To review a year of ridiculous yoga adventures around the world is a lofty task, but here it goes. We kicked off the year with a special trip to Tulum, Mexico with the amazing duo of Dagmar leading yoga in a palapa on the beach and Daniel accompanying her on the Hang Drum.  Our home at Shambala Petit Hotel was incredibly special even amongst the amazing yoga retreat centers that speckle the beach in Tulum.  Add in a visit to the most spectacular Mayan ruin at Coba, swimming in breathtaking cenotes, and a full moon ceremony from another world, an unforgettable experience.

Wilbur Hot Springs was our next stop.  The water, maybe the best in the world.  It’s almost like you can feel yourself healing, like drinking a horrible tasting elixir that you know is going to make you feel better, except it wasn’t horrible, it was sensational.  Katie Silcox led a fantastic group through a weekend of amazing teachings and we were nourished by an Esalen trained chef. What more could you ask for?

In April we found ourselves at the remarkable Haramara Retreat in Sayulita, Mexico where a great group enjoyed yoga by Richelle Morgan, fantastic food, great surf, the best wellness services and a beach from a dream.  And we can’t forget a fantastic surf trip, the the sunrise/sunset yoga that began and ended our days or hike gone wrong – gone wonderful – that i’l never forget.

Also in April, we ventured for our first time to Villa Sumaya on the edge of Lake Atitlan.  Our group was sensational, Villa Sumaya was wonderful, Lake Atitlan was magical and Georgie Abel led a ridiculously amazing retreat for her first time out.  I can confidently say that lives were shifted, strong friendships were forged and Guatemala left a mark on everyone involved.

Our first yoga retreat to Sierra Hot Springs was phenomenal! Our first time working with Rachel Meyer, such a wonderful gift.  Our first time working with Victoria Luby Bodywork, another special treat.  There were a lot of firsts on this retreat and I’m happy to say that we’re going back to Sierra Hot Springs, and we’re working with both Rachel and Victoria again!  The land was peaceful, the weather was perfect, the hot springs healing, the food an unexpected, abundant, healthy feast and the group was extraordinary.  My favorite moment was seeing a 70 something year old man playing a board game with a 20-something and an 8 year old girl – all complete strangers before the weekend.

We’re going back this April – Don’t miss out on this year’s Bhakti in Bloom or our upcoming Sierra Wonderland retreat with Abby Tucker!

In May we experimented with an adventure retreat in Moab, UT, with yoga led by Georgie, rock climbing led by the world famous Steph Davis and days filled with amazing adventure and landscape.  We learned a lot on this trip and can’t wait to do it again! Check out our next yoga trip to Moab, Utah.

We went back to Sierra Hot Springs with Shaelah Morris to film a retreat with Soul Seekers, a television series premiered this fall in the UK and will hopefully be making to the USA shortly.  The crew and host were fantastic and we’ll surely be working with them again. With perfect weather, amazing bhakti flow with Shaelah, wonderfully nourishing food and a great group of yogis, Sierra Hot Springs was paradise.

Wanderlust struck again in Squaw Valley and after a weekend of inspiring yoga, live music including Ziggy Marly, music by Hannah Thiem,  hikes to the top of the mountain, pool parties… what emerged was a partnership between SolYoga and YOGASCAPES launching a new line of yoga inspired travel to different locations and with new teachers. Check it out!

Midsummer marked our first farm to table yoga dinner with Rachel Meyer at Gospel Flat Farm.  With about 20 awesome participants we launched this new project with such a great event, including massage by Victoria Luby  and delicious food by Alex Mart.

More pictures HERE!

Summer was filled with goodness as we headed back down to Guatemala and Villa Sumaya with Valerie D’Ambrosio and a fantastic group of ladies from all over.  This trip was filled with ups and downs, as healing often is, and we all left with our fill of adventure, crazy good yoga, napping in hammocks and making lifelong friends.

In September we back in Iceland for what ended up being the best trip there yet, (I say that every year).  It was filled with amazing yoga by Aarona Pichinson, hot springs, glaciers, waterfalls, hot spring hikes, millions of blueberries, a Bjork siting, volcanoes, skinny dipping in the North Atlantic, amazing food, sheep and horses galore and the NORTHER LIGHTS.

We also had the pleasure of having journalist Sophie Robehmed write about our trip in National Geographic Traveler.  Check it out!
Read more here about OUR FAVORITE YOGA RETREAT OF 2012 – ICELAND! 

We’re going back in September! Iceland 2013

An amazing team produced our second farm to table yoga dinner at Gospel Flat Farm.  Anjuli and Alok led a killer contact yoga class, Keri and Jocelyn from Grace Hearth did remarkable things in the kitchen while Marina van Stirum worked some magic on the massage chair.

Late september in California is possibly the most magical time of year.  With Abby Tucker teaching yoga, charlie hallowell from Pizzaiolo cooking up a storm, Victoria Luby and Marina van Stirum on massage, and the harvest moon rising high, we closed our farm to table yoga dinners for 2012 with a bang.

Check out the pictures by Julia Sabot HERE!

Late October is spring in South America and we found ourselves learning how to dance the tango in Buenos Aires with Narrative Tango Tours while practicing yoga daily with the amazing Ashley Turner. Our home at Vain Boutique Hotel was exceptional, the staff were amazing, the rooms were extra nice and the breakfast was amazing. Our first trip ever to Buenos Aires was a huge success and we seriously can’t wait to go back!

Thanks to everyone who made 2012 such a fantastic year!  We are working hard to finish our lineup for the 2013/2014 seasons and can’t wait to see you in paradise, wherever that may be.

You can check out our upcoming yoga retreats around the world HERE!