Yoga and Hiking Wellness Escape in North Iceland's Highlands

The retreat is based in Akureyri, a small town in the north of Iceland that Lonely Planet has named a top European destination. Your base for classes is Inspiration Iceland's own yoga and spa center, perched on a hill a few minutes from town with views over the fjord. Each morning starts with a 1.5-hour indoor class in the modern yoga shala; in the afternoon, weather permitting, you'll practice again somewhere outdoors—on a cliff top, by a waterfall, or in a forest considered magical by locals.

What sets this retreat apart from a standard yoga holiday is the hiking program. You're out on the trails most afternoons, with routes that vary from short 10-20 minute walks between volcanic sights to a full three-hour hike up the cliffs above Akureyri. A qualified guide accompanies every tour, so you get local knowledge as well as a safe route. If snow arrives, some hikes swap for snowshoe tours with equipment provided.

The food is another highlight. Breakfast is a buffet at the partner hotel with local classics like skyr and fresh bread, but the real treat is the three dinners and two lunches you'll have at places regular tourists can't access—a farmhouse and art gallery in the countryside, a private home in Akureyri, a farm at the end of a valley where your hostess Myriam serves a hearty meal. The final day includes a stop at a working farm for ice cream made on site.

The retreat is led by Ulrica Seiler, a Swiss-born yoga teacher and doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with over two decades of experience. Her teaching draws on Anusara yoga, a style of Hatha with precise alignment principles, and she uses therapeutic approaches that focus on how yoga affects the nervous system, breath, and muscles. Guests describe her classes as fluid and stretch-focused rather than a set, rigid practice.

What's included

- Airport pickup & drop-off (free for specific flights) - 5 nights hotel accommodation in private or shared double room - 2 daily yoga sessions (morning indoor at the studio, afternoon in nature when possible) - 3 dinners and 2 lunches at hidden local restaurants or private homes - Tasty breakfast buffet at the hotel - Excursion to Hrísey island & hike - Ferry to Hrísey island - Entrance fee to swimming pool - Tour to the volcanic landscape of Mývatn - Entrance fee to Mývatn Nature Baths - Excursion to Goðafoss waterfall - Excursion to Tröllaskagi & hike - 1x access to the spa area of the yoga studio (sauna, spa, relaxation area, outdoor jacuzzi, teas, water) - Guided hike over the cliffs of Akureyri - Transfer hotel to yoga & SPA center - Hikes may become snowshoe tours if snow conditions prevail (equipment provided)

What's not included

- Travel to Akureyri (flights) - Drinks - 3 snacks/lunches on excursions and 2 dinners - Additional activities not mentioned - Travel insurance - Personal expenses