them. We recommend insurance covering cancellation and mountain activities, and we tell you how to apply for the visa. The school can handle the paperwork for an additional fee if you prefer.
- What if I have to cancel?
It depends on when you tell us. It is all in the cancellation policy, published before you pay anything: within 14 days of paying the deposit everything is refunded except 30% for administration; after that, 30 days or more before departure you get 50% back, and less than 30 days before, nothing. The booking is not transferable to other retreats or courses.
- What is the accommodation like?
It depends on the ritual, and each ritual page sets it out. On travelling journeys, shared twin rooms in hotels we have worked with for years; on retreats, the centre's own accommodation. A single room costs extra and is not always guaranteed: if you want one, tell us early.
- Do I have to be vegetarian?
No, though it is worth knowing that along much of the route the food is vegetarian by default. Allergies and intolerances are declared at registration and handled on the ground.
- Can I come on my own?
Yes, and most people do. Most of the group arrives without knowing anyone. Accommodation is shared, so you will share a room with another member of the group of the same gender unless agreed otherwise.