Yoga in the Yucatan

Acanceh, Yucatan, Mexico

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Nicole and Madeleine
  • Email address verified
Oct 7 - 11, 2020
Group size: 1 - 15
Yoga in the Yucatan
Acanceh, Yucatan, Mexico

Nicole and Madeleine
  • Email address verified

Oct 7 - 11, 2020
Group size: 1 - 15

About this trip

Yoga in the Yucatan with Madeleine and Nicole! 


Enjoy an extended Indigenous Peoples' Day (or Columbus Day) weekend with us at an award-winning, breathtaking property in the Yucatan.  We will spend a relaxing five days and four nights practicing yoga, immersing ourselves in the contemporary and ancient Maya culture, eating delicious food and swimming in cenotes-- freshwater pools in limestone deposits--and also in the two on-site pools. There is also a regulation bocce court on the grounds, four bicycles, volleyball, badminton, croquet, soccer, basketball, water volleyball and glow in the dark frisbee.   Each day will begin with a yoga practice in the morning and after spending the day either basking or reveling--as you so choose--we will offer another yoga practice in the early evening before we eat an exquisite dinner together. This is a wonderful chance to enjoy your practice outside of the studio while relaxing, laughing and exploring a part of Mexico that is off the beaten path.  No Spanish-speaking skills required, Madeleine puede hablar para nosotros.  


About the Yoga-

All-level, mindful yoga classes designed to move the body and connect with the breath.  Classes will be held outside on the gorgeous grounds of Hacienda Sac Chich or inside the Architectural Digest-esque living room of Casa Sisal. 


About the Teachers-

Nicole is a 500hr Yoga Teacher and Yoga Teacher Trainer for YogaWorks in NYC. She specializes in fusing a sense of playfulness and humor into the practice. Inspired by a variety of yoga schools and movement modalities, she culls techniques from an array of methods to create an experience that is rooted in yoga but universally relevant. Her wish is for students to discover that there is no one way, but many ways— and for them to cultivate the autonomy necessary to discover what works for them.


Madeleine has wandered through many different studios and styles with various goals: healing (body and blues), quieting (mind and voice), sweating (profusely or barely at all), seeking (inspiration and insight), and strengthening (tools and wherewithal.) As a teacher, her goal is to guide each student through their own unique journey, both physical and peaceful. YogaWorks 200hr Certified and currently working towards her YogaWorks 300hr Certification, Madeleine aims to teach alignment based, well-rounded/smartly-sequenced classes that begin and end with the breath and teach you about what feels best in your body.  Like Nicole, she too tries to bring playfulness, humor and a sense of levity to her classes.  


About Hacienda Sac Chich- 

Just 30 minutes from the colonial capital city of Merida, the Hacienda is located in the 100 person puebla called Sac Chich, or Mayan for White Bird. You first spot the 85 ft. chimney so typical of 19th century haciendas when you turn onto the long driveway, but the grandeur of the property is obscured by the lushness of the bamboo and palm tree jungles.  There are two parts of the property; Casa de Maquinas and Casa Sisal are joined by a Great Lawn the size of two American football fields. 


Surrounded by palm-filled gardens, the three limestone buildings that make up Casa de Maquinas date to 1850 and you can see evidence of its previous utilitarian life. House of Machines was a working hacienda and iron wheels and massive beams are remnants of its past. Before you walk through the picturesque arch in the old wall (the backdrop to many wedding ceremonies), there is an open-air living room and dining pavilion called the Loggia.   From the loggia we can climb an enclosed spiral staircase to a rooftop lounge and star-viewing platform. Here we can watch the moon, stars, sunset, an approaching storm or enjoy the night breeze, we may even host a class up here in the evening.  


Casa de Maquinas' updated luxury would not be complete without a 40-foot freshwater pool to take refuge from the heat of the Yucatan. Shaded with a steel and bamboo pergola, there is a hammock suspended above the shallow end for daydreaming and relaxation. Beyond the pool, in a hidden garden you find the regulation size bocce court. For ultimate privacy from the small puebla, the entire hacienda is framed by dry stacked stonewalls, tall hedges of fica and walls creatively designed with metal cages filled with local limestone. The grounds are filled with exotic rare palms, bamboos, gingers, tropical plants and fruit trees. The hacienda restoration has been a project of the renowned Mexican architect Salvador Reyes Rios and his partner and wife Josefina Larrain. Most of the furniture throughout is designed by Salvador and fabricated locally. This property won an International Architectural Award. 


Cross the Great Lawn at night and your way will be lit by magnificent fireflies called Bicellonycha or the split clawed beauties and also two rows of dramatically lit Royal Palms that seem to be suspended in space leading your gaze to the bright white, magnificent and contemporary Casa Sisal.  There is also a pool here because one never wants to be without the option of a dunk in the Yucatan. 


Check out this blogger's enthusiasm for the property! 


And certainly check out the website to Hacienda Sac Chich as well!


About Your Daytime Options-

We want your trip to be as relaxing or as adventurous as you need! We will give you a plethora of options so you may truly Choose-Your-Own-Adventure. 

Your menu of options will include  info for local travel guides, more cenote excursions, guided tours of Mayan ruins, a drive to Izamal (the Golden City), Mayan steam rituals, cooking classes, shopping, beach trips, hikes, and of course NOT leaving the property abounds with options too!  Rumor has it that guests to Hacienda Sac Chich oftentimes cancel all their plans and just sit back and relax all day!  With two pools, a bocce court, an in-house massage therapist (Nicole!) and your good book, who can blame ya?


About Our Cenote Adventure-

We will, however, include one of the most exciting parts of the Yucatan as a part of our itinerary-- exploring the cenotes! These limestone formations filled with freshwater are famous across the world.  We will drive past the town of Eknakan to find our guide and our guide's donkey to take us to four very unique, very hidden cenotes! Some cenotes are accessed from land level, and some you descend into via a ladder. Jumping into the clear blue water is truly transformative. 


About Our Evenings-

After evening yoga we will have unique dinners planned for our group. A few will be cooked by the chef and property manager, Lisa Choi who used to be the chef at Woodstock, NY's gorgeous farm-to-table restaurant Silvia. She has designed healthy options for our retreat so we can enjoy one another's company under the loggia and the stars.  Madeleine will cook one of the meals for our group as she loves to feed people and entertain as well as share yoga.  One evening we will host a local Trova band from Acanceh-- the nearest thousand person town--for our ears and feet to dance to. 


About Merida's Evening Events-

If you want options for nightlife, Merida has them. Wednesday night at 9p.m. is Trova night at the Olimpo Theatre near the main square.  Thursday through Sunday nights are called, “Corazón de Mérida” (Heart of Merida.) This is when Calle 60 is closed off to traffic from the Main Plaza up to Calle 55 from 9p.m. to 2a.m. and the restaurants and bars put their tables and chairs in the street. Thursday there is also Folkloric music and dancing in Santa Lucia Park at 9p.m. Friday offers a free 9p.m. concert at Teatro Peon Contreras and on Saturday nights you can also go to Fiesta Mexicana at the beginning of the Paseo Montejo at Calle 47. Here you will find vendors, food booths and Mexican folkloric entertainment all in the open air. 


Please do not hesitate to reach out with ANY questions! 

What’s included

  • 5 Day/4 Night Stay
    Beautiful accommodations in an award-winning property. Activities, nature and two gorgeous pools.
  • Breakfast and Dinner
    A delicious spread in the morning and healthy, gourmet meals cooked by the in-house chef for dinner.
  • 2 Yoga Classes everyday
    Two 60 minute yoga classes each day. One in the morning and one in the evening. Led by Madeleine and Nicole.
  • Snacks
    Healthy choices and other options too to snack on throughout the day while you lounge and relax. Fruit and avocados in abundance!
  • Day Trip to a Cenote
    Freshwater pools in limestone deposits that the Yucatan is famous for. A wonderful excursion that will delight the senses.
  • Tips for Staff
    Organizers will cover housekeeping and food tips.
  • Trova Band
    A romantic, folk guitar music perfomed by trovadores. Originaly from Cuba, trova was adopted by the Yucatecans in the late 19th Century and transformed into their own folk art.

What’s not included

  • Air Travel
    The easiest option is to fly into Merida. There is s 6hr flight that gets you in 2pm and right now is $400 round trip.. But if you choose Cancun, it's a 3 hour bus. We recommend travel insurance.
  • Transportation
    Car between the airport and Sac Chich is not covered, though we will gladly organize a group option once we start getting your flight details. Info and options will be in your Welcome Email.
  • Activity Choices
    You will receive a menu of activity options. We want everyone to have the trip they want to have. Lots of options on and off-site and anything can be arranged. Private yoga, massage, shopping, beach.

Available Packages

Shared Room- 3 beds

Located in "Casa Vieja" of Casa de Maquinas, this room is beautiful with vaulted ceilings and a open staircase up to the loft. The room is spacious, the king bed sits on the main floor and the queen and double are in the loft.  If you are traveling in a group this would be a great option, but if you want this room and aren’t traveling with others we will, of course, suite you with great roommates.  Let us know if you want to bunk up with a group of friends as early as possible!

$1,750
Deposit: $500
Single Suite

Only a limited number of single bed suites. First come, first served.  There is one Single in "Casa Vieja," three Suites in "Casa Nueva" and one in Casa Sisal.  Most suites have king sized beds and a bathroom and all are uniquely decorated with local textiles and furniture. With very comfortable beds and doors to the outside tropical birdsong, you will feel like you are on a private retreat. Let us know if you want to share a Single with a friend. 

$1,975
Deposit: $500
Shared Room- 2 beds

Beautifully designed shared room in Casa Sisal with a ton of space and its own bathroom. Another great room option if you are traveling with friends.  If you aren’t traveling with someone else we will work to place you with a great roommate.  

$1,850
Deposit: $500


Itinerary

Sample Day
Sample Day

7-8 Morning Yoga Practice 

8-10 Breakfast 

10-4-Excursions (underwater cave exploration called Cenotes, trips to city, history tours, shopping, Mayan ruins, steam rituals, cooking classes, caves, we will have a menu of options to pick from)

4-Afternoon snack/ relaxing 

5-6 Evening Yoga

7-9 Group Dinner (special surprises, on-site and off-site)

9- After Dinner Fun

Your Organizer