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Yoga class on retreat in New Hampshire
Catalina Island backpacking trip with guide
Yoga and adventure retreat in Algarve, Portugal
Yoga retreat in Thailand with elephant sanctuary visit.
Ayahuasca for recovery retreat in Guatemala

Yoga. Travel. Recovery. Adventure!

We create transformational yoga and adventure experiences to inspire individual healing and cultivate deep connections to self, others, and the world. Everyone is recovering from something! We strive to make our retreats sustainable and accessible by offering scholarships to those in recovery with financial need.

"Yoga is not just a workout; it's a work-in." -Rolf Gates

Yoga is far more than just the poses, it is a spiritual path that can guide us in recovery and in every aspect of our lives!

Doors to the Wild Self: Monteverde, Costa Rica Yoga Retreat

March 9-15 or March 17-23
Join us in the magical cloud forest of Monteverde, Costa Rica for a life-changing experience of yoga, tree climbing, adventure, and self care!

Catalina Island Hiking & Yoga Retreat

April 24-28
Hike the Trans Catalina Trail with a supportive group, a gear haul service, amazing food, and yoga to stretch out every night!

Portugal Summer Bliss Retreat

June 3-9 or June 19-25
Enjoy an off-grid yoga retreat adventure in the mountains of southern Portugal's Algarve region.

Thailand Yoga, Nature & Adventure Retreat

November 2-9
Join us for a rejuvenating week-long yoga retreat near Chiang Mai, Thailand. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area while experiencing the Thai lantern festival, Elephant Nature Park, waterfalls, and more!

Plant Medicine for Recovery Retreat in Guatemala

January 4-9, 2026
Join us on the shores of the mystical Lake Atitlan, Guatemala! This retreat will be focused around the plant medicine Ayahuasca and its power for helping those on a journey of sobriety or healing.

Guided hiking trip Trans Catalina Trail
SUPing on a yoga retreat in the Algarve, Portugal
Ayahuasca for recovery retreat in Guatemala

Upcoming Adventures

Transformational yoga and adventure experiences to inspire individual healing!

Yoga retreats and adventures for deep healing...

Because everyone is recovering from something!

Our yoga retreats and adventure tours are designed with recovery in mind. We are both in long term recovery from addiction, and proud of it. It doesnโ€™t stop there though.
Everyone is recovering from something, whether it’s trauma, substance use, heartbreak, stress, diet culture, or just the disconnection of everyday life in our high-tech, capitalistic world.

If you want to keep up with us and what we are offering, check out our blog or sign up for our newsletter:

We help people heal and reconnect to what truly matters in life using these elements:

  • New adventures

    When you get the opportunity to go somewhere new, get outside your comfort zone, and create community with people youโ€™ve never met before, that brings deep healing.

  • Nature

    When you learn to live with more connection to nature, that brings deep healing.

  • Community

    When you get to leave your labels and baggage at home and meet a whole new group of people who have embarked on a similar journey, that brings deep healing.

  • Yoga

    Yoga teaches us to reconnect to the divine within us and stay present with each breath, movement, and moment.

The people who benefit the most from our retreats are:

  • People already on the path of recovery or healing who know a retreat like this can help unlock more joy and fulfillment on their journey. You donโ€™t have to be sober; you can be in recovery from anything.

  • People in pursuit of authentic, adventurous, like-minded community.

  • People who are sober-curious, yoga-curious, or just ready to explore a more connected way of living!

  • Yoga retreats provide vital opportunities for digital detox and intention setting. We want our yoga retreats to be accessible to everyone regardless of finances, so we also offer recovery scholarships. Please apply!

Testimonials

The plant medicine retreat in Guatemala was my second retreat with Bigger Life Adventures; it was beyond my wildest imagination of how wonderful this trip was going to be. Everything was organized and communication was so clear for traveling outside the county. The entire trip went smooth, and any issues we had were handled quickly and efficiently. I could go on and on about what Carrie and Zach bring to the table but itโ€™s something you should try out for yourself! You create lifelong friends you never know you needed! Definitely plan on traveling with them again!

Amber, Arizona 2021 and Guatemala 2025

If only words could capture the magical experience of this retreat with Carrie and Zach, then I could write a novel. It's an intangible feeling that can only be experienced, and one that I will remember always.ย  Right from the beginning, even prior to the retreat, Carrie impressed me with her organization and planning skills, and attention to detail which made me feel prepared as a newbie to Bigger Life Adventures. The itinerary prepared for this retreat was well balanced with activities and down time, and of course time for self-reflection and learning. This was a true yoga retreat by name because it reallyย was yoga-focused with daily morning meditation practice followed by an energizing yoga flow, and in the evening, a slow gentle/yin yoga.ย  The food truly blew me away. Zach, you are an amazing creator of plant-based meals, I miss it already. Carrie, you are an inspiration and teacher. Thank you for sharing your love of yoga and sharing your heart. The location, Costa Rica Monteverde was a dream come true. To the group of amazing fellow retreat friends I've met, ย I am so blessed to share my heart and adventures with you. This is why so many of you come back to join Carrie and Zach. I, too, will return to experience the many unforgettable retreats Bigger Life Adventures offers.

Keria, Costa Rica 2024

Carrie and Zach are a wonderful team. I loved everything about the retreat! The yoga and meditation program were perfect for all levels and provided many useful tools for my home practice. The food was delicious and always an exciting part of our days. They provide a comfortable, open space to be vulnerable and grow! I have already booked another adventure with Carrie and Zach! I wish I had found them sooner!

Misti, Joshua Tree 2020

Carrie holds one of the most authentic & safest spaces that I've come across in my journey with yoga. Every speech, action & interaction with Carrie is considerate in such a way that you can see she was born to lead others in this position as teacher. She is honest & open in sharing her own journey & personal challenges, there is no "me" or "you" in Carries teaching, it's always "us". It's admirable to see that she learns just as much from her students & takes a genuine interest in them. Aways adapting & fine tuning her role, inspiring others along the way. I'm grateful to have been inspired by Carrie too.

NIck, Costa Rica 2024

It was an amazing tip to New Hampshire with my sis. We participated in an incredible yoga and hiking retreat with Bigger Life Adventures. Hiked Mt. Chocorua and paddle boarded on a lake in Tamworth. It was gorgeous and the people were wonderful! The yoga & meditation from Carrie and Zach were unforgettable!

Jennifer, New Hampshire 2024

Your retreats are true treasures, which is why I'm planning on booking my fourth one. And also why I flew halfway around the globe to spend time with you guys!

Leslie, Joshua Tree, Catalina Island, Thailand

Carrie and Zach are perfectly in sync with their purpose and it shows. They both create the ultimate safe space for healing, creation and connection. Whether you come for Zachโ€™s food (THE BEST) Carries awesome asana, mindful meditations, art projects, ancient lectures, hiking, meeting new friends & sangha, discovering new places around the world or within yourself, amongst many other fun things, you will without a doubt leave a different person even if you hadnโ€™t intended to. These retreats are worth so much more than what you pay for them. Their retreats have something for everyone and I am very excited to make these retreats with my soul fam a yearly if not twice yearly must do. Thank you Carrie and Zach for all that you make possible for all of us. So much love!!

Jess, Joshua Tree, Desert Fest, New Hampshire

Thinking about the yoga retreat I went to in northern Arizona July 2021. We ate vegan, practiced yoga 2-3 times a day, did an ice bath, sound bath, art and lots of hiking. I met the most wonderful people there, and Carrie & Zach from Bigger Life Adventurers were the greatest hosts you could have. I hiked a lot that day, more than I thought I could, and finally conquered my fear of heights. Thereโ€™s so much out there to grab onto if you choose to do so. Happy choosing everyone.

Cherie, Arizona 2021

I first met Carrie when I attended her sober yoga adventure retreat in Joshua Tree 4 years ago when I was a year into my own sobriety journey. It was such an amazing experience that has forever left an impact on my life and the reason why I have kept coming back all of these years. Carrie exemplifies what itโ€™s like to live a full, beautiful, and meaningful life without alcohol. She has alchemized her pain into something creative, fun, purpose driven, and has not only helped change my life, but I know that to be true for soo many others as well! ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป

Astrid, Joshua Tree, Catalina, Costa Rica, Thailand

Carrie, you have shared your experience, strength, and hope through many yoga practices with me. Teaching me the philosophy of yoga and behind the importance of breath work and meditation. True meditation is about being fully present. To endure those uncomfortable poses, breathing through the challenges and realizing my mind and body can handle the storms that come my way. I remember my first experience through 90 second Wim Hof exercises you and Zach took us through. I cried so deeply after that breathing exercise. Learning to feel your emotions, being present with the uncomfortable sensations that arise, and learning how to express my true self. Iโ€™ve learned to handle situations head on rather than running away from my problems. I didnโ€™t get this all in one night. This was a seed that was planted a long time ago. Until I started using the right tools along the way is when the real magic started happening. I learned about her life struggles, and how she coped and handled them so beautifully. Thank you Carrie for sharing your experience. You are a forever inspiration to me and I couldnโ€™t be more grateful for you in this life. We do recover, one day at a time. I love you so much!

Sammy, Arizona 2021 and Colorado 2022

Book a discovery call with Bigger Life Adventures You can also find us onย BookRetreats.com.

Just a yo-yo gettinโ€™ thrown around by the hand of whoeverโ€™s in charge here! ๐Ÿช€๐ŸŒช๏ธ๐Ÿช„๐Ÿงšโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿ•‰๏ธ

Wow, life has been changing FAST lately! Every day, sometimes every hour, brings new challenges to face, plus new opportunities to take a DEEP BREATH, ground, and practice non-attachment. 

Itโ€™s almost like in order to accomplish our dream which we believe is our dharma, we first have to accept the fact that we might NOT accomplish it and we will still be OK no matter what.๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป๐Ÿง ๐Ÿง

Iโ€™m sorry this is pretty vague cause we canโ€™t reveal more, but anyone else feel like theyโ€™re on the end of a divine yo-yo string lately? Wowzers. 

How are you all holding up? ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ’

#soberyogaretreat #vaguebooking #dharma #traumainformedyoga #entrepreneurship
In an effort to share more than just captions, to extend our attention spans, and to WRITE MORE, Carrie is posting occasionally on @substack ! ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ˜€๐Ÿ“

2 posts live, link in bio to subscribe! ๐Ÿ™

What was your entry point to yoga and how has your practice changed over the years? ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿผ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ•‰๏ธ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ•ฏ๏ธ
We love good conversations with people we vibe with! This chat with @challaine.coachauthor fit the bill! It actually featured both of us, Zach & Carrie, chatting about getting sober at different times, how our marriage survived, traveling the world, and the continuing journey of recovery. ๐Ÿช„๐Ÿฆ„๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ•‰๏ธ๐Ÿš€๐ŸŒŽ

Link in bio for the episodeโ€ฆ and we are always available for podcasts and other interviews! ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’š
Gracias a Guatemala for helping me open my heart wider. ๐Ÿ’—

Thank you to the sacred Mayan lands of Lago Atitlan, where karma seems to move fast, for showing me where to grow, when to trust, and mostly for reminding me that I am doing alright.๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป๐ŸŒ‹๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿ’š

I arrived in doubt, in sadness about recent losses, in insecurity about the future, wondering if I was just deluded for even trying to live this alternative life and teach others.๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ•‰๏ธ

As @jayajii told me in ceremony during our medicine retreat, โ€œSometimes when we canโ€™t shake these things loose it just means we have to go into the center of them. Go deeper, into the center.โ€ ๐ŸŒ€๐Ÿง๐Ÿง 

These weeks here have felt like being in the center of a whirlwind of manifestation at times, or like being a tiny, scalding, burning, volcanic rock, hurled uncontrollably out of Volcan Fuegoโ€™s mouth, screaming through the starry sky and not knowing where I will land. โœจโ˜„๏ธ๐ŸŒช๏ธ

Iโ€™ve gone to the center of UNWORTHINESS, bowing my head in prayerful surrender in the central light channel of @casafloresta during ceremony, and also when lying awake at night pondering the future while questioning, โ€œIs this really possible? Am I crazy?โ€

When I speak to others of this capital-U Unworthiness feeling they often try to talk me out of it, but actually this deep humility is not a harmful thing; itโ€™s not a lack. 

Going into the center of Unworthiness has led me to tears of joyful gratitude for all I can still feel, see, share, and experience in each moment despite the many times I have failed or snapped or learned lessons so slowly. ๐Ÿช๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ๐Ÿ˜ก

When I recognize I am Unworthy, every single bit of goodness becomes a gift to be held lightly, marveled at, and shared with others, not clutched or hoarded. 

Unworthiness leads to the deepest, most profound gratitude ever felt. Thatโ€™s whatโ€™s in the center: Thankfulness. ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ’

It could all be gone in the next moment and we are here in this one so letโ€™s just listen, breathe, grow stronger, love better, and touch the earth as much as possible. ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ๐Ÿ’”๐Ÿซถ 

Gracias! -Carrie 

#straightouttaatitlรกn #atitlan #lakeatitlรกn #guatemala #guatemalaretreat #ayahuasca #yogateacherlife #yogaforrecovery #soberyogagirl