We are delighted to announce that our traditional 8th Karmapa and Ngondro retreat at Karma Guen and the Enlightenment Stupa in Benalmádena will take place from September 19th to 28th, 2025.
8th Karmapa course will be lead by traveling teachers, the students of Lama Ole – Rafal and Daniella.

REGISTRATION

Dear Friends, registration is open, for the 8th Karmapa Retreat and Autumn Course with Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, please follow the link below:

🎟 Registration – https://registration.karmaguen.org/    

Kindly note that the Stupa Benalmadena program ticket is not included in the price; you should pay at the entrance there.

PROGRAM 19th – 28th September
Teachings and Initiations with Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (Karma Guen and Benalmádena Stupa), Retreat program and Traveling Teachers lectures will be included.

Important:
The 8th Karmapa Retreat can be attended by all Lama Ole students who have finished the Ngondro.
We also welcome those doing preliminary practices for the Ngondro retreat with teachings in a separate Gompa.

Friday, September 19

20:00 – 23:00 16th Karmapa Meditation & Q&A panel with Traveling Teachers

Saturday, September 20 – Wednesday, September 24

Daily Retreat Program:
07:00 – 08:00 8th Karmapa session in big gompa
10:00 – 13:00 8th Karmapa & Ngondro Retreat (in separate Gompas)
15:00 – 18:00 8th Karmapa & Ngondro Retreat (2 sessions with a break)
20:00 – 23:00 16th Karmapa Meditation and Panel Teachings / Q&A with Traveling Teachers (all together)

Here are the topics of lectures, that will be during the evenings:  Teacher and Student Relationship, ⁠Meditation, The Three Levels and Three Pillars in Buddhism, Enlightened Mind – Bodhicitta, History of the lineage. 

Thursday, September 25

10:00 – 13:00 Teaching on Meditation by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche
15:00 – 18:00 First Part of the Khorlo Demchog Initiation by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche
20:00 – 23:00 16th Karmapa Meditation

Friday, September 26

10:00 – 18:00 Second Part of the Khorlo Demchog Initiation by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche
20:00  16th Karmapa Meditation

Saturday, September 27

10:00 – 11:00 16th Karmapa Meditation

16:30 Teaching on the Teacher–Student Relationship by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche ( Stupa Benalmadena)

Sunday, September 28 ( Stupa Benalmadena)

11:30 Green Tara Initiation by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

 

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🚙 Getting to Karma Guen

We are expecting a lot of friends to join this course. Therefore, we fully recommend you use our shuttle service directly from Malaga Airport to Karma Guen and back. This is the easiest door-to-door service, and you can avoid the crowded parking at Karma Guen. If you decide to come by your own or a rental car, there will be different parking options around Karma Guen. If you come by car, use this Google map route via Trapiche Road: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XZ3H9DQujq2KYbhA6

Address
Karma Guen, Aldea Alta 1, 29718, Velez Málaga Spain

We will provide transport between the airport of Malaga (AGP) and Karma Guen.
Exceptions for arrival or departure to/from Benalmadena are possible.
Booking and cancellation is possible until 3 days before the day of transport. Arrivals after midnight might have to
wait for the first transport of the new day, which will arrive not before 07:00 am. Departures before 9:00 am will be
shuttled to the airport the evening before the day of departure.
You will receive further information regarding your arrival and departure transport with the confirmation e-mail after
your booking.

You also can use Public transport
For those who come to the course (or leave) by public transport via Velez-Malaga (the town near Karma Guen), we
offer a “service by request” for arrival pickup and departure from the bus station in Velez-Malaga.

From the airport the EMT bus „Line A“ goes to Malaga “Estación de Autobuses“ (central bus station). You can pay directly
to the driver. The last bus from the airport – with a connection to Vélez-Malaga – leaves around 22:15h.
In Malaga you need to change to the bus to “Velez-Malaga”. At the bus station in Malaga the busses leave at one of
the last bus platforms (35-39 – company “ALSA”) – the last one at 23:00h. Ticket vending machines are close to the
platforms. You cannot pay to the driver.
In Velez-Malaga („Estacion Final“) near the bus stop is a bar/restaurant called “30 y tres” (turqouise pillars, next to a
big market hall) – this is the usual meeting point for the pick-up!
Please send us an e-mail about your arrival to Velez-Malaga and call or send a message when you start your ride in
Malaga, but we organize a pickup only after you arrived at the bus station in Velez-Malaga and have called us from
there! – Waiting times from 0 to 90 minutes are normal. Shuttle price is 15 EUR per person. This service is for
arrivals and departures, not for beach visits or shopping tours nor for course participants staying in a local hotel.

CONTACT KG-Transport: E-Mail: KGTD@online.de – Transport Mobile: +34 604 422 478

🛌 Accommodation

Karma Guen is a camping site, so please be prepared for full camping conditions: outdoor showers and toilets without the guarantee of warm or cold water; staying in tents with beautiful views. Please bring your own tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, towel, and any equipment and personal items you might need. As you will be camping in nature, please bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen.
There will be possibility to rent tents and sleeping bags. If you need a tent, mat, or sleeping bag you can rent it on spot during the day ( if you arrive at night, rent is closed, please ask freinds to help you).  Please prepare cash for this service.

Small tent: €25 + €20 deposit
Mat: €10 + €5 deposit
Sleeping bag: €10 + €5 deposit
Duvet cover: €5 + €5 deposit

🍽 Catering

Our amazing kitchen team will provide three meals daily for everybody registered to stay at Karma Guen. Food is not included in the price for those not registered to stay at Karma Guen; however, there will be the possibility of purchasing meals additionally.

Due to the extreme fire risk, it is absolutely prohibited to cook on your own.

You do not need to bring your own dishes. Karma Guen will supply disposable dishes, cups, and cutlery. We will not have a dishwashing area for this course. Instead, we will have a great juice bar with fresh juices, a cafeteria, and several places where you can buy bottled water, in addition to the full service provided by our two cafeterias on site.

🧺 Laundry

There will be no laundry service during the course. If you need laundry services, you can use the washing machines in the petrol stations.

🚑 Medical Support

Our team of trained doctors will be available on-site for any minor urgent medical assistance. Please do not forget your prescribed medications. The nearest emergency clinic is in Torre del Mar:

Hospital Comarcal de la Axarquia
Av. del Sol, 43, 29700 Vélez-Málaga, Málaga
Phone number: 951067000

Open 24 hours.

🧸Childcare

We don’t have a childcare service, and parents take full responsibility for attending the course with their children. We will have a corner for children where parents can also enjoy streaming and follow the program.

📻 Translation

Thanks to the translation team, you will have the opportunity to listen to the teachings in German, Polish, Hungarian, Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian, Czech, and possibly other languages. Radio channels will be announced on-site.

Radios will be available for rent in the gompa.

🛍 Karma Guen Shops

We will have shop with a variety of Dharma-related books, meditations, kataks and other goods, accepting cash and bank cards.

Andalusian Autumn Conditions

Autumn in Andalusia, southern Spain, is characterized by abundant sunshine. Be prepared for warm weather and sunlight. Make sure to bring hats, caps, or any other protection for your head and skin, as well as sunglasses and sunscreen. It is recommended to drink plenty of water and have salty snacks.

Sprays against mosquitoes and other insects will also be useful. Please check the weather forecast for Vélez-Málaga a few days before your trip to Karma Guen and carefully inspect your equipment.

Due to the dry season and high fire risk, no fires will be allowed in Karma Guen (including candles, mini gas bottles, etc.). Smoking is restricted to designated smoking areas (please follow the signs).

What to bring with you – tips and tricks

If you are a European citizen, please remember to bring your European Health Insurance Card.

If you are coming from overseas, be sure to have valid health insurance.

If you plan to bring any precious items with you, be prepared to take good care of them at all times. We will have charging stations available for your phones, tablets, and laptops, but no lockers or protected areas will be available. All your belongings are your responsibility – please look after them!

Internet

There is a Wi-Fi network in Karma Guen; however, we cannot guarantee a high-quality Wi-Fi connection during the course. Be prepared for potential difficulties connecting to the internet with your phones, tablets, or laptops, especially when many people are on-site. Make sure to handle your important matters online before arriving at Karma Guen, or be prepared to use your mobile data from your private provider.

When You Arrive

Upon arrival at Karma Guen, we recommend you first register and obtain your wristband for the course. This will make it easier for you to access the Gompa. If you have a bed confirmation, please check the lists near the Office in the upper Karma Guen old building. If you rented a tent, please find the Job Center to retrieve the tent.

Pets

Please note that no pets are allowed at Karma Guen.

Helpers

To organize a course, we always need helpers. Find the Job (Joy) Center and see where you can be helpful – it’s a nice way to connect and feel a part of the course. A smile and kind words also count!