yoga fusion retreats
By Gretchen Healey, Epicure & Culture Contributor

Most of us want to kick off each new year with a renewed commitment to better self care. In that spirit,

Epicure & Culture would like to inspire you with 10 ideas for yoga fusion wellness escapes.

Whether you want your yoga to come with a side of jungle zip-lining adventure, you’d love to carve a path down a pristine mountain covered in snow after downward dog, or you’re seeking options for wine and yoga retreats, we have something for every yogi.

Global Good Tip: Don’t forget to also check out how you can use your yoga practice to give back to those in need. It’s easy, good for you and good for someone else!

Domestic

yoga fusion
Practice yoga on an SUP on this unique retreat! Photo via Pixabay.

1. Yoga & SUP (California)

Sure, a yoga retreat at home can be fun, though you certainly can’t do this in your living room: 

This new twist on yoga takes advantage of the huge popularity of stand up paddleboarding.

You can visit La Jolla, California for a yoga and stand up paddleboarding (SUP) retreat.

This isn’t just yoga and SUP – this is yoga on a SUP! Non-SUP yoga is also part of the daily offerings, as are nature hikes, kayaking, beach walks, and nutrition coaching.

Meals are designed by your instructor and most dietary restrictions and needs can be catered for.

More information available here.

By the way, this is a great option for solo female travel in California as you can choose to simply relax on your own or mingle with other retreat-goers.

yoga fusion
A view of the vines might inspire your practice. Photo courtesy Castro Cellars.

2. Yoga & Wine (California)

This is a combination we were skeptical about at first, but health experts do say that wine in moderation is good for you, right?

Castoro Cellars in Templeton, California hosts a monthly Vinyasa yoga class led by in-house yogi Lauren Harvey, followed by a Champagne or mimosa brunch at their family-run estate.

Classes are held on the grounds of the vineyard or indoors with vineyard views, depending on the season. Castoro also offers day-long retreats, combining yoga, massage, craft-making, food, and wine tasting.

Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased here.

yoga fusion
Take a post-practice soak in the Japanese-style hot springs on this retreat. Photo courtesy Mount Princeton Hot Springs.

3. Yoga & Hiking (Colorado)

Find harmony among the towering peaks of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains on this weekend adventure yoga retreat.

The getaway includes 1-2 yoga sessions daily, a group hike with a healing ceremony, and a Puja ritual to help you celebrate the weekend and your commitment to wellness.

The lodge facilities also include a historic bathhouse, a sauna, a fitness room, and a spa.

It also has multiple different hot springs for therapeutic soaking. The retreat includes five healthy meals, snacks and drinks, activities mentioned above, and easy access to the mountains for exploring.

More information can be found here.

These #yogafusion retreats are more than just #downwarddog! #wellnesstravel Click To Tweet
yoga fusion
Photo by Matthew Kane via Unsplash

4. Yoga & Cooking (Hawaii)

Get more wellness bang for your buck on a yoga and cooking retreat in Kauai, Hawaii.

Daily yoga and meditation sessions are complemented by educational workshops, health classes, and cooking instruction.

If you’re looking for vegan yoga retreats, you’ll love that raw vegan meals are served three times daily, and raw food preparation is also the focus of the culinary classes.

There is ample time mid-day for the exploration of beach and water activities.

The six-day retreat focuses on holistic nurturing of mind, body and spirit.

Details can be found here.

International

yoga fusion
Deepen your practice in the African wilderness. Photo courtesy Alex Walker’s Serian.

5. Yoga & Safari (Tanzania)

Escape to Tanzania where you can practice your flow alongside the great wildebeest migration.

You’ll enjoy traditional safari game drives and hikes, plus lots of extras.

The trip allows for both instructor-led and self-guided yoga in special places, including under towering acacia trees on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, on the savannas of the Southern Serengeti as the Great Migration passes your camp, and in beautiful lodge settings.

A guided meditation overlooking the Rift Valley will be offered, as well as a silent, contemplative nature walk.

Click here for more information.

yoga fusion
Envision Festival

6. Yoga & Jungle Survival (Costa Rica)

This unique retreat offers daily yoga practice along with a smorgasbord of other interesting activities.

You’ll have the chance to learn how to assemble an herbal traveler’s first aid kit, explore permaculture gardens, take a medicinal plant tour while learning jungle survival skills and get your groove on at an ecstatic dance class with a live DJ!

The trip takes place in a sustainable eco-retreat in Costa Rica and includes three organic, vegetarian farm-to-table meals daily.

More information and booking here.

Which of these awesome #yoga fusion retreats will you book in #2017? #wellness Click To Tweet
yoga fusion
Find adventure in the jungles of Belize. Photo courtesy Bocawina Ecolodge.

7. Yoga & Adventure (Belize)

Head south as the days are getting shorter and spend a week in Belize practicing yoga and meditation up to twice daily while filling the rest of your time with non-stop adventure.

You’ll stay in two different lodges over the week – one in the jungle, the other in cabanas overhanging the Caribbean!

Workshops, jungle zip-lining, and beach time (including snorkeling) are offered through the week, as well as unstructured time for exploring the forest and waterfalls on hikes or swimming.

More information here.

yoga fusion
Alpine fun in La Rosiere, France. Photo courtesy Soulshine.

8. Yoga & Skiing (France)

Soul Shine Retreats offers week-long yoga and skiing/snowboarding retreats in the French Alps.

These intimate trips are open to no more than 10 guests, and offer twice daily yoga sessions (including a fireside practice in the evenings), and days are free for downhill mountain activities in two countries, spa treatments, soaking in the hot tub or meditation.

Daily continental breakfast at the private chalet comes with a cleansing fresh juice, while evenings feature three-course meals of regional specialties that incorporate superfoods.

Click here for more information.

yoga fusion
Photo via Pixabay

9. Yoga & Bellydancing (Morocco)

Amp up your fitness on a retreat that combines daily yoga practice with Bellydancing instruction at a Moroccan seaside resort.

Dance classes are offered for beginners to experts and are designed to not only improve physical health but psychological wellbeing through movement.

You’ll also have the chance to get a taste of Morocco through a visit to a local souk (market) and on a coffee tour.

Several beaches are within walking distance and optional activities include camel rides, surfing, and horseback riding.

Meals are chef-designed and focused on sports nutrition and include a special couscous night with dance show as well as a barbecue night. You’ll also wake up to a delicious Moroccan breakfast each day.

More information can be found here.

yoga fusion
Iceland’s northern climes mean you can do sun salutations around-the-clock. Photo courtesy Yogascapes.

10. Yoga & the Midnight Sun (Iceland)

You can practice sun salutations any time of day if you choose Yogascapes’ Iceland Yoga Retreat in the Midnight Sun.

Daily yoga classes are offered in the “global heartland of geothermal energy,” and you will also have the chance to travel throughout the country for hiking, glacier, and hot springs adventure activities.

The retreat visits three different areas in Iceland and the near-constant daylight allows travelers to maximize their time connecting with nature.

They haven’t forgotten food, either – in a country more well known for fermented shark meat, Yogascapes have found the best of Icelandic cuisine that focuses on health.

Full trip details are available here.

Which of these yoga fusion retreats would you like to join? 

Further Exploration:

How To Combine The Benefits Of Yoga With Giving Back [Yoga For Good]

Can’t travel for yoga? Get 50% off YogaDownload.com [Yoga On The Go]

Perfectly Imperfect: The Art and Soul of Yoga Practice [Great Reads]

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Gretchen Healey gave up a window office in the IT industry to embrace travel as a profession. When not traveling, she runs Pangolin Media, a full service copy writing development and online strategy consulting company focused on the travel industry and wildlife conservation. She has visited more than 30 countries, and each travel experience has enriched her life immeasurably. When she is home, she can be found hiking with her husband and dog, cooking, gardening or skiing.

Gretchen Healey

Gretchen Healey gave up a window office in the IT industry to embrace travel as a profession. When not traveling, she runs Pangolin Media, a full service copy writing development and online strategy consulting company focused on the travel industry and wildlife conservation. She has visited more than 30 countries, and each travel experience has enriched her life immeasurably. When she is home, she can be found hiking with her husband and dog, cooking, gardening or skiing.

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8 Comments

  1. Las Olas was wonderful!! My week with Las Olas sent my life on a wonderful new trajectory and I highly recommend it!

    1. @Tina: Good to know!

  2. the amazon andes sky trip to Ecuador is amazing!!

    1. @Alex: It’s truly the trip of a lifetime! 🙂

  3. Love Madeline Island Yoga Retreats; Any Annis is a very special teacher!

    1. Amy Annis; oops.

      1. Good to know, Sarah! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

  4. Then in Costa Rica looks so splendid. I wanna go there.

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