14-Day Solo Meditation, Yoga and Hiking Wellness Retreat in Arizona's Chiricahua Mountains

The Savanna Hermitage is the creation of Karl Skyhawk, who built his first cabin in 2008 and lived there in solitude for nine years before building his current home on this 25-acre property in 2017. In 2021, he opened the Hermitage to guests, building a small guest cabin with two private rooms so that other practitioners could experience the kind of off-grid, contemplative living he has cultivated for himself.

What makes this retreat distinctive is the balance it strikes between solitude and support. You are not left entirely on your own—Karl facilitates a two-hour guided meditation, yoga, and qigong session every morning, and you can count on him for logistics, local knowledge, and conversation if you seek it. But he is the opposite of intrusive; he has hosted guests who requested complete silence for their entire stay and fully honored that. The scheduled activities are typically just with him or one other guest, so the focus stays on your own practice.

Mornings begin with meditation, yoga, and qigong at an outdoor circle, timed to sunrise and the season. On hiking days, you'll drive into the Chiricahua Mountains for four to five miles of rugged trail hiking, with stops for meditation and qigong at rock formations, springs, and waterfalls. Non-hiking days are unstructured—you decide whether to walk the property's meditation trails, read from the small library, or simply rest. Guests are encouraged to practice digital minimalism, and there is no internet on site.

The Hermitage is a safe, inclusive environment for women, LGBTQ individuals, and people of color, and all residents and guests must refrain from sexual or romantic advances during their stay. The property is strictly alcohol-free, drug-free, and tobacco-free, with no open flames anywhere on site. Guests are asked to respect the silence and the land, and to leave their rooms and kitchen as clean as they found them.

What's included

- 13 nights private room with comfortable twin bed - Meditation and yoga gear (zabuton mat, seiza bench, crescent zafu cushion, yoga mat) - Daily 2-hour guided morning meditation, yoga, and qigong sessions - Guided nature hikes in the Chiricahua Mountains on select days - Free pickup and drop-off at train/bus stops in Benson and Willcox, Arizona - Transportation during the retreat - Free parking - EV charging - Basic vegetarian food ingredients for self-catering

What's not included

- Airport pickup/drop-off (available for €43 per person one way) - Meals (guests prepare their own food) - Travel insurance - Flights or other transportation to Arizona - Personal expenses - Laundry services