Northern Lights & Midnight Sun Yoga Escape in North Iceland

Days start at the wellness centre. The studio is a large meeting space with a meditation and relaxation hall alongside it, big windows over the fjord and mountains, and mats, blocks, straps and blankets already there so you don't have to fly with any of it. Classes are in the morning; after that the group heads out.

The excursions are what fill the week. Depending on season and weather, that means waterfalls, secret hikes off the beaten path, volcanic craters, the geothermic nature baths at Mývatn — often called the Blue Lagoon of the North — and the fishing town and fjord landscapes around Akureyri itself. Whale watching runs out of the Eyjafjörður fjord, which sits on migratory routes for whales and a long list of bird species. Icelandic horse riding is offered in spring, summer and fall, and is the kind of thing people book the trip around.

Back at the centre there's a large dry sauna, separate male and female showers and changing rooms, and an outdoor geothermic jacuzzi looking over the fjord. On clear autumn and winter nights that's where people end up after dinner, watching for the Northern Lights. The hosts keep an eye on the sky and will knock on doors for late-night outings when the forecast looks good.

Akureyri itself is worth a walk. Population around 19,000, built along the fjord, mild for its latitude, and repeatedly voted a top European destination by Lonely Planet. It's a working Icelandic town rather than a tourist strip, and it's a short ride from the wellness centre.

Where this differs from a standard yoga holiday is the amount of ground you cover. Most retreats keep you on one property and you leave for two or three excursions; here the excursions are half the programme and are run by people who live there, which is why guests tend to come back in a different season to see what changes.

One thing to know: the published calendar is a mix of retreats run with partner studios and open weeks. The teacher changes, the schedule shape doesn't. Group size runs from a 16–18 participant minimum up to 30, depending on season, and non-yoga groups are also taken.

What's included

- 7 nights lodging in shared houses and hotel rooms - Transportation within Akureyri - Use of the yoga and wellness centre for morning classes - Yoga equipment (mats, blocks, straps, blankets) - Most meals across the week - Organised group excursions to North Iceland sights - Day trip to Mývatn and the geothermic nature baths - Whale watching on Eyjafjörður fjord - Icelandic horse riding (spring, summer and fall) - Access to the dry sauna and outdoor geothermic jacuzzi - Northern Lights outings when conditions allow (autumn/winter)

What's not included

- International flights - Domestic flights to Akureyri - Travel insurance - Airport transfers - Some meals (a small number of lunches and dinners are at your own cost) - Alcoholic drinks - Spa treatments - Personal expenses and souvenirs - Optional activities not listed in the programme