Key takeaways
- Free: no charge for teaching, food or lodging; funded by donations from past students.
- 12 days including arrival and departure, and you commit to staying for all of them.
- Strict rules: silence, no phone, no reading or writing, men and women separated.
- Not for everyone: not recommended for people with significant mental health issues.
Worth it if you…
- want a serious meditation course without paying for it
- can be completely unreachable for 12 days
- are fine with simple vegetarian food and no evening meal
- are curious about silence and your own mind
Skip it if you…
- have a significant mental health condition; talk to a professional first
- might need to leave early for work or family
- want comfort: the day starts at 4 am
- want to go together with your partner: you'll be separated
How much does a Vipassana retreat cost?
Courses in S.N. Goenka's tradition charge nothing, not even for food and accommodation. They run on donations from people who've completed a course, and the teachers and organizers aren't paid. First-time students can't donate in advance; they may give something at the end if they found it useful.
Teaching, room, meals
Donation
Travel
Vipassana rules: the code of discipline
Every student agrees to five precepts: no killing, no stealing, no sexual activity, no lying and no intoxicants. The other rules shape your days just as much.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Noble silence | No talking, gestures or notes to other students until the morning of the last full day. You can speak to the teacher and the management. |
| Phones & devices | Handed in for the whole course. No calls, messages, music or news; in an emergency, family can reach you through the management. |
| Reading & writing | No books, notebooks or journaling. |
| Exercise | No workouts; walking in designated areas during breaks is fine. |
| Men & women | Completely separated. Couples and friends don't contact each other. |
| Food | Simple vegetarian meals. New students get tea and fruit at 5 pm; there's no dinner. Fasting isn't allowed. |
| Staying | You commit to the whole course and stay within its boundaries. |
The Vipassana daily schedule
The timetable is the same every day of the 10-day course. Counted together, the meditation sessions add up to about ten hours.
- 4:00 amWake-up bell
- 4:30–6:30MeditationIn the hall or your room.
- 6:30–8:00Breakfast break
- 8:00–11:00Group meditation, then meditation as instructed
- 11:00–1:00Lunch, rest, teacher interviews
- 1:00–5:00MeditationIncluding a group sitting from 2:30 to 3:30.
- 5:00–6:00Tea breakTea and fruit for new students.
- 6:00–9:00Group meditation and the evening discourse
- 9:00–9:30Questions in the hallLights out at 9:30 pm.
What happens over the 10 days
- 0Arrival dayRegister, hand in your phoneSilence begins when the course starts.
- 1First daysPrecepts and breathYou keep the five precepts and focus on the breath at the nostrils.
- 4From day 4VipassanaObserving sensations through the body, without reacting.
- 10Day 10Silence endsSpeaking resumes; loving-kindness meditation is taught on the last full day.
First-person accounts, such as one in the Guardian, describe the course as exhausting. The organizers present it as mental training rather than a holiday, and they're clear that it's hard work.
Who shouldn't do a Vipassana retreat
The organizers don't recommend the course for people with significant mental health issues. It isn't a substitute for medical or psychiatric treatment, and old symptoms may resurface during or after the course. You're asked to disclose your mental health history when you apply. For serious depression, anxiety, panic or PTSD, they suggest working with a health professional first.
How to prepare for a 10-day Vipassana retreat
- Block 12 days in a row in which no one needs to reach you; give family the center's contact for emergencies.
- Practise sitting still for an hour; you'll do it many times a day.
- Be honest about physical and mental health on the application; diets prescribed by a doctor must be noted on it.
- Find a course on dhamma.org; you apply for a specific course date.
Questions people ask
How much does a 10-day Vipassana retreat cost?
Nothing. Courses in S.N. Goenka's tradition charge no fees, not even for food and lodging. They're funded by donations from people who've completed a course; first-timers may donate at the end if they wish.
What are the 10 days of Vipassana?
For the first days you keep five precepts and focus on your breath. From day 4 you learn Vipassana, observing sensations through the body. On day 10 speaking resumes, and on the last full day you learn loving-kindness meditation. With arrival and departure the course spans 12 days.
What are the 5 rules of Vipassana?
Abstain from killing, stealing, all sexual activity, lying and all intoxicants. On top of that come noble silence, no phones, no reading or writing, separation of men and women and staying for the whole course.
Can you leave a Vipassana retreat early?
You commit to staying for the whole course when you apply, and you stay within the course boundaries. So only apply if you can stay all 12 days.
How do I prepare for a 10 day Vipassana retreat?
Clear 12 days with no contact possible, arrange for someone to reach you through the center in an emergency, practise sitting still for an hour, and be honest about your health and mental health history on the application.
Is a Vipassana retreat right for everyone?
No. The organizers don't recommend it for people with significant mental health issues and say it isn't a substitute for treatment; old symptoms may resurface during or after the course.
Is Vipassana religious?
The organizers call the technique non-sectarian and open to people of all religions, though they say it was taught by Gotama Buddha and passed down by a line of teachers.
Sources
Checked on October 31, 2026.
Show all 5 sources
- dhamma.orgCode of discipline: precepts, silence, timetable, food, devices
- dhamma.orgAbout Vipassana: course structure, S.N. Goenka, financing
- dhamma.orgQuestions and answers: cost, leaving, health, day 10
- dhamma.orgCourse search
- The GuardianMy exhausting meditation retreat (2016)