Brazil · 4 days
The retreat takes place at Hotel Canto das Águas in Lençóis, a town in the Chapada Diamantina in Bahia, Brazil. The hotel sits on the Rio Lençóis, and its yoga room, the Canto da Calma, is surrounded by greenery at the water's edge. Guests sleep to the sound of the river's rapids. Mornings begin with practice in that r…
Home › Brazil › Yoga Retreat in Chapada Diamantina: River Practice and Stargazing in Lençóis
Brazil · 4 days
The retreat takes place at Hotel Canto das Águas in Lençóis, a town in the Chapada Diamantina in Bahia, Brazil. The hotel sits on the Rio Lençóis, and its yoga room, the Canto da Calma, is surrounded by greenery at the water's edge. Guests sleep to the sound of the river's rapids. Mornings begin with practice in that room — sun salutations with birdsong around the group — and there is no rush to leave afterwards; people are welcome to stay on and listen to the water.
The first outing away from the hotel is the walk to Ribeirão de Cima. The group gets into the river and practises there, with Ananda leading the breathing while the current runs past. It was, by the account of the November 2026 edition, one of the most striking scenes of those days. Meditation and movement sessions back at the hotel happen in the Canto da Calma.
Ananda keeps the group small on purpose. She has taught yoga since 2005 and has known the Chapada since childhood, and the retreat grew out of wanting to share practice in the places that have long inspired her. Prakriti is a Sanskrit word meaning nature. The mix of participants in November 2026 included people who already had a practice and people trying yoga for the first time.
On the final day the group walks a gentle route beside the Rio Lençóis through the Serrano, inside the Parque Natural Municipal da Muritiba. Out on the open grassland of the Chapada there is another yoga practice and a picnic, and the group stays until dark to watch the stars — the same people who had breathed together in the river now looking up at the sky.
Time away from the mat is built in. Afternoon tea on arrival and an evening of guitar and singing under the stars gave the group space to meet each other outside class. The tone is unhurried: the source's own phrase is dar tempo ao tempo — give time to time.
- Four days at Hotel Canto das Águas in Lençóis - Yoga practices with Ananda in the hotel's Canto da Calma room - Yoga practice in the river at Ribeirão de Cima - Meditation and mindful movement sessions - Guided walk to Ribeirão de Cima - Gentle walk beside the Rio Lençóis through the Serrano, Parque Natural Municipal da Muritiba - Yoga practice and picnic on the Chapada grassland - Stargazing after dark - Afternoon tea on arrival - Evening of guitar and singing under the stars
- Travel to and from Lençóis - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Any item not listed as included