Women's Wellness Escape: Equine Therapy, Yoga & Nature Retreat in the Southern Highlands

This retreat is all about connection, and not in a vague way. The anchor of the whole experience is the herd of therapy horses. Soo Woods, who founded the Highlands Centre For Healing, leads the sessions, and they're not riding lessons. You'll spend time in the paddock with them, watching them, learning how to be present, and seeing how they respond to you. Guests who have done this talk about feeling like the horses 'read' them and give back exactly what they need — it's a genuinely moving experience for many, and reviewers mention being surprised at how emotional it gets. This is the kind of thing you have to experience to get, and it's the centrepiece of the weekend.

Around the horse work, there's a deliberate rhythm of other activities. There's a yoga class and a guided breathwork session, both geared towards anyone from absolute beginners to people with a regular practice. A sound bath lays you out for a while, and the art in nature session isn't about producing anything gallery-worthy — it's about getting your hands into the environment and quieting the chattering part of your brain. The schedule leaves real free time too, which is important. There's no pressure to be busy every second, and the small group size means you get space when you need it.

The venue is the Highlands Centre For Healing, on a property steeped in local history and cared for deeply by Soo. She lives on site, and she brings in other skilled facilitators for the yoga, breathwork, and sound work. The food is a real highlight — Soo's team cooks clean, organic vegetarian meals, with as much produce as possible sourced from the property's own vegetable patch and orchard. Meals are served communally and set the tone for the day: hearty, healthy, and full of flavour.

It's a short drive (or train trip) from Sydney, but it feels a world away. Sitting on the deck of your cabin watching wild kangaroos graze at dusk is the fastest way to reset a frazzled nervous system I know, and that is really what the whole weekend is designed around.

What's included

- 2 nights accommodation (options of private bedroom or private sofa bed) - 2 x breakfast, 2 x lunch, 2 x dinner - Morning and afternoon teas - Water, tea and coffee served throughout the day - 1 x yoga session - 3 x sessions with therapy horses - 1 x breathwork session - 1 x art in/with nature session - 1 x sound bath - Free parking - Wifi connection

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Flights costs - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Additional activities not included in the itinerary - Additional nights