Backroads Walking, Hiking and Multi-Sport Trips with Yoga

Backroads has added yoga sessions to several of its adventures. Many guests have been enjoying yoga on their own in an informal sense, but Backroads trip leaders will add yoga into the itineraries because it makes sense to help prepare the body for the active daily challenges of these journeys.

Adventure travel company Backroads, which I have traveled with as part of two river cruises for their hiking and biking itineraries, is bringing yoga to a number of its Walking & Hiking, Biking and Multi-Adventure Trips beginning in 2019.

Backroads will offer yoga programming on 14 of the company's itineraries — including Bali, India, Tuscany, Mallorca, Costa Rica, Maui and Santa Barbara. The addition of yoga makes a lot of sense to me because it's a great activity to prepare the body (and mind) for the daily grind of the biking, hiking and other active adventures that the daily schedule puts travelers through

The new Backroads trips with yoga include an hour of daily Hatha-style yoga. Unlike traditional yoga-focused retreats, these yoga sessions are an addition to current itineraries and serve as a complement to the other active endeavors and cultural excursions. Backroads says they are intended to be fun, designed for all levels and completely optional. The classes are focused on stretching for flexibility, strength building and balance, and are designed to target essential muscle groups used while biking or hiking. Warm-up and cool-down periods are included in each session to prepare joints and muscles and to aid in injury prevention and recovery. Based on the trip itinerary and/or location, yoga will usually be offered in the morning as an enjoyable way to prepare for an active day, or occasionally in the afternoon if that fits better into the flow of the day.

Backroads yoga “studios” will vary depending on trip itineraries, region and weather. Spas and lounge spaces at trip hotels will often be used for yoga classes to maximize time spent at the wonderful properties that Backroads selects for its adventures.

Beautiful outdoor areas with views over spectacular landscapes, beachfront settings and the decks of river cruise ships are examples of additional locations that the Backroads yoga team will use. The sessions will be led by trip leaders, all of whom have extensive yoga experience. High-quality yoga mats and yoga straps are provided. Offered at no additional cost, yoga-supplemented trips are perfect for both experienced yoga practitioners and adventurous travelers who want to give yoga a try. They're also great for couples and traveling companions with varying interests — one of you may be more yoga-focused while the other would rather sleep in or go for a run, for examples.

"Yoga is already happening organically on many of our trips with many of our guests stretching before setting off for an active day of hiking, biking or being on the water," Backroads President Tom Hale said. "We make it our mission to lead active trips that guests can customize to meet their vacation goals. The option of daily yoga is simply another natural way of adding activity and flexibility into our itineraries."

Backroads Itineraries with Yoga

• A Taste of Camino de Santiago Walking & Hiking Tour

• Arches & Canyonlands Walking & Hiking tour

• Bali Bike Tour

• Costa Rica Multi-Adventure Tour

• Florida Key's Multi-Adventure Tour

• Iceland Northern Lights Multi-Adventure Tour

• India Multi-Adventure Tour

• Mallorca Walking & Hiking Tour

• Maui Yoga Multi-Adventure Tour

• Mexico's Yucatan Multi-Adventure Tour

• Palm Springs & Joshua Tree Walking & Hiking Tour

• Santa Barbara to Ojai Bike Tour

• Sedona Walking & Hiking Tour

• Tuscany's Chianti Bike Tour

Do you like to do a bit of yoga when you travel on your adventures? What other activities do you think can prime the body for challenging physical adventures?

Thanks for reading, and always travel fit!

JR