Queenstown 6-Day Meditation and Mindfulness Retreat
Small-Group Immersion in Mountain Surroundings
Friday the 29th of May to Wednesday the 3rd of June 2026
With Kovido Maddick and Eric Chagnon, Certified Mindfulness and Meditation Teachers
At Ora Retreats in Queenstown, New Zealand
“Honestly the best week of my life. My journey has just begun.”
— Hannah S., Dunedin
A carefully curated six‑day immersion in mindfulness, movement, and mountain landscapes — designed for people who value depth, structure, and intentional practice. Limited to 10 participants, this programme blends our grounded, nature‑based style with a refined flow inspired by Queenstown’s majestic mountains and beautiful Lake Wakatipu.
Ora Retreat’s mountain sanctuary provides the setting: a warm, welcoming home in the hills above Lake Wakatipu, known for its peaceful atmosphere, stunning views, and community‑centred hospitality.
Previous Partipants Have Said
Why This Retreat
This exclusive retreat with only 10 participants and two experienced teachers is non-religious and created for people seeking real rest, clarity, and reconnection. It’s for those who value nature, simplicity, and evidence‑based mindfulness practices, and who appreciate an intentional, well‑paced journey of transformation.
Daily meditation and mindfulness practice
Guided mountain and lakeside walks
Gentle movement and breathwork
Periods of nourishing silence
Relaxing spa pool available all day and night
Community connection and shared meals
Personalised individual interview with one teacher
Time for rest, reflection, and integration
Incredible stargazing when conditions are right
Detoxifying sauna
The Location: Ora Retreat, Queenstown
Ora Retreat is a boutique mountain home overlooking Lake Wakatipu — peaceful, welcoming, and surrounded by forested hills and alpine views. Guests consistently praise its warmth, comfort, and the sense of being “at home” in nature.
You’ll stay in cozy, thoughtfully designed rooms, enjoy quiet mornings on the deck, and unwind each evening with mountain air and the glow of the fire. Hiking trails begin right from the property, and Queenstown’s dramatic landscape frames each day. Ora Retreat is located at 26 Arawata Terrace, Sunshine Bay, Queenstown.
Online Reviews for Ora Retreat
Sleeping
Ora Retreat offers a range of cozy rooms and cabins, each with its own character — from forest‑edge cabins to lake‑view rooms. Guests consistently highlight the comfort, warmth, and welcoming hosts. We offer a range of shared rooms (with one or two other people max) and private cabins.
Eating
Meals are simple, wholesome, and designed to support clarity and energy. Think warm breakfasts, nourishing vegetarian/vegan dishes, and plenty of herbal teas. Ora Retreat offers a relaxed, home‑style dining environment with beautiful views.We can accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions.
Our instructors
Kovido Maddick
Kovido has over 40 years experience in mindfulness and meditation and spent 10 years training as a Buddhist Monk, in the Thai Forest Tradition, under Ajahn Sumedho.
He has been teaching Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programmes since 1996. He is a certified teacher and coach with Mindfulness Works. He was also a co-facilitator of the Dunedin Men’s group and a Hakomi Graduate.
Although his training is primarily Buddhist he is very eclectic, drawing on the wisdom of many different traditions and contemporary teachers including Rumi, Osho, Ajahn Chah, Ram Dass, Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Jeff Foster and Thich Naht Hanh. Probably his greatest teachers have been his two foster children, Mason and Savannah, who could take him from love, joy, delight to rage and frustration and despair on a daily basis.
For many many years, Kovido tried to get enlightened, improve himself, get better at meditation but constantly failed. Gradually his focus has changed to more self-acceptance, trusting his own intuition and being with life as it is on this wonder-full and mysterious journey as a human being.
Recently he walked the 800km Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route in Northern Spain, which has greatly affected his attitude to meditation practice and life.
"It fulfilled my needs. Kovido's approach was calming, informative and made people feel safe."
Heinke, Dunedin
"It was an exceptionally valuable experience. The pace of the morning was just right and Kovido's teaching was excellent. It was a very peaceful morning and a very gentle way to feeling good about yourself and your place in the world."
Liz O. Dunedin
Eric Chagnon
Eric’s exploration of meditation and mysticism formally began more than 20 years ago when he joined the Rosicrucian Order AMORC. He has kept an ongoing meditation practice through co-raising a family and having a corporate career. His discovery and immersion into mindfulness meditation culminated in obtaining a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certificate from renowned instructors Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.
Eric brings his whole self into his teachings. Drawing from his public speaking and leadership experiences, and from his learnings from Tara and Jack, he connects with his students at their levels. His simple, calm and patient delivery is effective and instills a sense of safety and trust among students.
Eric, the instructor, was superb. His own calmness, presence, and focus were inspiring. His tone of voice was calm and very inviting, making each session a pleasure to attend. I learned so much from him and always looked forward to each session. I am keen to continue taking more courses with him in the future. -Marcia B., course participant
Eric, you are a star. Your manner, your knowledge and your whole approach adds value to the experience. -Ken D., Nature Walk and Meditation participant
What you do on the retreat
Learn
Tailored to a small group, entirely non-religious and gentle teachings by trauma-informed facilitators
Meditate
Under the guidance of certified teachers, practice guided mindfulness meditations. This practice helps you become more aware of each moment’s experience and fully live the life that is here, now.
Walk Mindfully
Combine the practice of mindfulness with the boundless strength and support of nature through daily intentionally guided walks down the adjacent Arawata track.
Connection
Every day, you spend time in Group Dialogues, sharing about experiences, making sense of things, connecting with other people, remembering what makes us human. There are also various movement activities.
Timetable
This retreat follows a rhythm of silence between bedtime and 2pm, and connecting and sharing between 3pm and bedtime.
Mindful movements, breathwork, and meditation as the mountains shift with morning light.
8:00
Outdoor Sunrise Practice
8:30
Yoga Nidra
An ancient meditation, done lying down, which leads to deep relaxation.
Simple, hearty and nourishing food to start the day.
9:00
Breakfast
Guided Mountain or Lakeside Walk
10:00
Slow, mindful walking to re-connect with the body and immerse in nature.
Delicious vegetarian lunch
12:00
A quiet midday meal followed by reflective time.
Meditation
14:00
Guided sitting meditation, walking meditation
Afternoon tea
15:15
15:30
Afternoon dialogues
Facilitated group activities to foster self-inquiry and connection with others
Outdoor Sunset Ritual
17:00
Mindful movement, breathwork and meditation
18:00
Dinner & Community Time
Shared conversation, connection, and reflection.
Evening Activity
19:30
A unique blend of teachings, meditation, sauna sessions, stargazing, dancing, etc.
Costs for the 5-nights, 6-day retreat
A $500 non-refundable deposit is required upon registration. Early bird expires on 15 March 2026. Full payment due on 15 April 2026. All prices in NZD
Shared cabin, or room in the lodge, with one person, no ensuite
$2,199 pp. Early bird: $1,999
Shared, comfortable accommodation to support rest throughout the retreat.
Write your preference at the next step, in the message section:
Shared cabin (2 beds) — short walk to shared bathrooms and hot showers
Shared lodge room (2 beds) — shared bathrooms and showers nearby
We’ll allocate rooms based on availability.
Your first payment is a non‑refundable deposit that secures your place.
After booking, you’ll receive an email with practical details and instructions for paying the remaining balance.
Actual room may look different from the photos.
Shared, comfortable accommodation to support rest throughout the retreat.
You’ll stay in a shared bedroom for three people, with an ensuite bathroom for your room only.
Your first payment is a non‑refundable deposit that secures your place.
After booking, you’ll receive an email with practical details and instructions for paying the remaining balance.
Actual room may look different from the photos.
Shared room in the lodge with two other people (3 p. total), with ensuite
$2,399 pp. Early bird: $2,199
Private cabin, sole occupancy, no ensuite
$2,799 pp. Early bird: $2,599
You’ll stay in your own private cabin, with shared bathrooms and hot showers a short walk away.
Your first payment is a non‑refundable deposit that secures your place.
After booking, you’ll receive an email with practical details and instructions for paying the remaining balance.
Actual cabin may look different from the photos.
What is included
Accommodation for 5 nights in spectacular mountain setting
All food and meals - nourishing vegetarian cuisine
Free-access spa pool and 2 sauna sessions
Daily guided meditations and mindfulness sessions
Trauma-informed talks and teachings
Individual sessions with teachers
Free Mindfulness Dunedin journal and water bottle
Post-retreat community support
Past participant Erin G., Christchurch
“I could never have imagined that within a mere 48 hours I would have formed strong connections with the people I was blessed to be on the retreat with, feel so emotionally regulated and secure, and leave with the knowledge that the path to my future lay in trusting myself.
Eric, Kovido and Sally created such a wonderful environment of trust and respect that I was very sad to leave and wished I had signed up for the whole 5 days.
The meditation and mindfulness sessions were really accessible, particularly for someone like me who did not have a lot of practice.
The cooking was AMAZING, my full compliments to Sally for her incredibly nourishing food which felt like being loved on a whole new level, and the location was simply perfect.
I can't wait for the next one!”
FAQ
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Reaching Queenstown is simple, with frequent direct flights from Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney, making the retreat easily accessible whether you're coming from within New Zealand or Australia. Queenstown Airport is small, efficient, and only a short drive from Ora Retreat.
From Queenstown Airport to Ora Retreat
Travel from the airport to Ora Retreat typically takes 15–20 minutes, and you have several easy options:
Taxi – The fastest and most direct option. Taxis are always available outside the terminal.
Uber – Reliable and often more affordable than taxis.
Shuttle services – Shared shuttles operate from the airport, though most do not drop guests directly at Ora Retreat’s door. They will take you to a nearby point in Queenstown, where you can transfer to a taxi or rideshare for the final short leg.
City bus – The Orbus service runs frequently between the airport and central Queenstown. From town, a short taxi or Uber ride brings you up to Ora Retreat.
Once you arrive, the retreat environment is quiet, peaceful, and tucked into the hills above Lake Wakatipu—close enough to town for easy access, but far enough to feel like a true escape.
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Absolutely. Many retreats have endless sitting meditation, and little talking, and that can be very hard for beginners. However we will have a mixture of sitting and walking, silence and talking which makes it easier. There will also be regular instructions and question times.
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Definitely . Because we will have a mix of silence and talking, sitting meditation and active meditations it is really appropriate for bringing balance in our daily lives and to enhance the factors of skillful speech, action and livelihood.
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Yoga Nidra is an ancient meditation, done lying down, passing mindfulness through the body in a gentle and curious way, which leads to deep relaxation and /or sleep.
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Everybody has to pay a deposit of $500 which is not refundable. The balance will be invoiced directly and is to be paid by 15th of April 2026. The balance is not refundable after 15th of April 2026. If you would like to pay the balance in two or three installments, please contact Eric.
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There is wheelchair access to the lodge. For other disabilities, please contact organisers to discuss.
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The meals will be delicious vegetarian, with vegan/gluten free options, prepared by our amazing local chef.
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You will need to bring clothes and shoes/ boots for outdoors and indoors. Torch. Toiletries. Also bring something of significance to you to put on the shrine i.e. a picture, statue, etc. Ora Retreat provides cushions, yoga mats, chairs and blankets.
Any Questions?
We would love to help. Please fill in the required information and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We are real people! We would also be more than happy if you called us to have a chat about the retreat: Kovido - 027 357 2884.