OVERVIEW

FORM + FOCUS

We are so excited to continue this special collaboration with Julian Hyzler from EASEL&LENS to combine a look at creative focus with art projects in sketching and "ifonography" (smartphone photography) throughout the week. Yoga and meditation classes will be held daily to prepare our bodies and minds to find a creative way of focus on our excursions through Iceland's amazing landscape. *NO PREVIOUS ART OR YOGA BACKGROUND REQUIRED. All levels are welcome, and participation is voluntary. Projects and classes will be offered as a completely exploratory, unintimidating and personal experience.

GIVE BACK RETREAT

This retreat is part of our GIVE BACK initiative, where EPM will donate at least 10% of profits to a humanitarian partner in the community where each retreat is held. Our partner in Iceland is Icelandair's SPECIAL CHILDREN TRAVEL FUND which helps chronically ill and disadvantaged children realize their dream journeys!

HOTELS

Our home for the week will be an exploration through various locations in Iceland's southwest region. This will allow guests the opportunity to experience different areas of this country's most unique landscape! Our first stop will be the world-famous Blue Lagoon's own Clinic Hotel, set in the heart of a stunning lava landscape. This design hotel offers its own private bathing lagoon, available only to guests. Built in harmony with the surrounding landscape, it offers an oasis of calm, relaxation and healing.

Next we travel to a nearby village which is one of Iceland's biggest concentrations of natural thermal waters. We will stay at the Frost & Fire Guesthouse in Hveragerði, which is located on the banks of the river Varmá in a beautiful setting amidst bubbling hot springs. We will experience some relaxation along the river with a pool, sauna, and spring-filled hot tubs - as well as learn some of the artisan and food traditions of the area like baking brown bread and eggs in the hot springs!

And we finish our Icelandic adventure in the hot spot city of Reykjavik to ring in the New Year! We'll enjoy a stay in a lovely hotel in the center and be ready to see the cultural hub of the county...also a perfect place to extend your stay for those guests who would like to lengthen their holiday.

CUISINE

Healthful, vegetarian food is part of the retreat experience, including breakfast and dinner daily, as well as selected lunches. We've carefully chosen delicious and fresh meals from renowned restaurants and chefs which will give guests an expansive experience of the cuisine. Our dinners will include a few multi-course tasting menus, a visit to an organic Icelandic greenhouse for a farm-to-table lunch, as well as a demo on how to make the famous Icelandic "brown rye bread" made in the volcanic steam!

SURROUNDING AREA

Our day trips will allow us to experience the many unique landscapes and activities that this area has to offer. We will take a tour through Iceland's famous Golden Circle which will include the three primary stops on the route: the national park Þingvellir, the waterfall Gullfoss (meaning "golden falls"), and the geothermally active valley of Haukadalur, which contains the geysers Geysir and Strokkur. Though Geysir has been inactive for a long time, Strokkur, on the other hand, continues to erupt at every 5-10 minutes interval. Just north of this area we'll take an exciting ride in snowmobiles over the white glaciers of the region. We will also spend a day in the captial city of Reykjavik to explore some sites, take a walking tour, had have some free-time to shop, see more of the Icelandic design, or relax before our dinner in town! A day in the village of Hveragerði will allow guests to see more of this thermal water capital and even visit various sites and thermal parks. And a trip to Iceland wouldn't be complete without a day at the Blue Lagoon with its healing waters, silica masks, unparalleled views, and overall spa experience! Each night we'll stand watch for the glorious, and sometime elusive, Northern Lights - this natural phenomenon is on so many people's bucket lists and it's the perfect time to catch a sighting!

YOGA

Daily meditation and yoga classes will be offered in a way to relax, stimulate, and help guests grow in their own personal practice. Classes are open to all levels, beginner to practiced, and can range from gentle, restorative, and more vigorous vinyasa flow and ashtanga styles.* Style and class levels will be determined and moulded to fit participating students' needs, and with a small intimate retreat class size, students will be able to get personalized attention and comfortability to deeply explore their practice. Depending on each retreat location, classes will be held in a dedicated indoor yoga space and some also offer outdoor options as well for us to use if the weather is agreeable.

Certified yoga instructor and EPM founder, Erin Lewis, will facilitate the classes, helping each student focus on improving their practice and gaining new insights into their bodies and movements. She's studied various types of yoga disciplines since 1998, concentrating on the Ashtanga discipline since 2008. She received her teacher certification in Florence, Italy and has continued her education with various specialty certifications throughout the years. She now combines powerful movements with more anatomical-based core vinyasa flow and restorative movement in her personal practice and teaching style.

• * Participation in classes and activities is optional throughout the retreat. All levels welcome!

DETAILS / PRICING

• 6 days / 5 nights (December 27, 2015 - January 1, 2017)
• Inclusive Retreat Price = $3,395
• Deposit to hold space = $900
• Max # Guests = 12
• * Prices based on shared occupancy. Single supplement available upon request.
• ** Final balance due 45 days before retreat start date.
• Read full cancellation policy in our Terms & Conditions.

INCLUDED*:

• Hotel accommodation (spacious bedrooms each with private bathrooms, linens)
• Daily Breakfast and Dinner
• Selected lunches
• Airport Transfers
• Transportation to/from day trips
• Daily meditation and yoga classes
• Daily art classes
• Use of hotel amenities (pools, spas, etc.)
• Tour guide on various day trips
• Welcome Reception
• Tasting menu dinner + wine pairings
• Entrance fees to Blue Lagoon
• Tour of Golden Circle
• Lunch, tour, and Icelandic horse show at organic greenhouse
• Entrance, dinner, and "Rye Bread Experience" at lake-side Thermal Spa
• Sites and tour on Reykjavik day trip
• New Year's Eve celebration (Dinner, Bonfires, Fireworks)
• Taxes
• * airfare not included
• ** all meals are vegetarian. special dietary restrictions can be accommodated

DAY TRIPS:

• Guided Tour of Golden Circle (Geysir, Gullfoss, Thingvellir National Park)
• Day in Reykjavik (sites, dinner, shopping, freetime, walking tour)
• Snowmobile ride on glacier
• Visit with lunch and horse show at organic Icelandic greenhouse
• Night thermal spa visit with dinner and "rye bread experience"
• Day at Blue Lagoon
• Visit to Hveragerði village
• New Year's Eve celebration

TRAVEL:

• Airport = Keflavik Airport (KEF), Reykjavik's major international airport
• Transfers will be provided to/from airport on start and end of retreat

SUGGESTED PACKING:

Besides the basic packing and travel needs, here are a few things to think about bringing with you.

• Bathing suit (on-site pool, spa)
• Winter & weather appropriate clothing (snow boots, winter coat, etc)
• Yoga clothes
• Yoga mat
• Personal yoga props (blocks, straps, etc.)
• Plug adaptors / converters
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Smartphone and/or camera