Sea of Cortez Iyengar Yoga & Pilates Reset in Baja California

Tessa Manning is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher who has been practicing since 2007 and trained at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. She goes to India every year to study with the Iyengar family, and she has extra training in Prenatal Yoga and Yoga for Scoliosis — she used Iyengar yoga herself to manage her own scoliosis. Her classes are built around alignment and held poses, with hands-on adjustments and variations for stiff backs, tight hamstrings, and beginners who have never held a yoga block before. If you've done mostly vinyasa flow and never tried Iyengar, this is a good place to find out what the difference is.

Olissa Francisco has spent over 30 years in dance traditions from around the world, ten years in wellness coaching, and five years in the healing arts. Her Pilates sessions run two hours and fold in guided meditation, and she also leads AfroGrooves dance sessions that pull from South Africa, West Africa, Brazil, Cuba, and club culture. Expect sweat and loud Afrobeats — this is not a quiet mat class.

The retreat is capped at 15 to 25 people, and the average age runs 30 to 70. Solo travelers make up a lot of the group, and the hosts say you'll leave with friends. Everything happens at Casa Tara, a 12-room wellness resort overlooking the water — a white building with blue accents, desert gardens, and a small spa on site. All rooms have a patio or balcony, wifi, air conditioning, a private bathroom, and a security box.

Food comes out of La Moringa, the resort's kitchen, and the menu changes constantly — big breakfasts, Asian-inspired dishes done on the lighter side, and fresh fish off the local boats. All dietary restrictions are handled if you flag them in advance, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, diabetic-friendly, and nut-allergy-friendly.

Beyond the two daily classes, there's sea kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding right off the beach, plus cycling, hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching nearby. The resort can add airport transfers, an extra night before or after, or a private class if you want one — just ask before you arrive. Free cancellation goes right up to one day before the start date.

What's included

- 4 nights oceanfront accommodation at Casa Tara - 3 meals daily, plus snacks - Water, tea, and coffee available throughout the day - Daily Iyengar yoga classes (two hours) - Daily Pilates classes fused with guided meditation (two hours) - Daily meditation classes - Use of the two infinity pools and hot tubs - Stand-up paddleboards and kayaks - Luggage storage - Wifi connection - Free parking on site - Free cancellation up to 1 day before arrival

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Airport transfers (available at €60 per person from SJD, €43 per person from La Paz) - Additional activities not in the itinerary - Additional spa treatments - Extra nights before or after the retreat - Private classes