Welcome to a nourishing all-inclusive retreat created especially for guests over 55. This gentle escape is designed to support body, mind, and spirit, helping you slow down, let go of what no longer serves you, and return to a greater sense of ease. You’ll leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and equipped with simple tools to support lasting balance in daily life.
A gentle invitation to reconnect with yourself.
Life after 55 can be a deeply rewarding chapter — a time to move more mindfully, rest more fully, and reconnect with your inner rhythm. This retreat has been thoughtfully created to help you nourish your body, calm your mind, and enjoy the presence of a supportive community.
Whether you are completely new to yoga or returning after many years, you are warmly welcome. Wherever you are right now, the experience is designed to meet you with care, encouragement, and gentle guidance.
Accommodation
All meals: nourishing vegetarian cuisine, thoughtfully prepared to accommodate dietary preferences and allergies
Unlimited herbal teas and fresh fruit throughout your stay
Up to three rejuvenating massages or treatments to support your wellbeing
Access to onsite bicycles for scenic rides
Heated 20-metre mineral salt swimming pool
Up to three daily yoga classes, including Flow, Classic Hatha, and Restorative/Yin options
Workshops on healthy aging, wellness, and nutrition
Free time for rest, reading, reflection, beach or nature walks, or peaceful solitude
Evening restorative yoga or guided meditation to support deep rest
Please note: the retreat program is flexible, so you can join in as much or as little as feels right for you.
A calmer nervous system, greater ease in the body, and renewed vitality.
Practical tools for mindfulness, breathwork, gentle movement, and restorative habits.
A deeper connection with yourself.
New friendships and shared experiences within a supportive community.
A meaningful pause for reflection, rest, and renewed perspective.
Arrival Day
8:00am - 2.45pm - Arrive anytime and settle in to your accommodation
12:30pm - Lunch (optional - for an additional cost)
3:00pm - Welcome Circle and Meditation
4:30pm - Restorative / Yin Yoga Class
6:00pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Guided Meditation / Yoga Nidra
Full Days
6:45am - Yoga Class
8:00am - Breakfast
9:00am - Wellness / Lifestyle Session
10:00am - Morning Break
10:30am - Yoga Class
12:00pm - Relax
12:30pm - Lunch
1:30pm - Relax / Treatment
4:30pm - Restorative / Yin Yoga Class
6:00pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Guided Meditation / Philosophy / Wellness session
Final Day
6:45am - Morning Flow Yoga
8:00am - Breakfast
9:00am - Ongoing Wellness and Closing Circle
11:00am - Check out and departure (you are welcome to stay on to use the facilities and have lunch)
This retreat is a fully immersive experience, with age-related wellness and lifestyle sessions woven into the schedule to complement your yoga and relaxation.
Across the retreat, you’ll enjoy:
Tuesday: Yoga for healthy aging
Wednesday: Cooking class
Thursday: Garden tour
Saturday: Fundamentals of asana alignment
Sunday: Yoga philosophy
These sessions are an important part of the retreat, offering both inspiration and practical takeaways to bring home.
The experienced Byron Yoga Centre team is here to support your journey with warmth and integrity. With decades of experience and a genuine love for what they do, the teachers guide each guest with compassion and presence.
“We’re not here to fix you. You’re not broken. We’re simply here to hold space while you return to your wholeness.”
Meet John!
John Ogilvie is the CEO and Founder of Byron Yoga Centre, and one of Australia’s most respected and experienced teachers. He has practised yoga for more than 45 years and taught for over 40. His signature style, Purna Yoga, was developed after 20 years of disciplined study across the Iyengar and Ashtanga lineages, integrating asanas, breathing techniques, meditation, and philosophical principles.
Meet Marita!
Marita is the Head Teacher Trainer at Byron Yoga Centre. With a background in gymnastics and years of teaching experience, she brings an alignment-based vinyasa approach shaped by both challenge and care. Her intention is to help students feel peace, happiness, strength, and compassion through yoga.
Meet Elise!
Elise is the Retreat Manager and has been teaching and hosting retreats since 2016. Her classes include vinyasa, yin, restorative, and slow flow, always with an emphasis on body awareness, alignment, nervous system regulation, and the mind-body connection. She has been teaching yoga since 2015 and has led hundreds of retreats.
Meet Ross!
Ross is passionate about sharing the wisdom of yoga and mindfulness, and about supporting mental wellbeing. He qualified as a yoga teacher in 2013 and joined the Byron Yoga Centre team in 2016. His training includes yoga therapy, meditation, yin yoga, restorative yoga, trauma-aware yoga, Zen Thai Shiatsu massage, and Reiki.
Meet Mariana!
Mariana is a yoga teacher, Ayurvedic Practitioner, and founder of VIDA Ayurveda. With more than two decades of experience, she offers a grounded and compassionate approach, blending yogic wisdom with Ayurvedic healing to help people feel healthier and more alive.
Meet Colin!
Colin’s yoga journey began in Edinburgh at age 21 with a dedicated Ashtanga practice. Over the years, he has explored many styles, including Iyengar, Hot Yoga, Vinyasa, Yin, and Myofascial Release. His teaching brings together breath, alignment, presence, music, and poetry, with a welcoming approach for all bodies and abilities.
At Byron Yoga Centre, the surroundings are designed to support rest, reflection, and ease. Accommodation is simple, comfortable, and peaceful, with options including private ensuite rooms for added privacy or more affordable shared-bathroom rooms. All rooms offer a calming atmosphere and garden views.
The retreat is set among 3 acres of organic gardens, which supply much of the food served on the vegetarian menu. Meals are carefully prepared to be balanced, cleansing, and nourishing, using fresh local, organic, and seasonal ingredients whenever possible.
Guests enjoy access to 15 acres of retreat land, including 3 acres of organic fruit, vegetable, and herb gardens, a solar-heated 20-metre mineral salt pool rich in magnesium, a Balé surrounded by banana trees, and onsite bicycles for exploring town or the local beaches.
Many guests enjoy time at the beach, the lighthouse trail, whale or dolphin watching, local cafés, and the distinctive shops of Byron Bay. The retreat centre is within walking distance of town, making it easy to explore during your stay.
For more than three decades, Byron Yoga Centre has woven sustainability into its way of life. This commitment includes solar power, rainwater harvesting, eco-friendly toilets, recycling initiatives, composting, and community outreach.
The yoga taught at Byron Yoga Retreat Centre is Purna, meaning integrated or complete. This holistic approach combines physical postures with meditation, pranayama, and philosophy.
The following items are not included in the 7 Day Yoga Retreat price, but can be added by request:
Additional activities that Byron Bay has to offer
Coffee, chai and cold drinks such as coconut water
Sweet treats (“healthy” desserts: raw, gluten and refined sugar free)
Travel and airport transfers
Returning guests, or those looking to combine their retreat with more adventurous activities or local exploration, can choose from several program options and activity partners, subject to availability, minimum numbers, and additional costs.
Is this retreat suitable for beginners or people with limited mobility?
Yes. It is designed especially for guests 55 and over, including complete beginners. All yoga sessions are gentle, accessible, and easily modified.
Do I need to be fit or flexible to join?
Not at all. There is no expectation of fitness or flexibility. The practices are slow, supportive, and offered with props and variations.
How physically demanding is the program?
The schedule is spacious and gentle. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you like.
Do I have to attend every class or workshop?
No. Everything is optional, and you are encouraged to follow what feels nourishing for you.
What type of accommodation is available?
Private ensuite rooms are available, along with more affordable shared-bathroom rooms. Shared bathrooms are approximately a 50m walk from the rooms.
What should I bring?
Comfortable clothing, swimwear, a reusable water bottle, a hat, walking shoes, and a light jumper for evenings. Yoga mats and props are provided.
Is this retreat suitable for solo travellers?
Absolutely. Many guests attend alone, and the small, gentle group setting makes it easy to feel welcome and supported.
Aug 7-13, 2026
7 day event
Daily Schedule:
Our twin share rooms are an affordable, yet comfortable option. The rooms can be configured into two single beds. You will be sharing the cabin with one other international students of the same gender. The rooms are newly renovated with wooden floors and whitewashed walls. All rooms have air conditioning, reading lamps and a wardrobe. The communal bathrooms are a short walk away and, in line with our eco-policies, they have compost toilets, rain water showers and solar heated hot water.
Our single rooms accommodating maximum one guest and includes a single bed and a small desk. The rooms are newly renovated with wooden floors and whitewashed walls. All rooms have air conditioning, reading lamps and a wardrobe. The communal bathrooms are a short walk away and, in line with our eco-policies, they have compost toilets, rain water showers and solar heated hot water.
These comfortably sized cabins are configured with four single beds and are ideal for a relaxed, communal stay. Each cabin features a small deck that opens to a beautiful green outlook, offering a peaceful and private retreat. Inside, you'll find reading lamps, cupboards, and heaters to ensure comfort during cooler months. Shared bathrooms are unisex and are located conveniently nearby.
Our comfortable single occupancy rooms offer a peaceful retreat with wooden floors and whitewashed walls. Each room is furnished with a reading lamp, cupboard, and heater for the cooler months. The shared bathrooms are unisex and are conveniently located nearby, just a short walk along covered verandas for easy access. Ideal for those seeking a tranquil and relaxed stay.
Perfect for solo travellers, these newly renovated rooms feature a private ensuite bathroom and are designed for comfort and relaxation. With wooden floors and whitewashed walls, each room includes a reading lamp, cupboard, and a heater for added warmth during the cooler months.
Perfect for solo travellers, these newly renovated rooms feature a private ensuite bathroom and are designed for comfort and relaxation. With wooden floors and whitewashed walls, each room includes a reading lamp, cupboard, and a heater for added warmth during the cooler months.
John Ogilvie
Marita
Elise
Ross
Mariana
Colin
