This is a guest blog written by Zoe Price.

With a focus on mental health and wellbeing – yoga retreats are becoming increasingly popular.  They give you a change to focus on you, recharge and come back feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the world.

There are lots of options available to you these days when it comes to yoga retreats, so there is lots of planning to be done.  Here, we give you some top tips on how to have the ultimate yoga getaway that you will never forget.

Visualise what you Want from the Experience

The reality is you will have an idea as to what you want to get from the experience.  It could be that you want to delve a little deeper into the world of yoga, it could be that you want to reap the benefits of mindfulness – or it could be that you want to really focus on recharging and set goals and achievements for your life.  Visualise your experience, and what you want to get out of it before you book anything to make sure it suits your needs.

Choose your Location

There are lots of beautiful yoga retreats around the world, and all offering different things.  It’s important that your location falls in with those objectives you would like to meet.

If you have a yoga teacher, or a yoga group that you are part of – have a chat with them and see if they have any recommendations or find out what their experiences are.  You can also get a lot of information online about possible locations. They should have full details of what they have to offer on their website and be on the lookout for customer testimonials.  Social media channels such as Google my Business and Facebook is also a good way to get an objective opinion on what they have to offer.

Make sure your Travel Plans are Arranged in Advance

Travelling can be a stressful experience and remember, the whole point of the trip is to relax.  As such, it’s critical that you plan your travel well in advance to avoid any delays or frustration. Lots of people focus on the flights themselves but getting to and from the airport is also a big part of your journey.

Some people opt to go with public transport or taxi, but if you’re living in London, some airport parking options could actually be even easier. Heathrow in particular has a convenient parking space, and this way you don’t need to worry about the trains running late (and let’s face it, that’s a common problem in London).  It also means that you can pack your stuff in your car whenever you want so you are well prepared and everything is under control.

Does it fit Within your Budget?

You will no doubt have a budget of what you want to spend on your trip.  Does your choice of location, and travel options fit within that budget?  You also need to think about any additional extras that you may charged for.

If your dream yoga treat isn’t within your budget, think about if there are other ways to raise the money for it.  It could be that you find different ways to save up for it, you could sell some of your existing items that you no longer have a use for – or you could see if your friends or family could help you out.  Here are some great ways to raise money for your retreat.

Plan your Activities out

You will want to make the most of your trip whilst you are there.  Make sure you have a clear idea as to what the curriculum is, so you don’t miss anything out.  Have a clear plan of what you would like to do each day and map it out before you go.  That way, you won’t be disappointed when you come home as you will have achieved everything you needed to on your retreat.

Get Organised for your Trip

There are of course things that you will need for your trip.  There may be obvious things that you will already have or have already thought of such as appropriate clothing, or yoga mats etc – but other things may not yet be on your to-do list.

Do you need to get currency exchanged?  Is your passport in date?  Do you need to get a travel visa for where you are going?  It is a good idea to create a checklist of everything that you will need and check them off as you go.  If there is documentation that you need to get or renew – make sure that you allow yourself more than enough time to do this.

If you are in the process of planning a yoga retreat, and not quite sure where to start – we hope our helpful tips will help you well on your way.