Yoga Retreat Schweibenalp
Schweibenalp, Brienz · Fri 15:00 – Sun 13:00
Two nights in the guesthouse, yoga and meditation every day, a hike to the lake and vegetarian organic full board. Optional fire ceremony.
13–15 November 2026 · Schweibenalp, Brienz
Three days of yoga, fire and quiet above Lake Brienz.
Three days of practice, fire and silence at 1,100 metres.
Reserve a place See the programme
Ask on WhatsApp without commitment, or register right away.
The essentials
- Dates
- Where Schweibenalp, Brienz
- Room Single, double, triple or quadruple
- Sessions in English
- From from CHF 698
13–15 November 2026 · Temple of Unity, Schweibenalp
For anyone who has been running on reserve
You are managing. The calendar works, the week adds up, and still something is missing — not time, but contact. With your own body. Your own breath. Your own intention.
This weekend is built around three movements: arriving, exploring, integrating. We open with a circle and a fire, practise twice a day, walk to the lake, rest, chant, paint, and close together at Sunday lunchtime. Nothing is compulsory; everything is an invitation.
The Schweibenalp is a retreat centre that has been run as a community for more than forty years, set in its own permaculture land 1,100 metres above Lake Brienz. In November the meadows are quiet, the air is clear, and the fire tent is the warmest place on the mountain.
What makes this weekend
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01A small group
01A small group
Not a class you disappear into. You are seen, and the practice is adjusted to you.
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02A place built for this
02A place built for this
A temple, a meditation room, a vedic fire tent and a guesthouse — a centre made for retreat, not a hotel that rents a room.
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03A weekend, not a holiday
03A weekend, not a holiday
Friday afternoon to Sunday at 13:00. You do not need to take leave for it.
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04Mountains in November
04Mountains in November
Clear air, early dusk, fires in the evening. About two hours by train from Zurich or Bern.
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05A teacher with depth
05A teacher with depth
Regina has practised and taught for more than 20 years, and has led retreats in the Himalayas and Peru among other places.
Upcoming retreat
Nothing is required. Everything is an invitation.
What is included
One price, everything in it. You book once and decide nothing else on site.
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Accommodation
Two nights in the Schweibenalp guesthouse. Bed linen and towels provided.
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Breakfast
Saturday and Sunday, after morning practice.
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Full board
Vegetarian organic meals from the centre's own kitchen, from Friday dinner to Sunday breakfast.
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Ceremonies
Puja, mantra chanting and a closing ceremony. The Friday-evening fire ceremony is optional, at extra cost.
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Every session
Yoga, meditation, the lake hike, art therapy and all circles. Mats and props are provided.
Not included: the optional fire ceremony on Friday evening (CHF 110 per group + donation, split among the participants), travel to Brienz, drinks outside meals, and anything else you treat yourself to.
Three days, three movements
Programme
Arrival & opening, practice & exploration, integration & closing. None of it is compulsory.
01 · Arrive
Arrival & opening
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| Arrival & check-in | |
| Opening circle — getting to know each other, setting an intention, clarifying values, letting go of expectations (until 16:30) | |
| Opening yoga practice — grounding and connecting with the body (until 18:00) | |
| Dinner (until 19:00) | |
| Fire ceremony (havan) in the fire tent — opening the space optional, at extra cost |
02 · Explore
Practice & exploration
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| Meditation in the temple & puja (until 07:00) | |
| Therapeutic yoga (until 08:00) | |
| Breakfast (until 09:00) | |
| Hike to the lake, weather permitting (until 13:00). In bad weather: philosophical talk and reflection with metaphorical cards and a tea ceremony | |
| Lunch (until 14:00) | |
| Rest — time for solitude, reflection and integration (until 16:30) | |
| Evening yoga — flexibility, strength & balance (until 18:00) | |
| Dinner (until 19:00) | |
| Mantra chanting & fire puja |
03 · Integrate
Integration & closing
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| Morning meditation (until 07:00) | |
| Therapeutic yoga (until 08:00) | |
| Breakfast (until 09:00) | |
| Art therapy — creative exploration (until 12:00) | |
| Closing ceremony — revisiting intentions, sharing, closing the retreat (until 13:00) |
Sessions are held in English.
How we practise together
Pictures from earlier retreats at other places. The group, the circles, the quiet — this is what a weekend with us feels like.
Two women in dancer pose on a mountain meadow 
Candles in a circle on a lace cloth 
Group sitting together over tea in a wooden house 
Group in warrior pose in the forest 
Shoulder stand in a hall with tall windows 
Singing bowls in a seated circle 
Woman meditating on a rug outdoors 
Practice under a wooden roof 
Practice in a garden by a stone house 
Black and white: group on a meadow at the forest edge Sharing in a seated circle
Temple of Unity · 1,100 m above sea level
The place
The Schweibenalp sits on a sunny terrace at 1,100 metres above Lake Brienz, reached by a forest road above the Giessbach. A historic guesthouse, a temple chalet, a meditation room styled as a small temple, a vedic fire tent and ten hectares of permaculture gardens — run for more than forty years by the community that lives there. Simple, warm, quiet.
The meditation room 
The fire tent (dhuni) — fire ceremony on Friday evening, optional 
The permaculture gardens 
The grounds 
A practice hall 
A guest room 
Time on your own
Photos of the place: Zentrum der Einheit Schweibenalp
Practical details
Getting there by train
By train via Bern or Lucerne to Brienz, then the PostBus towards Axalp to the Bramisegg stop, and about 15 minutes on foot through the forest. The centre also runs a pick-up from Brienz station on request — if you would like one, please arrange your arrival time directly with the centre (Schweibenalp, +41 33 952 20 00).
Getting there by car
A8 exit Brienz / Giessbach / Axalp, up towards Axalp to Bramisegg, then about 800 m along the forest road. There is parking on site. In November winter tyres may be needed.
What to bring
Warm layers, a hat and proper walking shoes for the lake hike, comfortable clothes to practise in, and house slippers — the guesthouse is a shoes-off house. Bed linen and towels are provided.
The house
A place with a soul: for more than forty years a community has lived and worked on the Schweibenalp — a place of power at 1,100 metres, with a temple open to every wisdom tradition, a vedic fire tent and around ten hectares of permaculture gardens with herbs, vegetables, mushrooms and their own bees. The rooms are simple and lovingly furnished, with showers and WCs shared on each floor. There are no room keys — trust is part of the culture here (valuables go in the safe at reception). Wi-Fi only reaches the snack bar and the north veranda, so the rest of the house stays quiet: a natural digital detox. The whole site is smoke-free.
Food
All meals are vegetarian and organic. Tell us about allergies or intolerances in the form.
Language
Sessions are in English. Outside practice we speak German and English, and the organiser also speaks Ukrainian and Russian.
Your host
Who holds the weekend.
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Regina Rainskaya
Teacher
Regina has practised and taught for more than 20 years.
She has led retreats internationally, including in the Himalayas and in Peru.
She teaches in English.
Price and booking
Per person, 2 nights, everything included: accommodation, organic full board and every session. Only the fire ceremony is optional and costs extra.
Per person, 2 nights.
| Room | Price | Book together* |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room (4 people) | CHF 698 | CHF 653 |
| Shared room (3 people) | CHF 730 | CHF 685 |
| Double room (2 people) | CHF 786 | CHF 741 |
| Single room | CHF 812 | CHF 767 |
*Arrive together, save 10%: come as a group of 2 or more (friends, your partner, family) and each of you gets 10% off the yoga programme fee. Accommodation and meals are not discounted.
The prices above are total prices per person. They are made up of two parts: the yoga programme fee, which you pay to Yoga Escape, and accommodation with full board, which you pay on site directly to the Zentrum der Einheit Schweibenalp. You receive all details with our confirmation.
| Accommodation & organic full board | booked and paid by you directly with the Zentrum der Einheit Schweibenalp |
|---|---|
| Optional: fire ceremony (havan) on Friday evening | CHF 110 per group + donation, split among the participants |
| Yoga Escape programme fee | 100% of the programme fee, within 10 days of registering |
| Programme fee due at the latest | 6 November 2026 |
The retreat runs from 6 participants. If that number is not reached, your payment is refunded in full. Cut-off date: .
Two ways to join
1Ask without commitment
Still have questions, or want to talk to us first? Message us directly on WhatsApp — in English, German, Ukrainian or Russian.
Message us on WhatsApp No commitment, no registration.
2Register (binding)
Places are limited. With this form you register bindingly and secure your place.
From the blog
-
Your first yoga retreat: what to expect — with a packing list
Going on a yoga retreat for the first time? What a day looks like, how to prepare, what to pack — and which questions to ask beforehand.
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Havan: what is a vedic fire ceremony?
What is a havan (homa)? The origin, ritual and meaning of the vedic fire ceremony — and how you can experience one at the Schweibenalp.
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Meditation for beginners: 5 simple exercises for everyday life
Learn to meditate without pressure: five simple exercises for beginners, how long to practise, common obstacles — and what research says.
Frequently asked questions
What can I cancel, and what do I get back?
The full cancellation terms are in the terms and conditions. They are available before you pay and are attached to your confirmation email.
What happens if the minimum number is not reached?
The retreat runs from 6 participants. If that number is not reached by the cut-off date, 6 November 2026 (7 days before the retreat), we cancel and refund your payment in full. You carry no further cost. For that reason it is best to book your travel only once we have confirmed the retreat is going ahead.
What level do I need?
TO CONFIRM
What language are the sessions in?
English. Regina teaches in clear, plain English with a lot of demonstration. Outside the practice room we also speak German, and the organiser speaks Ukrainian and Russian too.
What exactly does the price cover?
Two nights in the Schweibenalp guesthouse, all meals from Friday dinner to Sunday breakfast, every session and circle in the programme, and the guided lake hike. It does not cover the optional fire ceremony on Friday evening (CHF 110 per group + donation, split among the participants), travel, drinks outside meals, or personal spending.
Will I have my own room?
Yes, if you choose a single room. You can choose a single, double, triple or quadruple room; the price depends on the room. Rooms are allocated in order of registration.
What if the weather is bad on Saturday?
The lake hike only goes ahead if the weather allows. Otherwise we stay at the centre for a philosophical talk and reflection with metaphorical cards and a tea ceremony.
How do I get there?
By train to Brienz — roughly two hours from Zurich or Bern — then PostBus to Bramisegg and a short walk, or the centre's pick-up from the station, which you arrange directly with the centre. By car via the A8, exit Brienz / Giessbach / Axalp.
How do I actually book?
You send the form, we hold your place for 10 days. Within that window you pay the programme fee directly to us, at the latest 7 days before the retreat (i.e. by 6 November 2026). You book and pay accommodation and organic vegetarian full board directly with the Zentrum der Einheit Schweibenalp. Once your programme fee has arrived, your place is fixed.
One weekend on the mountain
If you have read this far, you probably already know whether this is yours. The rest is a form and three minutes.