Days begin with yoga and meditation, then breakfast at the guesthouse. The private Spanish lessons that follow are tailored to wellness and everyday communication, with certified teachers running both practical and theoretical sessions. Because the lessons are private, the level is set by whoever books — complete beginner or someone brushing up.

The afternoons carry the trips. One is a hike into the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to an indigenous village, with river tubing on the Palomino river on the way back. Another is a guided walk with dogs from the local rescue shelter, with a donation to the shelter included. A sound healing session is built into the week, and a massage is included in the package. The San Salvador River and surrounding areas are part of the programme.

What separates this from a straight yoga week is the language element. You are learning Spanish in the mornings and using it in the afternoons in a town where almost nobody speaks English, which is a faster way to make it stick than a classroom. The two threads — yoga and Spanish — are run by the same host, so the schedule holds together rather than feeling like two separate courses bolted on.

Marcela, known as Mar, was born in Paraguay and has lived on Colombia's Caribbean coast for the last ten years. She holds a 500-hour RYT in Hatha Vinyasa and separate certifications in Suspension Yoga and Yin Yoga, and has trained as a sound healer in Nepal. She runs the programme personally and is on hand throughout the stay.

Palomino sits between the Caribbean and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The beaches are wide and rarely crowded, and on clear days the snow-capped peaks are visible from the sand. The town has close ties to indigenous communities in the mountains, which is what the village hike is about. Surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, horse riding, cycling and swimming are all available nearby, and the guesthouse is a 100-metre walk from the water.

What's included

- 5 nights accommodation at Hotel Casa Chapolin - Daily breakfast and lunch - Water, tea and coffee throughout the day - 5 private Spanish language lessons - 6 daily yoga sessions - Relaxing massage - Sound healing session - Hike to an indigenous village in the Sierra Nevada - River tubing on the Palomino river - Guided walk with rescue dogs, including a donation to the shelter - Wifi connection

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Flights - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Dinner - Additional treatments - Additional activities not listed in the itinerary

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