Yoga & Riding Retreat in Northern Portugal

Introduction
Northern Portugal Portugal
In the heart of the Peneda Gerês National Park, in northern Portugal, surrounded by nature and wilderness, you will experience a unique retreat mixing yoga and horseback riding. A perfect combination for all passionate horse-riders who love yoga and nature. 

If your back is killing you after riding, you feel any discomfort during your ride, you just want to improve your balance or you want to have a deepen connection with the nature around you, this is the retreat for you.

Surrounded by amazing landscapes, this retreat combines all the ingredients for a unique and immersive experience to your body, mind and soul. Combine the body awareness and alignment of yoga with the exercise of horse riding adventures. This is a unique opportunity to find tranquillity, restore body and mind and practice your passion for horseback riding. 

This retreat will help you to be more aware of your own body in order to positively influence your horse, improving your riding and achieving idyllic horseriding moment with your horse. It will also allow you to appreciate even more the connection between you and your horse thanks to mind and body awareness.

Accomodation


Accommodations
This is a stationary ride so all nights are spent at the same location.

Description
You will sleep in a traditional mountain house, located in the historic village of Castro Laboreiro in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, and surrounded by pure nature. The house was built in the early 20th century and has been recently restored. The owners maintained the original features of the house (stonewalls, wooden doors...), but they equipped it with all modern comforts (central heating, fireplace, free WIFI & TV with cable channels) to enable visitors a pleasant stay.
There are 6 bedrooms (all with private bathrooms) featuring homemade toiletries made with local goat milk and lavender.



In the garden, surrounded by a beautiful Oak forest, you will find the ideal place for your morning breakfast or to read a good book.

Room Occupancy
If we are unable to find another rider to share the room with you, the single supplement fee does apply.


Meals
The package includes all meals. 
We serve gourmet Portuguese traditional recipes accompanied by an excellent selection of Portuguese wine.

Breakfasts feature our locally produced honey and homemade jams and marmalades as well as many other delicious foods.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to most dietary restrictions with advance notice.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

Your hosts are both journalists with a passion for the environment and nature conservation. In 1999, they decided to broaden their horizons and began a long-term project to study a family of Iberian Wolves and produce a documentary on the species for Portuguese television. They provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere and look forward to sharing their passion for this magnificent region with their guests.

Itinerary


Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

Note: Please note, the following itinerary can be changed due to the weather or other local conditions.

During your stay, the day starts with an optional nourishing meditation. There are 2 Yoga classes per day:
- In the morning, we focus on Yoga to Improve your Riding: building core strength, balance and flexibility.
- In the afternoon, we focus on Yoga to Relax and Restore: focus on helping with the areas of stiffness and weaknesses that you may experience after riding, and building balance, self-carriage, and centeredness.

Day 1 (Sunday): Arrival 
Transfers from the airport to the village of Castro Laboreiro, where our guesthouse is located. Welcome dinner.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse

Day 2 (Monday): First yoga sessions & National Park Center Visit
Before breakfast, around 7:45am, we offer an optional Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Meditation session, followed by a morning Yoga class at 8:15am (focus on awakening the body and improving your riding). Breakfast is served around 9am.
Your first yoga lesson with horses is scheduled for 10:15am and focuses on building trust between the horse and the rider. There will also be some Pranayama exercises.
We enjoy a picnic lunch around 1pm and then go to visit the reception center of the National Park for better knowledge about the region and the biodiversity of this natural area.
When we come back (around 5pm), we have our afternoon yoga lesson followed by some free time.
Dinner is served around 8pm.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse

Day 3 (Tuesday): Yoga & First Ride
Before breakfast, around 7:45am, we offer an optional Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Meditation session, followed by a morning Yoga class at 8:15am (focus on awakening the body and improving your riding). Breakfast is served around 9am.
Your morning yoga lesson with horses is scheduled for 10:15am and focuses on building trust between the horse and the rider. There will also be some Pranayama exercises.
We enjoy a picnic lunch around 1pm. After lunch, we go on our first ride.
When we come back (around 5pm), we have our afternoon yoga lesson followed by some free time.
Dinner is served around 8pm.
Riding approx. 2.5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse

Day 4 (Wednesday): Yoga & Trail Ride
Before breakfast, around 7:45am, we offer an optional Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Meditation session, followed by a morning Yoga class at 8:15am (focus on awakening the body and improving your riding). Breakfast is served around 9am.
Your morning yoga lesson with horses is scheduled for 10:15am and focuses on building trust between the horse and the rider. There will also be some Pranayama exercises.
We enjoy a picnic lunch around 1pm. After lunch, we go on our first ride.
When we come back (around 5pm), we have our afternoon yoga lesson followed by some free time.
Dinner is served around 8pm.
Riding approx. 2.5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse

Day 5 (Thursday): Nature Walk & Yoga
Before breakfast, around 7:45am, we offer an optional Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Meditation session, followed by a morning Yoga class at 8:15am (focus on awakening the body and improving your riding). Breakfast is served around 9am and then we go for a walk to enjoy our beautiful natural surroundings and some meditation.
We stop for our picnic lunch by a river, around 1pm.
Once back at the guesthouse, we have our afternoon yoga class, followed by some free time.
Dinner is served around 8pm.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse

Day 6 (Friday): Yoga & Wild Garrano Horses Ride
Before breakfast, around 7:45am, we offer an optional Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Meditation session, followed by a morning Yoga class at 8:15am (focus on awakening the body and improving your riding). Breakfast is served around 9am.
Your morning yoga lesson with horses is scheduled for 10:15am and focuses on building trust between the horse and the rider. There will also be some Pranayama exercises.
We enjoy our daily picnic lunch around 1pm. This afternoon, we go riding in the search of wild Garrano horses herd.
When we come back (around 5pm), we have our afternoon yoga lesson followed by some free time.
Dinner is served around 8pm.
Riding approx. 2.5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse

Day 7 (Saturday): Valley of the Wolves Ride & Yoga
Before breakfast, around 7:45am, we offer an optional Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Meditation session, followed by a morning Yoga class at 8:15am (focus on awakening the body and improving your riding). Breakfast is served around 9am.
This morning, you go for a ride towards the fabulous Valley of the Wolves. This last ride of the week takes us to one of the most beautiful valleys of the mountain. Full of biodiversity, this area is rich in rare sightings of wild animals. We have some chances to spot wild herds of Garrano horses again. We will stop for lunch in the mountains.
Once back at the guesthouse, we have our afternoon yoga class, followed by some free time.
Dinner is served around 8pm.
Riding approx. 4 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Guesthouse

Day 8 (Sunday): Departure
Transfer to the airport.
Meals included: Breakfast

Rates and Dates for Yoga & Riding Retreat in Northern Portugal

Dates Note: * custom tour dates possible by request - please inquire for availability and rate

Other Info
Meeting: Castro Laboreiro
Airport: Porto
Transfer: Porto Airport

Climate:
                                                      Arcos de Valdevez area