January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
7 Day Revitalize & Rejuvenate
Costa Rica Yoga Retreat
Join us on an exclusive plant-based yoga retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica!
Hosted at the Costa Rica Yoga Spa & Retreat Center
TripAdvisor Green Leaders Award Recipient
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
On this yoga retreat, You will discover:
Space for Personal Growth
Under the open-air yoga shala, many participants have described practicing yoga in this magical pavilion as a life-altering and transformational experience.
Local Volunteering
Work with Costas Verdes, a non-profit with the aim of returning the coastal ecosystems of Costa Rica that have been devastated by years of human misuse
Rest & Relaxation
With plenty of time to explore with friends or to seek solo time, the week allows for plenty of time to enjoy relaxing or taking quiet time for napping, journaling, and rest
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
Pura Vida!
Meet our Retreat Leaders
The retreat is led by Kristin and Keala; leaders with over 25 combined years of teaching experience and international group travel. Kristin and Keala are seasoned practitioners and teacher trainers that are skilled in offering all-levels practices to meet everyone’s needs with safety, challenge, and inspiration
Kristin is founder of the Kunga Yoga School as well as a personal development coach and social entrepreneur. She is the creator of Rhythmic Flow Yoga w/the Kunga Drummers and Kunga Journeys service retreats. Rhythmic Flow workshops and Kunga Journeys are led by Kristin and her percussionist husband, Loren Gulak. Kristin is the Founder of the Wilmington Yoga Center (est 2000), which she and her husband Loren sold in 2014. She and Loren are the parents of an amazing little boy, and they are grateful to practice a natural parenting and laid-back lifestyle by the sea in Wilmington, NC.
Kristin is an experienced teacher, training thousands of students and yoga teachers internationally for over 20 years. She has worked with children, seniors, and students living with cancer and HIV, and is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). Kristin has worked privately with celebrity clients Katie Holmes, Ashley Judd and Cheryl Hines, as well as corporate executives and professional athletes.
At the beginning of her teaching journey she traveled for several years as a student, assistant, and percussionist for her teacher Shiva Rea, serving as a teaching mentor for Shiva’s Prana Flow 500hr Teacher Trainings. Kristin is a guest presenter for various teacher trainings in the U.S. and has presented at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Yoga Works Los Angeles and other studios and resorts within the U.S.
Kristin has contributed to various publications, and her interviews and writings have been featured in Yoga Journal, Huffington Post, and Live South. Kristin was the 2013 recipient of the YWCA Woman of Achievement Award for her social entrepreneurship work with orphaned girls in developing countries.
She began her studies in 1996 and her training background includes several trips to India and Thailand, with ongoing study in Thai Yoga Massage in the Lek Chaiya tradition. Her training also includes ongoing studies in the fields of Ayurveda, vegan living and macrobiotics at the Kushi Institute. She has enjoyed the benefits of a vegan diet and cruelty-free lifestyle since 1994 along with her husband and son, and shares her love of all things plant-based with passion. Her primary vinyasa studies began with Shiva Rea in 2000 and have continued for many years, and she has completed many certifications and trainings around the world in a wide-range of subjects including meditation, advanced pranayama, therapeutics, Non-Violent Communication, PTSD, and nutrition.
She has been a percussionist for over 20 years and has had the honor of performing at various venues and festivals internationally with the Playing for Change Band, Joey Lugassi & Lisa Bonet, Dave Stringer, Shaman’s Dream, Daphne Tse, The Kripalu Drummers, John de Kadt, and Masankho Banda. She enjoys incorporating music and many teaching modalities into her trainings and feels that all forms inform one another and have the same goal of union, or “yoga”.
Kristin and the Kunga Yoga team are grateful for the opportunity to use yoga, and music as a "universal language" and platform for collaboration, education, and fundraising for children and animals around the world.
Keala grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii & went to High School at an American School in Kaiserslautern, Germany. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Art & Art History and her Masters degree in Kinesiology from James Madison University. Keala previously worked as the Coordinator of Sport Clubs & Youth Programs at JMU Recreation Center. She was a group fitness instructor and yoga teacher at JMU throughout undergraduate, graduate school, and as a professional. She taught for four studios in Harrisonburg and was on adjunct faculty for JMU in the Hart School of Hospitality, Sport & Recreation Management and adjunct faculty at Blue Ridge Community College in the Health Department.
She completed her:
Keala is a seasoned fitness instructor in numerous fitness formats (step aerobics, TRX, spin) – but her favorite to teach and practice is hot yoga. She blends challenge and compassion in her classes and loves learning more and relating to each student. Hobbies: building playlists & memorizing lyrics, listening to podcasts, cooking, exploring trails on foot / mountain bike, writing, watching movies, surfing, and most of all traveling any chance she gets.
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
"What People Are Saying"
I've never traveled this far on my own, and this retreat sounded like the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. I made a commitment to myself this year to take better care of myself physically and mentally, and this was an amazing way to kick off the year!
Amber W.
Food! The amazing, gorgeous, delicious nourishing vegan food motivated me to stay with a plant based diet for clean eating, heath and cleansing. And the gentle yoga and challenging yoga classes met my needs for movement to reconnect spiritually and to feel free
Sonya S.
I felt content and at peace having spent the week in nature and having time to myself, fulfilling my needs for rest and to be in nature. And my tummy is happy because I enjoyed 3 great vegan meals per day (made with love) meeting my needs for good , vital food
Tish V.
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
About the Food
The food on this retreat is truly magical and one of the greatest highlights of Costa Rica’s Blue Zone.
All meals are vegan, organic, mostly gluten-free, and created based on seasonal offerings with all fresh sauces and dressings made in-house
Meals are lovingly made by the friendly staff onsite in our open air kitchen
Created from local produce picked fresh daily from the on-site permaculture garden, our meals provide a variety of options through out the week
Sample dishes are housemade coconut yogurt with granola and mango, vegetable tagine with fresh green salad from the garden, fresh watermelon juice and coconut smoothies,
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
About the Service Project
Our service project includes spending an afternoon volunteering with Costa Verdes, planting trees and maintaining the green zone.
The mission of Costas Verdes is to reforest the native forest of Costa Rica’s coastline and to catalyze a national coastal development scheme of zero net biodiversity loss.
Your retreat payment includes a donation to Costa Verdes to adopt a tree and become a “Green Buddy”
You can plant your own tree for someone and leave a message that your tree will carry for the rest of its life!
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
About the Yoga
Yoga classes happen in the spectacular open-air yoga shala “Rancho” featuring breathtaking panoramic ocean and sunset views of the jungle.
Expect to be immersed in the wild nature that surrounds you during every yoga class.
Many guests at the resort have described practicing yoga in this magical pavilion as a life-altering and transformational experience
Yoga classes will be offered twice daily… attend one or both are none at all.
Morning yoga classes are generally more heat-building, fluid, vigorous vinyasa flow practices
Afternoon yoga practices are generally more cooling, gentle, slow flow practices that combine deep stretching through yin and restorative postures
All classes are welcoming to all-levels of students, from beginners to advanced and all classes offer extended relaxation, breath-work instruction, and seated meditation
For interested yoga teachers, 17 CEUS may be earned on this retreat
Practice times will sometimes vary to accommodate excursion options and all classes are optional. You will receive a confirmed program schedule on the day of your arrival.
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
About Nosara, Costa Rica
Journey with us to a world of magnificent pink skies, stunning blue waters, and lush green jungle filled with iguanas, monkeys, and coconuts.
Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, and Nosara is the jewel of Costa Rica’s Gold Coast
Documented as ONE OF THE FIVE BLUE ZONES on the earth where people live longer, healthier, happier lives
Nosara has become a haven for nature lovers, yogis, surfers, and artists that come for the untouched beaches lined by jungles, wildlife refuges and waterfalls, and the fine dining, boutiques, and family-friendly relaxed vibes.
Nosara has been noted in:
January 18-24th, 2020 - Limited Spots Remaining!
When planning your travel...
This is the busiest season for travel /tourism to Nosara, known as the “high season”,
so we recommend booking your flights early!
Airports
Costa Rica Yoga Spa recommends flying into Liberia (LIR) or Nosara (NOB) airports
You will likely be on a flight with another retreat goer so you can shuttle together
Airport Shuttles
CRYS recommends CR Terratour (www.terratournosara.com) for shuttle service from Liberia and San Jose Airports for their reliability, professionalism, and proven experience. If you are flying into Liberia, CR Terratour is $50 for the shared shuttle each way and leaves Liberia at 2:00pm. Private shuttles for up to 5 people are $130. CR Terratour also has shuttles returning to the Liberia Airport daily at 7:00-8:00am
It is always best to confirm your pick-up/drop-off times with shuttle companies directly as they may vary!
Not Included in the Package Price
Retreat Arrival & Departure Info
Check-in is on Jan 18th from 2pm-8pm and check out is on Jan 24th at 10am. If you expect to be arriving at the retreat center later than 8pm please contact Costa Rica Yoga Spa for recommended accommodations closer to the airport so that you can arrange transportation the next morning. On the last day, we will have one morning all levels class and breakfast, then checkout by 10am.
Age Limit
Please note that Costa Rica Yoga Spa does not allow children under 12 years of age.
Travel Insurance
We require that you purchase traveler’s insurance to cover any unexpected emergencies while in-country and recommend coverage for any unexpected reasons for having to cancel your trip at the last minute for any reason. Two options for traveler’s insurance are World Nomads and InsureMyTrip.
When Traveling to Costa Rica
U.S. citizens traveling to Costa Rica will need a passport that is valid for the length of their stay in Costa Rica. Many airlines also require travelers to have a round-trip ticket before boarding flights to Costa Rica to ward off fines imposed by Costa Rican Immigration. A $29 USD airport departure tax is typically included in the ticketing price.
Join us on this soul warming retreat to Costa Rica!
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Kunga Yoga School
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