Top 3 Winter Yoga Retreats

Though the winter holidays are filled with families and gatherings, it can also be filled stress and a need to relax. Yoga retreats are one of the most popular ways to help control and get rid of stress. Here are some of the best winter yoga retreats.

Let's start with Big Sky Yoga Retreats located in Bozeman, Montana is simply unforgettable. They Combine Yoga and Skiing for their winter retreats. Each year they offer 2 specials. This winter in January they offer a long weekend from the 28^th - 31^st and in March they off a 5 day get away from the 7^th - 12^th. Their Yoga Program for Skiers is as follows (from their website):

Our yoga for skiers program will focus on:

• warming up the muscles for cold weather
• creating proper body alignment
• breathing techniques to calm the mind
• core strength building
• increased flexibility in the hips
• increased flexibility and strength in the knees
• upper body strengthening to balance out the
  lower-body intensity of skiing

The retreat includes a daily Yoga exercise, a ski package including lift tickets and intro lesson but doesn't include rentals you can bring your own or rent there. The package also includes meals and several evening program options from discussions, meditation, journaling and before bed yoga.

Next is the Shoshoni Yoga Retreat located just outside Boulder, Colorado. This is not just retreat it is also a training center for Yoga instructors. All their overnight retreats start at 3pm the day you arrive and end at 1pm the day you leave. All over night retreats include Daily morning and evening meditation programs, 2 vegetarian meals, and 2 daily yoga classes. Unfortunately The Shoshoni Yoga resort will be closed January 24 - February 12, 2010

Yoga Oasis on the Big Island of Hawaii has year around retreats. For winter they have Maha Yoga retreats. They are 5 days at a time on certain days January till the end of February. They Daily Yoga Schedule for these retreats are as follows (from their website):

Yoga Schedule:

7 - 7:30 AM - Pranayama and Breathing
Detox Tea
8 - 10 CHI-Hatha Yoga
10 - 11 Breakfast/Brunch
11 AM - 4:30 PM Free Time
for sightseeing, healing sessions, napping and relaxing
4:30 - 6 PM - yoga lab and techniques
6:15 -7:30 Dinner
Evening meditation

They offer packages based on 1 or 2 people starting at $1,000 for 1 person in a basic room and going up to $2,075 for 2 people in the deluxe room.