Costa Rica was Big Sky Yoga Retreats' first international retreat adventure, a decade ago. We're going back in December 2024! Luxe Cowgirl Yoga Costa Rica is your perfect tropical winter escape. Join us in idyllic Punta Islita for a week-long retreat with our maravilloso local partner Equisol to deepen your yoga practice and horsemanship, explore the mind-body-horse connection, and discover the beauty and allure of Costa Rica. Did we mention swimming with horses? Yeehaw, Namaste, and Pura Vida!
Big Sky Yoga
LUXE Cowgirl Yoga™ Costa Rica
Yoga & Horseback Riding Women's Retreat in Punta Islita, Costa Rica
Yeehaw, Namaste & Pura Vida
December 7-14, 2024
Single Room (king bed & private bath) – $8,495 per person
Double Room (queen bed & shared bath) = $6,995 per person
$1995 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit will hold your spot.
Registration by inquiry only.
Please email margaret@bigskyyogaretreats.com, with a few words about why this retreat is what you’re looking for.
Yoga, Horses, & Beaches
Join fellow cowgirl yoginis for laid-back luxury at its finest. Luxe Cowgirl Yoga™ Costa Rica is a 7-night women’s retreat held in Punta Islita, Guanacaste (northwestern coast of Costa Rica).
Join Margaret Burns Vap and Carrie Anderson for a deep dive into how your yoga practice can expand your horsemanship. This is not just a yoga and riding retreat – but an opportunity to truly integrate the two, beyond merely going through the motions of each activity. Not just riding: improve your horsemanship through groundwork, balance awareness, and biomechanics. Not just yoga: connect your practice to how you interact with horses.
Margaret and Carrie previously worked together during 5 blissful Cowgirl Yoga retreats in Costa Rica, and are reuniting to combine their offerings and experience with yoga and horses for the most comprehensive retreat yet. If you’ve retreated with either of us before, join us again to deeply explore our approach and where we’ve landed after many years of fine-tuning our craft. We are thrilled to have Blue Zone Equestrian as our retreat host.
Stay in beautifully appointed and comfortable villas, with infinity pools and views of the ocean. After a day of all the down dogs and horse nuzzles you can handle, kick up your heels and relax under a blanket of stars as you listen to the symphony of howler monkeys.
This exclusive, luxury yoga and horses experience is limited to 8 women.
NOTE: This retreat is not for beginner riders; we require previous riding experience, and suggest riding lessons and/or regular riding in the months prior to the retreat. Riders should be comfortable in the saddle at all gaits (walk, trot, canter, and an occasional gallop), and riding in varied terrain.
On This Retreat, You'll Enjoy:
Luxury Lodging
Spend seven nights in a gorgeous seaside villa with our host Blue Zone Equestrian, surrounded by jungle, beaches, and horses.
Daily Yoga Classes
Explore the mind-body-horse connection in daily yoga classes, with a unique focus on yoga for equestriennes. Flow, restorative and yin will be offered, depending on the day and its activities.
Meditation & Journaling
Set your intentions through a series of meditation and journaling exercises specifically designed for Cowgirl Yoginis.
Groundwork
Experience the horse-human connection, horse massage, and the magic of "join up" in the round pen. Our horse time will be both in and out of the saddle -- this is much more than a riding retreat!
Horseback Riding
Enjoy beach, jungle, and waterfall trail rides—and swims!—as well as corral-based lessons.
Gourmet, Local Meals
Savor healthy, gourmet meals and fresh fruit cocktails prepared by our resident chef, along with a few dinner outings to local restaurants. We'll also have a traditional cooking class.
Free Day
We'll take a riding break mid-week so that you can explore other activities that Costa Rica is famous for. We can arrange surf lessons, boat or nature tours, fishing...or you can just soak up the sun and nap all day. We'll have yoga on the free day, but lunch will be on your own, and additional activities are at additional cost.
Lots of Fun Extras
Might we suggest a fun photo shoot on the beach with horses and yoga, to capture your Costa Rican cowgirl yogini vibe? A massage, or perhaps an exfoliating coffee scrub that we'll rinse off in the ocean? And, this adventure travel + yoga retreat is not only all-inclusive (with the exception of airfare, see FAQs for details), but it also includes thoughtful and thorough travel advice, pre-retreat connecting opportunities, and a carefully curated pre-retreat gift box.
Blue Zone Equestrian
Experience the extraordinary with Blue Zone Equestrian, where freedom, spontaneity, and a profound connection with both horses and nature redefine the equestrian adventure. Located on the beach in the gorgeous valley of Punta Islita.
Planning Your Trip
Punta Islita is located on the Nicoya Peninsula on the northwest Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We recommend flying into the Liberia airport (LIR), which is about a two and half hour drive from Punta Islita. We’ll pick you up at the Liberia airport!
Trip FAQs
Wondering about payment schedules, cancellation policies, or what to pack? Check out our frequently asked questions to learn everything you need to know before booking a retreat.
Add-on Activities
You’re in beautiful Costa Rica – make the most of it! For those who want to explore more of what Costa Rica is famous for, we’ll have a “free day” when you can schedule additional activities from ziplining to surfing, stand up paddle boarding to kayaking, and boat tours along the coastal caves. (*add-on activities are at additional cost.)
