This retreat is a great opportunity to get away from the routines and grind of daily living, thus enabling you to take the time necessary to look and feel closely into your life and how you'd like it to be! Sometimes we can all let a little too much time pass without genuinely taking the time to ask ourselves and contemplate questions like 'What do I want', 'Am I really happy?', 'Am I living the most fulfilled life possible?'.
Use this time away to relax, unwind, meet new people, eat healthy prepared food and maybe even take a short break from your phone and social media:)

Daily Yoga sessions will be a combination of very uplifting, somewhat challenging, fun, inspiring and educational (think workshops) morning classes, with a more mindful, meditative, yin and restorative approach for the afternoon classes, cultivating a more calm and relaxed body and mind. 

All levels are welcome!

These classes will be created with the intention and purpose of taking the time necessary to care deeply for our bodies and minds. We will build strength where needed, add flexibility and mobility in those typical tight areas, work on our balance and stability, improve our breathing and overall energy, reduce stress and tension, while having plenty of moments to contemplate the current state of your life as it is and how maybe you could start making some specific choices that will take you in a more purposeful and self directed place in your life.

After 5 amazing years offering this retreat with the Chirriposa gang, I can guarantee you a great time and experience in this very special place in the world, where preserving land and nature is a top priority and you can see it and feel it clearly while there! Come join us for year #6!

With respect and gratitude, Robert

The ‘Osa Peninsula’ is located at the most southern tip of Costa Rica, close to the Panama border, and at the entrance to the ‘Corcovado National Park’. The Osa Peninsula is home to the largest concentration of animal and plant species outside of the Amazon Rainforest, boasting nearly 2 percent of all species. It is listed in National Geographic’s top five naturist destinations.

Our partner lodge Boca Sombrero is situated on a beautiful semi private beach and a large open property with spacious grounds. The beach resort offers fantastic yoga and spa facilities, as well as having its own surf school right out front.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Accommodations range from a mixture of deluxe family style palm thatched beach bungalows with en-suite bathrooms to single or double occupancy palm thatched yurt tent platforms with private shower, wash basin and shared bathrooms. The main 'Casa Grande' has a large communal dining space and open kitchen, with chill out sofa area and wireless internet facility (upstairs only).

YOGA

The beachfront yoga deck is a bamboo and hardwood structure with palm thatched roof. It is spacious and complete with blocks, mats, straps and tennis balls! There is also a communal full size swimming pool with spa, boutique and bodywork facilities.

SURFING

Their is a private surf break right in front of the accommodation which is run by experienced surf instructors. This friendly break is enjoyable for all levels of surfer, with a flat clay bottom and long rolling waves. If you don't feel like getting wet, then just sit back and relax on the huge 'surf-bench' to watch your colleagues on the waves, with incredible views across the gulf towards Panama. More experienced surfers might want to take a short ride down to more challenging breaks such as Pan Dulce, Backwash and Matapalo.

FOOD

Angus Stephens will accompany you throughout your adventure as your host and personal chef. Indulge in healthy, inspiring, delicious dishes, incorporating a wide selection of organic and locally sourced ingredients.  Angus will provide a culinary experience that will nourish, satisfy and make your Costa Rica yoga retreat as perfect as nature intended.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES, SERVICES and EXCURSIONS

During your stay, enjoy activities such as surfing, SUP, kayaking, river and nature walks, horseback riding, bird watching, tree climbing, waterfall repelling, zip-lining or dolphin boat tours in some of the most beautiful locations imaginable. 
Other services include various forms of bodywork and spa treatments.

02-07 FEBRUARY 2019
5 nights mountain accommodation with all meals and transport from Osa and to San Jose
(Limited availability on a first come first served basis. Superior suites and cabins available for an additional price supplement)

THE CHIRRIPO MOUNTAIN is the highest peak in Costa Rica at 3800 meters (12,500 feet). It is located in the ‘San Isidro’ valley and forms part of the Chirripo National Park. Our mountain retreat is situated below the park on the ‘Chirripo’ and ’Talari’ Rivers at an altitude of around 1500 meters (5000 feet) near the small village of ‘Canáan de Rivas’.

"I recently returned from the 2018 yoga retreat with Rob at Boca Sombrero in Costa Rica.  I live on Martha’s Vineyard and I am lucky to count Rob as a friend and regular yoga instructor.  Having been a retreat rookie and relatively new to the yoga scene, I wasn’t sure what I had signed up for when Rob enticed me to join the group.  He casually mentioned daily yoga, good food, and beautiful retreat.  All of these things were delivered supremely, notably the food from Angus and the sprawling resort - a campus that has enough space for everyone to gather and yet disperse and find peace and quiet.  The experience the week gave me was something he couldn’t have captured because it was so intimately mine and so importantly special.  Spending time alone without the restraint of time or chores waiting for me was immeasurably valuable to truly disconnect.  I made awesome, hilarious, and special new friends in a unique situation and setting; all solid people whom Rob has gathered and attracted through his yoga practice.  I think everyone who chooses to go on retreats does so for different reasons.  I’m not sure I even had one solid reason of going, other than to see what it was all about.  Reflecting back, I am still discovering reasons why I am so appreciative of the experience it gave me.  And oh yeah… the yoga was fun, too!"  Becky Bonds

PASSPORT: 

Please remember to bring your passport and make sure your it is valid for at least 3 months from time of travel, otherwise the Costa Rican immigration may refuse you entry into the country.

ON ARRIVAL:

The airport in San Jose is relatively new, modern and very easy to use. Once you clear immigration, just proceed to baggage claim and then pass through the x-ray machines at customs. As you exit the airport building, take an official ORANGE airport taxi to the 'Hotel Aloft’ in Santa Ana, which is about 20 minutes from the airport and will cost you about $20.

HOTEL ALOFT (arrival day/ night in San José)

Hotel address: Forum 2 Business Park, Lindora, Radial a Santa Ana, San Jose,

Phone: (506) 2205 3535

Check in at the hotel is normally after 2:00pm. If you have an early arrival, the hotel will try to get you into your room as early as possible or will give you a place to store your bags and to freshen up, until your room is ready. There is a pool to hang out and relax by on the rooftop, the Internet is free of charge and there are restaurants inside and in the vicinity of the hotel.For those of you who will arrive in time, we will meet in the hotel lobby at 6:30 PM and walk together to a nearby restaurant for dinner (not included in the retreat price).

WEATHER:

IN THE CITY 

San José City lies in the Torrid Zone, also known as “The Tropics” and is surrounded by a tropical rainforest. However its elevation gives it a mild climate. The temperature ranges between 63°F and 86°F = 17°C - 30°C.

AT THE BEACHOn the Osa Peninsula temperatures seldom drop below 73°F / 23°C at night and may exceed 91°F / 33°C during the day, combined with a very high humidity (60 - 100%)

.IN THE MOUNTAINSWe do occasionally get some cloudy afternoons and some rain showers, but overall the climate is very pleasant and the mornings are always sunny and beautiful!The temperature can go up to 86 °F/ 30°C during the daytime and drops to 41 / 59 °F = 5°C - 15°C at night.

LUGGAGE:

Please make sure you don’t travel with large suitcases. We have limited space in the private bus and the domestic airline only allows suitcases with a maximum checked weight of 30 lbs and 10 lbs carry on. Excess weight is charged at only $1 per lb overweight, but is subject to available space.

WHAT TO WEAR:

For the mountains you should have a warm sweatshirt / jumper / fleece jacket, a thicker vest-jacket some warm socks and a cotton scarf. Also a pair of long comfortable pants and a long sleeve T-shirt is nice to wear for the cool evenings mornings before the sun comes up behind the mountains. Apart from that, pack light and comfortable clothes for hot and sunny days.For those of you who want to go surfing, bring a suitable sportive bathing suit or trunks and a rash guard shirt, it protects you from the sun (only if you have one, a normal t-shirt does the job as well). 

SHOES:

A pair of light training shoes is highly recommended. They are perfect for hiking in the mountains and for the river hike in the jungle. They will get wet but they’ll dry in a minute in the hot sun. Bring some ankle socks too. Flip Flops and/or trekking sandals are great for the beach and if you have water shoes you should bring them too. No high heels or fancy sandals needed.

WATER:

You don’t have to be worried about cleaning your teeth with water from the tap in San Jose (unlike in Peru or Mexico for example). We make our juices and ice cubes with filtered water, both lodges offer good filtered water from their spring or well. It makes sense to bring your own water bottle and fill it with the filtered water for your daily use. 

PHONE & INTERNET:

At our beach lodge you have good phone connection directly on the beach. The WIFI is VERY slow and only available very sporadically, on the whole Peninsula. Please do not expect to be online or sending and receiving large files. Phone reception in the mountains is good, however we have free Wifi in the main house and it works very well.

FLASH LIGHT:

As we are so close to the equator, it gets dark at around 6 PM, throughout the year. A good flashlight is one of the most important items for this trip! Make sure that you have one with you including the correct batteries (you can get triple A batteries almost everywhere in Costa Rica). Most ideal would be a headlamp, in order to have both your hands free. 

BUGS:

Please bring a good insect repellent with you (or you can also buy them here.) You might also like to wear light long pants and a light long sleeve t-shirt in the evenings. Most mosquito bites happen during sunset/sunrise or in shady places in the rainforest.All beds at the hotel on the beach are equipped with mosquito nets. Mosquito nets in the mountains are not necessary, as we hardly have any mosquitoes up there. We do have black flies which might bite you in the daytime, so remember to spray your ankles before going on hikes.

ZIKA:

The Chirrpó Mountains and the Osa Peninsula are both Zika free! However, you should consult your doctor about your travel plans if you are pregnant.  

More info: http://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/costa-rica-mosquitoes-prevent-zika-dengue/

SUN:

The sun is very intense in Costa Rica as we are very close to the equator. We recommend avoiding sunbathing from 11AM – 02 PM. Please bring a good waterproof sunscreen with 30 SPF and higher.A hat or a cap / visor is also advisable to protect you from the sun and to avoid sunstroke.Please also don’t forget your sunglasses. Also great to have is a ‘hand’ fan.

SHEETS AND TOWELS:

Your cabins at both lodges have fresh sheets and towels. The mountain lodge has down comforters and warm blankets too. There are also pool towels provided by the hotels, however, they should not be removed from the property and should be used more then one time. Sarongs or Pareos are highly recommended for use at the beach and on excursions. It is the perfect item, as it keeps the sand from your skin, it dries in a minute, it’s light to carry and you can even wear it as a skirt, dress, scarf or stole.

MONEY:

DO NOT EXCHANGE MONEY AT THE AIRPORT very bad rates! The currency in Costa Rica is called Colones.1000 Colones equals 1.70 USD.  1 US Dollar equals 600 ColonesUS Dollars are the best currency to travel with and are accepted almost everywhere. Best to only bring $20 notes or smaller as a lot of places won't accept larger notes. You will normally be given change in Colones. There are also ATM machines in town that give you USD or Colones. You can pay us directly for any optional tours or activities and bodywork together at the end of the week either with cash or by Paypal (+5% fee)

SECURITY:

At the beach, the houses are ‘open planned’ (no walls or lockable doors). However, there is a master safe in the main house, where it is advisable that you always lock away your passports, money and valuables, which you will not need during your stay. There is a security watchmen patrolling the property during yoga, dinner and throughout the night. Most opportunist theft can be avoided by not leaving things of value in sight, especially when at the beach! We also recommend not travelling with unnecessary items of value, such as jewellery, watches, excess currency and laptops / tablets.Chirriposa and the lodges will not take responsibility for any lost or stolen items.

CAMERAS:

Don’t forget your camera… and if you have binoculars then bring them too, it’s worth it!It might also be a good idea to bring a USB stick as Tania always takes a lot of photos during the retreat, that way you can take them home with you.

MEDICAL:

We insist that you purchase a private travel insurance, that includes a good medical emergency cover. We recommend you bring the ‘usual’ medicines such as Neosporin cream, Advil, band aids, etc.You do not need any Malaria tablets or vaccinations for either of the areas we travel to in Costa Rica.  Please inform us if you have any allergic reactions to food or insect bites. If you do, please bring an antihistamine or any other medication you may need.Very useful are creams for bug bites such as:

• Ibuprofen Gel, for pain and swelling from insect stings, and is an excellent anti-inflammatory with quick onset. 
• Hydrocortisone cream 1% helps both itching and swelling/redness. It actually acts as an anti-inflammatory, not just symptomatic relief like the topical anaesthetics. However, it does take longer for full effect than topical anaesthetics. 
• Xylocaine Gel 2% for immediate relief from surface itching and pain. 

LAUNDRY:

There will be laundry services available both at the beach and in the mountains for a small charge. Please note that, at the beach, there are no dryers, so you should allow for at least 24 hours to get your laundry back.

YOGA EQUIPMENT:

Both lodges provide yoga mats, blocks, straps, blankets and bolsters.