Yoga + Travel Experience vs. a Yoga Retreat: what to expect

Starting in 2024, I began offering trips further afield with my tour operator partner, Drishti Journeys. We ran a wonderful trip together in Bali, where Reinier and his wife live (when they’re not traveling the world running trips).

Just to explain our partnership: Reinier is a tour operator who specializes in running trips for yoga groups. These trips are a blend of a yoga retreat and a group tour. There are similarities to a yoga retreat. We start each day with meditation and yoga, and we end each day with another yoga practice. We also stay in a beautiful and scenic location, outside of the crazy energy that many tourist destinations have. We stay in the same location for the duration of our trip, whereas many group travel experiences might change location every day or every few days.

I have found that this is a wonderful blend of stability and stillness, contemplation and reflection on one side (provided by the location and the daily yoga practices), and adventure and exploration on the other. The people who are attracted to this type of trip are generally a good-natured bunch, friendly and curious, and a natural community begins to develop right away.

Reinier, Putu, and I ran our second trip together last September, this time in Croatia. Again, we had a wonderful week. Of course there were wrinkles and mishaps – that’s what happens with life, even when you’re on a retreat. But overall, our group was incredible: interesting and warm-hearted. Even people who came on their own found lasting connections with others. And introverts had downtime to be on their own, not every moment with the group. We even had two people who joined who did no yoga at all.

Since I have now run two of these types of trips with Drishti Journeys, I thought it might be helpful to clarify how these trips are different from a true retreat, such as my Rest and Reset, Yoga Immersions or Nourish and Nurture Retreats.

In a true retreat, we turn away from the outside world, perhaps even turning off our phones, releasing contact with friends, family, and the daily bombardment of our newsfeed. The movement is generally inward focused. We might spend part of the day in silence. The practices of yoga and meditation come to the forefront of our daily rhythm. We might carry an intention to rest deeply, to have time and space to reflect and process, to be quiet and still. Although we might go for a walk or a hike, and we might spend time connecting with new or old friends, even in these more outward endeavors they are quiet, unrushed, calm, and thoughtful.

In the trips that I do with Drishti Journeys, what I now call Yoga + Travel, the focus is not as inward. I have known that if I ever took a group abroad to places far away, they would not be content to simply stay put or stay quiet, but would want to see some of the beauty and culture of these unique places. With a Yoga + Travel Experience, rather than being quiet and going inward, our focus is more outward, and we use the practices of meditation and yoga to keep us grounded and present. Certainly, there is time for quiet reflection during the course of the trip, but most days we go on some exploration away from our retreat home.

When you are looking at the retreats I offer, including the Yoga + Travel experiences, you might ask yourself: What is it I am wanting or needing in my life right now?
If you are in need of a true retreat, needing deep rest and time for introspection and processing, sign up for a Rest and Reset or Nourish and Nurture Retreat.
If you are wanting to explore a new part of the world and want yoga and meditation to be part of your experience, or to travel with like-minded individuals, a Yoga + Travel Experience will meet this need beautifully.

Need help deciding which experience will best meet your needs? Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

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Upcoming Yoga + Travel Experiences

Clare Ashbrook