Whether you’re attending a meditation retreat to find peace or taking a yoga retreat to deepen your practice, you should bring a few things. If you’ve never attended a wellness retreat, here are some essentials.
14 Things to Remember in Your Ultimate Pack List
You may be tempted to pack a suitcase full of work or your favorite pair of slippers, but it’s better to bring only the essentials.
A wellness retreat aims to create an environment that promotes relaxation and reflection. If you’re carrying a bag full of stuff, you’ll have to think about everything you’ve brought – which means less time for yourself.
However, there are a few things that can make the experience more enjoyable:
1) Comfortable Clothes
Sitting in silence for hours, you don’t want to wear something that’s too tight, constricting, or just plain uncomfortable. At the same time, you don’t want to feel like a slob with baggy pants and a stained shirt (unless you’re going for that look).
2) Yoga Clothing
I recommend bringing at least one pair of yoga pants and comfortable t-shirts. Yoga clothes are comfortable, easy to wear, and can be worn both in the seminar room and outdoors. You may want to bring several pairs to keep washing new items throughout the week.
Your casual clothes should be easy to pack (no ironing required), easy to wash, and quick to dry after washing.
Try to find comfortable clothing between loose-fitting and tight-fitting clothing that offers freedom of movement but isn’t so big that it’s distracting. Natural materials like linen, silk, and cotton are always a great idea, but so are synthetic fabrics if they breathe well.
Cotton is usually the best choice for clothing – it’s soft and lightweight, doesn’t wrinkle easily, and dries quickly after being washed or soaked from the sweat of a hot yoga class or meditation session.
3) Comfortable Walking Shoes!
Since you’ll be doing a lot of walking during your wellness retreat, you’ll want to bring comfortable walking shoes to keep your feet comfortable at the end of each day. You don’t necessarily need to buy new shoes – pick something already comfortable but not worn out yet (you don’t want to get blisters!).
Wear whatever is most comfortable for long walks in nature, depending on where you’re going. That could be flip-flops or sneakers! If it’s going to rain, rain boots might be more useful than anything else, as they’ll protect your feet from mud and puddles better than
Hiking or trekking shoes (depending on where you’re going) are always a good idea if you want to explore the outdoors during your retreat.
I usually have my hiking shoes with me because they’re comfortable, and I can walk farther in them than I can in regular sneakers. If you don’t have either, that’s fine too!
4) Minimum Toiletries
Toiletries are one of those things that can be expensive to purchase at a hotel or resort. Even if your hotel provides these items in your bathroom, they may not be special. Therefore, it’s good to have your toiletries on hand to use during your trip and make yourself feel and look good.
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss
- Deodorant (or unscented lotion)
- Shampoo and conditioner (don’t forget your hairbrush)
- Soap or body wash
- Razor – if you need one to shave your legs or underarms, bring it! You can also use an electric razor if you have one.
- Nail clippers, cuticle trimmers, and nail files are also handy. A nail polish remover pen with acetone is also useful if something goes wrong during the manicure/pedicure.
5) Towels
Not all spas provide towels, so bring your own. Some retreat houses provide towel service, but not all. If you’re staying at a hotel, check with the hotel to see if they provide towels or if you have to pay for them. If they don’t, you should bring your own
6) Accessories
When staying at a retreat, it’s important to bring the right accessories. They can make your life easier and provide more comfort. Here are some things we recommend bringing along:
- Sunscreen and bug spray. If you’re going to have an outdoor activity during the day or at night, it’s important to protect yourself from sunburn and insect bites. Sunscreen/Sun Hat/Sunglasses.
If you’re going outdoors, you’ll probably use sunscreen (and probably get a little sunburn) - If you’re going somewhere cold, dress warmly. If it’s cold at night, have something warm for the night. This includes a thick coat or jacket, gloves or mittens (depending on where you live), pants or leggings, socks, and shoes or boots.
7) Earplugs
If you’re going on a quiet retreat, earplugs will help you sleep soundly and reduce distractions from others around you. They’re also useful if there’s loud music playing at night (which can be common).
8) Small backpack
A small backpack or bag to carry your things when you walk or hike. It should be big enough to hold a water bottle and maybe some snacks but not so big that it gets in the way. You should always have this bag with you when you’re out in nature!
9) Flashlight
A flashlight is great for nighttime walks and returning to your room after dark. It can also come in handy during power outages.
10) First Aid Kit
It’s always good to have a few basic first aid supplies, just in case. You never know when you might need them!
11) Reusable Water Bottle
A reusable water bottle is a must for any retreat. Water is important to stay hydrated and healthy. If you always keep your water bottle with you, you won’t be tempted to use the plastic cups that the center or hotel provides.
If you bring a reusable bottle to fill up at the Retreat Center drinking fountain, ask if the tap water is drinkable.
12) Notebook and Pen
Depending on the retreat center, it may not be allowed, but if it’s, you may want to write down your feelings about what you’re learning. Others may want to use their journal as a reminder for the retreat. In either case, having a journal to reflect on and write down important information from the sessions and the speakers at the event can be helpful.
13) Medications and Supplements
If you’re taking medication, first find out if you can bring it into the country and if the accommodation will accept it. If both are the case, take enough medication to get you through your stay. Make sure your prescriptions are in your name (not a family member’s) and take copies.
14) Documents and Cash
Don’t forget anything important (like your passport and cash). Getting stuck without these things can throw off your travel plans! Make sure all your papers are in order before you leave home, so there are no surprises along the way – especially on a travel day when everyone is already rushed and stressed out…
Take Everything You Need to Stay Comfortable and Healthy
The most important thing you can bring to a retreat is yourself. Just remember:
- Pack everything you need to stay comfortable and healthy. This includes your favorite tea, a book you’d like to read (and if the upcoming retreat allows it), or something else that will help you relax in the evening after long days of studying and exploring.
- Don’t pack too much. Otherwise, you’ll end up lugging around 20 pounds of stuff instead of the 10-15 pounds that will make your life easier! If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my travels around the world, it’s this: pack light when you travel abroad, so you don’t end up lugging around heavy suitcases everywhere you go.
- Optional. Usually, retreats provide a yoga mat and pillows, but sometimes people prefer to bring their own. If you’re attending a longer retreat and expect to do a lot of yoga, it’s worth bringing something comfortable and easy to carry.
- The retreat center has created a meditation or yoga retreat packing list of things you should bring. The packing list includes everything you’ll need to participate in the upcoming retreat. Also, check this packing list in case something is missing.