BLACKSEA
HIKING & YOGA RETREAT
BY Begüm Gülderen
@ FINDIKLI, RIZE, TURKEY.
24-28 JUNE 2024
4 Nights / 5 Days
Retreat Fees
Shared Double Room: €940
Private Single Room: €1240
*Triple & Family Rooms available (Please contact for more info.)
*All meals, all yoga classes & workshops included in this prices.
Ashtanga VINYASA Yoga/Hiking Retreat
Immerse yourself with Black Sea's secrets while surrounded by breathtaking landscapes. Explore nature's masterpiece with stunning landscapes and a fascinating history. The Kaçkars are glaciated mountains that are alpine in character, with steep rocky peaks and numerous mountain lakes. The area was declared a national park in 1994.
Black sea region is a unique place. A peaceful and transformational retreat awaits you in a wonderful family-run establishment boutique hotel where you feel like home! You will walk through the beautiful landscapes and villages during the best season, visit waterfalls and swim.. you will be fully rejunevated..!
Starting the day with early morning ashtanga vinyasa yoga and chanting, followed by delicious Turkish breakfast and then we will start to walk and do some awesome activities together! Late afternoons and evenings will be Mindfulness practices and story tellings moments.
This retreat is a must!
“Lush and green throughout the year, rocky mountains, the cool waters of the coast and plantations of tea, hazelnuts, tobacco and corn, the Black Sea is a unique part of the country.”
The reality of the Hakoni House began about 50+ years ago when Osman Terzi, the co-founder of Hakoni Life Inc., started dreaming about building his own house … Now this amazing venue turned out to be a retreat place!
Retreat place in Rize is a family-run establishment, currently providing 12 fully equipped rooms for its guests.They make their guests feel like they've come to their second home in the mountains. Turkish Black Sea Region Hospitality is an experience!
Timed the retreat to coincide with the stunning colors of summer in the countryside.
The best time to enjoy the waterfalls and lakes as well as lose yourself in the Turkish countryside while exploring the hidden blooms and natural wonders of Kackar Mountains.
ACCOMMODATION:
Located in Fındıklı in the Black Sea Region region, Hakoni House features accommodation with access to indoor & outdoor yoga rooms. Guests can make use of the sun terrace or the outdoor fireplace, or enjoy views of the mountain and garden. House will provide guests with air-conditioned units with a desk, a kettle, a minibar, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower. Guests can have fruits and chocolates or cookies delivered to their room. Every unit has bed linen and towels. Continental and vegetarian breakfast options with warm dishes, local specialities and fruits are available daily at the guest house. After a day of cycling, fishing or hiking, guests can relax in the garden or in the shared lounge area.
Our Retreat House for 5 days!
Kackar Mountains & Stunning Views
Camlihemsin Valley
A View from the retreat place
HIGHLIGHTS
4 Nights Deluxe Room Accommodation.
Rooms are facing the Mountains and very comfortable.
Traditional Turkish Breakfast, Lunch snacks and Dinner including fish.
Vegan, Vegetarian & Gluten Free Diet options.
4 Morning Yoga, Mindfulness & Meditation Classes.
4 Afternoon Group Discussions & Workshops.
Free use of plenty of entertainment such as board games and chess.
Choose from the wide selection of books in the library and get reading!
Guided activities and visits including hikes and going for shopping at local shops.
Live Local Folk Music and `Tulum Dance` Class!
NOT INCLUDED:
Travel costs, airfare transport to/from hotel. Transportation fees.
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED:
Going down to the river just below the House and enjoying in front of the bonfire by the giant ship-looking rock!
Hiking through beautiful trails
Jumping and swimming into the famous creek HacıMehmet Waterfall, just 10 minutes away from the House
Visit Fındıklı's famous Çağlayan Valley and have a cup of coffee across the historical Stone Bridge!
Join the locals and learn how to collect tea leaves if you're up for some arm workout
Visit Goloskur, one of the closest highlands to the House, to get a great view of the entire valley
OpTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Day Tour to Batum, Georgia ! (The Neighbours Country)
Our VIP tours will take you all the way up to the highlands where our locals practice transhumance during the summer. You will not only get to see the incredible Kaçkar Mountains up close and meet the other habitants, but also hike through trails and climb peaks to the most amazing views you'll ever see. You might even get to jump into the 4°C lake if you dare!
Tours to Hakoni, Camlihemsin Valley, Ayder Valley, Zilkale, Cinciva Village.
Zipline Activities.
Visit Ovit Lake and swimming there!
Sample Program
6 am to 8 am - Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
8 am to 9 am - Breakfast
Free Time for Sightseeings & Resting and Readings!
4 pm to 6 pm Group Gatherings or Workshops
6 pm to 7 pm Dinner
Rooms with best views of mountains..!
Deluxe Room 2
Dinners at the retreat centre..
Indoor spaces for group gatherings
Yoga Shala
Nourish in Nature..
Hacimehmet Waterfall
“Hiking & doing Yoga in the Kackar Mountains in Turkey is a fantastic experience. It has it all, forests, alpine regions, glaciers, soring mountains and beautiful lakes. Perfect place for nature lovers”
Ashtanga Vinyasa YOGA
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is a style of yoga codified and popularized by K. Pattabhi Jois during the 20th century. Ashtanga means eight limbs or branches, of which asana or physical yoga posture is merely one branch, breath or pranayama is another. Prepare to sweat as you briskly move through a set sequence. In Ashtanga yoga, we do asana practice as well as chanting practices. All-Levels are welcome!
*Some days for sightseeing. Sight-seeing will be arranged and if you are coming to Turkey alone, afraid of being a stranger, you won't be….
*Retreat will start from the date of 24th of June. You could arrive the hotel in the afternoon and enjoy your welcome drink at the lobby. After check- in at 15:00, we will meet at 16:00 for the first class. Followed by dinner with welcome local live music & dance!
Food consumption has a big role in our relationship with nature and we prefer to keep that relationship respectful and fair. At our retreat place they shop mostly from farmers in the neighborhood for dairy and vegetable products in order to support and advocate more ethical, sustainable and healthier food choices. This retreat is a meat-free, except for fish products, according to season.
Breakfast is open buffet and different hot options for breakfast every day. Tea and coffee are unlimited during breakfast :)
Lunch snacks are usually handmade pastries, salads with high nutritional value, and muffins or different cakes for dessert. There are also fresh fruits, nuts and tea.
Dinners change daily. It consists of a full menu, starting from soup, hot and cold starters, salad, main course and dessert..
*In this retreat, we do not serve meat and chicken. But we do have fish service. We prepare fish-based dishes, especially local delicacies such as anchovy, salmon and trout. Apart from that, all our meals are vegetarian, and we use plenty of vegetables. We can also offer gluten-free and vegan options for those who wish.
HOSPITALITY MISSION & VISION
Hakoni House values sustainability in hospitality. Sustainability entails a cycle, which generates its own fuel. They believe that they can generate that fuel with our eco-friendly approach to hospitality management so that they can maintain a cycle of happy and loyal guests.
They offer reusable glass bottles instead of single-use plastics for toiletries
They offer vegan shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion to our guests
They offer cotton swabs made of bamboo and cotton, %100 biodegradable
They use vegan cleaning products for housekeeping, kitchen and general cleaning
They separate recyclable and non-recyclable trash and offer the guests the opportunity to do the same in our rooms
GETTING THERE
The town is located approximately 11 km inland from the Black Sea coast in Turkey.
1- Fly to Trabzon International Airport, then either rent a car or take a cab directly to the Retreat house!. Or you can also take the Havaş bus to Rize City Center, where you can get a cab to the House or we can arrange a car to pick you up for an extra fee. (It usually takes around 2 hours from Trabzon Airport to the House.)
2- Fly to Rize-Artvin Airport, then either rent a car or take a cab directly to the Retreat House.! Or you can also take the Havaş bus to Fındıklı, where you can get a cab to the House or we can arrange a car to pick you up directly from the airport for an extra fee. (It usually takes around 40 minutes from Rize Airport to the House.)
3- Fly to Batumi International Airport, 75 km from the Retreat House!
What To Do In Black Sea Region
GET TOURISTY
Though we value and promote local interactions and experiences, we also urge our guests to discover the cultural and historical significance of touristic spots and excursions. They hold valuable information into our pasts and ancestral history, which shape how local communities are formed in today's world.
So, here is a list of more touristic activities you might enjoy:
Visit the Ayder Plateau, located in Çamlıhemşin district of Rize, and admire its natural beauty
Climb to the medieval castle Zilkale, located in Çamlıhemşin district of Rize, and learn about its historical background
Visit the incredible Karagöl, located in Borçka district of Artvin, and hike through the natural park's cinematic atmosphere!
Swim under the Mençuna and Maral Fountains of Artvin!
Visit the famous highlands of Rize and Artvin, such as Pokut (Çamlıhemşin) and Sahara (Şavşat)
Visit the Sumela Monastery, located in Maçka district of Trabzon (a true remarkable wonder, dating back to 13th century!)
Take a day trip to Batum, Georgia (the journey is only 1 h 15 min long from the House!)
TO REGISTER
Please email your interest to Begüm ( begumgulderenyoga@gmail.com ). You will then receive a registration form to complete and details regarding the transfer of deposit. A deposit of 50% of the total price is required to secure your booking. The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival. Upon registration, you will be sent more info about getting to and around Rize or Batumi, shuttle pick-up from the airport, what to bring, the rules of the retreat etc.