Gita Valley - Port Royal, Pennsylvania

b A.

I would like to start this review by stating that I was very excited about a retreat that I signed up for at Gita Nagari. In fact, I'd been waiting years to visit, so when I finally purchased tickets for their mind, body and soul retreat, it was a big deal for me. Now, when I bought my tickets, the website stated that the retreat would include a tour of the sanctuary, sunrise and sunset yoga, yoga cooking classes, cuddling with the cows and a beehive building workshop. Sounds awesome, right? I also specifically reached out to the sanctuary to request rooming with my partner and was told that we'd be guaranteed a spot in their "Goloka Suite." Well... when we arrived, we didn't get any of that. We were told that there was no Goloka Suite, and were instead housed in a dirty barracks where we had to share one of two cramped bathrooms with around twenty other couples. We weren't allowed to wear shoes, either, so I didn't dare shower or walk around without socks out of fear of contracting athlete's foot or some other foot fungus. In addition to that, we never got a tour of the sanctuary, we never got a yoga cooking class, we never saw an apiary or built any beehives, and cow cuddling was more like walking around in a cow poop loaded hay stack. Instead, we were practically forced to participate in Hare Krishna mantra meditations and to listen to the most self righteous "monk" of all time put everyone to sleep with stories about himself. Upset by the experience within the first day, I returned to the website to bring up the itinerary from when I first bought my ticket, only to find that the activities I signed up for had been removed. They changed it after we'd already paid for tickets and traveled hours to get there. On a positive note, I will say that the food was exceptional. However, they offered no coffee, even though we had to fill out a questionnaire when registering for the event that specifically asked about if and how we liked our coffee. When a few of us inquired about it, a crumpled bag of old grounds were tossed on the table without any way of making it. So, what did we do? We wrapped our grounds in napkins and seeped them in hot water so we could enjoy paper flavored nastiness. It was awesome. Oh, and we were expected to wash our own dishes outside in tubs of filthy dish water and then to eat off of those unsanitary dishes for every subsequent meal. Who doesn't want to pay hundreds of dollars for that, right

In a nutshell, this was a Hare Krishna commune that falsely advertised itself as a wellness retreat. I have no issue with the Hare Krishna, but nothing about religion was mentioned anywhere on the website when I signed up for the retreat, so I DO have an issue with paying for a getaway only to get unwanted religious indoctrination instead. I also don't appreciate the dishonesty - lying about housing and switching up activities at last minute is unacceptable, especially when you're making money off of people by offering those things. So, not only did we leave a day early, but I will not be returning and I do not recommend.

Lize N.

My visit to Gita Nagari was fantastic! It is an utterly beautiful place to reconnect with nature and participate in something truly meaningful.

Phanindra K.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Gita Nagari Eco Farm for a retreat, and I have to say it was one of the best experiences of my life! From start to finish, everything about this place was top-notch.

First of all, the surroundings were absolutely stunning. The farm is nestled in the heart of nature, with rolling hills, lush greenery, and a serene atmosphere that immediately put me at ease. I loved spending my days exploring the grounds, taking in the breathtaking scenery, and immersing myself in the tranquility of this magical place.

The accommodations were also fantastic. I stayed in a cozy little cabin that was clean, comfortable, and had everything I needed for a peaceful stay. Everything was top quality.

The staff at this place were some of the kindest, most welcoming people I've ever met. They went out of their way to make me feel at home, and were always there to answer any questions. They planned so many fun events for our stay. The bonfire, Kirtans, Gardening, Creamery tour and especially, spending time with those lovely and gentle cows. There is one river nearby, we enjoyed a lot there.

And last but not least, the food was absolutely incredible! Everything was locally sourced, organic, and prepared with love and care. I was blown away by the flavors and variety of dishes, and I looked forward to every meal with excitement.

Overall, I can't recommend this place enough. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat in nature, or simply want to experience the beauty of sustainable living, this place has it all. Thank you to everyone at the farm for making my stay so special - I can't wait to come back!

nivya S.

A beautiful quiet place for a perfect weekend getaway. We did a farm tour and got to pet the cows and their calves, witness cow milking and interact with the staff. Also, purchased some freshly collected and processed dairy products like curd and pepper jack cheese and honey. Highly recommend buying their curd, the taste was magical, I am definitely gonna order more. If you plan to stay overnight, climb the Govardhan hill for the extraordinary sunrise view.

Rads S.

Beautiful heaven 😍 no slaughter humane cow farm. You can stay in their comfortable cottages, feed the cows, hike the beautiful trails or have their vegan food. There is a temple as well for yoga and meditation. They have volunteer opportunities for kids as well. Highly recommend.

Hrushikesh V.

One word - blissful. You truly get to be in midst of the nature- the sound of peafowls, cows freely grazing in the lush green fields, slaughter-free creamery, temple to meditate, a comfortable place to stay and delicious prasadam. Expect little to no mobile signals so you can surely disconnect from the chaotic world. The peafowls move literally within arm's length, and petting the cows at creamery is absolutely fun experience. A very small group of staff and many volunteers help in maintaining the place.

Bali A.

This hidden gem is about 150 miles for DC, buried in the Amish, rural part of Pennsylvania.

The sprawling farm is tastefully arranged for long nature walks, a soothing creek for picnics and several varieties of trees for the arborists in us.

The animals are the most attractive part of the farm. There are about 80 cows gazing peacefully in the meadows. Just sitting and watching them graze is a cathartic experience. They are also very curious. Once they see you standing by, looking at them, pretty soon they will also amble over to check you out! Their eyes are bright with curiosity and their expressions ridiculously funny. One can spend hours being entertained and soothed by them. The cows are also milked in the dairy and if you go at the right time they will let you pet, feed and even milk the cows.

Then they have this wonderful yoga studio wherein a really awesome instructor will lead an one hour class where she expertly manages the gamut of students from newbies like to me fairly advanced students. The music there is also awesome. It is the titillating kind that forces you to move with the rhythms and then settles into hauntingly, pensive chords that stir your very soul.

The farm grows its own vegetables and you can help out in picking fruits, weeding or pruning. It’s very satisfying working with Mother Nature and a great workout.

The food there is all vegetarian, prepared from the fresh, organic produce at the farm. It is tasty, colorful and exotic. A unique blend fusing several international cuisines into a healthy, sumptuous treat for the body and the palate. They follow the “food as a medicine” principle to serve wholesome and satisfying meals. As in everything, you can also help to cut, cook and clean if you want.

Last but not the least, the peacocks! They are lovely. If you go at the right time of the year (Summer) they are in full plumage, dancing with their incredible array of bright, iridescent colors, sprayed out in a luminous semi circle.

The rooms, in case one decides to spend a few days, are very comfortable, considering that this is a farm where you are supposed to “rough” it.

The people on the farm are probably the most attractive feature. They are genuinely pleased to see you, always smiling and extremely helpful. Just sitting and talking to them is probably is best of therapies.

All in all the place offers a complete immersive experience to the body, mind and soul. Go there to get recharged and rejuvenated.

Highly recommend!

Baldev D.

Must must visit

Radha damodar temple.
Radha damodar deity of Travelling sankirtan party of HH Tamal Krishna Goswami.
Srila Bhakti tirth maharaj samadhi.
Sril satsvarup goswami Maharaj cottage where he wrote all his books including prabhupad lilamrita.
Cow farm where there are around 80 cows and produce pasteurised milk and cheese ( cheddar , Mozarella) and Paneer to nearby cities in New jersey , New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia.
Nice yoga studio.

This place has connection with many universities where students visit here for a week to study eco sustainability and natural living methodologies.

Please come and check in ..