Ayurveda (panchakarma) programmes: what it is and how clinics abroad price it

Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine from India, and panchakarma is a structured course of its procedures. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) describes Ayurveda as combining mainly plant-based products with diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. This page covers only programs run by medical providers: a named physician with a recognized Ayurvedic qualification or national license, at a licensed facility; retreats, spas and hotel wellness packages are not compared.

What does it involve?

• Consultation and assessment — an Ayurvedic physician takes a history and sets out the procedures, diet and preparations for the stay.
• Panchakarma program — a course of Ayurvedic procedures delivered daily over a set number of days, usually with a set diet and herbal preparations. The clinic's own program description should list each procedure.
• Shorter therapy packages — a smaller set of procedures over fewer days, sometimes without a full panchakarma course.
• Herbal preparations to take home — products prescribed at discharge, sold with or on top of the package.

The length of a stay depends on the clinic's program. This page does not state typical durations.

How do clinics price it?

• Package of N days — the usual unit. One price covers a stated number of days.

What a package usually includes varies by clinic. It often covers accommodation, meals according to the prescribed diet, daily procedures and physician consultations. Items that are often charged extra include:

• laboratory tests before or during the stay;
• herbal preparations, especially those taken home;
• a single room or a companion's stay;
• extra procedures beyond the package;
• airport transfers and visas.

Prices are only comparable within the same unit and for the same number of days. A 7-day package and a 21-day package are different products, even at the same clinic.

What should I ask the clinic before paying?

• What exactly is included per day: which procedures, how many physician consultations, which meals?
• Who is the supervising physician, and what is their qualification and license number?
• Is the facility licensed as a medical provider, and by which authority? See how to check a doctor.
• Which herbal preparations will be used, who makes them, and are they tested for heavy metals?
• What happens if you need to stop early or are unwell during the stay? Is any part refunded?
• What written instructions or follow-up do you get after returning home?
• How long is the quoted price valid, in writing?

What this page does not tell you

This page reports what clinics publish about price and terms. It does not tell you whether Ayurveda suits you or works for any condition; those decisions belong with your own doctor. NCCIH states that few well-designed studies of Ayurveda exist and that some Ayurvedic products have been found to contain lead, mercury or arsenic. The World Health Organization says traditional medicine should be integrated into health systems on the basis of evidence, and that traditional use alone is not proof of safety and efficacy. Practitioner licensing differs by country; in the US, NCCIH notes that credentials for complementary health practitioners vary widely from state to state. For a related tradition, see traditional Chinese medicine.