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A forest retreat for rest, reconnection, and rooted living. Just like nature intented.
What is
Vann Vibe?
A slow living retreat rooted in one simple philosophy:" Live like nature intended. "Nature has a rhythm: unhurried, balanced, and deeply present. And when we spend time close to it, something within us naturally begins to soften.Vann Vibe was created to experience that rhythm again.
Set in the forests of Kanha National Park, this retreat is an invitation into rooted living: waking up to quiet mornings, moving through the day with intention, eating nourishing meals slowly, and spending time in a space where we feel present.
What is
Vann Vibe?
A slow living retreat rooted in one simple philosophy:
" Live like nature intended. "
Nature has a rhythm: unhurried, balanced, and deeply present. And when we spend time close to it, something within us naturally begins to soften.
Vann Vibe was created to experience that rhythm again.
Set in the forests of Kanha National Park, this retreat is an invitation into rooted living: waking up to quiet mornings, moving through the day with intention, eating nourishing meals slowly, and spending time in a space where we feel present.
Here, we don’t just “stay” in the forest. We begin to live with it.
Vann Vibe is not about changing who you are. It’s about giving you a few days to return to what already exists within you.
By nature. By community. And by the simplicity of the days.
The Art of
Slow Living
When days are designed with space without rushing, to wake up slowly, to eat without distraction, to move through experiences without feeling like you’re running behind time. There’s enough structure to feel held, and enough openness to simply breathe.
By the end, you don’t just feel rested, you start understanding what a calmer rhythm actually feels like.
Nature
Immersion
Nature is not a background here.
It’s the whole atmosphere.
The forest becomes part of your day, through quiet walks, unhurried moments, and the simple act of noticing again. The sound of birds, the smell of earth, the stillness of trees, all of it naturally slows your mind down.
Rooted Culture
& Community
This experience is shaped by the land and its stories. Local culture is woven into the retreat through art, traditions, and meaningful interactions, not as a performance, but as something lived and shared. It gives depth to the journey and makes it feel grounded in something real.
And somewhere between shared meals, circles, and conversations, community forms naturally.
Wellness
& Reflection
Wellness here is gentle. It doesn’t demand discipline.
It comes through sound sessions, mindful practices, reflection time, and simple moments of quiet. The kind of quiet that allows you to hear yourself again.
You’re simply given the space to slow down and that’s where the reset happens.
What you will experience
Our Home
in Kanha
Surwahi Social EcoEstate
There are places you travel to, and places you feel into. Surwahi Social Ecoestate, our home for Vann Vibe belongs to the latter.
Set on the edge of Kanha National Park, this homestead is more than a backdrop, it’s a landscape you live inside. Earthen walls rise from the soil, courtyards open to sky, and the forest doesn’t merely surround you, it becomes part of your day.
The name itself is an ode to belonging to this land, a village community, a living forest edge, and a place where architecture meets ecology with intention. Built consciously, with local materials and traditional techniques, every space here carries the memory of the earth it came from. Every corner reflects eco-conscious design, built with nature, not over it.
From courtyards where light plays through open skylights, to wide verandas that catch sunset hues, there is a feeling of being within the land, not apart from it. Paths wind through native vegetation, and every breeze and scent feels familiar in a way you don’t quite expect until you’re here.
Surwahi is a community, and a home that honours the land of Kanha in every detail, allowing your senses, your pace, and your presence to align with the forest itself.
Your Vibe Pass
Pricing & Essentials Per Person
Double Sharing
30,000 INR
Per Person
Community Dorm
23,000 INR
Per Person
Once you arrive, you can exhale, everything is thoughtfully taken care of.
Your retreat pass is all-inclusive, covering your stay at Surwahi Social Ecoestate, nourishing meals, and the complete Vann Vibe journey. This includes all curated workshops, wellness sessions, forest immersions, cultural experiences, and community circles, designed to help you slow down and live like nature intended.
To keep the retreat personal and deeply immersive, we limit the group size to
10–12 participants only.
Please Note: Pass Excludes
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Travel to and from Kanha
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Personal expenses / shopping
Add on:
Participants are welcome to arrive before the retreat or extend their stay after it. Special discounted rates are available for pre/post retreat stays at Surwahi (subject to availability).
We can also assist in arranging wildlife safaris, with the understanding that safaris are an educational and nature-based experience, not an entertainment activity. Safari bookings are subject to availability and forest regulations.
📌 For add-on stays or safari arrangements, please get in touch with our team in advance.
Day wise vibe flow
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You arrive at Surwahi Social Ecoestate, Kanha by 4 PM
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After check-in, you’re given time to rest, breathe, and slowly transition into the retreat space.
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Later, we gather for our first welcome circle, a warm introduction to the Slow Living philosophy and a gentle overview of the journey ahead. No pressure, no overwhelm, just a sense of clarity and comfort about what’s to come.
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As the sun begins to soften, we move into a Kanji-making workshop with Shreya Nair, learning fermentation practices, gut health, and the slow food wisdom passed through generations.
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The day ends with a curated farm-to-table dinner at Surwahi, made with seasonal ingredients and mindful intention.
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A quiet beginning. Exactly as it should be.
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Day 2 begins early in the forest with a guided Forest Bathing session led by Rushant Dhanwatay, a sensory immersion designed to slow you down and help you feel deeply connected to nature.
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Breakfast is packed and enjoyed outdoors, followed by a quiet reflection circle, personal insights, shared observations, and the kind of silence that feels calming, not awkward.
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Later, we experience Mahua collection, learning about forest produce, local livelihoods, and the cultural significance of what the land provides.
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The afternoon flows into a Gond Art session, where you learn the symbols, stories, and meaning behind this powerful indigenous art form and create something to take back with you.
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The evening is kept spacious for rest and slow time, followed by a night sky astronomy session with Nikhil, exploring indigenous cosmic stories, and the quiet magic of Kanha after dark.
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The morning begins with Yoga & the Breath of the Harp: a Sound Meditation in the forest with Nikhil, grounding the body and creating a calm inner rhythm for the day.
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In the afternoon, we share a meal at a local Gond tribal home, a rare and meaningful experience of culture through food, stories, and everyday traditions. You’ll also be introduced to simple Gondi language basics, creating a deeper connection with the community and the place.
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As evening arrives, we come together for a signature experience: Live Cooking Forest Food. Guests cook collectively using local superfoods like kodo and kutki millets, mahua, and seasonal produce, guided by nutritionist Rizu Jain and chef Loki Dongre.
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The day closes with a reflection circle, shared conversations around slow living, learning, unlearning, and living with intention.
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The final morning is kept relaxed and grounding.
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We begin with a guided flora & fauna walk, followed by a forest medicines session led by Suraj Singh an introduction to traditional forest remedies and local knowledge systems.
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After breakfast, we gather for informal closing conversations, a gentle ending to the retreat, allowing you to leave feeling rooted, present, and restored.
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No rushed ending. Just a slow goodbye, the way the forest teaches us.
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How to reach Kanha
Travel Planning (Meeting Point: Surwahi Social Ecostate, Kanha)
The retreat begins on 3rd April 2026.
Please ensure you arrive at Surwahi Social Ecoestate by 4:00 PM for a smooth check-in and welcome session.
The retreat concludes on 6th April 2026.
We recommend booking your return/onward travel after 12:00 PM (noon) to allow time for breakfast, closing conversations, and checkout.
✈️ Nearest Airports:
Gondia Airport — 127 km (approx. 3 hours)
Jabalpur Airport — 157 km (approx. 3 hrs 50 mins)
Nagpur Airport — 280 km (approx. 5 hrs 40 mins)
🚆 Nearest Railway Stations:
Gondia Railway Station — 130 km (approx. 3 hrs 30 mins)
Jabalpur Railway Station — 146 km (approx. 3 hrs 30 mins)
Nagpur Railway Station — 261 km (approx. 5 hrs 20 mins)
Reaching by Road:
Use Google Maps link below to navigate directly to Surwahi Social Ecoestate.
📌 We strongly recommend confirming your travel plan with us once booked, so we can guide you with the smoothest route and arrival timing.
Meet our facilitators
Nikhil Lanjewar
Keeper of Slow Rhythms
A holistic wellness practitioner and experiential educator, Nikhil transitioned from the fast-paced tech world into intentional slow living. Trained in Ashtanga Yoga, nutrition, and Nonviolent Communication, he helps people build calmer daily rhythms through nature, reflection, and grounded lifestyle practices.
Shreya Nair
Fermentation Whisperer
A biotechnology graduate with a Master’s in Wine, Shreya works closely with fermented beverages and traditional practices. She brings gut health and slow food wisdom to life through simple, hands-on workshops that make fermentation feel approachable and easy to adopt at home.
Rushant Dhanwatay
Nature's Gentle Translator
A zoologist and certified Forest Bathing facilitator, Rushant works on alternate tourism models that support local communities. Founder of Rustain Earth, he creates immersive nature experiences beyond safaris, helping people slow down and reconnect deeply with the forest.
Suraj Singh
Plant Wisdom Guide
A botanist with an MBA in Travel & Tourism Management, Suraj works with Surwahi Social Ecoestate’s sustainable tourism initiatives. He bridges ecology and responsible travel, offering grounded insights into biodiversity, forest systems, and traditional knowledge tied to the land.
Rizu Jain
Food as Everyday Medicine
With a Master’s in Food Science and Nutrition, Rizu focuses on reviving traditional Indian food practices, especially millets. Her work highlights sustainable, everyday dietary habits that support digestion, long-term wellness, and a more conscious relationship with food.
Lokesh Dongre
Chef of Rooted Flavours
A chef with an MBA in Travel & Tourism Management, Lokesh anchors culinary experiences rooted in the landscapes of Pench and Kanha. He brings deep knowledge of local ingredients and community food systems, making every meal a story of place and tradition.
A Home Built with Earth
Surwahi Social Ecoestate is more than an eco-lodge, it is a living vision built on the belief that tourism can be a force for good. Rooted in the land and community of Kanha, Surwahi brings together sustainability, responsible architecture, and local partnership in a way that feels authentic and regenerative. It offers the ideal setting for Vann Vibe, where nature, people, and place are honoured equally.
Responsible Tourism, Statewide Impact
Madhya Pradesh Tourism is the official tourism body promoting the state as the “Heart of India,” with a strong focus on responsible and community-led travel. Through homestays, rural initiatives, and livelihood-driven tourism models, it ensures local communities benefit directly from tourism. With its culturally rich and environmentally conscious approach, MP Tourism continues to position Madhya Pradesh as a leader in sustainable and transformational travel experiences.
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Mahua, Made Ethical & Powerful
WildHarvest is a social enterprise working to ethically harvest, process, and market food-grade Mahua flowers, while ensuring local communities benefit directly. Their work brings attention to Mahua’s true culinary and cultural potential, linking responsible sourcing with conservation and livelihoods. By creating ethical value chains around forest produce, WildHarvest helps build a future where nature-based economies are respected, regenerative, and community-led.
Inner Rhythm. Culture. Collective Living.
SlowCo is a platform for transformative experiences and conscious living practices, designed to help people build stronger inner rhythm, deeper cultural connection, and healthier social ecosystems. Its work spans yoga as a lifestyle, sound-based somatic practices, ethnomusicology, ethno astronomy, and community resilience frameworks rooted in active citizenship. SlowCo blends ancient wisdom with modern relevance, offering experiences that cultivate grounded wellness, cultural awareness, and a more intentional way of living.
Designing Brands with Meaning
Creative Hoot Studio is a branding and design studio that builds thoughtful brands through strategy, storytelling, and detail-driven design. With a sharp eye for tone, copy, and experience touch points, they create identities that feel intentional, grounded, and memorable. Their approach aligns perfectly with Vann Vibe’s philosophy, crafting not just visuals, but a feeling of belonging and meaning that stays long after the experience ends.
Conservation with Clarity & Courage
Wild Tiger is a U.S.-based conservation nonprofit founded by Dr. Sarika Khanwilkar, dedicated to building a future where people and tigers coexist. Through evidence-based research and community partnerships, Wild Tiger supports conservation that is both ethical and practical. Their work also highlights what responsible tiger tourism should look like, shifting the narrative from entertainment to education, respect, and long-term ecological stewardship.
Souvenirs with Soul & Story
PashooPakshee reimagines souvenirs as meaningful stories, creating socially responsible, destination-rooted keepsakes crafted by artisans and local communities across India. Their work ensures tourism benefits flow back to the people who protect and preserve these landscapes. Thoughtful, place-specific, and deeply cultural, their creations make travel more conscious—turning objects into memory, meaning, and impact.