A vacation for body and soul: the best places for retreats and yoga tours in Russia

If you want to change group classes in fitness clubs or studios for something more interesting, we recommend you to take a look at yoga tours. This is a special kind of vacation, which gives you the opportunity to travel and devote a few days of practice with benefits for body and soul.

hatha yoga instructor

“This is a vacation for people who want to increase their energy level, review their life priorities, get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the views of pristine nature.”

There are a lot of such tours organized, everyone can find something for themselves. They differ from each other in location, time of stay and level of physical activity. Therefore, if you do decide to go on such a trip, properly assess your level of physical fitness. After all, one tour may offer to do yoga for two hours a day, and in another – for seven.

As for venues, trips are organized all over the world. However, today we will tell you which locations are worth paying attention to in our country.

What can you get on a yoga tour?

Regular practice (even outside the trip) has great health benefits. Let us remind you of the benefits of practicing yoga.

• Muscle elasticity will increase;
• increased joint mobility;
• improve posture and strengthen the spine;
• weight loss;
• your body will be rejuvenated;
• you’ll find inner peace.

A big plus will be the receipt of new emotions and the opportunity to distract from the daily hustle and bustle. After all, going on a trip, you organize yourself an active vacation. In addition to the usual package of services with meals, accommodation and flight, you can count on a full-fledged program of daily training. Spiritual and physical practices out of the ordinary will give you the opportunity to better focus on your thoughts, health and relaxation. You’re also more likely to make new friends on this trip. After all, you’ll be practicing, walking and socializing with like-minded people the whole time.

What kind of yoga tours are there?

Beach. It implies accommodation in a hotel near the sea. In your free time from practice you will be able to take advantage of all the benefits of a vacation by the water.

Excursion. If you like to thoroughly study the area you find yourself in, a tour combined with an excursion program will suit you. It is more intense than the beach, so it will suit the most active and inquisitive tourists.

Recreational. Here special attention is paid to the prevention and treatment of various diseases with the help of massages, acupuncture and aromatherapy. All this will put your body and soul in order along with spiritual practices. However, before such a trip, it is worth consulting a doctor to understand which procedures you should do and which ones you should not.

Intensive. This option is suitable only for those who have been practicing yoga for a long time and regularly. It is designed for serious and thorough work during the day. More time will be devoted to practicing than in other tours. Classes can take place at least 2-3 times a day.

Weekend Tours. Just a couple of days will help you feel a part of yogic culture. This option will suit those who have never been on a yoga tour before. A short reset will help to recover from everyday tasks and at the same time understand whether you are ready for a longer trip with a more intense program of classes.

Where to go on a yoga tour in Russia?

In our country there are many places where such trips are organized. Usually they are held in places of power, maximally filled with energy. We suggest paying attention to the following places in our country.

Krasnaya Polyana. This place is more suitable for lovers of mountain air and picturesque views, peaks and sheer cliffs. It will not be difficult to find peace and harmony with nature at Krasnaya Polyana. Mountains help to replenish energy, so practicing yoga in such places is a pleasure. In addition, you can walk for hours among the peaks and bathe in cool waterfalls, improving not only your mental but also your physical state.

Krasnaya Polyana

Altai. The name of this area means “Golden Mountains”, it is easy to guess that it is its peaks that the Altai region is famous for. It is unexplored, mysterious and alluring, and the main thing for yoga practitioners – energetically strong. Mountains, forests, turbulent rivers and enchanting lakes help to replenish lost resources, to escape from the bustle and noise of cities. It is impossible not to mention the richness of Altai’s flora, because the healing herbs of this region are known throughout the country.

Altai

Karelia. Journey to the Russian North, where incredible lakes are spread out: Ladoga and Onega lakes. Their water surface is mesmerizing and helps to relax and have a real rest. There are such places of power as Kizhi, Valaam and Solovetsky monastery, which will allow you to enjoy the scenery and replenish your energy. Speaking of nature, in addition to lakes, in Karelia you can find mossy rocks and coniferous forests, and the air in these places is incredibly clean. All this will accompany your yoga practice and contribute to its success.

Karelia

Baikal. Yoga-tour to Baikal is an amazing opportunity to be in a clean space and combine immersion in practice with acquaintance with natural objects of incredible beauty. Flora and fauna here are amazing: the purest water of the famous lake, a lot of healing herbs, hundreds of species of animals and fish. Practicing in this place will allow you to feel yourself a part of nature, clear your mind of unnecessary thoughts and worries. And walks along mountain rivers and bathing in waterfalls and hot springs will help to make the trip more interesting.

Baikal

Kamchatka. You can get to this wild and harsh land only by water and air, but the ordeal is worth it, because where else can you admire volcanoes and untouched beauty of nature? Increased seismic hazard has spared this region from huge buildings and abundant human interference in the pictures drawn by nature. In Kamchatka one can get an incredible reserve of vital forces, bring body and soul into balance. It is worth at least once to visit this powerful place of strength and feel the merging with nature through meditations and practices.

Kamchatka

This experience will allow you to recover and recharge with vital energy. You will come back a different person who has rethought the problems and life priorities, learned to put your peace and balance in the first place. Those who have embarked on the path of self-discovery and finding harmony will always find a place to reboot. Yoga tour in this case will be a great opportunity to find like-minded people and discover your potential.