10 Day Love Yourself Retreat in Arenal Rainforest, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Journey to Self Awareness Retreat Costa Rica
Allow your mind and body to absorb the peace and beauty of the tropical rainforest while relaxing to the sounds of nature. Get off the beaten path and immerse yourself in an authentic and raw Costa Rican experience. Practice yoga in an enchanted Costa Rican location, surrounded by breathtaking nature. The natural beauty of Essence Arenal offers the perfect space to journey inward and renew your body, mind, and spirit. Ground yourself at the organic permaculture farm and refresh by the pool, while nourishing your body with functional organic smoothies or gourmet vegetarian farm-to-table cuisine. With the guidance of certified naturopaths and yoga instructors, you’ll experience a truly transformational stay. This retreat provides an opportunity to reconnect with yourself in an environment of pure serenity.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- Daily 75 minute yoga class all morning
- Afternoon yoga classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
- Daily spa circuit access (Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna)
- Pamper your body with Essence Arenal's Swedish massage in the jungle Spa
- Cacao and permaculture farm tour with a chocolate-making workshop
- Rainforest jungle night tour
- 3 daily healthy meals with natural juice in their farm-to-table organic restaurant
- 9 nights accommodation in a private room with a bathroom
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (US$ 150 per person)
Juan Santamaría International Airport (US$ 150 per person)
Accommodation
Facilities
- Hot spring
- Hot tub / Jacuzzi
- Spa
- Swimming pool (outdoor)
- Temazcal
- Café
- Environmentally friendly
- Garden
- Luggage room / storage
- Multilingual staff
- Restaurant
- Terrace
- Yoga deck
- Free parking
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry
- Tour assistance
During this retreat, you will be staying in a private room with a private bathroom in Essence Arenal.
All beds have orthopaedic mattresses and anti-allergic pillows. The eco-hotel has majestic views of the Arenal Volcano, the Arenal Lake, and the El Castillo Valley.
All rooms have free Wi-Fi, hot water in the shower, a small desk, and a safe. Essence Arenal also provides free parking and a laundry service (at an additional cost).
Program
Step away from the demands of daily life and into a space designed for reflection, rejuvenation, and personal growth. At Essence Arenal, they invite you to embrace stillness, reconnect with yourself, and cultivate a deeper sense of purpose.
Over the next few days, you will experience moments of tranquility, inspiration, and transformation. Surrounded by nature and supported by a community of like-minded individuals, you’ll find the freedom to explore new perspectives, nurture your well-being, and awaken your inner strength.
Whether you seek rest, clarity, or connection, this retreat is an opportunity to realign with what truly matters. Open your heart, embrace the journey, and let this experience guide you toward renewed energy and insight.
Welcome... Essence Arenal is honored to have you here!
Retreat Itinerary
- 07:00 - 08:15 Morning yoga practice
- 08:15 Optional forest walk from yoga shala to restaurant
- 08:30 - 09:00 Daily breakfast
- 09:00 - 12:00 Activities or free time
- 10:00 - 12:00 Permaculture tour + cacao workshop / once per stay
- 11:00 - 12:00pm Ionic detox / once per stay
- 12:00 - 15:00 Daily lunch (none on arriving and departure day)
- 14:00 - 15:00 Swedish 60 minutes massage / once per stay
- 15:00 Free time: connect with nature, explore our permaculture farm, hike in the rainforest, or book a treatment in the jungle spa
- 16:00 - 17:00 On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, you will have sunset yoga
- 16:00 - 18:00 One hour in the Spa circuit (Finnish sauna, jacuzzi, and Turkish bath). You will be able to enjoy this lovely and healing place with a beautiful view and aromatherapy
- 17:30 - 19:30 Jungle night tour / once per stay
- 18:30 - 20:30 Daily dinner
- 21:00 Early to bed (recommended)
More activities can be included in the itinerary on site or also the schedules for the inclusions can change after the meet and greet.
Included excursions
- Permaculture farm tour
- Cacao farm tour and chocolate making workshop
- Night wildlife tour
- Ionic detox
Instructors
Nico Botefur
In 2008, Essence Arenal project began through destiny and universal guidance. Nico ended up in this rainforest paradise, where he immediately knew this was his place on earth to live. It has opened his eyes and he needed that change. He was 80 pounds overweight and had a wide collection of emotional wrecks stored in his soul. In a short time of balancing nutrition, emotions, and bad life habits, through learned techniques, these problems disappeared! Nico has found emotional, physical, and spiritual balance through the creation of this wonderful place. And he wants to share it with you!
Michelle Cordero
In 2018 Michelle realized that there must be others ways of living this life. Little by little, following her intuition, she started to open a path for herself as a yoga teacher, life coach and became a master. Now you can find her teaching yoga classes in the middle of the mountains. She is also a reiki practitioner and thai masseuse, both energy therapies which help to harmonize, relax and release tension in the body. In recent years Michelle has focused on making life beautiful, for herself and others, where one can feel safe and free in one's body.
Location
This retreat will take place in El Castillo, close to the Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal area, Costa Rica.
El Castillo is a small neighboring village to La Fortuna, directly on Lake Arenal atop the hills overlooking Arenal volcano. With 22 hectares of prime hilltop forested pristine land and breathtaking views, the hotel takes pride in giving their guests an experience of a lifetime.
From forest trails down to a majestic waterfall hidden in the rainforest, enjoying mystical free hot springs, horseback riding, hanging bridges and canopy tours, there is a rich amount of nature activities to experience around Essence Arenal.
Features
Activities
- Hot spring
- Hot tub / Jacuzzi
- Spa
- Temazcal
General
- Café
- Environmentally friendly
- Garden
- Restaurant
- Terrace
- Yoga deck
Services
- Free parking
- Free Wi-Fi
- Tour assistance
- Wireless internet
Food
During this retreat, you'll enjoy three daily vegetarian or vegan meals at the on-site restaurant, accompanied by refreshing natural drinks.
At Essence, they take pride in their farm-to-table philosophy, crafting mindful, nourishing meals straight from the earth. Essence Arenal Wellness Center offers an organic, vegetarian, and vegan kitchen, using consciously sourced local ingredients to honor both the planet and your body.
The chef, passionate about creating wholesome and flavorful dishes, prepares meals that are not only delicious but also nutritious and well-balanced. Most ingredients come directly from farm to table, inspiring creative recipes that showcase the tropical bounty of Costa Rica - sourced from local farmers as well as our own land.
They cater to various dietary preferences and detox needs, ensuring that every guest receives a fulfilling and personalized culinary experience.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
- Organic
- Lactose Free
- Other dietary requirements on request
Things to do (optional)
There are a wide variety of activities and tours available in the area:
- Canopy
- Rafting
- Canyoneering
- Kayak and boating on Lake Arenal
- ATV Tour
- Hanging bridges
- Waterfall hike
- Arenal Volcano National Park
- Horseback Riding
- Butterfly observatory
- Thermal hot springs
Spa treatments
Pamper yourself in our jungle spa, located in the middle of a permaculture farm with a unique view of the volcano and lake. Enjoy a range of treatments and therapies in the spa including:
- Reflexology
- Swedish massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Meditation sessions
- Ionic foot detox
- Temazcal sweat lodge and mud detox
- Timeline therapy
- Naturopathy
- Nutritional consultation
- NLP session
- Thai massage
- Reiki
- Sound healing
The treatments mentioned above have an additional cost.
Spa circuit
- Essence Arenal Wellness is humbled to announce the opening of their negative carbon footprint, Hydro Therapy Spa Circuit consisting of the following:
- Turkish steam bath: An aromatherapy experience with herbs from their organic permaculture farm
- Finnish sauna: A treatment where you will be surrounded by fragrant natural Laurel wood known for its antiviral properties and naturally fragranced water
- 36 jet jacuzzi: Delivers massages to different regions of the body
- General benefits of the spa circuit:
- Stronger immune system
- Better sleep
- Glowing skin
- Reduction of cellulite
- Flushing out toxins
- Relief from arthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, and Fibromyalgia
- Quicker recovery from a muscle injury, back pain
- Decrease in anxiety and stress
You will have a complementary hour every day to access this healing place with beautiful views and aromatherapy.
What's included
- Daily 75 minute yoga classes all morning from 07:00 to 08:15 a.m
- Regenerative afternoon yoga classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 04:00 to 05:00 p.m
- Ionic detox
- 1x Swedish 60 minute massage
- Cacao workshop & permaculture farm tour
- Rainforest jungle night tour
- Unlimited access to the pool, permaculture farm, and over 3 kilometers of trails
- Healthy cuisine (breakfast-lunch-dinner) with coffee, tea or natural juice of the day
- 9 nights' accommodation in a private room with a bathroom
- Spa circuit access per one hour a day (Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna)
What's not included
- Airfare
- Transfers
- Other activities/excursions
- Other spa treatments
- 13% goverment taxes
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport
88 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 150 per person
Juan Santamaría International Airport
76 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 150 per person
Arrival by bus
Take a taxi to the terminal bus station 7-10. There is a direct bus to La Fortuna once a day, but if you can't take this bus, you have to take one to San Carlos (Ciudad Quesada). Buses depart approximately every 2 hours. Get off at the bus terminal in Ciudad Quesada and take another bus to La Fortuna. From La Fortuna, you can take a taxi or an uber to Essence Arenal, or there is another public bus at 5:15 pm that comes to El Castillo. From the place where the bus drops you off, you have to walk 600 meters to their place.
Arrival by private transfer
By Private transfer: the costs from the SJO Airport are 150 USD per way, and 150 USD from and to Liberia airport, the payment is directly to the driver- in cash. As is a private transport can be anytime. The trip takes approximately 3 hours. Between 19:00 and 04:00 it has an additional cost of 20 USD. Additional pax cost is 10.
- By shuttle transportation: the cost per way per person is 66.67 USD but they have specific schedules.
- From Liberia to Essence are at 09:00 or at 15:15.
- From SJO Airport to Essence only at 08:15. The payment is in advanced through a link that the company send.
On the departure day from Essence to the Airports options are:
- The same option than the arriving day (private transfer)
- Shuttle transfer cost per person is 66.67 USD and the payment is in advanced through a link that the company send.
- To SJO Airport the pick-up time in Essence is only at 12:10.
- To Liberia Airport the pick-up time in Essence is at 07:00.
They just need to know which option works for you and your flight information to proceed with arrange your transportation.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 22% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.