All levels of yoga welcome
27th Nov - 06 Dec 2009 with Deepa £499
01 Jan 2010 - 8 Jan 2010 with Verity £499
31st March - 7th April 2010 with Etta £499
The Gambia
The Gambia is situated on the west coast of Africa. It is often described as the smiling coast, with its wonderful spiritual people, adoring weather and abundance of nature. It is an unexplored, exciting, happy paradise.
With temperatures not dropping below 30c it is a wonderful place to boost your fitness, strength and flexibility or just unwind. From the the vast array of wildlife, open landscapes and African cultural centres, to some of the most beautiful and idyllic beaches its a stunning place for a yoga holiday. Plus It is only five hour flight from the UK and has the same GMT time zone, allowing you to arrive without even a hint of jet-lag!
The Gambia is a very spiritual country, with people living on 'Gambia no - stress time' their gentleness and openness is very apparent. This is an opportunity for yoga students to see the ‘real Africa’. It is an eco-yoga holiday and a proportion of the money from this retreat goes back into local community projects within Gambia.
"Gambia was the perfect destination for a yoga holiday. It's laid-back atmosphere and quiet contentedness of it's people made it the perfect setting to unwind. It was lovely to be able to dine on fresh papaya and soak up the sunshine during downtime. Verity's philosophy that one's yoga practice should be different every day was a refreshing approach for me, and I was never bored at a session. I returned to the UK feeling physically fit and zen."
Jaime Perlman, Art Director
Accommodation
On your retreat you will stay in a small eco-lodge located in Fajara away from the tourist areas yet close to the village for shopping, 'ethnic' cafes and Craft Markets. This lodge is committed to community–based tourism and Fair Trade Tourism in Africa.
The lodge has a reputation of being ‘the place that gives more than it takes’. A small and exclusive guest house for independent minded travellers, set amongst lush gardens 5 minutes from the beach. With a refreshing crystal clear pool, surrounded by sun-loungers and the beautiful sounds of tropical birds, the long sunny days will just fly by.
All accommodation is in single en-suite rooms with a terrace. Water and electricity is fuelled by solar panel. At Sandele the toilets are composting and the rooms are built by compacting local soil so no wood or concrete is used. The rooms have a mayan/egyption natural air cooling design.
The food is recommended as being some of the best in Gambia, (by Rough Guide) with their famous BBQ's every Friday night.
Yoga in The Gambia
Gambia is an ideal place to develop your yoga practice. The heat encourages the body to open up and with the calm and tranquil sounds of the morning waves and the tropical 'buzz' of wildlife, it's an stunning way to deepen your practice.
Your daily yoga classes take place under an African straw pagoda on the beach. Breathtaking views and the soothing sounds of the ocean will help you instantly feel at peace. Yoga classes will be held twice daily and will include Pranayama (breath control), relaxation techniques and meditation.
A typical day:
7.30 – 9.30
10.00 – 11.00
11.30 – 3.30
4.30 – 6.30
7.30 – 8.30 | Yoga class (Pranayama, energetic yoga & relaxation)
Big nourishing breakfast
Surfing, beach time & other activities*
Yoga class (Pranayama, deeper inquisitive yoga & meditation)
Evening relaxation
(Some evenings offer the option to join in a meditation class) |
The Beaches
Open, wide and secluded, the beaches on the coast of West Africa are an undiscovered, unspoilt haven, providing an ideal location for quieting the mind and inner development. The clean, clear and warm waters of the atlantic ocean draw you in and with the sun shining all day long, it's a perfect way to cool down.
Other Activities (all optional extras)
- Exploring the untouched stretches of beaches
- Massage
- Camping under the (brightest ever!) stars
- Meditation classes
- Browsing the fair trade markets, craft fairs and 'ethnic' travellers cafes
- Visit the african cultural centers
- Just recline next to the pool, read, dream, unwind and relax!
Prices
A 7 day Eco Yoga Retreat includes the following:
- Airport transfers from Banjul Airport (Upon picking up your baggage you will be greeted by our staff. The airport is small and travel time to the hotel is approximately 30 minutes).
- Accommodation
- Wholesome breakfast
- Two 2hr yoga classes each day.
One week Yoga Retreat £499 per person (NOT including flights, travel insurance, meals other than breakfast and excursions).
(These prices are based on single occupancy, if you are travelling with a friend and would like to share a room, please e-mail Verity, if you wish to come for any other amount of time, this can be calculated depending on the duration of your stay).
Dates and Teachers
27th Nov - 06 Dec 2009 with Deepa
01 Jan 2010 - 8 Jan 2010 with Verity
31st March - 7th April 2010 with Etta
For more information on Verity's Teaching style:
What to bring with you
Sunscreen, beach hat, yoga wear, beach wear, torch, cotton long sleeves tops, cotton trousers, yoga mat, sandals, malaria tablets (homeopathic malaria tablets can be purchased from Nelsons Pharmacy and Ainsworth), an open mind!
'Excellent teaching and Excellent company. This retreat has been a wonderful experience for me in my time of positive changes - and you have been an important part. Thank you so much'. Marie Clifford, Teacher.
Getting There
Flight time is: 5 ½ hours from the UK, there is no time difference so you arrive not even with a hint of jet-lag.
Flights leave Gatwick to Banjul (Gambia) in the early morning arriving after lunch. You may like to be flexible with your travel arrangement to your retreat, by arriving on another day other than Friday. Retreats will be running continuously so it is fine to arrive on any given day (flights permitting).
For more information on the surroundings please visit:
Booking
Call Verity - 07984 763 250 or email me verity@kickstep.org for more information. Or contact Free Spirit Travel on: 01273 564230 or visit www.freespirituk.com
Yoga in Gambia 