Frequently Asked Questions
Making a booking at Shambala is easy.
All bookings are made online: Simply click of the “Reserve Your Spot” button on our event pages, or send an email to the teacher.
We understand that life can be unpredictable, and we’re here to support you in every way we can. However, as a small business, we must ensure our sustainability, so we’re unable to offer last-minute refunds. Thank you for your understanding.
• Cancel up to 3 months before arrival for a full refund.
• Cancel up to 14 days before arrival for a 70% refund.
• Cancel up to 6 days before arrival for a 50% refund
• If you decide to cancel 5 or less days before arrival, 0% of the total cost of the retreat will be refunded.
To view our treatments, please click here
To book your treatment, simply send us an email at shambalagathering@gmail.com
Please do so well in advance, as slots tend to run out quickly.
Unless otherwise arranged with the teacher (which will be clearly stated in the retreat description and welcome letter), the times are as follows:
Check-in: 15:00 (3:00 PM)
Check-out: 15:00 (3:00 PM)
The first meal is dinner, and the last meal is lunch.
Unfortunately we are not able to accommodate early arrivals or late departures. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to hosting you!
Unfortunately, we do not offer electric car charging facilities at Shambala yet. However, the nearest charging station is just a short distance from Shambala.
Here is the Google Maps link to the location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/t9SnyjYCTBkBWKRq7
Unfortunately, it is often not possible to stay an extra night. This is because our team typically has little time between retreats to rest, relax, and prepare the center for the next guests.
To simplify things, we ask that guests depart on the planned departure day. As a community-run center supported by volunteers, we aim to organize the calendar to give our dedicated team extra downtime whenever possible, as they already work hard most of the time.
We hope you understand!
We’d love for you to travel light and prepared, so here’s a helpful checklist for your stay at Shambala:
1. Bedding & Towels
In Sweden, it’s customary to bring your own sheets and towels when staying in hostels. A lovely tradition that helps reduce laundry and support the environment.
So, if possible, please bring:
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Pillowcase
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Bottom sheet
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Duvet cover
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Bath towel
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Sauna towel
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Duvet and pillow are provided.
If bringing your own isn’t possible, you’re welcome to rent a full set from us for 200 SEK for your entire stay.
2. Earplugs & Eye Mask
At Shambala, rooms are cozy and close together, and the walls are thin, so sound can travel. We recommend bringing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.
In summer, the magical Swedish “midnight sun” means evenings stay quite bright, even with blinds, so an eye mask can help you get deeper rest.
3. Clothing
Swedish weather is unpredictable! Please bring clothes for all kinds of weather, including:
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Rain jacket
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Warm layers (especially for cooler evenings)
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Comfortable walking shoes or boots
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Comfy indoor slippers (optional)
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If you’re coming in winter, we recommend:
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Waterproof boots with good grip
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Ice cleats
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Sunscreen & lip balm
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Wool base layers
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4. Water Bottle
Great for hiking, sauna, and staying hydrated throughout your stay. (Optional but useful!)
5. Bathing Suit (optional)
We often go naked to the sauna and lake, but feel free to bring a bathing suit if you prefer.
6. Toiletries
Please bring whatever you need for your personal care.
7. Tent Accommodation
If you’ve booked the “your own tent” option, don’t forget to bring your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, pillow, etc. Tent spaces are just a few minutes’ walk from the shared bathrooms.
9. Payments
You can pay on-site with credit card, Swish, or cash.
The feeling at Shambala is that of a community space, which is why guests are generally expected to share a room with a fellow yogi. Unless otherwise stated in your booking, rooms are shared with someone of the same gender, and pairings are made randomly. This often leads to deep, meaningful connections that might never have happened otherwise.
If you’re coming with a friend, relative, or partner and would like to share a room, that’s absolutely possible. Just let us know!
We offer the following types of accommodation:
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- SoulPad Glamping Tent (available May–September)
- Twin Room (shared)
- Triple Room (shared)
- 4-Bed Dorm
- Bring Your Own Tent (available May–September)
Single rooms can sometimes be booked for an additional fee, depending on availability. Feel free to inquire about this for your retreat.
All accommodation options have access to shared showers and bathrooms.
During the summer months, with a few exceptions, we aim at holding paralell retreats. We have two yoga salas and we are used to serving two compatible retreats simultaneously. We feel that this adds to the atmosphere and brings the opportunity for beautiful exchanges between the two groups.
In the winters, we mostly aim at having single retreats.
We have an international group of teachers that come to share their wisdom with us and hence most retreats are held in English. Please check each event page however as there are some exceptions where the retreat is held in Swedish.
We love children and would truly love to be able to host parents with young kids.
However, we’ve found that having young children onsite can make it difficult to maintain the peaceful retreat atmosphere that so many of our guests seek and value.
For this reason, unless otherwise agreed, our courses are intended for adults or young adults aged 12 and above.
If a child (12+) is actively participating in the retreat, they will receive a 30% discount on the course fee to ease the financial burden for the parent. This must be agreed upon with the teacher in advance and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If the child is not participating in the retreat and a special agreement has been made for them to stay at Shambala, the rates for food and accommodation are as follows:
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- 0–6 yrs: Free
- 7–12 yrs: 335 sek (per night)
- 13–18 yrs: 520 sek (per night)
Thank you so much for your understanding and support.
At Shambala we aim at having our breakfast in silence, to ease the day in softly. We also hold silence after 22h in the dormitory area.
We love animals. But due to the fact that some people are allergic, we cannot have animals inside the buildings, we discourage guests to bring their own.
To support a calm nervous system, we serve brewed coffee only once a day, during breakfast. If a teacher prefers not to serve coffee during their retreat, we will honor their request.
Please note that while our intention is to keep the kitchen as gluten-free as possible, there may still be traces of gluten present. Our kitchen is generally safe for those who are gluten intolerant, but we cannot guarantee it is free from cross-contamination for those with celiac disease.
Our kitchen is designed to avoid the most common allergens in our ingredients. However, please let us know in advance if you have any food allergies. For those with multiple allergies, we provide a basic meal each day consisting of steamed vegetables and boiled rice.
We have plenty to offer for your spare time.
You can take walks in the forest, ride one of our guest bicycles, enjoy a canoe trip around our lake, take a dip in the water, share silence or an interesting conversation in the electric or wooden floating sauna, read some good books from our library, or indulge in a treatment. If you have a car and some free time, you can also visit the nearby spa, Färna Härgård (a 10-minute drive).
The journey from Arlanda to Shambala (Skinnskatteberg Station) takes around 3 hours, and it’s quite straightforward. You can search for and purchase tickets at www.sj.se.
Please note that the full train schedule is only available 2-3 weeks before your desired travel dates, so there’s no need to book earlier than that. There are several routes to choose from, and we recommend selecting the one with the shortest travel time and the fewest changes.
As there are no direct trains, you will need to take a combination of trains and/or buses. Once you arrive at Skinnskatteberg Station, we’ll pick you up, and it’s just a 7-minute drive to Shambala.
Unfortunately there isn’t a direct train from Arlanda Airport to Shambala in Skinnskatteberg, but you can easily reach your destination with a combination of trains and/or buses. Here’s one example:
1. Train from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm Central Station:
Take the Arlanda Express or a regional train from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm Central Station. The Arlanda Express is the fastest option, taking about 20 minutes.
2. Train from Stockholm Central Station to Köping or Västerås:
From Stockholm Central, take a train towards either Köping or Västerås. Both cities have connections to Skinnskatteberg.
3. Train from Köping or Västerås to Skinnskatteberg:
Once you arrive in Köping or Västerås, you can take a regional train or a bus to Skinnskatteberg. The journey from Köping takes about 40 minutes, and from Västerås, it takes around 50 minutes.
4. Shuttle to Shambala:
Please let us know your arrival time at least 48 hours in advance, and we will arrange your pickup. This service is free of charge, and the ride takes about 10 minutes.
We can arrange a bus pick up service from Arlanda Airport for large groups at an extra cost. Please inquire with us.
* Large bus (up to 40 people): 7500 sek inc vat
* Small bus (up to 16 people): 5500 sek inc vat