3 -14 Night Private Retreat Bookings

Checking In and Out

Check-in is between 3-5pm.
Check-out is by 11am.

PLEASE ARRIVE BEFORE 5:00pm so we may orient you to this blessed land and help you settle in comfortably. The orientation is required of all retreatants—those new to Vajrapani and those who have been here many times. It lasts around 30 minutes.
In order to protect your safety, please let us know if you are unable to arrive by 6pm so we can provide you with a list of hotels/motels close to our center. We will be happy to do the check-in starting at 10am the next morning and offer the appropriate orientation.
We’d greatly appreciate it if you could pay the balance for your retreat with personal check or cash, instead of credit card. By saving on credit card transaction fees, we are able to apply your precious dollars towards directly benefiting the Institute. If you are not able to pay by personal check, then we gratefully accept credit cards as well.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to safety reasons, retreaters are not allowed to drive on their own to the Ridge Area. Please plan to arrive before 6pm so one of our staff members can help you settle in.

Meals

Vajrapani Institute is known for its delicious food catering to a balanced, vegetarian diet. Our kitchen lovingly prepares lunch and dinner for you, in insulated meal bags that are delivered near your cabin on a daily basis. Our standard breakfast offering is wheat-free granola, found inside your cabin. In our communal refrigerator, we also stock staples such as yogurt, soy, rice and cow’s milk, wheat and wheat-free bread, cheese, nut butters, jams and fruits for your enjoyment. We also stock your cabin with a variety of teas.

While cooking is not permitted in the cabins, you can supplement your meals to meet your dietary preferences by bringing your favorite snacks. Please keep non-refrigerated snacks in tightly sealed containers to prevent attracting bugs into the cabins. We have a limited amount of space in our communal refrigerator for perishable snacks. When bringing these, please clearly label them with your name.

Special Food Needs:  We cannot take specific meal requests but in the event of a food allergy, we will do our best to accommodate your needs as long as you let us know about your food allergy prior to your arrival.  Please bring your own food to supplement your meals here, especially if you have certain food preferences.  You can contact our Kitchen Manager if you have any further questions.

Laundry

Laundry service is available for around $20 per bag for stays 15 days and longer.

What to Bring

Since we’re 25 minutes away by car from the nearest small town, it’s important to pack carefully and wisely. Our staff will not be available to run personal errands should you forget something important. We also recommend packing lightly for easy transportation to/from your cabin.

Essential items to bring: 

Flashlight
Emergency contacts (doctor’s info and 2 people we may contact in case of emergency)
Towel
Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Comfortable walking or hiking shoes
Mosquito repellent

We would like to also suggest:

Travel alarm clock
Warm jacket
Book, journal, pens, stationery, etc.
Camera

What Not to Bring

Our electricity is generated by solar panels, which are not strong enough to run appliances with heat elements. Please leave appliances like hair dryers, electric blankets, heating pads, space heaters and electric kettles at home. Our cabins are equipped with thermostats and a hot water bottle to keep you warm, as well as stove-top burners to make warm drinks and heat your meals.

How to Get Here

For driving directions and public transportation info, please visit: http://www.vajrapani.org/about-vajrapani-institute/our-location
The road on the last leg of your journey is narrow, winding and unpaved. Please leave plenty of time for travel, drive slowly and watch out for children and animals.

Outside Communication

We encourage you to abide in the private nature of retreat by minimizing unnecessary communication. To support your retreat, Vajrapani is purposefully WiFi free.  Please be prepared not to check email during your stay with us. If your loved ones need to reach you for emergency reasons, they can call the Office at 1-800-531-4001 x 1, or email us at office@vajrapani.org, and we’ll be able to notify you during the retreat.
Cell phone use is not permitted in or around your cabin (as it’s a silent area), though there are certain places outside the silent area where you may have cell phone reception.

Cancellation Policy

What if I need to cancel or shorten my stay?

Deposit is 50% of the total cost of your retreat.

With 15 days or more notice, you may cancel all or part of your reservation and receive a refund of 50% or your deposit.

With 14 days notice or less, no refunds or credits are given on your 50% deposit. This helps us to ensure that there are open cabins available to private retreaters at all times of the year. 

Full balance will be processed to your card on file for cancellation notice given on the start date of your retreat or for no-shows.  

What if I need to reschedule the dates of my retreat?

You may reschedule your reservation for a flat fee of $50. Reservations may be rescheduled only once. Rescheduling a second time will be considered a cancellation for which the above policy will apply.

What if I need to leave early after I have already begun my retreat?

No refunds are issued for early departures regardless of the circumstances surrounding them.