Yoga and Hiking Retreat
with Marija
7 nights - 8 days
27 May- 03 June  2023

We are happy to invite you for a relaxing and rejuvenating week of yoga and hiking in the picturesque Göcek Bey, dotted with countless unspoiled islands, luscious with pine and olive trees. Take a dive into the crystal clear waters and swim with sea turtles.
Take the opportunity to explore the archeological ruins scattered around the islands with Marija - your resident archaeologist and yoga teacher.
Share a cup of tea and a good story with some of the very few locals still living on the islands. 
We’ll spend seven days gliding through the turquoise waters, breathing in the smell of the sea and pine trees, and enjoying the benefits of daily yoga practice.

ABOUT THE RETREAT

We start and finish our days with an hour long yoga practice on the sunny deck of our boat. 

The morning classes are hatha yoga classes, with focus on proper alignment and always taught with a specific topic in mind (e.g. backbending, breath awareness, balancing, etc.) Each class will be organized as a small workshop designed to deepen your understanding of different aspects of asana practice. The classes are suitable both for experienced practitioners and for beginners - the former will develop their practice further and discover new ways in which they can approach it, while the latter will have the opportunity to learn the basics and have a kick start on their yogic journey.

In the afternoon classes we have a more gentle restorative practice followed by a half hour long guided meditation. Although yoga postures are taught in these classes as well, the focus is on the breath, conscious movement, deep relaxation (yoga nidra - yogic sleep) and meditation.

DAILY LIFE ON BOARD

After the morning yoga and a delicious traditional Turkish breakfast, we set sails for the next exciting undiscovered bay, where you can swim, snorkel, paddle a canoe boat, or just savor the sun and the view until lunch time. After lunch, we move to a new place, where we will go for a two – three hours long hike, exploring archaeological ruins, visiting a local family, or taking in unspoiled nature. The hikes will usually lead to the top of an island, providing us with a great spot to admire the colors of the sunsets and the surrounding nature. Depending on the terrain and weather conditions, we might decide to have the evening yoga or meditation class on land.

In the evenings, we enjoy yet another freshly prepared meal on our boat under the stars. 

ALL the offered activities are optional. If at any moment you feel like skipping a class or a hike, you are absolutely free to do it. 
​PRICE 

Shared double cabin - 1100 EUR
Single occupancy - 1560 EUR
​INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
  • All yoga and meditation classes
  • Accommodation
  • Three meals per day
  • All port fees and taxes

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
  • Drinks on board
  • Activities off the boat (paragliding, water skiing, etc.)
  • Entrance fees to archeological sites
PLACES OF INTEREST

Apart from some of the clearest waters that you will find in the Mediterranean, sea turtles and dolphins that we will be seeing on the way, and the unspoiled nature all around us, these are some of the places of interest that we will visit on our hikes:

  • St. Nicholas Island – apart from its scattered Byzantine ruins, it also features a somewhat flattened top – the perfect spot for our evening yoga and meditation practice
  • Kayaköy – a ghost town which until the 1960s was populated by Greeks. The area is now alive with plenty of artistic workshops and small cafes.
  • Ancient Lycian rock carved tombs
  • We will have a chance to visit the only inhabitant of KapıdağıPeninsula, share a cup of tea and a cup conversation with him, and explore the ancient ruins in his backyard
  • Half-sunken remains of a Roman Bath, popularly known as Cleopatra’s Bath – wonderful introduction to underwater archaeology
  • Ağa limani Peninsula, with its wealth of archaeological ruins from Lycian, Roman, and Ottoman period. We’ll visit one of the very few nomadic families still living here. 
  • Many other hidden peaks and coves, which are so small and obscure that they don’t even have an official name, but they will still blow you away with their beauty
ABOUT MARIJA

Born in Serbia, Marija Drezgic studied English Language and Literature at the University of Novi Sad, Serbia after which she obtained a master's degree in Archaeology from Koç University in Istanbul. The focus of her research was on the diverse religious beliefs and practices of the ancient world. For her master's thesis, she studied occult practices of the the Late Roman Empire. She spent three years in Turkey, studying archaeology and working as an English teacher. After obtaining her degree, she went further east. She spent close to two years in Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka studying yoga and meditation, giving yoga classes, working for an adventure company and travelling around familiarizing herself with the fascinating cultures of the South Asia. She can communicate fluently in five modern languages and has good knowledge of Latin.

Maria began her Yoga practice while attending University, and was inspired to continue and deepen her learning journey.  She studied yoga and meditation from gifted teachers form Serbia, Turkey, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka and the USA. She completed her teacher training with the Indian Association for Yoga and Meditation in Rishikesh, India, after which she started giving yoga classes in India and Nepal. Apart from regular daily classes, Maria has lead several retreats and numerous workshops across Europe.

Hatha Yoga is Maria’s area of focus with an alignment-based teaching style. From her own experience as a practitioner, she came to realize that without proper alignment and without proper understanding of functional anatomy and movement processes, one can access only a small portion of the endless benefits available in the yoga asana practice. Maria is a self-proclaimed “anatomy geek” and emphasizes the importance of understanding the reasoning behind the specifics of the postures.  She appreciates the art and skill of adjusting students.

Apart from teaching yoga postures, Maria consistently incorporates meditation into her classes, whether as a separate practice at the end of the class, or by guiding students to approach their asanas with a meditative state of mind while being mindful of the breath. She endeavors to assist every practitioner in understanding that the key difference between bending forward to tie your shoe laces and doing Uttanasana is found in the meditative, breath-focused mind.

“My moto in class (and in life) is play with it: play with your stretch, play with your muscles, your balance, your mind, your ego. Just play with it and see where it takes you”.  –M.D.