6 Amazing Yoga Certification Retreats To Enjoy A One Of A Kind Experience

If you’ve found yoga to be beneficial to your physical and mental health, then it’s only natural that you will want to share that with other people by becoming a yoga teacher.

Becoming a yoga teacher can change your life. It can give you a new career doing something you love and help you to meet many interesting people.

The first step to becoming a yoga teacher is to get your certification. There are many different methods to obtain certification but if you want to get your certification in style, why not do so in a unique and once-in-a-lifetime retreat?

There are many beautiful locations around the world where you can practice yoga, clear your mind, and gain your certification.

With so many spectacular retreats available, however, you may not be sure which one to pick. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of 6 amazing yoga certification retreats to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience.

We’ve picked a variety of different locations, price ranges, and skill levels.

Let’s get started!

1. Soma Yoga Institute, California

• Location: Arcata/Blue Lake, California
• Hours: 200
• Price: $2747

The Soma Yoga Institute hosts several retreats around the world but this is one of the best yoga retreats you will find in the contiguous United States.

It is a 200-hour course that is certified with the Yoga Alliance so you can be certain that your certification will be widely recognized.

Students of this course will receive a solid foundation in Hatha Yoga and the curriculum focuses on vinyasa flow, restorative yoga, and how to help students align their bodies and make modifications. Meditation and the philosophy of yoga are also emphasized.

The course also covers more practical aspects of becoming a yoga teacher. You will learn how to construct and sequence your own yoga classes and how to build both a business and a community. 

The studio in California has space for 16 students. It is within walking distance of the Mad River and is ideally located for nature hikes and swims. There is accommodation available within the grounds and these cover single rooms, shared rooms, and even camping facilities. 

This certification program is highly recommended by its students. 

2. Himalayan Yoga Institute, Croatia

• Location: Isle of Losinj, Croatia
• Hours: 200
• Price: £2,920 (around $3,600)

The Himalayan Yoga Institute also has several retreats around the world but none of them are more picturesque than the Isle of Losinj in Croatia.

The clear waters surrounding the island are home to dolphins and you will be surrounded by stunning landscapes and views throughout the duration of your stay.

Throughout the duration of your stay, you will be expected to work on asanas for both your own yoga practice and as a teacher.

The course will teach you all you need to know about running your own yoga class including how to teach 66 yoga postures and 100 asana variations. You will also learn how to structure warm-ups and correct posture alignments in your students.

The course covers several different varieties of yoga as well as nutrition and yoga for different types of students. The business side of teaching yoga isn’t neglected as you will learn marketing and how to set up your classes and business, too.

The retreat only has limited space and the accommodations all come with views of the Adriatic Mediterranean or the beautiful gardens.

The price of the retreat is listed in UK pounds so make sure you check the exchange rate before you book. The price is based on two adults of the same sex sharing a double room.

3. Himalayan Yoga Institute, India

• Location: Chennai, India
• Hours: 300
• Price: £2,200 (around $2700)

This second retreat from the Himalayan Yoga Institute is located in India and is a 300-hour course. You will receive a Yoga Alliance certification at the end of the course.

The course goes in-depth on a variety of different types of yoga and introduces subjects such as yoga for special needs and yoga therapy.

It will teach you about the history and philosophy of yoga as well as all of the business skills and self-development skills you need to be an effective teacher.

The retreat is held in a beautiful villa surrounded by tropical gardens and an outdoor pond. The yoga practices are held both indoors and outdoors for a very calming and relaxing experience.

Prices for this retreat are listed in UK pounds and start at £2,200 (around $2700) for a shared room with up to five people. Double rooms are £2,600 (around $3,200) making this a reasonably priced retreat.

4. Prana Casa, Portugal

• Location: Aljezur, Portugal
• Hours: 200
• Price: $3,200

The yoga instructor course at this beautiful Portuguese villa is accredited by the Yoga Alliance. Once you have completed this course, there is another three-day back pain management course you can complete as well to help you better understand the needs of your students.

This course is very limited in dates and numbers so we recommend contacting them earlier to get all of the information that you need and secure your place.

You will learn about teaching various types of yoga as well as the science behind stretching and how human physiology can be helped by yoga.

Prana Casa is located near the coastline in the Algarve, Portugal. There are plenty of opportunities to head into nature to swim, surf, or hike during your stay. The villa also has its own swimming pool and gardens to enjoy. 

5. Ajarya Yoga Academy, India

• Location: Rishikesh, India
• Hours: 200
• Price: From $899

This is one of the more complete 200-hour teacher training courses you will find. It packs a lot of different information and types of yoga into the 200 hours and will ensure that you are confident in teaching a variety of poses and meditations.

It will also introduce you to teaching yoga nidra and yoga cleansing.

The course also focuses on the skills you need to be a good teacher. You will learn how to build trust with your students and how to prepare your classes.

The accommodation and studios are in the same facility so you will have 24/7 access to the yoga studio if you want it. 

This is one of the cheapest yoga training retreats you will find, especially if you’re willing to share a room with a large number of people! Women who are willing to share with up to six people can enjoy the retreat for as little as $899.

6. Soma Yoga Institute, Greece

• Location: Island of Paros, Greece
• Hours: 300
• Price: $3000 (tuition only)

This is another quality certification course offered by the Soma Yoga Institute. This is a 300-hour course and is intended for yogis that already have a 200-hour certification under their belt. Once completed, you will get an RYT-500 certification from the Yoga Alliance.

The days of the course are intensive and immersive. However, you will learn all that you need to know to ensure your yoga classes are high-level and suitable for all students.

The course focuses greatly on making yoga accessible and practical for all ages and mobilities. It also brings in more advanced yoga branches such as yoga nidra.

This isn’t a course for anyone that is casual about their yoga teaching. If you want to become the best yoga teacher you can and develop your own yoga practice and understanding then this is a great course to choose.

The retreat is located in a beautiful region of Greece and this will help you with your relaxation and practice as well.

This isn’t a cheap course to complete as tuition alone will cost you $3,000 (with an early bird discount) and retreat accommodation starts at around $2900. The accommodation does include food but you can arrange your own accommodation if you prefer.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we introduced 6 amazing yoga certification retreats to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience. We picked a variety of different retreats including some in the United States and some from around the world.

Before you choose a retreat, we recommend that you research it thoroughly to make sure it is the retreat for you. Every retreat has its own standards and you should make sure that these are suitable for you.

Many retreats will give you certification after 200 hours of study but others expect 300 hours instead and cover more advanced types of yoga.

You should also consider how much the retreat is going to cost. The prices can differ greatly depending on the location and duration of the retreat so make sure a retreat is in your budget before you set your heart on it!

We hope that this list of retreats will help you decide which retreat is best for you!

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