Soul & Nature Women's Retreat in Latvia: Yoga, Meditation & Wild Swimming

The retreat base is a rural guesthouse in the Latgale region of Latvia, close to a bog lake and surrounded by mixed forest. Rooms are simple but comfortable, with shared bathrooms in some configurations and private options available. The property has a sauna, an outdoor fire pit, and a covered area used for yoga and meditation when it rains. You will need to arrange your own transport to the meeting point; transfers from Riga can usually be organised in advance.

A typical day starts with a 60–75 minute yoga session before breakfast. Breakfast is porridge, rye bread, local cheese, eggs, berries and herbal tea. After breakfast there is a guided meditation or a short nature therapy walk — sometimes barefoot through the meadow, sometimes a sit spot by the lake. Lunch is the main meal: soup, grain salads, roasted vegetables, smoked fish or a vegetarian main. Afternoons are free for swimming, reading, napping, or walking to the bog. Late afternoon brings a workshop — kokle playing, wild food foraging, or a simple ritual — followed by sauna and dinner. The day ends with optional evening meditation or a fire circle.

What makes this different from a standard yoga retreat is the setting and the access to wilderness. The bog lake is warm enough to swim in from June to early September, and the retreat includes a bogshoe hike across the peat bog — a genuinely unusual activity that most retreats don't offer. The food is heavily based on what is foraged that week: mushrooms, berries, wild herbs. If you have ever wanted to learn what is edible in a northern forest, this is a practical introduction.

The retreat is run by a small local team who have been organising nature tours and soul retreats in the region for several years. Instructors are Latvian and Estonian guides with backgrounds in nature therapy, yoga and outdoor education; sessions are in English, with some Russian and Latvian spoken. The group is capped at around 12 women.

Note: this is a women-only retreat. Men can join other programmes from the same operator, including the wilderness and hiking tours. If you are looking for a mixed-group option, ask about those when you enquire.

What's included

- 3 nights accommodation in a rural guesthouse or glamping camp - All meals from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 4 - Daily yoga and meditation sessions - Guided nature therapy walk - Bogshoe hike and bog lake swim - Kokle workshop - Wild food foraging walk (seasonal) - Sauna sessions - Use of the guesthouse grounds and lake access

What's not included

- Travel to and from the retreat - Airport or Riga transfers (can be arranged for an extra cost) - Travel insurance - Alcohol and personal expenses - Private room supplement (if requested) - Optional extra nights