Are you dreaming about hosting a yoga retreat? Yoga retreats are big business for yoga teachers and often a hearty source of revenue. If you’re ready to start planning your first yoga retreat, this guide has some useful tips for you.

Start Planning Your Yoga Retreat

To get started on your yoga retreat planning journey, be sure to listen to the The Yoga Startup Podcast Episode, Fearless Yoga Retreat Planning, with guest International Retreat Yoga Instructor, Chrissy Lefavour. It’s a great starting point for first time retreat planning or for stepping up your existing retreat planning game. That Fearless Yoga Retreat Planning episode is packed with good tips and confidence-building fuel for planning and organizing your first yoga retreat.

The book ChatGPT for Yoga Teachers is also an excellent resource that offers ideas and tips for leveraging AI to help you plan a successful and profitable yoga retreat.

In planning your retreat, you’ll also want to:

1. Define Your Vision and Purpose

Defining your vision and purpose will necessarily involve asking some challenging questions and undertaking some self-reflection. For example, you’ll want to be crystal clear on your retreat theme, including the focus of the retreat, such as relaxation, yoga teacher training, deepening practice, mindset renewal, or a beginners event.

Questions you might ask:

What do you envision as your retreat theme or vibe?
Who would you like to attend? (think ideal client profile)
What would you like your participants to leave the retreat with —e.g., what is the point of the retreat or take away message?

2. Select the Location and Dates

You’ll need to choose a location for your yoga retreat and also set dates for the event. In choosing the retreat location, consider the retreat facilities, including the yoga space, accommodations available for your guests, kitchen or restaurant options, and proximity to city center, the airport, or local attractions. In choosing dates, consider the time of year, seasonal weather (e.g., hurricane season or snow), holidays, local events, and availability of the retreat venue.

3. Create the Itinerary and Program

You’ll want to take time to carefully plan your retreat itinerary and yoga program, including yoga classes, workshops, guest speakers, and any field trips or excursions. Be sure to schedule in downtime for your participants, so they aren’t overbooked. As well, you’ll want to ensure the itinerary features an exciting mix of activities, including yoga, rest time, and optional activities, like cooking classes, nature hikes, or cultural tours or experiences.

4. Budgeting and Pricing

You’ll want to set your retreat cost carefully. Be sure to include the cost of venue rental, transportation, food, instructor fees/costs, marketing, and any other expenses such as costs for training books, materials, or swag. Be sure to also build in costs to cover unexpected costs, such as the unexpected cost of putting up a student in emergency housing, such as if a pre-booked room has an issue.

5. Market the Retreat and Manage Bookings

After you’ve starting planning your retreat, the time will come to promote your retreat. You’ll want to use social media, your email lists, advertising sources, partnerships, yoga studios, or yoga or wellness influencers to help you spread the word. You’ll want to have a plan for filling your retreat slots. You’ll also want to set up an easy way for your prospective clients to signup or book their retreat. Don’t forget that you’ll want to have proper forms and policies in place, such as payment and cancellation policies.

How to Start Planning Yoga Retreats