Yoga, Nature and Adventures
retreat to re-connect to yourself
with the energy of 5 elements
5-10 May 2024
Pico and Faial islands
Azores, Portugal
retreat to re-connect to yourself
with the energy of 5 elements
5-10 May 2024
Pico and Faial islands
Azores, Portugal
If you are longing for a meaningful vacation in an exotic destination which is not at the end of the world, but you think that you have ‘seen it all’, then join us for this adventurous high-touch retreat in the magical Azores with a thought-through program, where you will live through unforgettable experiences and enjoy the inner work to reconnect to yourself.
Imagine hiking up to the top of the highest mountain volcano of Portugal at night, looking around in awe at the gorgeous sky with colours impossible to describe with human words, in an excitement and hope, waiting for the sunrise. When you see a sunray on the horizon, you feel how your heart fills with joy, gratitude, and understanding what really matters.
Imagine waking up to the sound of the ocean waves and heading to a morning yoga session where you will move and breath exploring the uniqueness of your body and relax to the gentle vibrations of Tibetan singing bowls.
Imagine nourishing your body with healthy meals from delicious local Azorean cuisine prepared by our private chef.. You are savouring each piece, marvelling at the ocean view and feeling excited about the adventures to come and in awe about the adventures experienced.
Imagine your incredible adventures of the day: hiking with gorgeous views, witnessing the magical creatures - whales and dolphins, swimming in the natural swimming pool directly in the ocean, tasting the unique volcanic Azorean wine, and so much more!
Imagine being amazed by the incredible volcanic landscapes, breathing in the fresh ocean air, feeling free and connected to nature and yourself.
Imagine enjoying nourishing me-time chilling at the terraces and in the garden before you rest and relax at the restorative evening yoga session. Happy, fulfilled and rested, you will head off to sleep in your cosy bed at your home away from home, in anticipation of the next fabulous day.
Prepare yourself to keep on uttering ‘wow’, stopping to take a zillion of pictures, and even crying at the sight of the Azorean beauty (I do!). Azores is like nothing you have seen before, they will literally take your breath away - and you will keep on coming back to your memories and share them with all your friends.
While we are together, through a variety of exciting activities such as fire ceremony, hiking up the highest Portuguese mountain at night, whale- and dolphin-watching, delicious Azorean wine-tasting, you will amp up your life and create meaningful memories that will always have a special place in your heart.
On this retreat, during our hikes and other activities, you will soak in the beauty of the ocean and volcanoes, breath in the fresh air, marvel at the gorgeous sunsets so that you feel truly re-connected to nature.
On this retreat, you will enjoy the combination of unforgettable adventures on two Azorean islands, Faial and Pico, and plenty of nourishing yoga, meditation, and me-time you need - so that you don’t have to plan anything or worry about your free time.
On the retreat, we will practise yoga in a progressive way, and you will learn something new about yoga postures and their variations, so that you know how to position and move your body consciously to match your unique body needs.
On this retreat, delicious vegetarian breakfasts, lunches and dinners will be prepared for you from local products by private chefs. so that you can savour local cuisine and be sure that your dietary requirements are taken care of.
No matter if you travel or with your partner/friend, you will meet like-minded people. This is a great opportunity to connect more deeply by sharing your challenges and blessings with people who understand you.
Through the signature methodology of this retreat, where each day is planned around 1 of the 5 elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood), your inner work is supported and reflected by the nature spots we will visit and the adventures we will experience, which will ultimately help you better to re-connect to yourself.
This retreat gives you a new wave of energy, connecting with nature and like-minded people, moving your body and spending so much time outside surrounded by all the beauty the Azores has to offer, it just lights something special in you. You will be surprised and your expectations will be exceeded; this retreat is so much more than you could ever dream of. Relaxed, happy, and re-energised was my state of mind after the retreat.
Our venue for the retreat is a cosy guest house with ocean views that can accommodate up to 7 guests in a single or double/twin setting.
The spacious living room has a library, and the garden with a terrace offers amazing views to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mountain Pico. The natural swimming pool directly in the ocean is at a walking distance from the guest house.
The retreat takes place on two Azorean islands: Pico and Faial. To ensure the most relaxing retreat experience, we will stay in the same venue on Pico, and will go Faial by a 30-minute ferry trip.
You will be served with 3 daily delicious and nutritious meals that will give you a taste of the biological cuisine of the Azores. Each dish is crafted from regional and seasonal products for you to indulge. Your dietary requirements will be thoughtfully taken care of throughout the retreat.
A rich and healthy breakfast includes many local products, such as a variety of different kinds of cheese, and seasonal fruit: pineapple, figs, bananas. The famous Azorean tea is a must-try, I always bring it as a souvenir to my friends and family.
It was a very beautiful experience with wonderful people that will stay forever in my heart. Sao Miguel island is just out of this world! For someone like me who likes hiking, it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The retreat was very-very well organised, it definitely helps you to relax, to nourish your soul.
The Portuguese Azores are unknown to the regular tourists. I had to google where they are when I first heard of them! It is literally a treasure for landscape variety and hikes. They sparkle like vibrant emerald island gems in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Dramatic volcanic landscape, incredible ocean views, greenest fields, stunning rainbows – this is what you experience in the Azores. Walk along the fairytale-like paths, marvelling at the fascinating vegetation, stopping in awe at the amazing views, soaking in the beauty and wisdom of nature.
Pico and Faial are two islands in the central group of the Azores archipelago. Good news: the Azores, even though located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, are still part of Portugal, the EU, and are very well connected flight-wise to the EU, the USA and Canada.
We will practise yoga and meditation twice a day: energising yoga flow in the morning and restorative yoga flow in the evening. Classes are adjusted right on the spot to your body needs and movement experience. We will practise yoga and meditation twice a day: energising yoga flow in the morning and restorative yoga flow in the evening. Classes are adjusted right on the spot to your body needs and movement experience. We will meditate and practise mindfulness after our yoga practice or in nature. After the retreat, you will be equipped with knowledge of basic yoga postures and techniques, daily yoga flows for mornings and evenings, and unique insights into your practice.
We will practise yoga and meditation twice a day: energising yoga flow in the morning and restorative yoga flow in the evening. Classes are adjusted right on the spot to your body needs and movement experience. We will practise yoga and meditation twice a day: energising yoga flow in the morning and restorative yoga flow in the evening. Classes are adjusted right on the spot to your body needs and movement experience. We will meditate and practise mindfulness after our yoga practice or in nature. After the retreat, you will be equipped with knowledge of basic yoga postures and techniques, daily yoga flows for mornings and evenings, and unique insights into your practice.
The Pico Mountain is Portugal’s highest mountain of 2.351 metres of altitude, and we will climb it at night!
Imagine a fascinating hike, contemplating an infinite number of stars, and reaching the top of the Mountain to enjoy a stunning view. Experience a unique moment of the sunrise with five Azorean islands at your feet, and watch how the mountain shadow is being projected onto the ocean.
Our accredited guide of the Pico Mountain, Renato Goulart , literally knows every stone on the mountain. Over 24 years of climbing experience he has done 2.180 fully safe climbs, with almost 20 thousand km done going up and down. He makes his life’s purpose to safely show the invaluable beauty of this land and the Pico Mountain. This is an opportunity and experience of a lifetime not to be missed!
Experience a fascinating combination of meditative healing sounds created by Tibetan singing bowls. You will enjoy the magical songs of Tibetan singing bowls at our daily yoga and meditation sessions.
Allow the sound vibrations to energetically cleanse your physical and subtle body and harmonise your energy centres.
The Pico Mountain is Portugal’s highest mountain of 2351 metres of altitude, and we will climb it at night!
Imagine a fascinating hike, contemplating an infinite number of stars, and reaching the top of the Mountain to enjoy a stunning view. Experience a unique moment of the sunrise with five Azorean islands at your feet, and watch how the mountain shadow is being projected onto the ocean. The elevation gain is about 1000 m, and it takes around 4 hours to get to the peak, check out the trail here.
Our accredited guide of the Pico Mountain, Renato Goulart, literally knows every stone on the mountain. Over 24 years of climbing experience he has done 2180 fully safe climbs. This is an opportunity and experience of a lifetime not to be missed!
Pico island features an unparalleled diversity and abundance of whales and dolphins. Over 20 species either inhabit, or pass by these waters along their migratory routes, so Pico is one of the very best spots in the world for whale watching. Embark on an amazing marine wildlife eco-expedition trip to see and learn more about whales, dolphins, and marine biodiversity of the Azores. Admire spotting beautiful and gentle creatures that call this island of unspoiled beauty their home.
We will visit an important geosite – the volcano crater located in the centre of Faial island. It is around 2 km in diameter, and was formed through several eruptions, intertwined with periods of calm, along the last 400 thousand years. We will do a meditative hike along the epic route of the 400m deep Caldeira of Faial. This jaw-dropping hike is part of the natural reserve, in the midst of the unique nature and protected landscape.
The Volcano of Capelinhos is a new piece of land that was only created 60 years ago. The volcano is the perfect place for an inner reflection walk and for drawing your attention inwards. The lighthouse and several of the houses originating to the eruption accentuate the dramatic characteristic of a truly unique landscape in the Azores. We will also visit the worth-seeing interpretation Center of Capelinhos
The culture of vineyards in Pico Island dates back to the XV century, to the settlement time of its first residents. Striking with its mazes of black lava stones , the Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture was classified as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2004. This type of viticulture involves hard work and dedication, as all the wine work is done by hand!
You will be guided through the best-certified Azorean wines that truly express the volcanic terroir. Our wine tasting experience is the most diverse: going from the fresh and saline whites, towards the reds with spicy notes, ending with a liquor wine of intense colour with notes of honey and vanilla.
I am so full of warm memories from last week, I really feel a big difference by doing normal things at home after having so much fun! It’s important to take a break from this routine life! It gives a new drive, energy, different view on things and people around.
All the retreat activities are guided by the energy of the 5 elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood. The signature program of our retreat, structured with the Yoga Shape methodology, will take you on the journey to yourself: from releasing whatever does not serve you to feeling relaxed, restored, and full of amazing memories of your Azorean adventures.
Every day of your retreat starts with setting an intention followed by an energetic Vinyasa-style yoga class. After that, a healthy breakfast awaits you to nourish your body. Then we embark on a unique adventure, e.g. whale and dolphin watching, hiking along the volcano crater. But some activities happen in the evening (wine tasting) or at night (climbing the mountain)! Coming back to the accommodation, you will have time for some relaxation and me-time. We will finish the day with restorative yoga practice before a beautiful and healthy 3-course dinner.
Initiation with letting go and setting your intention.
Transfer to the accommodation, welcome, tea/coffee and snacks, opening information session, free time, opening ceremony, yoga, dinner, fire ceremony.
Grounding and understanding where you are.
Yoga, breakfast, ferry to Faial island, hike around the volcano crater, picnic lunch, stop at the volcanic site, ferry back to Pico island, free time, yoga, dinner.
Getting clarity about where you want to go.
Yoga, breakfast, free time, yoga, dinner, night climb of the Pico mountain volcano.
Embracing the fluidity and choosing your path.
Breakfast at the Pico mountain volcano, climb back, yoga, free time and rest, lunch, whale and dolphin watching, yoga, dinner.
Growth to the next step of your journey.
Yoga, breakfast, free time, lunch, yoga, visit to the vineyards, wine tasting, dinner.
Coming back to centre after the cycle of inner work.
Yoga, breakfast, closing session, departure.
The retreat unexpectedly opened my heart. Pure luxury in all the meanings of this word. Absolutely perfect organisation! Impressive! After the retreat, my heart is open. I feel more confident on my own like I am. After soaking in a luxury I do enjoy myself much more.
I recently had the privilege of attending Irina's Yoga and Hiking Retreat in the Azores, and I can't stop raving about the incredible experience I had. From start to finish, it was an absolute dream come true! The program was outstanding. Irina meticulously crafted each day to be a perfect blend of yoga, hiking, and relaxation. The yoga sessions, set against the backdrop of the stunning Azorean landscapes, were nothing short of transformative. She helped us connect with our inner selves, and I left feeling rejuvenated both mentally and physically.
A friend told me about Yoga Shape, I loved the spirit of both Instagram and the website and the program of the retreat looked balanced (sport, nature, relaxing times). I cannot recommend a better yoga teacher. Irina is dedicated, human-centred, and adapts the session to everyone's body and needs.
Bring on something new! Count me in!
I am so happy, relaxed and energised after the retreat. It totally reconnected me with myself and gave me so much inspiration for my upcoming projects, it was very impactful.
It is perfect to take a real moment for you, to connect with nature and beautiful places, to give space to the soul to expand, to meet nice people and eat amazing food. The yoga workshops when Irina helped each of us to perfectionate the positions respecting our natural bodies.
My name is Irina Oshchepkova, I am a certified yoga teacher with 1000+ hours of teaching experience. I offer the most in-depth and nurturing luxury retreats in unique locations around the world.
I love the Azores. I came here for 2 weeks and ended up staying for 6 months. I cannot wait to show you the most gorgeous places and experiences of these magic islands!
It is a highlight of my career to take a group of like-minded people to breath-taking destinations to go deeper into their practice, really nourish themselves and reconnect to nature.
Finally having time for myself without having to think of a to-do list. Irina is a master of excellent organisation with intense attention to detail, with a happy personality and a love of surprising. All put together with excellent organisation, intense attention to detail and many happy surprises.
Bring on something new! Count me in!
The payment is non-refundable but can be fully transferred to another person. Should travel be blocked due to COVID restrictions, your payment will be credited to a postponed retreat. The necessary and appropriate travel insurance is needed.
All the payments are made by credit card or by direct bank transfer. Please contact me at [email protected] for details on bank transfer and invoicing, or if you wish to pay by instalments.
Please check my advice on the best flight option here.
My goal was to step back a bit from my routine, from my everyday life. I found peace here, I found good energy and I found a group of people who were very nice. It was nice to reconnect with nature, to reconnect with our own bodies during yoga sessions in the morning and in the evening, meditations in amazing places.
This is your unique chance to enjoy a beautiful thought-through high-end retreat in an exotic setting. The Azores destination is like nothing you have ever experienced, it will take your breath away!
You are going on a journey to the Azores, but ultimately, you will be guided on your journey inwards.
Time for nourishment and healing, time to be nurtured by nature, time to explore and revitalise your energy.
Give yourself a gift of valuable time for your body, mind and soul.
The weather in the Azores is spring-like most of the time: with days of sun interlaced with low clouds, a shower, a rainbow – and then sun again. They say the Azores can have the four seasons in just one day! It is a cool to warm subtropical climate, heavily influenced by the ocean and perfect for the outdoors.
Our retreat is in Pico island, the Azores. We will have a day trip to Faial island, the ferry between the islands takes around 30 minutes.
Book a flight to Pico, Azores (PIX).
Option 1
There are direct flights from Lisbon. If you fly from Brussels, book with TAP Air Portugal, with a stop in Lisbon.
Option 2
However, a better option price-wise could be to book 2 separate trips:
Send me your flight details and I will arrange group transportation at the most common time for all. If the common time does not suit you, take a taxi to Calma do Mar: Av. Padre Nunes da Rosa LT 6, 9950-302 Madalena, Portugal. It will take about 15 minutes.
Our opening session is at 16:00 on 5 May 2023.
All levels are welcome, from zero to advanced! Each class is adapted to the needs of participants.
Make sure to bring comfortable clothes for yoga, hiking and swimming. Hiking shoes are highly recommended. I will send you a detailed list when you book your experience.
It is highly recommended to stay over the weekend on the island as there are plenty of places to see and things to do. Contact me for details.