The Travel Yogi Conducts Yoga Retreats in the Galapagos Combining Wellness with Nature

The Travel Yogi, specialist ininternational yoga retreats and yoga adventures, announces a series of yoga retreats in the Galapagos Islands.

The Travel Yogi is the only organization doing week-long retreats in what Jennifer Hoddevik, company founder, calls “one of the most spectacular places we’ve been in the world.”

"In our yoga practice we are looking for balance,” explains Hoddevik. “Can you imagine a better setting for a yoga adventure than these gorgeous islands where humans and nature strive for that same balance? It has been a personal passion to take our yoga adventures to Galapagos; off-the-beaten-yoga-retreat-track. The islands will humble and amaze all of our traveling yogis."

The retreats are conducted on a 12-acre estate in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. The location hosts a six-room lodge, a coffee plantation (Arabica coffee), tortoise pond, walking paths and a fully stocked yoga studio. From guest room patios are views of Galapagos National Park, Galapagos Marine Reserve and outlying islands.

Two of the multiple retreats scheduled here in 2013 still have availability: Ocean of Love with Ashley Turner July 27- Aug 3, 2013 and Great Galapagos Getaway with Jenniferlyn Chiemingo Oct. 19-26, 2013.

A sample day is a 6 a.m. sunrise yoga session, 7:30 a.m. breakfast, 8:30 a.m. day trip to South Plazas Island with a naturalist guide, 4 p.m. return and unwind, 5 p.m. sunset yoga, 7 p.m. dinner and 8 p.m. evening fire circle. Spa treatments can be scheduled through Chi Spa Galapagos.

Included in the per person double rate are accommodation, two yoga classes daily, three meals daily, a naturalist-accompanied visit to the Charles Darwin Station, naturalist-accompanied day trips to Bartolomé, South Plazas and North Seymour Islands, snorkeling and swimming on all-day excursions, two dinners in Puerto Ayora, naturalist-accompanied Highland Tour (pit craters, lava tunnels, cloud forest and wild tortoises), sunrise yoga/meditation on the beach followed by a beach breakfast, kayaking on Tortuga Bay, 12 acres of private walking paths to explore (wild Giant Tortoises roam the property), evening fire pit and unlimited southern hemisphere star gazing and transfers to and from the airport (on arrival and departure days only).  

Although yoga is the focus, each location offers such optional activities as surfing, cultural excursions and hiking. Guests can generally expect two yoga sessions offered per day with the possibility of additional yogic training and philosophy.  Some teachers may choose to lead a pranayama, meditation, sutra or style specific workshop. These retreats stay at one specific retreat location and have specific rooms or spaces designated and designed for yoga.

Hoddevik explains that destinations are scouted by The Travel Yogi team and are vetted for suitability to host yoga teachers and guests seeking yoga retreat holidays and/or vacation adventures with time out for yoga each day. Non-yoga practicing travel companions are welcome to join twice daily yoga sessions, or not. A yoga practice is not required and, even for practicing yogis, the yoga is always optional.

While the retreats are yoga focused, other destinations offer Yoga Adventures with the opportunity to practice yoga while engaged in other adventure travel activities.

A list of international and domestic destinations for 2013 include but are not limited to Aruba, Galapagos, El Salvador, Santorini, Maui, Cabo, Tulum, Queenstown, New Zealand and Vermont. Guests interface with some of The Travel Yogi’s better known instructors: Annie Carpenter, Kathryn Budig, Giselle Mari, Jennifer Pastiloff and Ashley Turner.