Our 2020 yoga retreat gift guide is here!
While you are in the throes of holiday merry making (and all the busy-ness that ensues), it’s the perfect time to make a commitment to yourself for next year – to go on a yoga retreat that focuses on your health and your wellbeing. Personally, I love having a trip out there on the calendar that encourages me to stay focused on healthy goal setting!
I’m a big believer that experiences make the best gifts, and have the longest lasting impact. (It’s what I give my daughter whenever I can, from a riding trip in Ireland this year to a yoga + coffee mom/daughter date). Whether you give a retreat to yourself, ask Santa for it, or gift it to another lucky yogini, this guide helps you make the perfect choice.
After all, I can’t think of any better holiday cheer than yoga + horses + Montana! (And Patagonia, France and Sicily, of course.) So #justbookit (or let us know if you need a gift certificate).
Inside This Guide:
- Cowgirl Yoga & Hiking Patagonia
- Yoga, Vineyard & Spa California
- LUXE Yoga, Hiking & Spa French Alps
- LUXE Cowgirl Yoga
- B-LUXE Cowgirl Yoga
- Yoga & Hiking Big Sky
- Cowgirl Yogatography
- Yoga & Vineyard Sicily
Cowgirl Yoga & Hiking in Patagonia, February 29-March 7, 2020
We’re heading back to Argentina to hike and horseback ride under the Southern Cross!
Join other thrill seeking yoginis for this action-packed South American adventure. We promise to balance all the action with lots of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. (OK, and Malbec.)
>>> Hurry, only ONE spot left! <<<
- If you want: A very active and adventurous vacation in one of the most wildly stunning places on earth (it’s like Montana, but in Argentina!) and a chance to explore trails by foot and hoof on our only retreat with hiking and riding.
- Riding level: While our outfitters can accommodate all levels of riders, we strongly recommend riding experience and/or lessons before the trip so you can be as comfortable as possible in the Patagonian terrain.
- Fun facts: A private catamaran sail takes us to the trailhead for one of our hikes, Bariloche is famous not only for its outdoor playground, but also for its chocolate, and South American seasons are the opposite of North America’s (hence why our retreat is during their early fall).
- Why you should #justbookit: Because when else are you going to go to Argentina?! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list type of retreat, and you’re going to come back in rock star shape. Yoga Journal also called it a “Patagonian Odyssey” in 10 Best Women-Only Yoga Retreats Around the World.
Check out our Cowgirl Yoga & Hiking Patagonia FAQs
Yoga, Vineyard & Spa California, April 30-May 3, 2020
California, here we come!
We’re heading back to funky Philo, due to popular demand. And we added spa to the yoga and wine mix. This retreat sold out quick – but we’re happy to put you on the waitlist.
>>> Currently sold out, but you can join the waitlist! <<<
- If you want: To feel like you’re in a Bon Appétit magazine spread; to educate your wine and food pairing palette; to do yoga in a vineyard (yes, please!); to feel truly pampered.
- Special touches: Enjoy the unique Alchemy of Taste workshop with our partner-in-wine for this retreat, wine expert and food educator Dory Kwan; we’ll go for a silent morning meditation walk in an old-growth Redwood forest; a massage and facial at the onsite spa are included in this retreat.
- Fun facts: The Madrones’ super cool new onsite spa, The Bohemian Chemist, is inspired by the maverick spirit of the 1920’s. They’ve recreated a vintage apothecary and spa specializing in cannabis based products that will soothe the body and lighten the soul.
- Why you should #justbookit: Anderson Valley is groovier than Napa & Sonoma, and less crowded. Get the full scoop on one of the last outposts of renegade wine making in this Robb Report article (that mentions The Madrones and many places we’ll hit!): The Next Best Weekend Wine Tour: Mendocino. One of our Vineyard Yoginis is organizing an add-on hot air balloon ride the morning that the retreat starts (at additional cost).
LUXE Yoga, Hiking & Spa French Alps, May 16-23, 2020
Springtime in France, can I get a Oui?
Imagine hiking through the Alps, driving trough the Mont Blanc tunnel for a pampering spa day across the border in Italy, and sipping French wine while gazing at the stunning peaks. What else could you possibly want to celebrate le Printemps?
- If you want: The perfect blend of activity (hiking, yoga) and pampering (massages, hot tub, sauna, steam room, reiki, full day at an Italian spa), toast this perfect balance with French wine.
- Hiking level: While hiking the Alps sounds dramatic, don’t worry, you don’t need ice picks. There are many trails to choose from, many of them accessed just outside our chalet. Plus, our hiking guides adjust the excursions to match our group, so you’ll feel refreshed, not depleted as you go for that hiker’s high!
- Fun facts: Our chalet has an indoor slide. Yes, to slide down. Our retreat chef has also cooked for Justin Timberlake!
- Why you should #justbookit: The helicopter ride around Mont Blanc will bring tears to your eyes, it’s so breathtakingly beautiful (I truly felt it was more of an emotional experience vs. a thrill seeking one.) Because we break out champagne and strawberries on one of our hikes (pour quoi pas?). Because we visit a glacier and an ice cave in the same day. Because almost every day we get an exquisite healthy snack or smoothie at 4 pm. And did we mention the views of Mont Blanc and the Alps?
Check out our France FAQs
LUXE Cowgirl Yoga, June 4-7, September 17-20, 2020
Where it all started – the original Cowgirl Yoga.
Choose from early summer or fall for next year, and read a review of this retreat on Horse Rookie.
- If you want: A unique combination of yoga + horses, laid back luxury at the Double T River Ranch, yoga in a restored barn loft, and the most comfortable beds ever… Cowgirl Yoga is for you.
- Riding level: Beginners welcome! We always have something up our chinks for more experienced riders, too. This retreat emphasizes the horse-human connection and the connection between our time with horses and on the yoga mat. It’s a lot more than riding: groundwork, meditation and mindfulness, hands-on horse time (as in horse massage!), and more.
- Fun facts: CNN filmed a “Passion to Portfolio” segment with me on this retreat; we do before bed restorative yoga on this retreat – as in, come do yoga in your pj’s… and bring wine.
- Why you should #justbookit: We take a happy hour fjord wagon ride around the ranch on Saturday night, and LUXE Cowgirl Yoga was featured by SELF Magazine in 11 Yoga Retreats that are Totally Worth It!
B-LUXE Cowgirl Yoga, July 9-12 & July 16-19, 2020
B Bar Ranch is so peaceful, you can hear your breath.
It’s a true retreat into the wilds of Montana, with all the creature comforts. (And the creatures. #moosealert) Read up on What Each Day is Really Like on Horse Rookie.
>>> July 16-19 is sold out, we just added another weekend July 9-12! <<<
- If you want: A unique combination of yoga + horses, to be smack dab in the middle of Yellowstone wilderness (B Bar is a 9,000-acre ranch and an extension of the Yellowstone National Park ecosystem) to see stars like you have never seen stars before, and to watch grizzlies at dawn (from a distance – don’t worry).
- Riding level: Beginners welcome! We always have something up our chinks for more experienced riders, too. This retreat emphasizes the horse-human connection and the connection between our time with horses and on the yoga mat. It’s a lot more than riding: groundwork, meditation and mindfulness, hands-on horse time (as in horse massage!), and more.
- Fun facts: Caitlin teaches a mala making workshop — hello perfect retreat souvenir!
- Why you should #justbookit: Learn more about an eco-friendly working ranch that strives to live in harmony and balance with its many native floral and faunal inhabitants, for mind-blowing views of the Milky Way, and rainbows. Lots of rainbows.
Yoga & Advanced Hiking in Big Sky, July 30-August 2, 2020
Experience the landscape that put Big Sky on the map.
Everyone thinks because of our name that all our retreats are in Big Sky. This is actually the only one. The ski town becomes a hiking mecca in the summer.
- If you want: Experience the best lunch you’ve ever had (after approximately 1200 feet altitude gain, food tastes so. good.), enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from hiking 18 miles in 2 days, and be able to say you did mountain pose in the mountains.
- Activity level: Challenging! Hiking at altitude requires good cardio fitness, and preparation. So get your workout on, and then come get that hiker’s high on a choice few of Montana’s best trails.
- Fun facts: We almost always see moose, and if we’re really lucky we’ll see a mama and baby. One of our hikes, Beehive Basin, was included in Austin-Lehman’s World’s 10 Greatest Hikes. (Of course we agree.)
- Why you should #justbookit: We send you training tips to get in tip-top, mountain climbing shape ahead of time.
Cowgirl Yogatography, September 10-13, 2020
This active + creative vacation blends yoga, horses, and photography.
It’s inspiring to watch how our yoga and mediation practices can awaken our creative sides. Horses have a part in that too! The results are simply stunning. If you love horse photography books, come create your own images with us.
- If you want: A small, “boutique” retreat (limited to 6 women) with lots of hands-on learning time and one-on-one instruction so you can let your creativity run wild and free in Montana.
- Photography level: All! But don’t just bring an iPhone. This retreat is designed for people who want to get to know their camera and what it can do better.
- Fun facts: You’ll get to explore the Vap Ranch, awaken surrounded by Aspen trees, and (of course) spend as much time as you like with our onsite herd of equine models.
- Why you should #justbookit: September in Montana… the pictures can’t even do it justice. But do check out the slide show from this year’s retreat to get a taste.
NEW! Yoga & Vineyard Sicily, October 4-10, 2020
Cowgirl Yogini Meets Indiana Jones, enough said?
Yoga and Vineyard was such a great combo in Tuscany, we thought we’d head south and add a sprinkle of archeology. We’re a little in love with this retreat.
>>> Hurry, only ONE spot left! <<<
- If you want: To stretch, sip and sightsee in Sicily; to compare and contrast typical “Italian” fare to Sicilian cuisine with its Spanish, Greek and Arab influences; to visit the ancient Greek ruins of Selinunte and see mythology come to life; to pair freshly caught seafood with your Sicilian vino; to soak up thousands of years of history and an enormous variety of cultural influences that will fascinate and fuel your imagination and intellect.
- Special touches: We send you a JADE Travel mat to pack for your Sicilian yoga adventure, and a copy of Sicilian Splendors: Discovering the Secret Places that Speak to the Heart.
- Fun facts: Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean; it’s home to the largest active volcano in Europe, Mt. Etna, at almost 11K feet; there’s only a mile and a half between Sicily and the Italian mainland.
- Why you should #justbookit: According to Goethe: “To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything”. In addition to immersing ourselves in food, wine and Agriturismo, we’ll visit the coastal towns of Trapani and Marsala. Last but not least, Cowgirl Yoga meets Indiana Jones – we’ll be horseback riding through the Valle dei Templi ruins.
Just Book It!
Still not sure which retreat is right for you? Email us to chat further.
Want even more gift suggestions? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide!