Yoga and Nature Retreats in the Belgian Ardennes, Puglia, Crete and the Azores

The Durbuy weekends are the backbone of the programme. Guests stay in the Ardennes and follow a schedule of gentle yoga, calming meditation, a sound journey with Tibetan singing bowls, quiet forest walks and vegetarian meals. The Deep Rest weekend (27-29 March 2026) is the quietest of these; the Summer Solstice weekend (19-21 June 2026, with a 20 June-only option) coincides with International Yoga Day; the New Moon weekend (11-13 September 2026, also with a 12 September-only option) is built around setting intentions for the cycle ahead. The New Year retreat (30 December 2026 - 3 January 2027) runs five days and adds an Ayurveda-inspired menu, a midnight ceremony on 31 December, forest bathing and a spa day.

Longer trips go further afield. Spring Renaissance in Puglia (10-15 March 2026) mixes activities with free time for reflection. Autumn Escape to Paradise in Crete (4-9 October 2026) is the most relaxed of the lot, with daily yoga and meditation plus time on a private beach. Azores Awakening (17-22 July 2026) on Santa Maria combines hiking with evenings at the Santa Maria Blues Music Festival. A second Azores trip on São Miguel is dated TBD 2026, with hiking, whale and dolphin watching, a sound journey and hot springs under the sky. A third, across Faial and Pico, is also TBD 2026/2027 and includes a night hike up Portugal's biggest volcano to reach the summit for sunrise.

Irina leads the yoga herself. She has run retreats for 87 guests so far, from 29 countries, and has clocked up 317 km hiked and 115 hours of yoga taught across them. She also designs private retreats for friends, couples and colleagues, either fully organised or as a set of activities with free time left in.

What separates these from a generic yoga week is the SHAPE structure and the five-element theme (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood) that runs through the sessions, plus Irina's habit of having personally walked every route and stayed in every property before selling it. The Azores trips lean harder into landscape than most yoga holidays — volcano hikes, whale watching, volcanic wine — while the Belgian weekends stay close to home and focus on rest.

What's included

- Yoga sessions guided by the SHAPE method - Daily meditation - Sound journey with Tibetan singing bowls (Durbuy weekends and New Year) - Guided forest walks and forest bathing (Durbuy weekends and New Year) - Vegetarian meals (Ayurveda-inspired menu at New Year) - Midnight ceremony on 31 December (New Year retreat) - Spa day (New Year retreat) - Daily yoga and meditation plus private beach time (Crete) - Hiking and Santa Maria Blues Music Festival evenings (Santa Maria, Azores) - Hiking, whale and dolphin watching, sound journey and hot springs (São Miguel, Azores) - Hiking, whale and dolphin watching, volcanic wine tasting and night volcano hike (Faial and Pico, Azores)

What's not included

- Travel to and from the retreat locations - Airport transfers (not stated as included) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Any item not listed as included for your specific retreat