Doors to the Wild Self: Costa Rica Yoga Retreat

Highlights

• Home base at Finca Camino Nuevo: hot tub, pool, sweat lodge, and art-filled yoga shala
• Guided walking tour of Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, home to 6% of the planet's biodiversity
• Climb ancient strangler fig trees with expert guides from conservation nonprofit Palo Vivo

The alcohol-free positioning

This retreat is fully alcohol- and substance-free for the entire week. Our retreats are always substance-free and recovery-supportive. You don't need to identify as sober to join, but you do need to be open to a week without alcohol or substances. Our groups usually include people in recovery seeking a supportive sober retreat, people not in recovery seeking a deeper travel experience, yogis looking for a vegan retreat with aligned ethical principles, and sober-curious travelers who prefer alcohol-free travel groups. We believe everyone is recovering from something: stress, trauma, or just disconnection. We don't include formal recovery meetings, but our guests are always sharing and learning from each other as we all work to use the tools of yoga and community to live bigger lives.

A typical day

1. Morning

   Silent morning with optional meditation, then energizing yoga from 6:30-8am, and a plant-based breakfast. Mornings are often spent on tree climbing, the cloud forest walking tour, or free time to relax.

2. Midday

   Lunch (sometimes out in town with optional coffee tasting), followed by free time to relax by the pool, explore, or journal. Some days include a yoga philosophy discussion or an Ayurveda workshop.

3. Afternoon

   Evening yin yoga and meditation from about 5-6:30pm. On some afternoons, optional excursions like ziplining, hanging bridges, or the sloth and butterfly sanctuary.

4. Evening

   Plant-based dinner together, then jacuzzi and chill time. Special evenings include a welcome campfire with music, a Temescal sweat lodge ceremony, and a closing cacao ceremony with ecstatic dance.

Is this trip right for you?

People in recovery seeking a supportive sober retreat, people not in recovery seeking a deeper travel experience, yogis looking for a vegan retreat with aligned ethical principles, and sober-curious travelers who prefer alcohol-free travel groups. You don't need a regular yoga practice or prior retreat experience to join — all levels and walks of life are welcome, and solo travelers are common.

Support & Environment

Accommodation

Boutique Hotel

6 nights at Finca Camino Nuevo (meaning "New Way Ranch"), hand-built with sacred geometry and natural materials. Private or double rooms are available, each with one double and one single bed and a private bathroom with solar hot-water shower. Locally-made biodegradable soap is provided. Upstairs rooms have balconies and downstairs rooms have patios with hammocks; every room has stunning views down the San Luis Valley to the Gulf of Nicoya, and it's common to wake up to monkeys in the trees right outside your window.

What’s Included

Not Included

Also not included: personal spending, any lunches or dinners eaten in town on the day trip, and optional excursions (ziplining, hanging bridges, sloth/butterfly sanctuary). Fly into Juan Santamaría International (San José) or Liberia; we'll share transfer options once you book.

Refund Policy

About the Host

We're Carrie Hoffman and Zach Minnich, the husband-and-wife team behind Bigger Life Adventures. We started this in 2018 out of a shared love for world travel, yoga, real food, and time outside, and a belief that adventure and sobriety aren't a tradeoff. Every retreat we run is plant-based, alcohol-free, and rooted in trauma-informed yoga, whether we're leading a hike through the cloud forest in Monteverde or a beach camp on Catalina Island. We try to tread lightly on the places we visit, and we treat yoga as more than a workout. You don't need a label to join us. Just a desire for something real.

Frequently asked questions