Winter Yoga, Ice Bath & Sauna Retreat in Lithuania's Labanoras Forest

The retreat runs across two fixed weeks in 2027: Tuesday 23 to Sunday 28 February, and Tuesday 2 to Sunday 7 March. Guests are picked up in Vilnius city centre between 15:00 and 15:30 on the Tuesday and driven 1.5 hours to the property, arriving around 16:30. The first evening opens with Yin Yoga at 17:30, dinner at 18:30 and an opening circle at 20:15.

A typical midweek day: 07:30 pranayama and meditation, 08:00 yoga, 09:30 breakfast, then a silent forest walk at 12:30, a kitchen disco at 13:00, free time, a sauna ritual introduction at 16:30, light dinner at 17:30 and the full Lithuanian sauna ritual at 18:30. On Thursday the cold exposure work begins at 14:00, and Friday brings Cold Exposure Part 2 at 10:30. Saturday has a forest walk with a local guide at 11:30 and a surprise activity at 16:00. Sunday wraps with brunch at 09:30, a closing circle at 10:30 and departure back to Vilnius between 11:00 and 12:00.

The setting is a 3-hectare private peninsula with its own lake access. Two buildings, the Big House and the Small House, hold the bedrooms; the Big House has an open kitchen, dining room and a lounge with a fireplace and lake views. The yoga shala sits among the trees and has large windows and a fireplace. A traditional Lithuanian sauna overlooks the lake, and there is also a tipi tent further back on the property. Interiors are described as simple but cosy.

What separates this from a standard yoga week is the specific combination of instructors and rituals: a physiotherapist and Master's-level health sciences graduate (Greta) running the cold exposure, a dedicated Lithuanian sauna master (Inga) performing the Pirtis ritual, and a retreat chef preparing plant-based Lithuanian dishes. Yoga is split between two teachers, Fabienne (RYT-500h, 750+ hours of Yoga Alliance training) and Charlène (Yin, Vinyasa, Yoga Nidra and sound healing).

Labanoras Forest is one of Lithuania's largest forest complexes, and in late winter the lake freezes over, which is what makes the ice bath possible on-site rather than in a controlled tub. There is no alcohol served. The weather can change the schedule, and the organisers say the program may be adjusted to suit conditions and the group's needs.

What's included

- 5 nights accommodation in your selected room - 1-2 yoga classes per day (Vinyasa, Yin, Yoga Nidra) - 2-day cold exposure workshop with a Wim Hof Method instructor - Sauna sessions and one traditional Lithuanian sauna ritual with a sauna master - Guided forest walk - Journalling sessions - Vision board session and surprise activities - All meals, snacks and drinks (no alcohol), vegetarian/vegan - Transfer from Vilnius city centre to the retreat and back

What's not included

- Flights to Vilnius - Airport transfer to/from the Vilnius city centre meeting point - Travel cancellation insurance and health/accident insurance - Taxi outside the scheduled transfer times (approx. EUR 250 each way) - Personal expenses - Alcohol (not served)