Neha Mehrotra
02-Aug-2025
Since we are way past friendship bands, this Friendship Day let’s promise to take “that trip” and spend some uninterrupted time with your friends.
Every time I rewatch Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, I end up mentally planning that epic trip with my best friends. But reality kicks in when the credit rolls and I pick up my phone to text our weirdly named group chat that’s long been dormant. That’s the thing no one tells you about navigating adult friendships in your late 20s and 30s. You think of each other all the time, but life, work deadlines, family obligations, and conflicting calendars get in the way. And while “being busy” doesn’t mean you don’t care, it can sure feel like you’ve drifted apart.
We’re now at a point where maintaining friendships takes real, intentional effort. And maybe what we all need isn’t one more half-hearted plan to ‘catch up soon’ but an actual reset. A break. A group wellness retreat, not just for our tired bodies but for our even more tired friendships. And to help you plan it, here are some unique, soul-soothing wellness experiences that will help you rekindle, reconnect or just relax with your besties. Take notes; I know I’m going to.
Unique Wellness Experiences to have in 2025
1. Try Pottery at Dharamkot Studio, Dharamshala
Tucked away in a charming Himachali village, surrounded by towering cedar and pine trees with panoramic views of the snow-draped Dhauladhar range, Dharamkot Studio is one of the best art and pottery retreats in Himachal Pradesh. This creative hideaway offers a 5-day pottery retreat in the Himalayas, where you’ll get hands-on with clay, tap into your artistic side, and unwind with your friends in a serene mountain setting, making it a perfect alpine relaxation retreat. You can also participate in a 2-3 hour beginners workshop and create masterpieces with clay and soothe your senses and feel relaxed.
2. Take an Ayurvedic Retreat at Kalari Kovilakom, Kerala
An Ayurvedic retreat in Kerala with friends? Sounds unconventional, but it’s exactly the kind of reset your friendship needs. Tucked away in the foothills of the Western Ghats, Kalari Kovilakom, an Ayurvedic wellness retreat in India, is where time slows down and natural healing begins. Under the guidance of experienced Ayurvedic doctors, you’ll follow a personalised detox treatment plan based on your doshas. After the diagnosis, your doctor will devise a treatment plan that will include removing toxins from your body, taking traditional medicines and indulging in a sattvic diet. For recreation and holistic healing, you are also encouraged to partake in daily yoga and meditation followed by Satsang in the form of classical music and dance performances, mantra chanting, candlelight meditation, and Kalaripayattu – a martial art form of ancient Kerala.
3. Go on a Wildlife Safari with Baghvan, A Taj Safari, Pench National Park
Spending time in nature teaches you a lot, and if you're looking to reconnect with your friends, there’s nothing quite like a wildlife safari in India to do the trick. Just minutes from Pench National Park, one of the best places for a tiger safari in India, lies Baghvan – A Taj Safari Lodge. This luxury safari retreat near Pench features 12 stand-alone colonial-style bungalows nestled by a dry riverbed, where close wildlife encounters are part of everyday life. Sleep in open-air machans, chill in an open lounge, take a swim in the outdoor pool or relax in the serene wellness centre. Book guided jungle safaris to track tigers, spot deer and wild oxen, or enjoy wildlife photography tours.
4. Experience Forest Bathing at Dharana at Shillim
Forest bathing at Dharana at Shillim offers an unforgettable nature therapy and reset, as you and your friends can walk slowly and mindfully through the lush Shillim forest and leave all the stress and worries behind. Set in the serene Sahyadris, Dharana at Shillim Wellness Retreat brings this experience to life with curated forest walks that encourage reflection and grounding. If you want to be a bit more adventurous, plan a trek to the Shillim Peak or along the Shillim Lake View trail. Once you are back at the retreat, you can spend the day enjoying various massages and spa therapies, chakra balancing rituals, or head to the ‘Jalayu’, the hydrothermal pavilion, for water-based therapies.
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5. Enjoy Some Quiet at Ahilya by Sea, Goa
Goa might be India’s party capital, but there’s a quieter side that calls for a relaxing getaway with friends. Tucked away in a serene corner of Dolphin Bay, Ahilya by the Sea offers a slow-living escape that adult friendships desperately need. This charming boutique villa in Goa features nine beautifully appointed rooms spread across three independent villas, making it ideal for group stays in Goa. Spend your mornings in the Sunrise infinity pool, swimming laps or floating peacefully under the sun. By afternoon, unwind in the shaded Sunset plunge pool, surrounded by coconut palms and blooming frangipani. Mealtimes are a highlight of the Ahilya experience—think Goan, French, and Italian cuisine, crafted with the freshest local ingredients. Additionally, the less crowded beaches of Morjim, Ashvem and Mandrem are a short drive from the hotel.
6. Cook Traditional Rajasthani Meals at Amanbagh, Rajasthan
Wellness does not have to stick with conventional ideas that only involve spas and massages. It can also mean doing something which brings contentment, and if your idea of wellness and bonding with friends involves slow travel, authentic experiences, and unforgettable meals, then Amanbagh Rajasthan, a former royal hunting lodge and now a luxury wellness retreat, is your kind of place. One of their most memorable experiences is the cooking experience, where you can indulge in a private, interactive cooking session in their open-air Gwaadi (courtyard kitchen), where local chefs teach you how to prepare traditional Rajasthani dishes like laal maas, ker sangri, and baajre ki roti. You’ll cook over traditional chulhas (mud stoves) and use ingredients freshly picked from their organic garden. You can also unwind in your Mughal-style suite, take a dip in your private pool, or sign up for Ayurvedic wellness therapies and sunrise yoga.
This year, don’t just think about planning that trip. Take the lead. Make the call. Send the link. Because your adult friendships deserve more than an emoji reaction on Instagram. They deserve a relaxing, healing and memory-making wellness vacation. And if you’re searching for the best wellness retreats in India for a group getaway, let this guide be your starting point.
Happy Friendship Day—and here’s to making time.
Cover Credits: Scene from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara/Netflix
