Hiking & Outdoor Yoga Retreat

What to expect:

My dear friend and yoga teacher, Mie, from Bonn and I are organising a rejuvenating retreat in a quiet corner of the Sellrain Alps. The beautiful Potsdamer Hut is located at the end of a tranquil valley by a river from where we venture on picturesque day-hikes to the surrounding peaks. Throughout the hikes we take some time out and Mie guides us through yoga and meditation practices in the wild surroundings of the mountains.  In the evenings the hut team, run by a lovely young couple that took over the reins just a year ago, pampers us with delicious homemade food, such as Dhal with freshly baked Naan.

Physical requirements:

We hike about 4 hours each day (not including breaktime, up to 10 km and 800 m elevation gain) on forest roads or narrow hiking trails. You should be sure-footed and free of giddiness, but there are no technically difficult parts on the hikes. Given we are based in one spot, you can always take a rest day, which makes it the perfect trip for different hiking and fitness levels.

Yoga:

Mie teaches Vinyasa Flow, a flowing, dynamic form of yoga, where postures are linked together using breath. In her classes we explore and experience a special combination of asanas (postures), choreography, pranayama (breathing techniques) and sound in the gorgeous surroundings of the mountains.

There will be a one-hour yoga class before breakfast outside of the hut. We will also integrate a shorter yoga session (30-45 minutes) towards the end of each dayhike or back at the hut. In the evenings we will hold an opening ceremony, two meditation and one chanting class under the stars. As there is no yoga shala at the hut and all yoga classes are held outside, they depend on the weather and we will be a bit flexible in our planning of the sessions. 

Service included:

• Organised hiking by a qualified mountain guide
• Yoga and meditation outside by a qualified yoga teacher (weather dependent), check: Flow with Mie
• A group of max. 9 guests (min. 4 guests)
• 2 hotel nights in Innsbruck in double or twin rooms
• 4x hut nights in shared rooms
• 2x breakfast, 4x vegetarian or vegan half-board, 4x lunch-sandwich
• 4x shower coin (3-4 minutes)
• Transport from Innsbruck to the start of the hike and back

Extra costs on tour:

• Transport to Innsbruck
• Dinner on the first and last evening in Innsbruck
• Lunch and beverages during the trip

Accommodation:

In Innsbruck we stay in double or twin rooms with bathroom in a simple hotel, which is within 5 minutes walking distance to the main station. Potsdamer hut is a simple mountain hut, and we stay in shared rooms, yet only sharing within our group. The hut has washing facilities incl. showers (at extra costs). There is a dry room for hiking gear, two cosy common rooms and a large sun terrace that we share with other hikers. The hut serves a breakfast buffet and a three-course vegetarian or vergan dinner. The hut aims to cater for dietary restrictions; however it is not always possible given its simple facilities and remoteness of its location. If you have any dietary requirements, please communicate them in advance.

Travel:

It is possible and highly recommended to travel to Innsbruck via train. The hotel and meeting point in Innsbruck is in 500 meters from the main station. Innsbruck also has an airport, which is a 15-minute bus ride from the hotel. Munich airport is two hours away by train. Parking is not provided at the hotel. I will travel by train only and am more than happy to assist with booking tickets. Please  get in touch!

Programme:

Day 1 - Arrival
We meet at the hotel in Innsbruck, where we'll also spend our last night, so extra luggage can be stored at the hotel during the tour. There is a pre-tour briefing and discussion of the packing list in the afternoon and a joined dinner in the city centre in the evening.

Day 2 - Potsdamer Hütte (2020 m)
5 km, ↑500 m, 2 hrs 
We take a bus to Sellrain and transfer to Fotscher Hut from where we take the forest road up to Potsdamer Hütte. In the afternoon we explore the surroundings and enjoy our first outdoor yoga session.

Day 3 – day 5
The next three days we start the day with a yoga class before breakfast, embark on a hike, and finish the day with a yoga session either during the hike or before dinner.  The following is a selection of possible day-hikes.

Schaflegerkogel (2405 m)
9 km, ↑700 m, ↓700 m, 4 hrs 
We follow the western mountainside  down the valley until we turn uphill towards the peak of Schaflegerkogel. After our lunch break back at the hut, we find a quiet spot in the back of the valley to get on our yoga matts.

Wildkopf (2719 m)
9 km, ↑800 m, ↓800 m, 4.5 hrs 
Today we leave the hut to the south-east and after crossing the river we hike up to the peak of Wildkopf from where enjoy views as far as the glaciers of the Stubai. After our lunch break back at the hut, we find a quiet spot in the back of the valley to get on our yoga matts.

Roter Kogel (2832 m)
10 km, ↑880 m, ↓880 m, 5 hrs 
Our hike today leads us to the peaks of Sömen and Roter Kogel from which we have splendid views over the whole of the Stubai Alps. On the way we pass many small lakes that invite for a wild swim, warming up yoga and quiet meditation.

Day 6 – Descent  
5 km, ↓500 m, 2 hrs
Today we enjoy a short hike in the vicinity of the hut and descent back to the village of Sellrain from where we take a bus back to Innsbruck.

Day 7 - Departure
We finish our hiking week over dinner the night before. Everybody can meet up for breakfast in the hotel and you can start your travel home at any time today.

Note that our hiking days may differ from the described programme due to weather and path conditions or the physical ability of the group.