8 Day Yoga and Horse Riding Holiday in Peneda Geres National Park, Portugal
Portugal Yoga and Horse Riding Holiday
A retreat to open your heart and soul and enjoy the adventurer's true connection rider / horse with delight and relaxation. Yoga for riders allows the rider to better understand and control their body to better positively influence the horse, improve their horse riding technique, and achieve that special moment of syntony between the two. The perfect combination for riders who are in love with yoga and nature.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Six days of yoga and riding
- Up to three yoga classes per day
- Guided pranayama and meditation sessions
- Mindful equine exercises with horses
- Rides along the magnificent scenery of the national park
- 7 nights accommodation
- Transfers to and from the airport
- Daily meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
Accommodation
Facilities
- Dining area
- Fireplace
- Garden
- Kitchen
- Terrace
- Yoga studio
- Free bicycle
- Free Wi-Fi
- Meeting room
Ecotura Country House is a traditional mountain house, built in the early 20th century and recently restored. Although in essence maintaining the original features, the Ecotura Country House is equipped with all modern comforts that enable visitors pleasant moments of leisure. Located in the historic village of Castro Laboreiro in the Peneda-Gerês National Park, this house is surrounded by the purest nature that you can find in Portugal.
Ideal for a retreat and rest from the stress of the city, it allows you to enjoy the fully-deserved holiday with family. It is still the premier venue for your adventures on the mountain. Once lodged in Ecotura Country House, you can take advantage of special prices for all outdoor activities in Ecotura. The house is equipped with central heating, a fireplace, free Wi-Fi, and a fully equipped kitchen. Extra bed is available only for children up to 15 years.
Program
A retreat to strengthen your partnership with your horse and discover a connection between yoga and horse riding. Create flexibility and balance, become aware of your body and practice yoga for riders focused on the necessities of those who like to ride and wish to do it in harmony with the horse. All of these are combined with fun horseback riding trails and walking tours surrounded by the breathtaking nature of the Peneda Gereês National Park.
Itinerary
Day 1 (Saturday)
- Transfers from the airport to the village of Castro Laboreiro
- Welcome Dinner in Ecotura Nature Resort
Day 2 (Sunday)
- 08:00 Optional Pranayama (breathing exercises) and Meditation
- 08:15 Yoga to awaken the body and improve your riding
- 09:15 Breakfast
- 10:15 Yoga with Horses Clinic focuses on building trust between the horse and the rider. Contains breathing exercises, exercises to achieve union with the horses and horseback yoga
- 13:30 Lunch
- 14:45 A visit to the reception center of the National Park for better knowledge about the region and the biodiversity of this natural area
- 18:15 Yoga session to stretch and restore
- 19:00 Free time
- 20:30 Dinner in Ecotura Nature Resort
Day 3 and 4 (Monday and Tuesday)
- 08:00 Optional pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation
- 08:15 Yoga to awaken the body and improve your riding
- 09:15 Breakfast
- 10:15 Yoga with Horses Clinic focuses on building trust between the horse and the rider. Contains breathing exercises, exercises to achieve union with the horses and horseback yoga
- 13:30 Lunch
- 14:45 Afternoon ride
- 18:15 Yoga session to stretch and restore
- 19:00 Free time
- 20:30 Dinner in Ecotura Nature Resort
Day 5 (Wednesday)
- 08:15 Yoga to awaken the body and improve your riding
- 09:15 Breakfast
- 10:15 Nature walking and meditation
- 13:30 Picnic near the river
- 14:30 Free afternoon
- 20:30 Dinner in Ecotura Nature Resort
- Day 6 (Thursday)
- 08:00 Optional pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation
- 08:15 Yoga to wake the body and improve your riding
- 09:15 Breakfast
- 10:15 Yoga with Horses Clinic focuses on building trust between the horse and the rider. Contains breathing exercises, exercises to achieve union with the horses and horseback yoga
- 13:30 Lunch as picnic
- 14:45 Afternoon ride for tracking and follow a wild Garrano horses herd
- 18:15 Yoga session to stretch and restore
- 19:00 Free time
- 20:30 Dinner in Ecotura Nature Resort
Day 7 (Friday)
- 08:15 - 08:15 Yoga to awaken the body and improve your riding
- 09:15 Breakfast
- 10:15 Ride towards the fabulous Valley of the Wolves. This last ride of the week takes you in the direction of one of the most beautiful valleys of the mountain. Full of biodiversity, this area is rich in rare sightings of wild animals. Last but not least, in this valley you can spot the best wild herds of Garrano horses of all region
- Lunch in the mountain
- 18:15 Restorative yoga
- 19:00 Free time
- 20:30 Dinner at Ecotura Nature Resort
Day 8 (Saturday)
- Transfer to the airport
Included excursions
1 visit to the reception center of the National Park for better knowledge about the region and the biodiversity of this natural area.
Instructors
Anabela Moedas
Anabela is your host. She a journalist and a yoga teacher with a passion for yoga, well-being, nutrition, environment, nature conservation, botany and horses. About 20 years ago she fell in love with Peneda Gerês and decided to create Ecotura which provides nature holidays and retreats with yoga, hiking, running and horseback riding in the Peneda Gerês National Park. Anabela is also a certified yoga teacher with advanced certifications in Vinyasa, Yoga for athletes, meditation and mindfulness and nutrition.
Retreat location
The holiday will take place in Melgaço, Norte Region, Portugal. The Peneda-Gerês National Park is about 70,000 hectares of protected area positioned at the border of Portugal and Spain, adjoining the park of Xurês in neighboring Spain. Located in a mountainous region with the altitude differing between 700 meters and 1,500 meters. It has varied habitats, which include dense oak forests and high granite mountain landscapes. This national park is home to the two most endangered species of mammals, the Iberian wolf and the wild horses, namely from the race called Garrana.
Close to the northern border between Portugal and Spain lies the Peneda-Geres National Park, a region of varied habitats that range from high granite mountain landscapes to dense oak forests. Not only is this a beautiful natural landscape, but it is also the territory of a large predator, the magical Iberian wolf, a species that the hosts here have studied closely for several years. In addition to the wolf, the wild Garrano horse also roams this area freely. The rides often pass herds of these horses, which is a wonderful sight to behold.
They are in the origin of the Mustang horse. Some of the riding horses used are also from the Garrano breed (the others used being Lusitanos, another Portuguese breed). The riding takes you through the oak woods and groves of birch, a natural shelter for roe deer and wild boar, as well as patches of chestnut and holly trees, which are inhabited by squirrels. Jays and orioles rest along the cliffs, where you might also catch a glimpse of an eagle and some rare species of crow.
Food
Anabela believes that “we are what we eat,” so the meals are an important part of the programs. Delicious and healthy vegetarian-friendly meals are prepared according to the Mediterranean diet. All the meals are made with fresh and organic ingredients and seasonal vegetables. Most of the vegetables are produced in your biologic vegetable garden. Please let Ecotura know before if you have any special dietary requirements or allergies that they should be aware of and should cater for.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Lactose Free
What's included
- 5 morning yoga for riders classes
- Meditation by the river
- 4 yoga clinics with horses
- 5 evening yoga classes to stretch and restore
- 4 horse rides trails
- 1 nature walk
- 1 visit to the reception center of the National Park
- Certified, experienced local guides / instructors
- 7 nights at Ecotura Nature Resort
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day (gluten-free, dairy-free, or other dietary requirements available upon request)
- Coffee, tea and fruits are always available in the kitchen
- Wine included with meals
- Transfers to / from Porto airport
- Transfers to / from all activities
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airplane tickets
- Personal expenses
- what does not include
- Drinks or snacks outside meals
- Items of a private nature
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport
96 km
Transfer included
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 14 days before arrival.
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