The fresh mountain air, pristine lakes, and high-altitude vistas of Switzerland make for a breathtaking backdrop to a few days’ meditation and yoga. Here are five of the most replenishing and invigorating retreats around the Alps and other Swiss regions.
There could be no better way to stretch and soothe tired muscles after a day hitting the slopes than a gentle yoga session. Whether you enjoy saunas and snow in the winter or summer hikes and lakeside picnics, Switzerland boasts the most stunning scenery in which to deepen your yoga practice and connect to nature. Here are five of the most illuminating yoga retreat experiences on offer in Switzerland today.
3-Day Movement, Mindfulness, and Yoga Weekend in a Beautiful Buddhist Sanctuary in Bern
Yoga and mindfulness weekend retreat near Bern (Photo: BookYogaRetreats)
Hosted in the serene Landguet Ried Buddhist sanctuary close to Bern, this idyllic week-end retreat will calm your mind and re-energize your body. Lars Ekm is an experienced and deeply spiritual yoga and Acro-yoga teacher. The daily morning Sādhanā flow concludes with 30 minutes of meditation, journaling or pranayama. An evening yoga session will be followed by nourishing vegetarian dinner (vegan options available). Weather permitting, a mindful forest group walk will explore the surrounding hills. From US$411 / 3 days
Reserve via BookYogaRetreats.com
5-Day Hiking Holiday with Yoga in Switzerland
Yoga on the Vier Quellen-Weg (Photo: BookYogaRetreats)
This retreat for adventurous yogis will follow the Vier Quellen-Weg (Four Springs Trail) weaving its way through three cantons of Uri, Ticino and Valais in Central Switzerland. After a farm-to-table buffet breakfast, you will spend the morning hiking in deep contemplation, through pine forests, wetlands, and rocky mountains, traversing six mountain passes and four rivers: the Rhine, Ruess, Ticino, and Rhône. Around 4pm each day, you will arrive at your next charming bed-and-breakfast destination, where tea, yoga flow and convivial communal dining awaits. You will be led on this journey by Nina Butler, an experienced outdoors guide and yoga teacher certified in India. From US$1,412 / 5 days
Reserve via BookYogaRetreats.com
4-Day Alpine Lake Nature Reserve Yoga Retreat in The Beautiful Swiss Bernese Oberland
Natascha and Hazel are your charming hosts on this glamping getaway in a small group of 8-10 yogis. Traditional ashtanga vinyasa classes take place in the warm, welcoming yurt with wall-to-wall lake views, or why not directly on the lake to test your balance on a paddle board? This secluded alpine nature reserve in the village of Zweisimmen, not far from Gstaad, offers various accommodation options, from modern lakeside pods to a villa on the pond and a floating houseboat chalet with veranda. Fresh country breakfast will be delivered to your door in an enticing basket, brunch and a gentle hike follow morning classes, and a restorative yoga session will wind things down in the evenings. From $758 / 4 days
Reserve via BookYogaRetreats.com
6-Day Intensive Yoga Retreat with Breathwork and Meditation in Churwalden, Plessur
Fire ceremony at Churwalden, Plessur (Photo: BookYogaRetreats)
Gaze out at the Alps from this cosy log chalet in the Churwalden woods, nestled in the canton of Graubünden. Husma Retreat’s six-day yoga cleanse is based on breathwork, the perfect exercises to truly de-stress and take in the Plessur region’s fresh air. Daily yoga, meditation and pranayama workshops will be preludes to communal activities such as a silent hike, live music or ecstatic dance session. Delicious plant-based and gluten-free brunches and dinners are prepared with love by the in-house chef, while your caring teachers and hosts come from diverse backgrounds in Kundalini yoga, breathwork facilitation and personal training. From $1343 / 6 days
Reserve via BookYogaRetreats.com
Reset Weekend with Yoga and Nature in Verbier, Switzerland
Weekend retreat at the Mirabeau Hotel, Verbier (Photo: BookYogaRetreats)
Home to Switzerland’s most iconic ski slopes, Verbier is part of the southern canton of Valais, niched in the heart of the Alps. At the Mirabeau Hotel, you will be well looked after as you take a weekend to indulge in a little self-care. With a total of 14 hours of yoga during this short but deeply fulfilling retreat, you will also enjoy an initiation to the calming and invigorating movements of qigong, and a mindful hike through the woods. All that will still leave you enough downtime to take advantage of the extra spa treatments available at the hotel (facial yoga and hot stone massage are among the irresistible offerings). Your teacher Svetlana has trained extensively in yoga, Pilates and martial arts. From $1489 / 3 days