Fernpass in Tyrol, Austria, is a mountain pass road that runs northwest from Innsbruck. Nassereith is one of the last villages before the pass. It is a small mountain village with a low population, and rocky peaks rise sharply behind it. A 500-year-old house stands beside the road. It is Yoga Resort AlpenRetreat.
An old house beside the mountain road
The address is Fernpass 483, 6465 Nassereith. Because the property occupies a renovated historic building, its room configurations differ from those of a conventional hotel. It offers 20-square-meter double rooms as well as shared rooms separated by gender. Bed linens, towels and indoor slippers are provided, and parking is free. The property has a garden and a library, and smoking is prohibited throughout the building.
This setup is common at places that prioritize the intensity of practice over lodging comforts. Rather than spending much time in the room, guests spend the day in practice spaces and on mountain trails.
What can guests practice?
The retreats offered here follow more than one path. Depending on the season, the resort hosts yoga retreats, meditation retreats, silent retreats, Kriya yoga, Vipassana meditation, dance and movement retreats, breathwork sessions and personalized wellness programs.
Yoga classes include hatha, Kriya, Kundalini and vinyasa, along with pranayama. Meditation programs include breath meditation (Atemmeditation) and mindfulness meditation (Achtsamkeitsmeditation), while some schedules also combine chakra work with kirtan, or chanting. The resort also offers yoga teacher-training courses and meditation workshops.
The resort’s separate silent retreats are particularly notable. Spending several days without speaking resembles the approach used at Vipassana centers in Asia and is not a program found at every European yoga resort.
Fully vegan meals
Meals are fully vegan and made exclusively with plant-based ingredients. Seasonal produce is used, and adjustments can be made for allergies or intolerances. For practitioners who consider a vegetarian or vegan diet when choosing a destination, this is an important detail to confirm.
Getting there
The nearest airport is Innsbruck Airport, about 50 minutes away by car. Munich Airport is about two hours away. Travelers arriving by train can use the nearby stations at Lermoos, Ehrwald and Imst/Pitztal. Nearby cities include Füssen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany, and Reutte in Austria.
The property offers airport pickup, with fares ranging from 15 euros to 145 euros depending on the distance. Travelers coming from South Korea will likely find it most practical to fly into Munich or Innsbruck and continue by rental car or train. Because the resort is in the Alps, it is wise to check road conditions in advance during winter.
Reservations and costs
Lodging and meal costs are paid by bank transfer, while course fees are generally paid in cash on-site. Reservations are accepted through the booking form on the official website, alpenretreat.com.
The cancellation policy is relatively strict. Cancellations made four weeks before departure incur a 50-euro fee, while cancellations made between three and four weeks before departure are subject to a 50% nonrefundable charge. Cancellations within three weeks of departure are not eligible for a refund.
The official website does not publish a detailed rate sheet. On Tripaneer, a third-party booking platform, five-day meditation and yoga retreats at the resort are listed from $910. That price is based on the platform’s listing and varies by program and date. For an exact quote, it is best to contact the property directly before booking.
A place in the meditation-travel landscape
The Alps have long been known as a setting for skiing and luxury spas. In a mountain village in Tyrol, this property brings silence, vegan meals and Vipassana together in a way that follows a different path. Instead of emphasizing elaborate facilities, it makes use of an old house and the surrounding mountain trails.
When travelers plan wellness trips in Europe, the Alpine region is typically built around high-end resorts. Including a small practice center like this one broadens the options according to budget and purpose. It is a destination worth noting when considering Austria for a meditation trip.