Christy DeBurton and Tia Stephanie Tours invite you on a yoga journey to the ancient and mysterious land of the Maya in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, with Rancho Encantado eco-resort as your home base. Set on the breathtaking Lake of Seven Colors in Bacalar, Mexico, Rancho Encantado is an ideal setting for a tropical yoga retreat.

Complementing your yoga practice, this tour offers a cultural and spiritual adventure for body, mind and spirit. After daily morning yoga sessions, you will visit a variety of Mayan sites, many of which are recent discoveries and virtually unknown to most travelers. Your guide is passionate about her work and will ignite your enthusiasm as you learn about the customs and rituals of each site. She’ll also accompany you to present-day Mayan villages to learn how these indigenous people live today.

During our retreat you are also invited to participate in the authentic Mayan ritual of Temascal, a sweat lodge ceremony, and learn about the use of cacao in Mayan religious ceremonies. Plenty of time is also set aside during the week for swimming, snorkeling, sailing, bird-watching, spa treatments, personal exploration and relaxation.

You will not have to worry about any logistics; you can simply enjoy your journey to the fullest while Tia Stephanie Tours ensures that your yoga adventure is organized to cater to your individual needs. We guarantee that there is something for everyone on this tour. You will be inspired by the Mayan culture and people, nature and outdoor activities, daily yoga geared for all levels, and relaxing spa services.

If you have any questions on the tour portion of our trip, please contact Tia Stephanie Tours at: info@tiastephanietours.com or (734) 769-7839.
You may register for the retreat directly on their website at
www.tiastephanietours.com/more_info/trip16.html
For questions about the yoga portion of our trip, contact Christy DeBurton at
info@christydeburton.com or (734)761-8409.
For more information on Rancho Encantado, visit www.encantado.com.

The cost for our 8-day retreat is $1675/person for a Garden Casita, double occupancy
$1800/person for a Laguna Casita, double occupancy
Less $150 for non-yoga participant

**Time is running out to sign up for this wonderful retreat! Full payment is due by February 12, 2008!**
$250 cancellation fee prior to 60 days, no refund within 60 days of retreat.

The package includes seven nights at Rancho Encantado, guided tours, Mayan Temascal ceremony, ground transportation, tips for hotel staff and most meals. Not included: Airfare, some lunches, tips for guides/drivers, spa services, and other personal items.



ITINERARY:
Day One, Saturday, April 12: Arrive Cancun-Transfer to Bacalar. Upon arrival in Cancun, we will be met at the airport and transferred to our home in the Yucatan Peninsula, Rancho Encantado, located in the town of Bacalar, on the shores of the Lake of Seven Colors. After settling into our garden cottages, we will have a welcome lunch prepared with fresh local ingredients, followed by time to relax and enjoy the aqua blue waters of the Lake of Seven Colors, Mexico’s second largest lake. In the early evening, Christy will lead us in our opening yoga class dedicated to celebrating and embracing our tropical setting.

Day Two, Sunday, April 13: Chetumal, Museum of Maya Culture, Bacalar. We welcome the day with a celebration of our bodies, ourselves, and our environment as we are lead by Christy in our morning yoga session. Afterwards, we enjoy a buffet breakfast of fresh fruits, breads and other items. Today we will leisurely enjoy our beautiful surroundings, and will take two small excursions: one to Chetumal where, at the Museum of Maya Culture, we receive an orientation to this great civilization and people. Returning home, we stop in the 16th century village of Bacalar to learn more of the town we are in. Afternoon is to relax, followed by an early evening session with Christy.

Day Three, Monday, April 14: Kohunlich, Veinte de Noviembre. After our morning yoga session with Christy, we embark on a fascinating excursion to see remnants of the Mayan Pyramid of the Sun at Kohunlich. Later we visit a present day Maya community to learn of their traditions, crafts and foods of today. We will meet some of the finest hammock weavers of the region, and will join a group of Maya women who have invited us into their home to share home made tamales. Returning home, we have an early evening yoga class with Christy to honor our day and experience.

Day Four, Tuesday, April 15: Temascal Ancient Maya Healing and Cleansing Ceremony. Today we go inside ourselves to mediate, reflect and fast. We take part in the ancient Maya sweat lodge ceremony called Temascal, where we purify and cleanse--physically, mentally and emotionally. (Light meal in the evening)

Day Five, Wednesday, April 16: Dzibanche and Kinichna ancient Maya ruins. After our morning celebration of yoga and breakfast, we depart on an expedition to two extraordinary Maya sites, outstanding examples of classic Mayan architecture. Dzibanche is a recent discovery of towering pyramids and gleaming limestone facades. At the magnificent Temple of the Sun at Kinichna, we enjoy sweeping views extending across unexcavated mounds rising from the surrounding jungle.

Day Six, Thursday, April 17, Open Day, Optional Sailing. After our morning yoga session, we get to relax and absorb our beautiful surroundings. We are at our leisure to swim, kayak, snorkel, bird-watch, or get a spa treatment. For those interested, a large catamaran sailboat is available for rental. In the evening, we are invited to a talk on Cacao in Maya religious ceremonies.

Day Seven, Friday, April 18: Rancho Encantado, Maya Sites of the Rio Bec Region. On our final excursion, we spend the day in the Rio Bec region of Southern Campeche, where we learn of the unique architectural styles known as Rio Bec and Chenes. The ruins we visit at these sites are smaller in scale but richly adorned.

Day Eight, Saturday, April 19: Depart. After our final yoga session with Christy, where we celebrate and reflect on our experience in this remarkable region, we enjoy breakfast, a final swim and off we go to catch our flights back home. Hopefully we return with new knowledge and vigor given our week of personal, physical, communal renewal and cultural understanding.