10-Day Yoga, Meditation and Wellness Retreat in El Castillo, Costa Rica

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Overview Location Accommodation Program Instructors Cancellation

Basubu says

If you’re looking for an authentic Costa Rican experience, you’ll find it in the untamed forests of El Castillo. An ideal getaway for solo travellers and beginner yogis, this 10-day retreat boasts gentle yoga sessions in nature, guided meditation and a jungle spa packed with soothing treatments. You’ll deepen your yoga practice like never before and spend your free time exploring quiet forest trails and a majestic waterfall. A cacao farm tour is also included with a scrumptious chocolate-making workshop!

Yin Yoga and Vinyasa Flow

Suitable for beginner, advanced, and intermediate practitioners

Daily 75 minute yoga practices

Pamper your body with Essence Arenal's massage, ionic foot detox, and a mud wrap

Cacao farm tour and chocolate making workshop

Enjoy Vinyasa and Yin yoga class

Naturopathic teas depending on your detox needs

3 daily deliciously healthy vegetarian meals

Be and let be! Allow your mind and body to absorb the peace and beauty of the tropical rainforest while relaxing to the sounds of nature. Get off the beaten path and immerse yourself in an authentic and raw Costa Rican experience. Practice yoga in an enchanted Costa Rican location. Just you and the breathtaking nature around you! Please note that this is not a group retreat.

Accommodation

Nature setting

Caters for vegetarian, vegan, and organic diets

Hot spring

Spa

Temazcal

Environmentally friendly

Luggage room / storage

Restaurant

Yoga deck

Free Wi-Fi

Parking lot

Hot tub / Jacuzzi

Swimming pool (outdoor)

Café

Garden

Multilingual staff

Terrace

Free parking

Laundry

Tour assistance

This retreat will be taking place in El Castillo, close to the Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal area, Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals.

El Castillo is a small neighbouring village to La Fortuna, directly on Lake Arenal atop the hills overlooking Arenal volcano with 22 hectares of prime hilltop forested pristine land. With breathtaking views, the hostel takes pride in giving its guests an experience of a lifetime.

From forest trails down to a majestic waterfall hidden in the rainforest, enjoying mystical free hot springs, horseback riding, and canopy tours, there is a rich amount of nature activities to experience at Essence Arenal.

The venue

During this retreat, you will be staying in a private room with a private bathroom (and hot water) in Essence Arenal Boutique Hostel. All beds have orthopaedic mattresses and anti-allergic pillows. The eco-hostel has majestic views of the Arenal Volcano, the Arenal Lake, and the El Castillo Valley. We offer wifi, free parking and a laundry service (at additional cost).

During your stay, you have unlimited access to the jacuzzi, swimming pool, rainforest trails, volleyball court and yoga/exercise deck. Our on-site restaurant is open daily to serve healthy, organic vegetarian/vegan meals from locally sourced produce and from our farm. Enjoy a range of treatments and therapies in our jungle spa with Temazcal sweat lodge, or a consultation with our on-site naturopathic doctor.

Food

During this retreat, you will be served three daily vegetarian meals at our on-site restaurant, with natural drinks and naturopathic teas depending on your detox needs.

At Essence, they take pride in our farm-to-table kitchen. They encourage thoughtful, healthy meals that come from the earth. Essence Arenal Wellness Center features an organic, vegetarian, and vegan kitchen from conscious, locally sourced food that supports their dedication to the planet and your bodies.

Chef Marvin prepares fantastic meals that are absolutely delicious, nutritious, and balanced. Marvin has a deep enthusiasm for preparing foods. He prepares meals farm-to-table, finding creative ways to create using all the tropical delights that are available in Costa Rica from local farmers, and from the farm. We cater for a range of different dietary requirements and detox needs.

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate them to the organiser when making a reservation

Double Room

The price is based on a 10-day, 9-night stay. Different lengths of stay also available. Please enquire for more details

People

Double Room

Private room | Private bathroom

$1,295

You won't be charged yet

Program

The itinerary will be independently developed according to your specific needs to give you the time and space to heal and connect with the beautiful surroundings, deepen your yoga practice, transform your eating habits and perception of life, to be more mindful, relaxed, and live in the present moment.

Example schedule

07:00 Morning yoga practice
09:00 Breakfast
10:00 Grateful journal writing
11:00 Morning meditation
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Free time - connect with nature, explore our permaculture farm, hike in the rainforest, or book a treatment at the jungle spa
19:00 Dinner
20:00 Evening meditation
21:00 Early to bed (recommended)

Excursions

Cacao farm tour and chocolate making workshop

Optional activities

There are a wide variety of activities and tours available in the area:

Sky trek
Visit Canopy Los Cañones
Try the jeep boat
Rafting
Canyoneering
Kayak and boating on Lake Arenal
ATV tour
Hanging bridges
Waterfall hike
Visit Arenal Volcano National Park
Horseback riding
Butterfly observatory
Thermal hot springs

Instructors

Nico

In 2008, Essence Arenal project began through destiny and universal guidance. Nico ended up in this rainforest paradise, where he immediately knew this was his place on earth to live. It has opened his eyes and he needed that change. He was 80 pounds overweight and had a wide collection of emotional wrecks stored in his soul. In a short time of balancing nutrition, emotions, and bad life habits, through learned techniques, these problems disappeared! Nico has found emotional, physical, and spiritual balance through the creation of this wonderful place. And he wants to share it with you!

Alejandro

Born in 1988 in the South of Costa Rica. In 2013 he received holistic therapy, who led him to a state of introspection about his life. It gave him the opportunity to reach a higher level of conscience, and he dedicated the following years to have a better understanding of the way he had followed. Now, he is a holistic therapist in integral balance, sound therapist, and certified Hatha yoga teacher (300 hours). He is known for his kind and soft approach to healing through energy and vibrational therapies, yoga, and integral massage, including also Reiki, Shiatsu/Thai, and Watsu.

Sarita

Sarita graduated from the Naturaclass School of Massage and Natural Therapy, Spain, in 2016 as a holistic massage therapist. She has since continued her studies in spiritual healing and bodywork in Thailand, Mexico and Brazil to be certified in holistic massage, deep tissue massage, Thai massage, bamboo massage, pregnancy massage, and facial acupressure massage. With empathy, compassion, and intuitive touch, Sarita helps people reconnect to their natural self, and supports not only physical healing but a complete rejuvenation on an emotional and spiritual level as well.