7 Day Zanzibar Retreat
June 20 - 26, 2024
Overview
Join Mie for a week of reconnecting with yourself amidst the island's paradise. Bathe in crystal-clear turquoise waters, immerse yourself in vibrant culture, and savor delicious meals – all while nourishing your soul with daily yoga practice.
Location
The fascinating and beautiful island of Zanzibar, off Tanzania's eastern coastline, has long stretches of powder-white sandy beaches, a clear, warm Indian Ocean, and palm trees swaying lazily in the sea breeze.
Friendly villagers share the beach, ladies collect shellfish and partake in seaweed farming, children play football, and traditional fishermen sail in their handmade dhows to bring back the fresh catch of the day. The island is known for its spices and Swahili culture. The capital is called Stone Town, home to narrow streets, markets, and fascinating food and music scenes.
There is plenty to do on the island, including spice farm tours, forest walks, village tours, long beach walks, snorkeling and scuba diving, kite surfing, and just relaxing under a palm tree with fresh coconut water in hand.
What’s included:
6 nights comfortable accommodation at Mbili Villas, a cozy family run villa with swimming pool on site
Local healthy and nourishing meals made with love from a private chef to nourish your body and soul
Daily x2 deep yoga with Mie sequenced specially for each day
Complementary traditional Dhow boat sunset cruise
Cacao ceremony and sound healing
Guided tour of Jambiani village
Special Traditional Drumming and Movement workshop
Sound - Mantra chanting
Personal advice and help preparing for your trip to Zanzibar
A visit and join grassroots activities at nearby villages with Mie (optional)
Daily Schedule
There are two practices daily. Morning practice is focused on connecting movement and breath to awaken your energy and move it through all energy centers (chakras). Authentic and creative practice will include mantra, meditation, purifying breathing practices and well-rounded body movement. The morning session concludes with a profound full-body relaxation & sound healing.
Evening yoga sessions are designed to bring you back into the present moment and to help you release deep-seated tension in your muscles and tissues. You will be able to surrender and relax with a yin/restorative practice, which will help to activate meridians along the whole body and balance the flow of energy. This session will help you to calm the nervous system, find stillness and invite positive energy towards the end of the day.
Both practices will end with deep full body relaxation and sound healing.
7:30 am Snack and warm drinks
8:00-9:30am Morning meditation and yoga practice with Mie
9:30am Breakfast
Free Time ~ Join beach / cultural activities, soak up the sun, enjoy the beach and relax, massage, read, etc!
4:00pm Optional Asana clinic (one day)
5:00 - 6:30pm Afternoon yoga & meditation practice with Mie / Special Program /Workshop
7:00pm Dinner
Beach fire / music/circle
Your Yoga Teacher - Mie Horiuchi
Yoga has been a vital part of Mie’s life both on and off the mat for many years. She has studied yoga with various teachers and practiced different styles, while growing up in Japan, and living and working in Tanzania, Uganda, the United States, England and Germany.
Many influential teachers and masters – such as Jason Crandell, Claire Missingham, Yogeswari, Jai Uttal, Jo Tastula and Thich Nhat Hanh – have deepened Mie’s practice and influenced her teaching style. Mie is a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher by Yoga Alliance. She is also an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT).
Mie strongly feels that yoga practice is for everyone, regardless of age, physical conditions, social-economic status. She does her very best to make the sequence accessible to practitioners of all levels, where we can be equally comfortable and challenged in our own boundaries.
Mie is currently based in Bonn, Germany and is one of the lead teachers at the Vinyasa People, an international yoga studio/community.
The Venue: Mbili Villas
Mbili Villas is a cozy small boutique hotel located in Jambiani, Zanzibar. The whole area in Jambiani is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and gazes over the expansive Indian Ocean. The village has its own uniqueness with a beautiful long stretch of coastline with soft white sand and turquoise water, that is embedded in local culture and communities.
It is one of the best places on the island to gain insight into local life as you share the beach with local Zanzibari communities: you can see the fishermen return with their catch in the early morning, leaving their dhow boats dotted across the shoreline, and the women tend seaweed farms.
Mbili Villas is located within just a few minutes’ walk to the beach and features a private pool, a garden, and has tastefully decorated rooms, an ample area for lounging. The Yoga Shala can be found upstairs in a spacious well-ventilated mezzanine covered in natural Makuti thatch.
Food
Savor healthy and nourishing breakfasts & dinners in Zanzibar, featuring fresh, local ingredients prepared by your private chef, all included in your stay.
For lunch, we believe each person will appreciate the freedom to explore, and members of our team will be on hand to direct you to some of our favorite spots.
The Zanzibar diet, filled with the island’s famous spices, fresh coconut flavors, countless fruit varieties, and a wealth of fish and seafood, gives rise to a unique, delicious, and healthy cuisine.
This stretch of beach has many spots where you can enjoy refreshing fruit juices, young coconut water, local spiced teas, and Italian coffees anytime during the day.
Optional Activities/Excursions:
Embrace excursions to Stone Town, the world heritage site, visit Jozani Forest to watch unique Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey, get on a traditional Dhow boat for a cruise and see a most beautiful sunset, learn how to kite-surf at one of the best kite-surfing sites in the world and soak up the beauty of Zanzibar beach with serene water, blue sky and white sand.
Natural caves
Jozani Chaka Bay National Park, home of rare Zanzibar red colobus monkeys
Stone Town, UNESCO cultural heritage site
Spice Tour
Kite Surfing
Snorkeling / Scuba diving
Paddle boarding
Experience Local Life!
Date & Prices (per person):
Retreat Date: June 20-26, 2024
Private en-suite master bedroom: $1100
Shared double master bedroom: $855
Private room with shared bathroom (shared with one other room): $915
Organizers
Rooted in Tanzania and passionate about community, organizers Jay (Tarakwai Safaris) and Mie (Flow with Mie) are behind the conscious yoga safaris. Beyond creating beautiful and impactful yoga experiences, they strive to uplift Jambiani, the village in Zanzibar where the retreats end. Their efforts range from supporting local plastic recycling initiatives with children to empowering local women through yoga instruction.
During your yoga retreat, you'll have the chance to see (or even participate in) fun workshops where kids learn about plastic pollution and how to collect it responsibly.
Testimonials
“The trip was a great success thanks to the Tarakwai team. In contrast to the mass tourism that is slowly but surely developing in the safari sector, Tarakwai has a very personal approach. They also put special emphasis on sustainability, especially in the choice of accommodation. This gives participants the rare opportunity to meet locals on a very different basis than ordinary tourists. After all , many encounters are possible thanks to the team's personal contact with the residents and are therefore particularly memorable. In addition, the entire team is very likeable and always sociable. I can recommend it without any reservations.”
— Michal
“I loved the inter-connected, and theme yoga classes. The diversity of every class – never tried that many different yoga poses before! The sea view, breeze, and the buffet were amazing.”