SOUKYA

You may already know SOUKYA for its royal connections - it’s a favourite of high-profile guests, including Queen Camilla and King Charles. But beyond the prestige, SOUKYA is a serious holistic health retreat founded by the renowned Dr Isaac Mathai, offering some of the most effective Ayurvedic healing programmes in India.

Beautifully located on the outskirts of Bangalore, the retreat spans 30 acres of organic orchards and herbal gardens. It features 21 deluxe rooms and four suites, each with private gardens and open-air showers. Interiors follow the bright, simple lines typical of Keralan-style design, creating a calming, minimal atmosphere.

Guests visit SOUKYA to address a wide range of health concerns - from depression, thyroid imbalance, and migraines to diabetes and other chronic conditions. Every stay begins with a detailed consultation, after which a personalised programme is designed. Therapies combine Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, and homeopathy, using herbal oils and remedies made on-site from SOUKYA’s organic garden.

Nutrition is an essential part of the healing process. Meals are vegetarian, low in fat, and made with produce harvested fresh from the garden. Breakfast is a colourful spread of Indian fruits, fresh pomegranate juice, watermelon, and herbal teas. Lunch and dinner start with homemade soup and salad, followed by a selection of seasonal vegetarian curries and protein-rich dals.

Treatments take place in a spacious, thatched healing shala, and include Ayurvedic therapies like shirodhara and abhyanga, as well as nasal cleansing, herbal enemas, and mud wraps. Alternative therapies such as reflexology, acupuncture, and colonic irrigation are also offered. Daily spiritual blessings support the emotional and energetic aspects of healing.

This is more than a wellness retreat -  it’s a destination for deep detox, holistic recovery, and natural health restoration, with Ayurvedic medical expertise and spiritual care in equal measure.