ETHIOPIA! Awaken Your Soul in the Cradle of Humanity: A healing adventure for your body, mind, and spirit
September 7-15, 2024
Join us for nine nights and ten full days in the unique exploration of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Lalibela, and some surrounding villages. Ethiopia, one of a handful of African nations not colonized, is a country of unparalleled ethnic diversity.
As you venture through this cradle of humanity, you'll immerse your body, mind, and spirit in her vibrant colors, historical sites, and rhythmic beats of powerful places.
Each moment of magic will be enhanced by a daily practice of yoga, meditation, and reflection that nurtures creativity, relaxes the mind, and energizes the body.
This retreat will be inclusive and intentionally create space for BIPOC folks. We invite all to join and create an inclusive healing community on this journey.
Highlights
Addis Ababa
Stay at the 5-star Sheraton Addis Luxury Hotel
Admire the panoramic views of a Mount Entoto day trip
Explore the beautiful city and open-air markets of Addis Ababa
Unique Ethiopian culinary tour
Authentic cooking class with a coffee ceremony
St. John Gallery, Addis Fine Art Gallery, Visit local art galleries
Meet the oldest human ancestor, Lucy, at the National Museum and Unity Park
Optional shopping for traditional crafts from Ethiopian designers in modern boutiques
Lalibela
3-day touring of rock hewn Churches in Lalibela
The coziest stay at the mountain view Sora Lodge
The delicious Ben Abeba for daily meals
Visit the remarkable historical cave churches of Adai Mariam rock-hewn churches, the UNESCO-listed Tiya archaeological site
Accommodation options
Accommodation includes staying at the Sheraton in Addis Ababa and Sora Lodge in Lalibela.
Single Room - $6,150 $5,850*
Price includes one entire room.
Price is for one person.
Shared Room - $5,750 $5,500*
Price is per person.
Shared room can include up to 3 people if requested.
All shared rooms are equally priced.
All shared rooms might vary slightly.
*Early bird offer valid through April 7, 2024
“Ethiopia has always held a special place in my own imagination and the prospect of visiting attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England and America combined.”
Your setting
Known as the Land of the Thirteen Months, with its ancient intact history, preserved natural wonders, immense cultural and spiritual diversity, and stable political climate, visiting Ethiopia is a life-changing adventure. The colorful Ethiopian people and its unique geography have a beautiful way of cracking your mind and heart wide open, allowing for a profound transformation that awakens you to your true essence.
As you venture through this cradle of humanity, you'll immerse your body, mind, and spirit in her vibrant colors, historical sites, and rhythmic beats of powerful places. Each moment of magic will be enhanced by a daily practice of yoga, meditation, and reflection that nurtures creativity, relaxes the mind, and energizes the body.
rest
Sheraton - Addis Ababa 6 nights
In the heart of the Ethiopian capital, Sheraton Addis, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Addis Ababa sits on a hilltop overlooking the city, safely nestled between the National Palace and the prime minister’s residence.
Just 20 minutes from Bole International Airport it boasts glittering pools with enchanting underwater music, an indulgent spa menu of soothing massages at Aqva Club, and several gourmet restaurants. Around-the-clock service and fine amenities.
Sora Lodge - Lalibela 3 nights
All rooms at the Sora Lodge have two large verandas facing east and west from where guests can see Lalibela’s biggest mountain, “Asheten Mariam,” and watch the sunrise and sunset!
Sora Lodge Lalibela is a German-Ethiopian family-run hotel that has been open since October 2013. They have modern, spacious single, double, and twin rooms with hot showers, comfortable beds, and large verandas.
experience
From start to finish, we intend to support you in having a comfortable and restorative experience.
Our journey includes a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, an Ethiopian cooking class, a trip to the Museum of Ethiopia to see ‘Lucy’, hiking Mount Entoto, shopping at Shola Market, art gazing at St. John’s Gallery and Naz’s Gallery, live jazz at the well known Fendika Jazz Club, delicious dinners at the famous Yod Abyssinia and Castelli’s, a three day and three-night tour of Lalibela to visit the rock hewn churches and so much more!
Your retreat also includes a daily yoga practice, mindfulness practices, and two coaching sessions to process your time.
Tentative schedule
8:30 a.m. Journaling and meditation
9:00 a.m. 60-min yoga practice
10:15 a.m. Breakfast
11:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Daily excursion
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Evening spa time
7:30 p.m. Dinner and festivities
The full schedule will be shared before the retreat.
Getting There
You are solely responsible for meeting all travel requirements for entry to Ethiopia, including any additional Covid-19 Restrictions.
We have arranged a shuttle van to take us from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport to the Sheraton Addis.
Date and Location
Saturday, September 7- Sunday, September 15, 2024
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Capital of Ethiopia)
Lalibela, Ethiopia (Town in Northern Ethiopia)
Accommodations
Single Room
$6,150 $5,850*
Price includes one entire room.
Price is for one person.
Shared Room
$5750 $5,500*
Price is per person.
Shared room can include up to 3 people if requested.
All shared rooms are equally priced.
All shared rooms might vary slightly.
*Early bird offer valid through April 7, 2024
INCLUDED IN THE RETREAT:
9 nights in 5 and 4-star luxury hotels in Addis Ababa and Lalibela
in-country flight travel to Lalibela and back to Addis Ababa
extensive pre-trip assistance (Visa, Flights, Inoculations)
expertly planned itinerary
3 meals a day
private guides and tours throughout
all land transport (including private airport transfers)
all entry fees to monuments, concerts, etc.
all taxes
one 30-minute coaching session with Nya, Jess & Zanna during the trip
daily yoga & meditation with Jess, Nya & Zanna
transportation to and from Bole airport
community
NOT INCLUDED:
International airfare
Ethiopian visa
excursions to sites outside of listed locations
alcohol beverages
personal expenses not stipulated
optional add-ons
gratuities
Visa for Ethiopia
Apply here for a visa.
You’ll need a recent passport-size photo for the application.
Important note: the passport of the visa applicant is valid for at least 6 months from the intended date of entry to Ethiopia.
PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION POLICY
Payment:
A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 is required to hold your spot. Final payment must be received by May 7th, 2024.
Cancellation Policy:
In the event of cancellation, your entire payment will be refunded less the $1,000 deposit, if the cancellation is made before May 7, 2024. Payments are non-refundable after this date.
Please see the Terms and Conditions for additional cancellation policies.
Travel Insurance:
We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance for your trip. Many travel insurance companies exist, but Travelex and World Nomads are two reputable organizations for worldwide travel coverage.
Zelle:
nya.alemayhu@gmail.com
zanna.yardas@gmail.com
jessicapsandhu@gmail.com
Venmo:
@nyaaa
@ZenjoyLiving
@Jessica-Sandhu-1
21 Spots are Available
Scholarship
We have reserved TWO $500 scholarship for BIPOC in need. Please reach out to jess@jessicasandhu.com to learn more or fill out application form here. First come, first serve basis.
Your Guides
Jessica Sandhu, Nya Alemayhu, and Suzannah Yardas together weave in healing techniques, classical yoga asana and philosophy, meditation, relaxation practices, and a commitment to the community to bring you this unique offering.
On their own healing journeys, each teacher has created personal and professional practices that help them move through a white patriarchal world with love and compassion and use that to help others find their way through.
There’s a great belief that we can all heal in community.
Jessica Sandhu
Jessica Sandhu is a Canadian-born healer, somatic coach, and yoga teacher of Anishinaabe First Nations and Punjabi Indian descent.
As an anti-racist healer and teacher, Jess’s goal is to create equity in conference rooms, on the yoga mat, and in coaching sessions. She’s continually aware of who is not in the room and who needs to be.
Since 2001, Jess has practiced various forms of yoga, finally finding a home with Iyengar Yoga in 2003. Its alignment-based principles allow more understanding of the pose benefits and how it creates a deeper connection to the body.
Jess has dealt with lower back pain throughout the years and found yoga super beneficial in alleviating it. When more yoga was integrated into her life, things seemed less hard, and life became more sweet! Less Dukha, More Sukha.
Jess is also a Usui Reiki Master, health coach, and has been trained in Trauma-Informed yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Yin Yoga.
Jess is committed to becoming a bridge with roots in both the modern and traditional world by honoring the traditional customs of yoga and respecting all Indigenous cultures. Jess resides on the ancestral lands of the Piscataways/Anacostans.
Nya Alemayhu
I never intended to become a yoga teacher; my training was initially selfish and only meant to deepen my practice. but with practice, I have found what I had been seeking: yoga as a template for leading a conscious, connected, and mindful life. it was as if the decision to share this with others was made for me. my teaching approach is made-to-measure for each individual i work with, always bearing in mind that this practice is not one size fits all.
While I began my odyssey through Forrest yoga, I have since practiced Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram, Hatha, Iyengar, restorative, vinyasa, and yin yoga. my current home is the Mysore practice of ashtanga. it is my intention to teach in a way that allows students to be deeply present and mindful of how one's practice in life manifests itself on the mat, and vice versa. each practice is meditative and facilitates a way for opening not only in the body, in the mind, but more important — opening in the heart.
I believe each of us is on a quest to return to wholeness. I am grateful for the opportunity to assist along that journey. i am inspired by all of my teachers on and off the mat and continue to learn how to better serve humanity as a whole.
Suzannah “Zanna” Zuckerman Yardas, LMT
Somatic Integration and Energetic Practitioner and Wellness Coach
As a somatic and energetic practitioner, Zanna’s life goal is to foster a world where people naturally partner with and support each other in accessing the vibrant health and growth potential that we each possess. As we aim towards our potential together, we become the strongest and best versions of ourselves. Our world needs this now more than ever before. Zanna is honored to be a practitioner who has devoted her passions, skills, and creativity to supporting the optimal wellness of the planet and her inhabitants.
After graduating from Colorado College with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Zanna applied the skills she acquired as an ethnographer and began to study Eastern religions from the Western householder perspective. She dove headfirst into contemplative meditations, discovering the richness of her inner world, and learned effective tools for managing her struggle with a generalized anxiety disorder. Eventually, she learned that meditation, self-love, and compassion practices could be applied and used in multiple ways to bring lasting benefits for most who tried.
Zanna met her life partner, David Yardas, in 1994 and married in 1995. By 2000, Zanna gave birth to their 3rd child. With three children under five and determined to create a simpler life, Zanna and David moved their family to a small mountain town near Lake Tahoe, CA. Upon this move, Zanna became certified in massage therapy and started her first healing business, Lotus Sage. Addressing her client’s physical ailments, she quickly recognized that many of their issues held a deeper component residing in their emotional and energetic systems. Longing to learn how to best help her clients, Zanna began training with Stephan Barr, L.Ac, who taught her how to work with the body’s five systems (Physical, Emotional, Mental, Energetic, and Spiritual) and to help her clients learn how to align these systems within their bodies. These tools and practices for aligning the five systems are what Zanna continues to use today.
In 2009, Zanna and her family moved from the mountains of California to the Washington, DC area. This was a necessary move to serve the diverse needs of their three children and family. Here, Zanna completed a 750-hour licensure program at Potomac Massage Training Institute and opened Georgetown Wellness, a healing studio in Washington, DC. She was forced to close this studio following a traumatic bike accident and NDE in 2018. In her recovery, she was hired by the Field School as their Main Office Manager and Community Wellness coach. After a five-year stint at The Field School, and with the encouragement of family, friends, and clients, Zanna has rebooted her Somatic Integration and Energetics practice. She works with individuals and partners with several licensed therapists and practitioners who offer a rich combination of somatic and energetic therapy with talk therapy. Guiding and coaching people on accessing and working with their inner healer is the prime aim of her practice. She is available to teach groups her unique set of healing tools as well as work deeper with individuals to support their life goals.
In addition to somatic and energy work, Zanna enjoys preparing delicious meals for friends and family, gardening, singing, playing golf (a new sport since 2020), hiking, skiing, painting, and spending heart time with friends and family.