8 Day Self-Discovery Yoga Cultural Retreat in The Gambia
Yoga Cultural Retreat in The Gambia
Join Alina Jaber on the journey of Self-discovery, Gambian culture, and yoga. Discover the local culture and its friendly residents, to understand the meaning of why Gambia is called ‘The Smiling Coast of Africa’. Visit and gift at a local kids' school. Also, come to the market and village and immerse in the local home cooking experience and learn traditional tribal dancing. A boat ride in the Halahin River, which stands as the border line between Gambia and Senegal. We might spot some wild crocodiles and surely many colorful birds can be seen.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Vinyasa Yoga in the morning
- Yin Yoga and meditation in the evening
- 4-wheel drive adventure
- Delicious brunch and dinner per day with tea and coffee in the mornings
- Gambian home cooking experience
- African dance class
- A meet and greet shuttle will be arranged
- 7 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
Accommodation
Facilities
- Shopping
- Swimming pool (outdoor)
- Table tennis
- Tennis court
- Volleyball court
- Air-conditioned rooms
- Bar
- Barbeque facilities
- Café
- Concierge desk
- Dining area
- Environmentally friendly
- Garden
- Honesty bar
- Kitchen
- Lobby
- Lounge
- Luggage room / storage
- Meditation garden
- Multilingual staff
- Picnic area
- Poolside bar
- Restaurant
- Smoke-free property
- Special menu request
- Terrace
- Yoga deck
- Yoga shala
- ATM / banking
- Baby sitting
- Child care
- Conference room
- Convenience / grocery store
- Currency exchange
- Dry cleaning
- Free parking
- Free Wi-Fi
- Ironing / ironing board
- Laundry
- Medical assistance
- Meeting room
- Newspapers
- Parking lot
- Tour assistance
You will be staying at the lovely Kololi Beach Resort surrounded by private gardens and a private beach that will give you plenty of relaxing time to practice yoga and very importantly to spend time with you. The resort is also home to cheeky monkeys & exotic birdlife.
Kololi Beach Resort presents its tropical holiday villas and apartments on the exotic Smiling Coast of Africa. Imagine staying at a calm and spacious retreat with subtle African touches, where you can enjoy a relaxing getaway with unequaled hospitality. Perfect to recharge, indulge or simply disconnect from today’s fast-paced world.
The resort offers all you need for the perfect getaway, or to take a break after a long or short workday. Inspired by nature, and surrounded by nature, the space gives you a warm soothing atmosphere. Cool, roomy, and nicely decorated, all accommodations provide a cozy home-away-from-home feel. Unwinding starts here with views of the well-maintained garden, the pristine ocean, or the spacious pool area. This tropical escape guarantees you a holiday that smiles back.
Resort facilities
Private beach:
- The deluxe apartments that you will be staying in are situated on the peaceful private beach.
- The resort boasts a large beach with access to the sea via a single staircase. You can find shade under the palm trees or local umbrellas.
- Beach and pool beds are provided free of charge for residents, as well as beach towels.
Pools:
- The main pool is situated just 30 meters from the resort’s beautiful beach. Ideal to soak up the sun and relax.
- The second pool is located by the deluxe apartments that you will be staying in.
Private gardens:
- Peaceful time for yoga, meditation, and relaxing.
- Home to many beautiful birds and monkeys.
Daytime activities
The resort offers many activities for all age groups throughout the day:
- Giant chess
- Water polo
- Table tennis
- Snooker
- Darts
- Beach football
- Beach volleyball
- Bowls
- Croquet
Program
The dream schedule
- 08:30 - 09:00 Tea and coffee
- 09:00 - 11:00 Yoga and meditation
- 11:00 Brunch
- 12:00 - 17:00 You time
- 17:00 - 18:00 Yin Yoga
- 18:30 Dinner
1 hour of yoga in the morning: Vinyasa (daily)
In this class, you’ll get sweat on, but also learn how to develop your yoga practice more in-depth than in your usual studio classes. To begin with, you will start your practice with breathing exercises to achieve 3-dimensional yogic breath, creating longer breathing cycles to help you achieve a more meditative state in your yoga practice.
Continuing with the physical practice of Alignment Vinyasa where you will be given clear, effective alignment cues allowing you to easily follow the class, building up your strength and ultimately your understanding of the yoga postures. You will learn and practice the major postures in a safe and controlled environment.
- Suitable for all levels of experience.
1 hour of evening Yin yoga and meditation (daily)
You will practice nurturing and restorative yoga sessions, beginning with gentle stretching postures that are practiced close to the mat and held for a longer time to open the joints and get deep into the body’s connective tissues. This is a more meditative form of yoga with a strong emphasis on breath awareness and stretching, creating a link between the mind and body.
The perfect complement to more dynamic ‘yang’ classes such as Vinyasa that will be practiced in the morning. You will complete your practice with guided meditation.
Goodie bag
You will be gifted a Wellness Goody bag upon arrival including gifts to support self-care, wellness, mindset, and overall well-being.
Included excursions
4-Wheel Drive Adventure
This is a full day excursion exploring south west Gambia near to the border of southern Senegal. We will visit a school and you will enjoy the cultural dancers at a village near the border. A boat ride on the Halahin river, which stands as the border line between Gambia and Senegal. We might spot some wild crocodiles and surely many colourful birds can be seen. We continue to Halahin Lodge for lunch after which there is time to relax and swim in the beautiful hidden gem / unspoiled / virgin beach called ‘Paradise Beach’.
Gambian home cooking experience
You will be given a chance to immerse yourself in the Gambian culture! Dress as a local, visit the colourful Tanji fishing market, buy fresh local ingredients, learn about local customs and games while preparing your meal and enjoy the flavoursome food.
The day starts with pick-up from your accommodation and transfer to our host Ida’s house. Here you will put on a traditional Gambian outfit. You will then head to the local market to buy the ingredients for the day, this is where the locals buy their groceries. Back at Ida’s house, you will prepare and cook a traditional Gambian meal. To fully bring out the flavours takes time which is spent talking and playing local games.
The meal is enjoyed in the garden setting with everyone tucking into the large platter of beautifully presented food. A typical dish often made is the Benachin, a popular and traditional ‘one-pot’ dish, originating from the Wolof ethnic group.
African Dance Class
Experience the vibrant energy and rhythm of African dance in this immersive workshop with a traditional Gambian family. Set in the serene environment of the family’s home in Tanji, you’ll have the opportunity to learn authentic dance moves from 4 different tribes.
During the one-hour session, the dancers will guide you through a series of steps that culminate in a choreographed performance. The workshop is designed to be both fun and is suitable for all levels.
To keep your energy up, Alina will provide a refreshing bottle of water and a local juice cocktail of ginger and bissap, packed with natural energy boosters.
Join Alina for a joyous celebration of movement, culture, and rhythm!
Instructors
Alina Jaber
Alina began her journey to yoga teaching with the year-long 200-hour Ashtanga-Vinyasa teacher training she completed with Jonathan Francis Thompson at Yoga London, in 2018. This, combined with her study in psychology, led her to find comfort in yoga by learning to live in the present moment with more patience and humility. She brings these teachings, and her background in traditional Ashtanga yoga, to inspire her students of all levels to experience therapeutic and mindful classes, whilst challenging each of them individually.
Retreat location
Why The Gambia
The Gambia, also known as The Smiling Coast of Africa, has unique features over many other holiday destinations. From Europe, it’s only a four to six hours flight with no jet lag.
The country is a popular, safe, and affordable all-year-round destination attracting tourists with its sunny climate, sandy beach coastline, rural African countryside, majestic river the Gambia, wildlife, stunning nature, and varied culture.
Unique features
Activities
- Cooking classes
- Swimming pool (outdoor)
- Table tennis
- Volleyball court
General
- Beach
- Garden
- Multilingual staff
Services
- Free Wi-Fi
- Parking lot
Food
You will be served two delicious meals per day: brunch and family feast dinner. Detox your body with carefully selected healthy and delicious meals, where you will be presented with a variety of cuisines ranging from traditional Gambian, West African, to Lebanese and Japanese varieties.
The following meals are included:
- Brunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Pescatarian
- Seafood
Things to do (optional)
Safari to Fathala, Senegal
Kuntah Kiteh Island visit
Bijilo Forest Park: A Nature Enthusiast’s Paradise
Kachikally Museum & Crocodile Pool
Serekunda Market Exploration
Horse Riding on Kololi Beach: A Breathtaking Experience
Spa treatments
Enjoy a full Reiki therapy session, which will last 1 hour. Reiki can help with stress, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and stored trauma in the body. As well as putting you into a deep state of relaxation.
What's included
- Airport transfer: A meet and greet shuttle will be arranged
- 7 nights accommodation
- 2 delicious meals per day
- Tea and coffee in the morning
- Daily yoga in the morning: Vinyasa
- Daily evening Yin yoga and meditation
- A full Reiki therapy session
- Goodie bag
- 4-wheel drive adventure
- Gambian home cooking experience
- African dance class
- African herbal workshop
- Kids stay for free
What's not included
- Flights
- Drinks
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Banjul International Airport
13 km
Transfer included
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Banjul International Airport (BJL). A meet and greet shuttle will be arranged.
European flights take on average 4 to 6 hours to reach Banjul International Airport (BJL) – the perfect escape for some winter sun. Another advantage is the same timezone / no jetlag.
Direct flights are available from London, UK. The current return price for a flight is approximately 559 GBP per person. Charter flights are available from TUI. Connecting flights from Spain and Portugal begin at 380 GBP per person. You are advised to book your flights early, as the prices do go up due to the peak season.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaRetreats.com. All major credit cards supported.