The perfect combo – 5th-11th Nov 2024
THIS WEEK IS NOW SOLD OUT!
We invite you to take some time away and join us for a week of yoga and mindfulness in one of the most beautiful parts of The Gambia.
Intended as a one-week trip with a 5-day course, your arrival & departure dates are flexible.
Our retreat combines playful vinyasa and restorative yoga with a structured introduction to mindfulness and daily meditation for a truly unique experience.
You will leave feeling rejuvenated with a deeper connection between mind and body for greater flexibility, strength and resilience.
» Let us introduce you to new habits that will have a lasting positive impact on your life. «
Mindfulness is the experience of being open and aware in the present moment, bringing a sense of compassion, curiosity and playfulness to our lives. Meditation is the practice of training the mind so we are able to be mindful in our everyday activities.
Yoga in Sanskrit means ‘union’, the union of body, mind and spirit. Our yoga sessions are a playful mix of Vinyasa Flow with restorative elements. It will help you build strength, flexibility and encourage you to relax and deepen your self-awareness.
Connect with Nature
Our beautiful Yoga Shala is the perfect place for meditation and yoga practice. Set in its own grounds with mature trees, flowers and an abundance of birdlife making it easy to relax, unwind and connect with nature. This connection with nature is an important part of our week and makes The Gambia an ideal location for this retreat.
Friendly atmosphere
With a small group, our aim is to create a supportive, friendly and informal atmosphere. The programme is designed around you. Our retreat is suitable for beginners who have never tried yoga or mindfulness, as well as those who have some experience.
Retreat Highlights
- Uncover the hidden benefits of vinyasa restorative yoga and mindfulness
- Enjoy a morning on the River Alahein with a rise-and-shine yoga and a trip on the peaceful river
- Experience life in Gambia with a trip to the market and learn to cook a local dish
- Enhance your visit to the beach with a mindful walk and yoga
- Pamper yourself with a well-being treatment
- Time to explore the other activities and trips on offer from Footsteps
Your Well-being Team
Jo and Linda met in The Gambia and have been friends for many years. We qualified in the same year as a yoga instructor and mindfulness
teacher and thought that we would combine our experience to create a special retreat for you in a place that we both love, The Gambia.
Meditation & Mindfulness – Jo Heath
Jo is a senior leader in the public sector working in the environmental field for over 25 years. A qualified lecturer, Jo has been involved in developing and supporting people through coaching and mentoring throughout her career. Mindfulness has had a huge influence on her own life and she is excited to be able to share her experience with others. Jo has been a mindfulness practitioner for over 5 years and is a certified mindfulness teacher.
Jo has created a series of podcasts, listen to them here!
Yoga – Linda Verasdal
Linda is the founder and team leader at Ethical Travel Portal, a tour operator that specialises in crafting personalised holidays to various destinations around the Globe. One of her main destinations and her home for several months of the year is Footsteps in The Gambia. She has been practising yoga for over seven years and is a certified Hatha Vinyasa Flow teacher from Himalayan Yoga Bliss in Darjeeling, India. She teaches a playful Vinyasa Flow with elements of restorative yoga.
Yoga and Mindfulness programme
Day 1
Introductions and first sessions at the lodge
Welcome to Gunjur and our Yoga and Mindfulness Retreat at Footsteps Eco-Lodge!
We’ll start off the morning with coffee or tea with fruit before your first yoga session in the yoga shala, followed by a sumptuous breakfast.
Return to the Yoga Shala in the afternoon for an introduction to the Mindfulness course and workshop.
Day 2
Rise & shine beach yoga and mindfulness
Wake up to birdsong and yet another sunny day! Grab your coffee/tea/fruit and join us for some yoga on the beach. Greet the sun as it rises and then wander back to the lodge at leisure for some more relaxation.
In the afternoon, we’ll dig a little deeper into the concept of mindfulness and invite you to reflect on the day. Enjoy a delicious dinner at the lodge.
Day 3
Yoga, a hands-on Gambian experience & a mindful beach walk
A full-on day starting in the best possible way with yoga in the shala. After breakfast, immerse yourself in the local culture and learn how to cook a traditional Gambian dish. Walk with Mary to the market and buy the ingredients you will need for lunch. Back at the lodge, Mary will show you how to cook the local food over an open fire.
In the late afternoon, we’ll take a ‘mindful walk’ to the beach to experience the sun setting over the ocean before returning to the lodge for dinner.
Day 4
Sunrise yoga on the Alahein river and restorative yoga
Today we get up a bit earlier, enjoy some snacks and a cup of tea before we drive to Kartong and the riverside. Here we will enjoy a couple of hours on the river, while the sun is rising. We stop on the shore for morning rise and shine yoga. Afterwards, transfer back to Footsteps.
A special restorative yoga and evening mindfulness session in the yoga shala is designed to relax you and bring in elements of self-compassion.
Day 5
Closing thoughts and a celebration dinner
After a coffee or tea and fruit head to the yoga shala for your final morning yoga session.
Closing mindfulness session with a reflection on the week and individual action planning, followed by a celebration dinner (there may also be some dancing!).
Please note:
- Duration of the retreat is 1 week (with a 5-day course).
- Course dates will be communicated shortly. Your arrival and departure dates will be flexible around these dates.
- Days may reschedule depending on participants’ arrival and departure days.
Prices
| Price per person based on 2 people sharing a room 770 € | £660 |
| Single supplement: 165 € | £140 |
| Non-participating partner: 165 € | £140 |
Dates
Coming soon…
Included:
- 7 nights accommodation, including breakfast, at the award-winning Footsteps Eco-lodge
- 5 yoga sessions including yoga on the beach and sunrise yoga on the River
- Mindfulness course (5 sessions)
- Daily guided meditation
- Learn how to cook like a local
- Celebration dinner on the last day of the course
- One well-being treatment of your choice – massage, facial or manicure
- Transfers to and from the airport
Excluded:
- Meals, other than those mentioned
- Drinks
N.B. There is no food or drink restrictions as part of the course as the lodge serves locally sourced healthy food and can cater for all dietary needs.
Feedback from our previous retreat in Dec 2019:
“Jo and Linda complement each other perfectly at this comprehensive retreat”
“Well-spent time for your inner peace in beautiful surroundings. I feel truly blessed and revitalized.”
“I will recommend to everyone, next time you arrange a workshop, and would love to attend as well… you are a great team…”