Costa Rica: Yoga and Self Care Retreat
Costa Rica Yoga and Self Care Retreat with Savonn Wyland and Stacey Degen
January 15-22, 2023
Join us for a week of yoga, surfing, hiking, and self care at Boca Sombrero, an ocean-front retreat center in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.
Retreat Highlights
Daily Yoga Classes Taught by Savonn, Stacey, and Carey Sirianni. There will be a variety of yoga classes as well as other self care offerings. Many classes will be thematically based and will be a blend of styles to best fit the needs and wants of the group and the time of day. You will experience a variety of nurturing classes that will enable you to feel focused and clear, healthy, and vibrant, and depending on the type of practice, more energized or relaxed.
Besides Vinyasa Flow, Hatha Yoga, and Restorative Yoga. There will also be a few classes in:
- Aroma Yoga: a slow, gentle, flow yoga class that incorporates the use of therapeutic-grade essential oils and the positive impact this can have on your health and well-being. Specific oils are chosen to enhance the physical and emotional aspects of each yoga pose. Each class is adaptable to suit a variety of yoga experiences. Beginners to experts will all have an opportunity to gain the powerful healing benefits of yoga and essential oils.
- Yoga Nidra: a time-tested practice in which we give ourselves permission to rest, balance, and restore. Through body awareness, breathing techniques, and deep relaxation, this practice will help you drop out of the thinking state into the feeling body and tap into new sources of creativity and energy.
- Yin Yoga with Group Acupuncture: Chinese Medicine is steeped in the principle of Yin and Yang, opposites that cannot exist without each other. Join Stacey for a Yin yoga practice followed by a Yin/Yang bliss-out acupuncture balancing treatment.
- Myofascial Release, Stretching, and Self Massage
Jungle Bathing. Experience the healing power of nature in a mindful immersion into the beauty of the Osa. Feel the ocean breeze and the sand between your feet as you wander slow and silent, experiencing nature’s ability to connect the mind, body, and spirit.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks. Local chefs prepare delicious meals using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Each morning begins with tropical fruits, yogurt, homemade granola, and fresh-brewed coffee and tea. A second breakfast follows the first yoga session, lunch is midday, and dinner is around 7pm. Each meal is well thought out, expertly prepared, delicious, and filling.
8 days and 7 nights at Boca Sombrero. Boca Sombrero is an ocean-front retreat center, set in the famous rainforest of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.
Osa Penisula. The Osa Peninsula alone is worth the trek to see all manner of bio-diversity and wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, exotic birds, and more.
Sand, Surf, and Sun. Miles of unpopulated beaches with tide pools, seashells, and a refreshing freshwater stream that is meters from the sea. A private, pristine surf break is minutes from the yoga deck. There is one swimming pool, one cold plunge pool, plenty of tide pools, and plenty of spots for ocean swimming.
Time to Relax, Renew, and Restore. Long, languid afternoons offer time for hammock-swinging, sitting down with a book or journal, or time to daydream and nap.
Optional Excursions and Add-Ons
Surfing Lessons. A private, pristine break is minutes from the yoga deck. This is a perfect place to learn to surf, or for more experienced surfers, to enjoy long sessions in warm, uncrowded waters. Local surf instructors will tailor the lessons to the best tides and times.
Ocean Kayaking. This includes mangrove, sunset sessions, and bioluminescent tours.
Chocolate Growing and Making Tour and Tasting. Tour Finca Kobo, a local organic cacao plantation, and learn about how conservation of the rainforest and sustainable agriculture can coexist. The tour includes a chocolate tasting and guided, easy hike.
Bodywork: Massage and Acupuncture. Receive a luxurious massage in an open air, secluded beachside pavilion, and/or schedule time for acupuncture. The professional and knowledgeable bodyworkers have extensive experience working with yoga students of all shapes, sizes, and ages.
Bird Watching Tours. Amateur and serious birdwatchers are always thrilled with the early morning tours led by Felipe. In the Osa Penisula, there are over 430 species of birds. You will see common and rare types, including trogons, red-legged honeycreepers, tanagers, and hummingbirds. Toucans and scarlet macaws will fly overhead, and herons and owls will abound.
Hiking: Locally or at Corcovado National Park. A guided hike is an excellent way to discover the area and offers a chance to see some of the extraordinary wildlife. A full day guided hike into Corcovado National Park, the jewel of Costa Rica’s park system, can be arranged, while a walk up the near by Carbonera River is also a great option. You will most likely see monkeys, sloths, toucans, and morphos, plus other wildlife, flora, and fauna.
Dolphin Watch, Boat Tour, and Visit to Animal Wildlife Sanctuary. This is one of the favorite excursions of the retreat. The Osa Wildlife Sanctuary is an animal rescue center accessible only by boat and is completely surrounded by Piedras Blancas National Park. It is one of the most interesting and worthwhile animal sanctuary projects in Costa Rica. It is a local enterprise wholly committed to providing wildlife rescue and rehabilitation for orphaned, injured, and displaced animals indigenous to the southern zone of Costa Rica. To get to the sanctuary, you will go by boat on a guided tour of the Golfo Dulce, where you will be surrounded by dolphins and other marine animals. There are opportunities to swim and snorkel the reefs (when and where conditions permit). The tour of the of the animal sanctuary is life-changing. You will meet rescued monkeys, sloths, toucans, macaws, kinkajous, tayras, peccaries, and more.
Horseback Riding with Optional Waterfall Rappelling. Ride through a lowland meadow, denser rain forest, then to the top of the mountain, back down, and along the beach. Well-trained horses enable people of all ages to experience exciting riding tours along remote trails, overlooking gorgeous landscapes. You will learn interesting facts related to the local landscape and observe birds, reptiles, and mammals. Don’t miss the waterfall rappel. While the horses rest at the top of the mountain, you will be expertly assisted in rappelling through a tropical waterfall that drops over 100 feet high into a swimming hole. Once you get in the natural pool, enjoy a refreshing dip and a spectacular view.
AND MORE. Each year, we look to add on other adventures, excursions, and services. Please ask if there is something that you are interested in doing while on the retreat.
Location
The retreat is held at Boca Sombrero on the southern end of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica.
The pristine rainforests and rugged natural beauty of the Osa Peninsula make this region among the most beautiful areas in Costa Rica. Declared “one of the most biologically intense places on earth” by National Geographic Magazine, the Osa Peninsula has, along with Drake Bay, become the premier eco-tourism destination in the country. The Osa Peninsula is a secluded nature wonderland, playing home to many of the country’s rare and endangered animal and bird species, including squirrel monkeys, jaguars, and other forest cats.
Interested in signing up?
You can sign up now using the deposit button below or send me your name, email and questions and I’ll be in touch.
Pricing and Registration
Please use the “Sign Up” button to the right to pay your $500 deposit and secure your spot on the retreat. Once we receive your deposit, we will email you information pertaining to the retreat (packing list and other good things to know), as well as information about how to pay your balance.
Retreat Deposit
secures your spot on the retreat
Shared House
The houses are custom-finished with fine hardwoods, open floor plans, and beautiful thatched roofs. Each house has a slightly different layout with private sleeping areas and open, shared lounging spaces.
- Shared House: $1795/per person (a shared house sleeps 4-6 people, depending on the house)
Shared or Solo Cabana
The tent cabanas are specially designed for comfort in a tropical climate. The thatched roof will keep you dry and cool. The platforms are outfitted with beautiful, screened, Moroccan-style tents whose special fabric allows for ventilation. Each bungalow has a cozy porch for relaxing and a private, open-air shower adjacent. Shared bathroom facilities are nearby and conveniently located.
- Shared Tent Cabana: $1495/per person. Each cabana accommodates 2 people in 2 separate beds. The beds can be combined for a couple.
- Solo Tent Cabana: $1895/per person.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
We know that life happens and unforeseen situations and circumstances can change and impact your plans. Our cancellation/refund information is listed below. We strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance so that you have more travel-related protection in case you need it. There are no refunds or discounts for arriving late, leaving early, flight cancellations, travel delays, injury, family emergencies, or illness.
- Cancellation before October 1, 2022: receive a full refund less your $500 deposit.
- Cancellation between October 1, 2022, and December 15, 2022: receive studio credit less your $500 deposit and a $200 cancellation fee. The credit is valid for 365 days from the date of your cancellation and can be applied towards a future retreat.
- After December 15, 2022, there will be no refunds or credits given.
Instructors
Savonn Wyland
Co-Owner/Co-Founder of Sellwood Yoga & Senior Instructor
Savonn’s approach to teaching is to provide skillful and detailed instruction, non-dogmatic and grounded inspiration, along with mindful intention and awareness. She weaves in many different styles and approaches to her creative sequencing and theme-based classes. Her classes, workshops, and retreats offer an opportunity to tap into the transformational energy present when a group comes together to practice without losing the power of personal inquiry and expression.
Stacey Degen
Licensed Acupuncturist, Practitioner of Chinese Medicine, and Health Advocate
A lifelong student of all things nature, health, and well-being, Stacey has spent the past 30 years working with people of all abilities in the outdoors, empowering them to live their best lives possible. As a Licensed Acupuncturist, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, and Health Advocate, Stacey’s true passion is working with people to deepen their connection to their mind, body, and spirit and the body’s natural healing capabilities. You can learn more about Stacey by visiting her website: www.truenorthmpls.com
Guest Instructor
Carey Sirianni
Special Guest Instructor for Yoga Nidra
In addition to over 35 years of teaching experience, Carey’s strong centeredness, loving presence, and joy of life have allowed her to guide students/clients in the calming and restorative practice of Yoga Nidra. Carey is certified as an Advanced Teacher of Yoga Nidra through the Amrit Yoga Institute and has also studied deeply in other traditions, including the teachings of Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, Richard Miller (I-Rest), John Vosler, and Indu Aurora.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to sign up with a friend or can I come solo?
You can sign up with a friend or plan on coming solo. We will do our best to match you with a great roommate. You will probably meet people on the retreat that will end up becoming your new close friends.
How do I sign up? When are payments due?
You can reserve your spot with a $500 deposit. The remaining payment is due two months prior to the retreat start date. Unless otherwise arranged, the balance of the retreat will be charged to the card used for your deposit. We prefer that you sign up online using a credit card. However, you can also make arrangements with Savonn to pay by cash or check.
Can you tell me more about the beginning and ending days/times of the retreat?
Your accommodations will be ready around lunchtime on the first day of the retreat. If you arrive before your place is ready, you can hang out in any of the common areas. Usually there are delicious snacks or brunch available in the dining room.
The first group get-together will happen in the evening. It will not be a yoga practice. It will be an orientation to the week ahead and the retreat center. Dinner will be provided that evening as well.
On the last day, there will be breakfast/brunch and maybe even lunch, depending on when everyone is leaving.
Is there a packing list? What do I need to bring?
We will email you a suggested packing list that details what you might want to bring and what you should keep at home. We can also put you in touch with other people who have been on the retreat. They can share their packing tips and other insider knowledge.
Is there a particular airport to fly into? What transportation is needed from the airport to the retreat location?
You will be making your own flight reservations. You will need to get to the small airport of Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica. Most routes will take you first to San Jose, Costa Rica. From there, you will need to get a connecting flight to Puerto Jimenez. It is a very short flight. The best deals on flights to San Jose, Costa Rica, can be found with American Airlines, Delta, United, and Alaska.
Depending on the arrival time of your international flight, you may have to spend a night in Alajuela before catching a flight to Puerto Jimenez. If this is the case, let us know, and we can recommend some of the places that people like to stay en route.
Sansa is the main airlines in Costa Rica with several flights daily to Puerto Jimenez. The flight is about 45 minutes and costs approximately $130 each way. Sometimes, you can get a better deal on your flight by calling the airlines directly.
Sansa: www.flysansa.com
Once in Puerto Jimenez, we will arrange for a taxi to pick you up at the airport and bring you to Boca Sombrero. The cost for the taxi is $30 for up to two people and $10-$15 extra per additional person.
We will gather everyone’s travel information and will make sure that there are taxi shuttles waiting for you in Puerto Jimenez. We can also help you coordinate with others on the trip in planning flights, taxis, etc.
Will you be offering a variety of classes for different levels?
Yes, there will be a variety of classes. The morning classes tend to be longer and more energetic, while the late afternoon classes are more mellow and restorative. There is no expectation that you will attend every class. We offer a lot of yoga classes throughout the week.
Do I need to be really good at yoga to come on the retreat?
The retreat is open to all levels of students, and practices will be tailored to those who are on the retreat. There will be a variety of class types (Hatha, Vinyasa Flow, and Restorative), and some classes will be be more energizing, while some will be more mellow. Some days, the classes will be mini-workshop style or otherwise thematically based. You do not need to participate in all of the classes. You will find your own rhythm and pace.
I have never traveled out of the States, and I’m nervous about traveling alone in a country I have never been to.
Costa Rica is a great place to visit. The people are friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. It is an easy country to enter and exit, but you do need a current and valid passport. If you don’t have one, get one right away. Info about passports can be found here.
As we get closer to the trip, we will help you plan for ways to meet up with other travelers. While we will not be making your travel accommodations for you, we will be asking for everyone’s itineraries and will communicate ways that you might meet up with each other in airports, share rides, stay in similar places en route, etc.
I like to chill out, kick back, and relax when I'm traveling. I enjoy a cold beer after a hot day at the beach, and I like wine with my dinner. Will beverages be available?
There will be a fridge stocked with beer and wine provided by the retreat center. An honor system is set up so that you can purchase those beverages when you want.