Gain in-depth skills in Hatha Yoga through the 200-hour yoga teacher training program by Yogagyani which will take place in Samothraki, Greece.
Yoga Retreats (3)
30 Day 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Mangalore, India
Available in January, February & March
from US$ 2,697
20 Day 200-Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training in Samothraki, Greece
August 1-20, 2025 | September 1-20, 2025
from US$ 3,236
6 Day Yoga and Meditation Retreat in Samothraki, Greece
Available in August
from US$ 884
Instructors (2)
Ritu Rai
3 Certificates
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Certified by School
Alpesh Yoga and Breathing
Certified by School
Himalayan Yoga Darshan
Certified by School
Himalayan Yoga Retreat
Ritu Rai is originally from India and she devoted herself to yoga when she was 10 years old. Ritu's classes focus on making you work on your body alignment and adjustment by practicing various yoga asanas and motivating you to integrate the practice of Hatha yoga into your daily routine. During her classes, expect to work hard and to leave refreshed, energized, and with a calm state of mind.
Julia Kefer
1 Certificate
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Certified by School
Yogagyani
Julia started her yoga practice in 2015, during her law studies. She suffered from lower back pain and the pain became so strong that even poses like savasana were painful. After a while, she quit lifting weights and focused fully on doing yoga instead to help reduce discomfort. She attended a 200-hour YTT with Ritu. Julia was seeking more knowledge, but what she got in Greece was so much more inspiration and wisdom. She is also certified in yoga for 50+ and works with cacao and the female energy to dive deeper within. She teaches individuals on their specific needs using a holistic approach.
Reviews (34)
Anonymous
from Germany, October 2024
"Messed organization"
Ritu has remarkable strength and flexibility
I got some really helpful techniques for awareness in meditation and initiating the movement into an asana
The kid is really lovely, a true sunshine. But childcare and teaching won’t work at the same time…
Kiriakos is a nice guy to hang out with and an amazing cook. He knows everything about the island
The island is nice and has rich nature
Petra Stenfors
from Finland, April 2023
"Close-to-nature surrounding and insightful teacher"
The training was a deep experience to yoga and the art of teaching yoga. Ritu is amazingly experienced in the practise and have gained so much knowledge through her own experience and studies in India. To me her teaching was a different approach to yoga which deepened my understanding.She is a heartful Person and I enjoyed this journey with her so much. Amazing surroundings by sea and mountain, peaceful and close to nature atmosphere which I loved. No city hazzle. Other teachers were great, Especially I enjoyed Raj’s anatomy. I was happy to have a chance to trek in the mountains in free time. Namaskara <3
Vasiliki Ntalakou
from Greece, January 2023
"Excellent experience "
Ritu is an inspiring and committed teacher with deep knowledge.
Luc De Chaisemartin
from France, November 2022
Ritu is an very knowledgeable teacher in many aspects and styles of Yoga. She will help and motivate you to improve your practice. She is very attentionate and will adapt to your level and needs. She also is a very nice and joyful person and a pleasure to practice and discuss with. The setting is also very nice by the sea, with the main archeological site (Sanctuary of Great Gods) at walking distance.
I had delicious food home-made by Ritu's husband from local products. Both were very friendly and gave me a lot of advice on activities, sites, and local products.
I definitely and strongly recommend Ritu's retreats for all yogi looking to improve their practice in a lovely setting.
Kathrin Hermanutz
from Germany, September 2022
"Magical experience on the isle of fertility "
The Yoga teacher training with Ritu on the beautiful isle of Samothraki was just magical. Ritu is the best teacher I could have imagined for. She has a lot of knowledge to share, corrects your poses, gives recommendations and a lot of information how to variate poses and of course about Yoga in general. She is very flexible, patient and adjusts the training to the needs of the group. Of course it is not always possible to focus on each individual necessity, however, Ritu always was driven to give her very best to all students and I definitely should have done a training with her way before as she really helps you to advance in Yoga. Also I am very glad to have met the other teachers Benu and Raj (online classes in Yoga philosophy and anatomy). Both of them are so engaged to teach their students and share as much of their knowledge as possible.
Furthermore I enjoyed the possibility of a real Greek cuisine offered by Ritus husband Kyriakos. He cooked lunch/dinner for us which was really nice and tasteful!
All in all, it were amazing three weeks. Not only have I learned a lot, it also gave a lot of new insights and perspectives that will energise and motivate me way longer than that.
Lea Eggenreich
from Austria, August 2022
"Excellent retreat on a lovely island"
I had such an amazing time with Ritu and Julia. The classes were very well structured and adjusted to the levels of the individual students they teach. Ritu and Julia are both very kind, funny and open minded human beings and always have time to answer questions about practice, different yoga stiles, yoga philosophy or life in general. The studio is also very nice and there is space for outdoor practice either at the studio or in the midst of nature. And the cherry on top of this awesome yoga Retreat was the beautiful and peaceful island Samothraki. I’d definitely recommend booking a retreat with Ritu!
Katia Mylona
from Belgium, August 2022
"Practicing yoga in beautiful nature with caring teacher."
The island of Samothraki is a beautiful place to stay and practice yoga in nature.
It is an enriching and relaxing experience.
I had the opportunity to follow two lessons with Ritu and then the group split up and I continued with Julia.Ritu is demanding in her practice but this is a good thing.She explains and gives a lot of background information about postures and yoga theory and practice and takes her job seriously.
Julia is a very good teacher.She was very attentive to my needs ,caring ,with a lot of empathy and made a tailor-made program for me with more demanding but also more relaxing exercises.
Thank you both!! Keep up the good work!
And I will try to practice what you taught me.
Accomodation was basic but clean.
Irene Georgakoudi
from United States, August 2022
"Perfect way to restore and recharge"
Ritu (with Julia’s great help) is an outstanding instructor and guide. The sessions built on flexibility and strength with an emphasis on breathing and proper alignment. The lessons could be followed easily by a beginner but were also fun and challenging for someone with an intermediate level of experience. The locations at the Samothraki village hotel and suites and at the outdoor location in Therma were great in terms of enabling connection with Samothraki’s amazing natural beauty. Ritu was incredibly helpful in terms of providing any sort of information needed about the island and building a sense of team and friendship among group members. After several incredibly stressful months, the yoga retreat in Samothraki was the perfect means to restore and find some much needed peace and balance. I am incredibly grateful to Ritu and Julia for the outstanding experience.
Michel Larsson
from Denmark, August 2022
"Nothing like it"
Amazing setting, people, teachers, island and so on. Very unique experience. Doing yoga in nature to the tune of the river and crickets, and the with the scent of fresh local oregano was incredible. Accommodation was fine considering the price of the retreat, but nothing special.
All in all, I can highly recommend doing this retreat.
Chrysi Laspidou
from Greece, August 2022
"An unforgettable experience"
The yoga was unbelievable. We were practicing in the forest among the trees and our instructors were the best I ever had! Ritu's fitness capabilities are superb (she is so flexible and has such a range of motion that you wonder if she has bones in her body)! She gave us personal attention and practiced with us every evening for hours. Practices were a challenge. No problem that I was a beginner--I managed to reach my max! Ritu was sweet and friendly and caring and analyzed the principles of yoga and meditation with her own unique way that goes beyond anything I had experienced before. I think her being from India and being raised with yoga was an important factor. Guest instructor Julia was superb as well. We often practiced yin yoga in the morning with her and it was fun and smooth and beautiful. She was always prepared with new props and new stories and made the class fun and mystical. Samothraki is a beautiful and unique island. It is so green and serene and has canyons, water falls, ponds, hot water springs, great people, excellent food and really excellent prices throughout. Best value for money for the place too!
Anonymous
from Great Britain, July 2022
"An amazing experience "
Samothraki is a really special place and Ritu and Julia were wonderful instructors.
It's not the easiest island to get too, but 100% worth the effort. It's easiest to go via alexandrapolis and taking a ferry to the island. Alexandrapolis is also a cool town to spend a day or so in.
Apparently the island has healing properties and I can understand why. Yoga was situated in an area in the forest, and practising in a natural environment was really special.
We practiced twice daily with a yin/flow in the morning and core ashtanga in the evening and lots of breathe work. Learning the fundamentals of the ashtanga practice was really useful and help me learn proper alignment in all the poses.
Between yoga you had free time in the day, so could pop to waterfalls, beach, cruises, etc.
Accommodation was basic, but clean and in Therma which is a cool little spot with shops, lots of restaurants and thermal bath - so was fine for the retreat.
Inge Decooman
from Belgium, May 2022
"Very professional yoga courses"
Ritu could give very good tips how to do different postures from a technical point of view. I learned a lot through the corrections of my postures and understood the basics of yoga that I always should keep in mind while practicing.
Lisa Kraft
from Germany, April 2022
"One of my best experiences!"
It was such a pleasure to be a student of Ritu. She is such a great educated yoga teacher and an even better person. I learned so much from her regarding the whole world of yoga (Asana, Pranayama, Meditation, Mantra chanting, etc.). With her I achieved that Yoga is and will be a part of my daily life. Ritu is also open to share her experiences and knowledge of life besides Yoga, too. Through our time she has not only become my very good yoga teacher, but also a good friend. I am so thankful for everything what she did for me and what I learned from her. Also the philosophy lessons with a teacher from India were very interesting for me and I learned also a lot from him and don't want to miss that. He has such a great knowledge and is willing to share that with Ritu's students.
The island Samothraki is so beautiful and I think everyone who is there and loves nature will immediately fall in love with that island. Also the people who I met there where so kind and completed my stay there.
So, if you would like to do a YTT do not hesitate to book a training with Ritu and get in touch with that amazing person, develop yourself and your yoga practice and get to know the beautiful island Samothraki.
It was definitely not the my last time at Samothraki and with Ritu :-)
Julia Kefer
from Austria, August 2020
"Incredible teaching for body, mind and soul"
Ritu comes from India and is practicing Yoga since she was a child. She is the most passionate and most disciplined Yogini I have ever seen. Through her empathy, her endless knowledge and practice experience, as well as teaching experience, is she the perfect Yoga teacher. Ritu became a friend for me these weeks and I miss her and the practice together already a lot. My philosophy teacher Benu and my anatomy teacher Raj, both from India via Online Class were also so passionate and full of skills and knowledge. The Training and information that I got, are holistic and are based on the original and ancient Yogabooks and Yoga philosophy. Besides the Yoga Training, is Alexandroupolis in Greece a wonderful and safe place to be. It has amazing beaches and food, as well as the people, are so open-hearted and friendly. Therefore was my stay also a wonderful holiday as well. I will come definitely back to Ritu and her friends, to continue learning and practicing with her. These weeks touched my body, mind, and soul and I will spread my amazing knowledge with the world. Thank you, Ritu for being so amazing and taking your job so seriously and professionally!. :) See you soon!
Christiane Raich
from Italy, August 2020
"I'm happy that I made the decision to live this experience "
Ritu, the teacher (a young, indian lady) is a very dedicated teacher. What I liked from the beginning, is her authentic approach to all what Yoga is. She lives it fully, but not in a completely or too strict way, in fact she finds a good balance between the yogic philosophy and the 'normal, actual society live'.
I think her specialty is the asana practice. In this field she is quite a perfectionist. She makes you work very hard and follow 1000 details, but at the end she brings you to make many improvements and to understand the why's and the how's.
Due to the Covid situation many people couldn't come so at the end I was alone (yes, I know, individual lessons are great - you get the maximum), but I was a bit upset, because I would have liked to spend some free time with other attendants and having some exchange. As this was impossible, Ritu presented me to her local friends, what I found very kind.
The philosophy classes were held from an Indian guru via Zoom. These hours did pass very quickly, as the teacher explained not only in an open, friendly, well structured and easy way, but also with lots of humor.
The offer I chose did not include an accommodation, so I rented an apartment. Unfortunately there were some technical problems, also the kitchen was not well equipped, so Ritu and her husband were so nice to support me.
Jp Sanpedro
from United States, June 2020
"More than a teacher training"
This training was a life changing experience for me! I found yoga 2 years ago after spending 15years as a trainer. I had developed bad habits, had horrible back issues and found myself emotionally a mess.
I started yoga and things started to get better. I felt I had finally found an approach I can help others with that was complete. Unlike training which was only the physical.
I knew I wanted to teach but I couldn’t find the right teacher. It’s funny because I’m in California and you would think it would be easy but I was looking for authenticity!
Fast forward.. pandemic, can’t leave my house and a late night search for teacher trainings.
I found Ritu and immediately started writing her. I couldn’t physically go to her but there was something about her which made me feel like I could do it through zoom.
It was the best decision of my life. I learned everything I wanted to learn and more. Ritu is extremely knowledgeable. She new how to guide me to help me find my yoga. The others teaches were also great and gave me the material in a way that helped me figure it out for myself.
That’s the beauty of it. It’s not specific. It’s traditional yoga which allows you to figure out what works for you. In that you learn how to teach others to fit them and not just a generic style.
I have gained a teacher, mentor and a friend in Ritu. I’m already teaching others and I feel more confident than ever in my ability to help anyone that comes my way.
Jelena Marjanović
from Germany, June 2020
"Great Experience"
Ritu is very caring and I always felt like I can trust her. I loved that she is flexible and sometime I had to move class to another time, and she was always helping out in these situations. In addition, we I liked variety of teachers, this improved my understanding of yoga.
I was getting individual classes so teacher was really able to correct me and help me advance!
Amelia Redgrift
from United States, September 2019
"Excellent yoga with wonderful people "
Ritu is an absolutely excellent teacher and has a really wonderful energy. She combines a patient and conscientious attitude with an informality that kept us fully engaged throughout the daily classes. She gave a lot of personal tuition which meant I saw my practice evolve a lot throughout the course of just one week. I continue to return to her advice in my group classes now. Ritu’s guidance on mediation and the philosophy of yoga was also incredibly helpful in our approach to class.
Ritu and Kyriakos are warm and generous hosts. They took good care of all their guests and arranged everything possible to help us experience the most of Samothraki.
The retreat was everything I hoped for—Samothraki is a special place and I would recommend this to anyone looking to experience an authentic version of Greek island life.
Karen Heilman
from Austria, August 2019
"Authentic yoga on wild and wonderful Samothraki island!"
Small group meditation/yoga classes with a truly dedicated and gifted instructor. Delicious vegetarian food prepared with ingredients fresh from the garden. Amazing location for nature lovers, well off the beaten track!
Effie Emmanouilidi
from Greece, August 2019
"Excellent lesson, bad accommodation "
Ritu is an excellent yoga teacher, with real interest to focus on each person's body and needs. Her lesson is very authentic, besides asanas she explains analytically about philosophy and theory of yoga. We started by singing some mantras, it was a beautiful way to start our practice.
Her studio is quiet and peaceful, in an excellent location, and her husband is growing a beautiful garden.
Anna Tauc
from Luxembourg, August 2019
"The perfect retreat to relax and be in nature"
It was an amazing yoga-retreat! Everything was just perfect, the yoga and especially the food! The accommodation is nicely located. Ritu and Kyriakos are both passionate about what they are doing and do everything so that their guests feel good. If you love nature and remoteness, then it’s the place to be.
Anonymous
from Netherlands, July 2019
"Back to basics physical and mental transformation "
Foundational hatha and vinyasa package customized to the user’s need, in a room or in nature. The location is no-frills because nature is the spectacle and purely magic. Immerse yourself in waterfalls, hot springs, the sea and the forest to experience a simpler life with a spiritual journey if you desire. Ritu is both caring and knowledgeable and allows her guests flexibility to shape their trip as needed. I returned transformed both physically healthier, balanced and mentally calm with my priorities refreshed.
Elena Lupu
from Greece, July 2019
"Special and Genuine"
First, Ritu is a very dedicated and knowledgeable yoga instructor. She is inspiring and encouraging, which is very important for a beginner practitioner like me. Due to her personal attention to me, I felt myself improving in confidence every day. In fact, Yoga has acquired new "colours" for me: Ritu has dedicated many hours to share her knowledge about why Yoga is an "instrument of manifesting the consciousness" and not merely physical exercise. She has the ability to verbally explain the poses, but also (very important and different than the other instructors I met) she carefully watches and corrects you during the whole process.
Second, the dinners cooked by her husband Kiriakos are so delicious and special. Not only he uses many vegetables from his own garden, but he also adds two very important "ingredients" in his food: dedication and conscious presence during the cooking process.
Third, Samothraki island is very unique and full of powerful energy deriving from nature (my personal opinion is that its uniqueness is more bout the waterfalls, springs, gorges and forest than about the beaches). Ritu and her husband arranged 1 day of hiking (the craziest 11 hours hiking adventure of my life) and half-day of sightseeing on the island.
Last but not least, I am grateful for the bright souls I met during this retreat: the other participant Monika, our guides Nikos and Giorgos, the owners of the bakery...
No words can describe my gratitude for that special week of my life.
Monika Anna Anton
from Great Britain, July 2019
"The perfect island get away! "
The warm welcome, excellent food, caring instruction and attention!
Gökmen Gemici
from Turkey, June 2019
"Perfect instructor located at a perfect place. "
Best instructor. Very kind and patiently explains everything you might ask for a complete Yoga experience. Best for beginners and advanced Yoga learners. Delicious Greek food. Untouched environment.
Keri Ratima
from New Zealand, September 2018
"An authentic teacher"
This is a person who has grown up immersed in her culture including yoga. The authenticity of learning from such a person is in stark contrast to other teachers who on reflection I feel yoga was more of a commercial business they had completed training in a discipline from another culture and I now question the validity of others teaching something so central to another’s culture.
Stefano Stracuzzi
from Italy, August 2018
"A great, unique experience..."
The retreat turned out to be an extremely interesting experience.
You can either love or hate the island of Samothraki, a paradise of wilderness still shy of touristy activity in the Northeastern part of the Aegean sea. The 2.5h ferry ride from Alexandroupoli is really worthwhile, judging from the unique benefits you can get from your visit to this special place.
Ritu and her husband also provide interesting excursions to the waterfalls, where you can truly be at one with nature. My best advice is that you be open minded towards the island's special flavor and interesting visitors, because you might probably gain a different point of view about life at the end of your stay.
Ritu is a very knowledgeable, friendly and charismatic teacher, who can truly introduce you to Yoga in a proper way, by offering something that is very far from the Western, commercialized fitness-like experience that most people look for.
Simply put, join Ritu's retreat and forget about Instagram's #yogashares and get to work seriously... that's how you can truly respect and appreciate the deepest meaning of Yoga. I'd say this is a unique opportunity to learn about India's purest traditional wisdom within Europe.
My best wishes to Ritu and Kyriakos for her great initiative.
Tamara Serikova
from United States, July 2018
"Unforgettable..."
- Priceless deep knowledges in yoga and meditatation;
- Yoga and meditation in different locations in the open air;
- Fantastic nature: amazing waterfalls, mountains, sunsets on the sea, hot springs;
- Flexible timing and guiding trough the beauties of the island;
- Extremely interesting communication;
- Spring drink water on the hole island;
- Delicious fresh food.
Deep gratitude to Ritu and Kiryakoss for an unforgettable time!!!
Katalin Hartman
from United States, July 2018
"This adventure can make the world a better place"
It was more than retreat; Ritu is a great yoga teacher with huge knowledge; and a kind person who is taking care of us not just on the classes; but in the free time too; exploring the wonders of Samothraki. I have got much more experience during these days; than i could ever expect. 😊
Nicola Lolli
from Italy, July 2018
"Transformation through Yoga in my favorite Greek island "
This yoga retreat has been an incredible experience for me and I feel completely regenerated. Ritu teaches Gyana Yoga, which translates into “knowledge path”. She is the most passionate yoga teacher that I have ever met. The teaching was comprehensive of meditation and breathing exercises and on one day we had Vipassana.
I had a fantastic time with Ritu and her husband Kiryakoss, who cooked the most amazing organic food, with recipes from Greece and India.
The accommodation was just amazing. The room was very comfortable and had access to an idyllic garten full of fruit trees, in front of the majestic Mount Fengari. The house itself is a 10 minutes walk to the beach and 15 minutes to the waterfalls and to the center of Therma. In Therma you have plenty of Tavernas, Cafeterias and of course the hot springs, which are free of charge. Your body and soul will regenerate in this untouched paradise.
Ritu and her husband are the most hospitable and generous persons and I really felt like being part of their family.
I was able to learn a lot in this week. Ritu helped me to find the power to improve day by day through her constant attention and knowledge of every pose of yoga. She is a very spiritual person and loves what she does. She can transmit the determination to fight against the limits of the body. I benefitted from this week in the form of a stronger sense of balance, more energy and more happiness.