Our Team

Pokhara Office:

Manohar Shrestha

Yoga, Meditation & Bhakti Teacher / Sound Therapist

I come from a family deeply rooted in yoga traditions. As a child, I faced numerous health issues, particularly allergies. Despite my father being a doctor, limited medical facilities made it challenging to identify and treat my condition. My father provided medicines and temporary relief, but the problem kept recurring. Eventually, with inspiration from my father and elder brother, I was introduced to Reiki healing and beginner yoga practices at the age of 15. I spent 21 days in a small ashram in Nepal, where I immersed myself in these practices.

Surprisingly, after those 21 days, I experienced a profound transformation. Not only did my health issues completely disappear, but I also discovered a healing ability that allowed me to help others through Reiki and yoga practices. Since that year, I have continued practicing yoga regularly and have remained free from the health problems that once plagued me.

In my early twenties, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery. After completing a degree in travel and tourism and traveling across Europe, I felt a profound inner calling that led me back to my roots in yoga and music, particularly the practice of Singing Bowls. My formal yoga journey began in 2006 when I completed my pre-teacher training and gained experience teaching yoga to Nepali children and youth. Later that year, I worked as a manager at a yoga center for two years.

In 2008, I completed my yogic studies certification at the prestigious Bihar School of Yoga in Munger, India. This education significantly deepened my knowledge and understanding, shaping me into the attentive, compassionate, and knowledgeable yoga teacher I am today. I am a certified E-RYT 200 and E-RYT 500 yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance. Additionally, I am an accomplished Singing Bowl Sound Therapist and Trainer, integrating sound healing into my yoga practice.

In 2010, I founded Nepal Yoga Trek  (www.nepalyogatrek.com), an innovative initiative that combines trekking in the breathtaking Himalayas with yoga. This unique approach has gained widespread recognition, attracting wellness seekers from around the world. 

My journey has been deeply inspired and supported by my elder brother, a professional engineer who is also a highly spiritual and generous person. His unwavering dedication and financial support have played a vital role in bringing Purna Yoga Center to life. I also draw immense inspiration from my father, Purna, a medical professional whose daily practice of yoga and meditation has kept him active and healthy even at the age of 92. He continues to work tirelessly in the garden, planting and nurturing the surroundings at the new location of Purna Yoga Center. His dedication to yoga and nature has always inspired me to follow a path rooted in wellness and service.

The natural and peaceful environment at Purna Yoga Center is a reflection of my father’s passion and vision for holistic well-being. It offers every guest an opportunity to live in harmony with nature, which is at the heart of our philosophy.

Sudip Adhikari

Yoga Teacher & Meditation Teacher / Sound Therapist

From childhood play to a deep path of self-discovery, yoga has been an integral part of my life. This journey has led me from Nepal's ancient healing traditions to intensive studies with esteemed masters and sages throughout India and Nepal. The profound connection between mind and body, which initially sparked my fascination, eclipsed my academic pursuit of Computer Engineering, propelling me towards Inner Engineering. This realization of yoga's transformative power cemented my dedication to its study and practice.

For over 15 years, I have actively sought wisdom from diverse sources. This includes learning from revered Himalayan sages while guiding yoga treks, immersing myself in experiences at Isha Yoga Center with Sadhguru, undertaking intensive Vipassana retreats as taught by S.N. Goenka, transformation retreat with Swami Anand Arun a student of Osho and engaging in years of online study with Dr. ALV Kumar. My explorations have also encompassed Taoism, foundational Buddhist teachings under a Buddhist Yogi, the profound teachings of Param Gurudev and Guru Aama of Trikuta Gurudham Nepal, and Brahma Kumaris Rajyog meditation. Additionally, I've served in various roles at Purna Yoga Retreat, including yoga and meditation teacher, and trekking guide.

Personal experiences, especially caring for my father during his battle with Alzheimer's, have deepened my understanding of life's transitions, including the art of dying. The unwavering dedication of our founder, Manohar Shrestha, in realizing his father's dream, coupled with the enduring vitality of his father Purna Narayan Shrestha at 92, has made Purna Yoga Retreat Center a true home for me, where the essence of yoga is not merely taught, but authentically lived.

My guiding mantra, 'Each breath observed takes the mind to tranquility. An unwavering mind becomes pure and easily reaches the ultimate reality,' reflects my commitment to cultivating inner peace. Having reached a place of personal understanding, I can confidently say, 'I know how to live my life,' and I am eager to share this wisdom with others seeking their own paths to tranquility."

Maheswar Man Shrestha

Yoga & Meditation Teacher / Trekking Guide

Maheswar took up the practice of yoga at the age of fifteen and from 1993 to 1996 he underwent 3 years of formal yoga training after which he started to work as a yoga instructor in Kathmandu. He received his advanced yoga training at Arogya Dham Yoga in Nepal in 2000 and was consequently invited to work in Singapore for two years to pass his extensive knowledge and profound understanding of yoga to the citizens of Singapore.

Maheswar completed his diploma in Yoga Teacher training at Yoga Vidya Gurukul in India in 2007 and has been a keen promoter of the benefits of yoga since he first started his own practice, vividly remembering his immune system as being very poor, making him suffer from high fever, stomach pain and tonsil problems two or three times a year before he became involved in yoga. Through his diligent daily practice he noticed major improvements to his health and once he realized the benefits, yoga became a part of his life and life style. Maheswar firmly believes that everybody who practices yoga regularly will definitely see improvements in their health and that any type of health problem can be remedied this way.

Maheswar is a licensed trekking guide, he also holds a bachelor degree in management and is a qualified accountant who loves to admire the wonders of nature while on the trek with his extensive knowledge of local fauna and flora. Maheswar also enjoys playing tabla as well as singing kirtan and mantras.

Raj Kumar KC

Yoga Teacher / Trek Leader

Raj Kumar is one of the newest members of Purna Yoga team and he has already proven himself to be a great asset to our organization. Raj Kumar comes from Banepa, Kathmandu and he has been exposed to the yogic lifestyle since early years. His uncle is a local yoga teacher and he inspired Raj Kumar to get involved in the practice since his childhood.

When Raj Kumar started his regular practice of yoga several years ago, he noticed that he was able to alleviate his physical ailments like chronic back probems, constipation and improve his overall wellbeing and flexibility. This has inspired him to complete a month long Yoga Teacher Training in Patanjali Yoga with Patanjali Yog Samithi in Kathmandu. Soon afterward he has joined Purna Yoga as he decided to make yoga and trekking part of his life in a professinal capacity. In the future Raj Kumar plans to complete his Trekking Guide Training and expand on his yogic knowledge through regular practice and deep study. In 2018 he completed Yoga Alliance certified 200hr Yoga Teacher Training at Rishikul Yogshala. His interests include playing instruments like harmonium, tabla, djembe and he is also a good singer. Raj Kumar likes to explore new places and he loves beining in nature.
 

Dinesh Gurung

Yoga Teacher / Trekking Guide

Dinesh comes from a small village in Makwanpur district. He started working with Purna Yoga & Treks in 2012 and his first job was working as a cook and porter during our yoga treks. Dinesh has shown a great potential from the start as he worked hard to improve his command of English language and his many other skills through practice, learning and dedication. In 2013 he has received training as a trekking guide and in 2014 he was awarded a professional trekking guide license issued by the government of Nepal.

That same year he also underwent a pre-teacher training course at Purna Yoga organized by Nepali and foreign teachers. From this moment he realized that we wanted to make yoga a part of his path of life and he has been learning and gaining experience in our yoga treks as well as yoga studio and retreat center ever since. Dinesh has been working as an assistant yoga teacher in our yoga treks since 2016 and in 2017 he has started our in house yoga teacher training. In 2018 he completed Yoga Alliance certified 200hr Yoga Teacher Training at Rishikul Yogshala. Dinesh’s goal is to always improve his knowledge and experience and he wishes to lead many yoga treks into all parts of Nepal.

Kathmandu Office:

Shuvechhya Amatya

Sales & Email Correspondent

Shuvechhya completed her Management study with major Marketing and Finance from Tribhuwan University of Nepal. After completing her graduation Shuvechhya had joined with President Tours and Travels in 2005. Her enthusiasm in tourism industry gave her an immediate push to work as a Sales Assistant and Sales Officer.

Shuvechhya has gained extensive knowledge and experience in skilfully organizing all details of tour packages, issuing tickets, online marketing and she has joined Purna Yoga team in 2010. She has excellent communication skills and can deal with any task in an efficient and diplomatic way. She is hard working, easy going and a cheerful member in our company.
 

Giridhar Shrestha

Administrator & Representative

Giridhar Shrestha, a travel passionate is another key member of our personnel with a great sense of humor. Giridhar has 10 years of experience altogether in tourism industry. As a field manager and representative, Giridhar maintains a wide network of friends and has been a significant contributor to maintain broad network of contacts that Nepal Yoga Treks holds now.

His enthusiasm for a great client experience from the moment planning begins keeps him focused at the helm of Nepal Yoga Trek, from where he has been planning and executing trekking tours and adventures throughout Nepal.

Our Porters & Sherpas

We are blessed with a great group of highly experienced porters to carry equipment and trekking gear during our yoga treks. Their resilience, dedication and strength makes them our most valued members of the trekking team. Besides carrying baggages, our porters who are interested in developing their skills further, have a chance to learn the trade of trekking guides in time, which gives them opportunities for their future.

Many of our porters are internship members from PEP Nepal organization, who are receiving a practical experience for their future career in tourism and hospitality industry with us. You will find that these enthusiastic porters are always ready to help and they will do their best to make your experience enjoyable throughout your journey with us.

Nepal Yoga Trek is closely associated with PEP Nepal (People Empowerment Program Nepal www.pepnepal.org) a non-profit organization working for young people from rural areas by providing them essential training, education and generating an opportunity to choose their career in tourism and hospitality industry in Nepal.