200-hour teacher training · Sri Lanka
Qualify as a yoga teacher in 23 days.
Turn your regular practice into the skills and confidence to lead a class, with Gem and a group of no more than ten.
5–27 November 2026 · Hikkaduwa · From £1,800
Complete all required hours and pass the assessments to graduate with a 200-hour certificate from a Yoga Alliance registered school. Teaching experience is not required. The 23 days cover the residential course; hybrid training completes later.
Three honest doubts
Thinking about it, but not sure you are the type?
“I'm not advanced enough.”
You need a regular practice and curiosity, not a handstand, the splits or a perfect anything. You don't need teaching experience. You do need to turn up, do the work and be kind to the people around you.
“I'm too old to start.”
You don't need to be a certain age, shape or level of bendy. In a group of no more than ten, your teachers know your name and notice when something hasn't landed.
“I can't fit it around my real life.”
If you can't take the full 23 days away, ask about the hybrid route: the first two weeks in Sri Lanka, then the remaining hours through guided self-study and catch-up with Gem in the UK, in person and online.
Why people teach
Yoga gave you something. Teaching is how you hand it on.
To be useful to someone
Help someone who arrived tight and tired leave with more space to breathe. Teaching lets you see the difference a practice can make.
To do work that feels like yours
A new career, a second income, or a way to spend more of your week doing something you care about. Training is a first step, not a promise of earnings.
To reach the people yoga usually misses
The colleague, the parent or the friend who wouldn't walk into a studio. They may come to your class because they trust you.
To understand your own practice
Learning to teach asks you to understand what you're doing and why. Even if you never lead a class, that understanding comes home with you.
To find out what you're capable of
Plan a class, practise your cues and learn to hold a room. Confidence grows through doing it, with feedback along the way.
To belong somewhere
Learn alongside a small group of people asking the same questions. After training, alumni mentorship and study groups keep you connected.
Who teaches you
People who started where you are.
Gem
Founder and lead teacher
Gem once thought yoga was a stretch class. Finding the right teacher changed that. She completed her 200-hour training, left the corporate world and has taught ever since. House of Zen is the training she needed back then.
Max
Graduate turned teacher
After five years in a corporate job, Max came to House of Zen in 2025 to change how he lived. He fell for the depth of yoga beyond the physical and now leads mantra, meditation and asana sessions on the trainings.
Tomas
Graduate turned teacher
A Dutch psychological therapist with a decade of Ashtanga practice, Tomas graduated with House of Zen in 2025. He now teaches the nervous system, subtle energy and guided meditation.
In their words
“What was once just a timid dream, limited by a fear of not feeling legitimate, has turned into a true conviction.”
“I was a little nervous of the academic side of things, but the way it was taught made it fun and exciting.”
“The small group size made the training feel personal and allowed for individual attention.”
What you leave with
Skills, a certificate and people behind you.
- A 200-hour certificate from a Yoga Alliance registered school, on successful completion of the hours and assessments.
- The training qualification needed to apply for Yoga Alliance registration and teaching insurance.
- A full 60-minute class you've planned and taught yourself, with feedback.
- Your own teaching voice, clear cueing and safe hands-on adjustments.
- A working knowledge of anatomy, sequencing and class planning.
- A plan for your first classes: how to price, market and fill them.
After training
- Alumni mentorship and study groups.
- Help with your yoga CV, cover letters and student intake forms.
- Teaching opportunities shared with graduates first.
A training day
- 7–9am
- Asana, pranayama and meditation
- 9–10am
- Breakfast
- 10am–1pm
- Anatomy, philosophy and ethics
- 1–2pm
- Lunch
- 2–4pm
- Teaching methodology
- 4–6pm
- Asana lab, group study and questions
Long days are followed by short days that finish at lunch, with full rest days. The timetable may flex with the group and weather.
Questions
Straight answers.
Will I really be qualified to teach?
Yes—complete the required hours and pass the assessments and written exam, and you graduate with a 200-hour certificate from a Yoga Alliance registered school. You can then apply for Yoga Alliance registration and teaching insurance, and pursue teaching in studios, gyms and private settings. Registration, insurance and individual employers may have their own requirements. The written exam pass mark is 70%, with a retake available if needed.
I'm nervous about the exam and the theory.
You're not alone. Sessions and quizzes are adapted to how you learn, with regular feedback and extra study support in the form that helps you. Tell Gem before you arrive so support can be planned. There are assessments and an exam to pass, but you won't be left to prepare on your own.
Am I experienced enough?
If you have a regular practice and you're curious, you don't need advanced postures or previous teaching experience. You need to attend, do the work and support the people around you. If you're unsure about your practice or what you need, have a conversation with Gem before booking.
What if I can't take the full 23 days away?
The hybrid route starts with the first two weeks in Sri Lanka. You then complete the remaining hours through guided self-study and catch-up days with Gem in the UK, in person and online. The certificate, support and price are the same; qualification comes after all remaining hours and assessments are completed, not after only two weeks. Ask Gem to agree a completion plan before booking.
What if I need to cancel?
For this November 2026 intake, places booked within eight weeks of the start are non-refundable, as stated in the supplied course information. Travel insurance that covers cancellation is recommended. Read the booking provider's terms and confirm anything unclear with Gem before paying; do not assume the same cancellation policy applies to a future intake.
The essentials
Everything confirmed, in one place.
- Location
- Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka
- Training
- 200-hour Yoga Alliance teacher training
- Dates
- 5–27 November 2026 · 23 days
- Group size
- Maximum ten trainees
- Meals
- Included
- Shared room
- £1,800
- Private room
- £2,200
- Deposit
- £500
- Balance due
- 22 October 2026
- Booking closes
- 25 October 2026
The villa
22 nights in a villa with a pool and terrace, set beside green fields. Meals and training manuals are included. Flights, visa and insurance are not included. Ask Gem to confirm transfer arrangements.
Cannot take the full time away?
Spend the first two weeks in Sri Lanka, then complete the remaining hours through guided study with UK, in-person or online catch-up with Gem. You qualify once all hours and assessments are complete.
Sri Lanka scenery, separate from the villa photos above.
Ready, or still wondering?
Booking is handled securely on our partner's SquadTrip page. Prefer to talk it through first? Gem is on WhatsApp and happy to arrange a call.