What you need to know about planning the perfect yoga retreat

Leerah’s retreats also accommodate varying experience levels by offering optional activities and encouraging participants to follow their own pace. Props and modifications make them inclusive for all.

Leerah emphasises the importance of downtime and personal rest, “My retreats are all about the person and what they want. It’s really important to have a good amount of downtime and personal time for rest. Knowing everyone’s so different, having lots of variety is essential.”

While rewarding, planning and hosting a retreat involves a significant amount of work, and facing challenges along the way is natural. Leerah initially struggled with food preparation and scheduling but now delegates catering and adapts menus based on participant feedback. She focuses on lighter diets and ensures hydration is a priority.

To fill events, Leerah leaned on Facebook and personal networks, as marketing isn’t her favourite part of the process. She also partners with facilitators who bring their own established networks. After each retreat, feedback plays a key role in shaping future events.

“Feedback on everything is so important. For example, with the crystal sound bowls, I received feedback from my own use and noticed that around two or three people out of ten didn’t resonate with them. So, I stopped using them. Now, I use the Tibetan brass bowls. I feel that if more than three out of ten people don’t connect with something, that’s reason enough not to include it.”

One of the key lessons Leerah has learned is the importance of leaving space for spontaneity, as that’s where truly enriching moments often emerge. Her retreats have evolved through reflection and participant feedback, ensuring they remain impactful and relevant.

“To make the experience transformative, we aim to take the participants on a journey over the time period with some ceremony and rituals to open, set an intention and then close the event with some take-aways and reflections. We want to create a safe space where people can explore themselves, relax and be in the moment.”

Moira structures the daily schedule by planning activities according to the anticipated energy levels of the attendees throughout the day and the retreat period. She tailors the experience for participants of varying experience levels by incorporating flexibility and options into the schedule.

One of the major challenges she has faced is keeping costs down. Fortunately, YFG can subsidise the cost as part of their community service offering by awarding ourselves a grant to ensure excellent value for money. We aim to eventually break even and believe this could be achieved with more volunteers and donations. Additionally, managing logistics and minor issues can be time-consuming, so Moira advises accepting that challenges are inevitable and emphasises that thorough preparation helps minimise them.

Marketing requires early promotion, so Moira recommends announcing the date at least six months in advance or sooner if possible. While Facebook ads can reach a broad audience, the most reliable attendees typically come through word of mouth within the YFG community and from those returning following previous retreats.

From hosting retreats, Moira has learned the importance of giving full attention to the details, communicating effectively and making requests clear to everyone involved to avoid overwhelming them with information. She also believes late changes are fine as long as they align with the overall plan and theme. Feedback from participants has been excellent, with many praising the venue and program, leaving her confident that the last retreat was nearly perfect.

Reflecting on what she’s learned, Moira says, “Throughout the planning process, I sought feedback and advice from all the presenters, which was mostly useful. I’ve become more mindful of the technical side, ensuring good photos are taken for records and promotion. Overall, everyone wanted more of what we provided; the weather could have been better, and the next retreat will be held a bit later in the year.”