Dharma Yatra – Nourished by Nature and Community

What is the Dharma Yatra?

The Dharma Yatra is a week-long eco‑pilgrimage: a walking retreat that weaves together meditation, community life and deep contact with the land. Each day we walk in silence through forests and fields, share simple vegan meals that we prepare together, and rest under the wide sky in our tents.​

Rooted in the Buddha’s teachings and inspired by contemporary nature-based practice, the Yatra offers space to slow down, listen inwardly and reconnect with what truly matters. We explore mindfulness, compassion and wisdom in very ordinary ways: through walking, washing dishes, caring for children, sitting in meditation, listening and speaking from the heart.​

Our “base camp” is a simple hut of the BUND nature organization, surrounded by meadows and woods near Kolbingen in the Danube valley. We sleep in tents, use compost toilets, wash with cold water and spend most of our time outdoors – an invitation into a more modest, low‑impact lifestyle, supported by community rather than comfort and distraction.

• Dates: 31 July – 6 August 2026 (7 days, full participation required).​

• Place: BUND hut near Kolbingen in the Danube valley, Germany (reachable by train to Mühlheim and bus to Kolbingen).​​

• Accommodation: Tent camping around a simple hut; compost toilets, cold-water washing, no individual kitchen use.​

• Food: Nourishing vegan meals for the whole group, plus simple snacks; please bring extra items if you have special dietary needs.​

• Contribution: 180 € registration fee per person from age 13 upwards, covering all basic costs; teachings by donation (dana).​

• Language: Main language English, with German translation and other languages supported informally by participants.​

• Group size: About 35 participants, including up to 10 children under 16.

Who can participate?​​

The Yatra is suitable for most bodies and life situations. We usually walk about three hours in the morning and three in the afternoon at the pace of the children, with regular breaks and the option to stay in camp or return halfway if you need to rest. Children are not only welcome, they are an essential part of the field of practice, and families are supported by a dedicated family coordinator and volunteers.

Who is facilitating the Yatra?​

Teachers Ulla König and Joe Peloquin offer guided meditations, reflections, small groups and one‑to‑one meetings, while also inviting the gifts and talents of participants – music, ritual, creativity and quiet presence – into the shared space. Teachings are offered on a donation basis, in the spirit of dana, while a fixed registration fee covers the practical costs of food, transport and infrastructure.

Invitation to join us​

If you feel called to explore Dharma in a very down‑to‑earth, relational and nature‑based way, this Yatra might be for you. You do not need previous retreat experience – only a willingness to live simply, to contribute to the daily tasks that keep our small village running, and to meet yourself and others with curiosity and care.​​

Registration

If you register on this page you will be guided through a registration process which includes more detailed information and a registration form. Once we read through your registration form we will then invite you to pay the registration fee. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns, should you have any.