Yoga & Walking Holidays: a double dose of wellbeing

Striding out into the splendour of the Atlas Mountains. Join us in Morocco for our New Year 2024/25 Yoga & Walking Holiday, or on a winter 2025 Marrakech yoga retreat. 

Are you considering going on a yoga holiday or retreat that includes guided walks into nature? Satvada Retreats co-founder Lucia explores how combining yoga and walking can provide a double dose of wellbeing.

Nature and wellbeing

A fast-growing number of studies are finding evidence to support what we already intuitively know: spending time in the natural world - free of screens, shops, traffic and concrete - is vital for optimal physical and mental health.

With average smartphone use topping over four hours a day and our lives increasingly lived inside, our wellbeing is paying an enormous price. Levels of anxiety and depression are reaching epidemic proportions and are still rising, with more and more evidence uncovering a link between poor mental and emotional health, and societal estrangement from nature.

One non-medical term for lack of contact with the natural world, and its possible consequences, is Nature-Deficit Disorder whilst the growing Eco Therapy movement draws on research into how nature can replenish our mental resources and restore our mood and energy after a long day cooped up in the office or on the M25.

Meanwhile the Japanese have traditionally harnessed the benefits of spending time amongst trees in Forest Bathing - an outdoors therapy that’s building a growing following in the UK too.

When leading retreats we try to take any opportunity to step outside, whether that’s slowing down with silent mindful walks in Norfolk or hiking - or gazing at the incredible mountain views from the swimming pool! - in the Atlas Mountains during our Morocco New Year Yoga And Walking Holidays.

Here are some other ways that yoga and walking fit together like a comfortable glove:

Mindfulness in motion

Mindfulness practice involves cultivating a gentle, curious presence and noticing the mind’s patterns rather than battling to clear away thoughts.

While mindfulness is typically depicted as involving sitting still on a cushion attending to our breathing, in reality the scope is far broader: we can be mindful at any time, during any activity, including - very powerfully - when immersed in movement.

The awareness at the heart of yoga fits seamlessly with various forms of mindful movement. Walking is perhaps the most natural and common form of mindful movement: we can chose to feel the sensations of our body walking and to the moment-to-moment sensory experience of being outside - the sounds, sights, smells, tastes, physical sensations of the body in movement.

In a similar way to the process unfolding in our yoga practice when we’re walking our breathing slows down and deepens and we can enter a state of ‘flow’ where we are fully present to - and in - our experience as it happens. In this powerful, embodied present moment experience the human mind’s habit of rumination and over-thinking naturally eases.

In this experience that can be transformational, we’re here, now, in our bodies and slightly less contracted with worries and over-thinking.

Keeping the body in mind

Both yoga and walking offer an accessible, effective workout for the body. Walking is a low impact cardiovascular activity that strengthens muscles, improves circulation, and boosts endurance. Also low impact, yoga complements this by enhancing flexibility, improving posture, and building core strength.

Whether you're hiking through the Atlas Mountains or practicing Tree Pose on the roof terrace, the combination of these activities can add up to a deep holistic workout (or ‘work-in’) that can leave you feeling strong, flexible, and refreshed.

Easing the mind’s stresses

We live in an age of constant distraction and speed, where stress and anxiety can very easily build up, stretching our frayed nervous systems. Yoga and walking are both powerful tools for mental clarity and stress relief.

Yoga’s emphasis on breath control, meditation, and mindful movement helps soothe the mind, balance the nervous system and reduce anxiety, promoting a sense of ease and inner calm.

Walking, especially in natural settings, has been shown to reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and improve mood. Together, these activities provide a double dose of relaxation, helping you to return from your yoga holiday feeling lighter, calmer, clearer and more centered.

Walking and yoga both naturally open up space for reflection. Whether you’re walking through the splendour of the mountains or practicing yoga at sunset, the invitation is to slow down, listen, and gain clarity on what truly matters.

Join us in Morocco’s wonderful Atlas Mountains for Our 2024/25 New Year Yoga & Walking Retreat?