Jivamukti Yoga & Nature Escape on Boa Vista, Cape Verde

The retreat is organised around two daily yoga sessions, and the teachers split the work. Magali takes the morning Jivamukti class — a vigorous, music-led practice that mixes asana with chanting and meditation. Sophie leads the afternoon tantric Hatha session, which moves more slowly and focuses on breath, alignment and holding poses for longer. On the arrival and departure days there is no class, so you get a full seven nights on the island with five full days of practice.

Spinguera Ecolodge sits on Boa Vista's north coast, about 40 minutes from the airport. It is a restoration of an old village, so the rooms are spread across low whitewashed buildings rather than one hotel block. The setting is genuinely remote — no neighbouring resorts, no nightlife, just the Atlantic and the dunes. Guests typically walk down to the beach between sessions, and there are marked trails nearby if you want a longer walk. The island is known for its turtle nesting and for the sand dunes around Santa Maria, though January is not peak turtle season.

Meals are vegetarian and included in the accommodation price — breakfast, lunch and dinner, all taken at the lodge. Expect simple, vegetable-led cooking with local fish sometimes served (the listing says vegetarian, so confirm dietary preferences at booking). Coffee and fruit are usually out before the morning class.

What makes this one different from the many Cape Verde yoga weeks is the teacher pairing and the length of the afternoon sessions. Magali Lehners teaches at Jivamukti Yoga Luxembourg and has run retreats with Sophie before — they also lead a week in Crete and a one-day Bhagavad Gita series. Sophie's afternoon tantric Hatha classes are the slower counterweight to the morning practice, so the day has a natural arc rather than two similar vinyasa sessions. The lodge itself is a big part of the appeal: it is small, quiet and deliberately stripped back, which suits a week built around practice and rest.

You book the two pieces separately — accommodation directly with the lodge (Larissa handles bookings) and the yoga directly with Jivamukti Yoga Luxembourg. Flights and airport transfers are not included; transfers run around €15 each way. There is a direct Luxair flight from Luxembourg on 22 January returning 29 January, but you are free to fly from anywhere.

What's included

- 7 nights at Spinguera Ecolodge - 3 vegetarian meals daily (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Morning Jivamukti yoga classes with Magali - Afternoon tantric Hatha yoga classes with Sophie

What's not included

- Flights to and from Boa Vista - Airport transfers (approx. €15 each way) - Travel insurance - Drinks outside of meals - Personal expenses - Optional excursions