What to pack for a yoga teacher training in India

People arrive for a month of training with a suitcase built for a two-week holiday, and by week two they are wearing the same three cotton outfits. Here is the honest version.

The short list

• Five or six light practice outfits
• Two or three sets of loose clothes for meals, study and going out
• A shawl or scarf
• Sandals, plus something closed for excursions
• Sun protection and a reusable water bottle
• Your medicines, in their original packaging
• A universal plug adapter
• A notebook you will actually write in

Clothes, for heat and humidity

Kerala is warm and humid all year. Cotton and linen dry; synthetics cling. Anything you wash will take a day or more to dry in the monsoon, so bring enough to rotate.

• For practice: leggings or loose cotton trousers, and tops you can invert in without adjusting. Held postures mean you spend real time upside down.
• Off the mat: Fort Kochi is relaxed, but this is a working town rather than a beach resort. Shoulders and knees covered is the comfortable norm, especially at temples and in the old quarter. Women travelling alone will find more in our solo travel guide.
• A shawl earns its place three times a day: meditation, over-cooled restaurants, and temple visits.
• Footwear: sandals you can slip off at every doorway, and one pair of closed shoes for hill excursions.
• In the monsoon (June to September), a light rain jacket beats an umbrella in the wind, and quick-dry sandals beat leather.

Practice kit

Mats are at the school, so bring one only if you cannot practise on anything else. A thin travel mat or a mat towel is useful if you sweat heavily or plan to practise elsewhere afterwards.

• A mat towel, if you sweat a lot
• A light blanket or cushion for meditation, if you are particular about sitting
• A strap, if your shoulders need one — easily bought here too

For the study part

Study materials come with the course. What is worth bringing is a notebook and two pens, because you will write more than you expect: sequences, philosophy notes, corrections, and the questions you want to ask the next morning. A laptop is unnecessary; a phone is enough for everything else.

Washbag and health

• Prescription medicines for the whole month, in original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.
• Basics: rehydration salts, plasters, antiseptic, insect repellent, sunscreen, after-sun.
• Mosquitoes are worse at dusk, exactly when evening practice happens. Repellent and long sleeves handle it.
• A refillable water bottle — filtered drinking water is provided at most schools, including ours.
• Toiletries are cheap and easy to buy here, so bring small sizes and restock.

Talk to your own doctor about vaccinations and travel insurance before you fly. We are yoga teachers, not medical advisers, and we will say the same if you ask us in person.

Plugs, phone and money

• Power: India runs on 230V with type C, D and M sockets. A universal adapter covers all three.
• Phone: an eSIM or a local SIM bought at the airport makes everything easier, from rickshaws to sending us a message.
• Money: cards work in most restaurants and shops in Fort Kochi; keep some cash for rickshaws, markets and ferries.

What people always over-pack

• Too many clothes. Laundry is cheap and quick here.
• Heavy books. You will be given material, and you will be tired.
• A full-size mat. Only if you truly cannot practise without your own.
• Formal clothes. There is nowhere on a training that needs them.
• Hair dryers and gadgets. The climate does that work for you.

Our training covers accommodation, three sattvic vegetarian meals a day, Ayurvedic tea, study materials and cultural excursions in the €899 fee, so you are packing for yourself and nothing else. See what our Kerala yoga teacher training includes, or ask us anything before you fly.

Packing is the last step. How to prepare in the six weeks before covers the rest.

Common questions

What should I pack for a yoga teacher training in India?

Light cotton clothes you can practise and sit in, two or three sets of loose clothes for off the mat, a shawl, sandals, sun protection, insect repellent, your own medicines in original packaging, a universal plug adapter and a notebook. Mats are provided at our school.

Do I need to bring my own yoga mat to India?

Not to our school — mats are there. Bring a mat towel if you sweat heavily, or a thin travel mat if you intend to practise elsewhere on your trip.

What plug adapter do I need in India?

India uses 230V with type C, D and M sockets. A universal travel adapter covers all three, and is easy to buy locally if you forget one.

What clothes are appropriate in Fort Kochi?

Fort Kochi is relaxed, but it is a working town rather than a resort. Clothes that cover shoulders and knees are comfortable and respectful, particularly at temples, and a shawl is useful for both meditation and visits.