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YogaDiving

Africa : Egypt


YogaDiving combines hatha yoga and scuba diving in a personalized, natural setting. Small groups emphasize eco-friendly diving. and meditation. Learning to dive gently.

A Natural Choice for: yoga and diving

Duration: 7 Days      Grading: Moderate      Max Group Size: 6      Type: Wellbeing Retreat      Prices from: £545

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Tour Summary:

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Tour Overview

Guests start each day with a yoga class which includes postures, breathing and meditation for diving. Then after brunch we start diving. Each day we tailor make to the individual's needs and experience. During the week we go on mini safaris to outside the local dive sites where guests can dive in a Beduoin natural setting. Each dive lesson includes instruction pertaining to the individual's level and PADI certification is possible when appropriate or desired.

Location

Continent or Region: Africa

Country or State/County: Egypt


Dahab is a small friendly village on the southern tip of Sinai. Originally a stop off point for the Bedouin in the summer to drink water from the oasis and enjoy the breeze. It's views of mountains and sea are stark and awsome. Over the past twenty years it has become world famous for it's sensational diving with it's beautiful reef and aquatic life. You have sun sand sea and desert all in one place which is quite unusual. Nearby is St Katherine's monastry and Moses Mount Sinai.

Activities

In addition to yoga and diving our tour offering the following options on a pay as you go basis: wind and kite surfing, boat diving, camel dive safaris, massage, alternative therapies, hiking, overnight star gazing, led by bedouin living as they have lived for centuries. Regarding the desert , their home,they have a great saying "take nothing away leave nothing behind" shopping for local handicrafts, culture interchange with local Beduoin and other adventure sports.

Guiding and support

Our guides and instructors for yoga and diving are highly qualified and hand picked by directors who are leaders in their field. Excursions to Bedouin areas are conducted by local tribal residents who are trained to laison with tourists.

The following guides will lead the tour

Barbara Gordon

Barbara has been teaching yoga for 40 years. She trained directly under Swami Vishndevananda who was a disciple of Swami Sivananda a great Indian master of his time.

Barbara began the first Sivananda centre in Britain and has been teaching yoga teachers for 15 years. She was one of the the first to bring yoga to Egypt and was one of the original pioneers of yoga holidays abroad.

Barbara has been leading yoga tours abroad for 20 years.

Monica Farrell

Monica is a trained yoga teacher and a PADI and TDI dive instructor of over 10 years experience. She is a former lecturer at American University in Cairo and has lived in the Middle East for over 16 years.

She currently studies under the Indian master Guruji Mohan whom she has been seeing in India since 2001. Monica is passionate about transforming the dive industry from one of consuming the resources of the seas to one of respecting and preserving our blue planet.

She is featured in the book "The Art of Diving" and is one of the only dive instructors in the world that teaches diving as a meditation.

Press reviews

Dive Magazine, Charlotte Boan, November, 2006

Article in Dive by dive journalist Charlotte Boan discusses her experience of Yoga Diving. Charlotte was so impressed that she went on to complete our Yoga Teacher's Training course the following year.


Yoga Journal, USA 2005

Review of Yoga Diving by America's leading yoga publication.


London Times Supplement, Nick Hanna, 2004

London Sunday Times article reviewing Yoga Diving by one of Britain's most respected dive journalists.


The Art of Diving, Nick Hanna, 2005

Chapter in the book The Art of Diving entitled "Spirit of the Seas" contains overview of Yoga Diving, photos and discussion of how Yoga Diving has pioneered holistic diving.


British Airways Inflight Magazine, Verusha Matchett, Kathy Hems, Autumn 2007

Article entitled "Karma Waters" discusses a family's experience of their yoga diving holiday.

Tour Highlights

This tour highlights the beauty of the Red Sea as seen underwater diving and snorkling. Guests can learn to dive in small groups in a respectful manner. Daily yoga classes emphasize fitness for diving and skills needed underwater. Diving on this course is taught as a meditation experience. We emphasize how to interact with the reef ecosystem responsibly.

Itinerary

Day 1

Morning Yoga class followed by brunch. Orientation to Dahab and course. Refresh dive skills in shallow water as needed. Nature observation underwater. Bouyancy and breathing techniques for meditation.

Day 1 on YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

Day 2

Morning yoga class followed by brunch. Dives to outside location depending on tides and dive safety requirements. Further exploration of coral reefs and local flora and fauna underwater. Techniques for improving air consumption, bouyancy and relaxation underwater. Optional evening dinnner in local restaurant with tour leader.

Day 2 on YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

Day 3

Free day. Brush up on dive theory where applicable. Optional boat or camel dive safari as an add-on diving day. Optional evening Beduoin dinner and meditation in desert. Sleep over if wanted.


Day 4

Morning yoga class followed by brunch. Day's diving excursion to famous Canyon/Blue Hole if appropriate for diver's level. Continuing nature observation and meditation underwater.


Day 5

Morning Yoga class followed by brunch. Last day diving to sites appropriate to divers' most improved level. Ongoing nature and meditation practice.


Day 6

Morning yoga followed by brunch. Dive theory lessons and exams, PADI certification where appropriate. Optional extra dives, snorkling, freediving, massage, camel and horse riding. Optional excursions include Mt. Sinai, St. Catherine's monestary, trek to Beduoin village.


Day 7

Morning yoga followed by brunch, shopping, optional massage, snorkling. Farewell.

Nature & Kind Offer

      (Valid only to Friends of Nature & Kind)
Nature and Kind Privilege members are offered special discounts on optional activities and dives. Early/late check n on availability. return discounts Nature and Kind Privilege Card
From To Description Num Days Price Booking
23-Jul-2008 23-Jul-2009 From £ 545 for the week. Options for extended course, extended stay. 7 £545.00
what's included?

Kind Points:122
Prices and Enquiries
Included in the price:
  • Accommodation
  • Activities
  • Activity equipment hire
  • Airport transfers
  • Guide/ Tour leader
  • Room
  • Transportation
NOT included in the price:
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • All meals
  • All meals and activities
  • Country visas
  • Dinner
  • Gratuities and tips
  • Insurance
  • Internal flights
  • International flights
  • Lunch
  • Private excursions
  • Spa Treatments
  • Telephone calls & personal items

Accepted Payment Types

• Cash or cheque • Bank Transfer

Nature & Kind Factor

Yoga Diving is a one of a kind course that teaches divers how to responsibily interact with a coral reef ecosystem. Methods for accomplishing this goal not generally found on other dive courses and holidays include: one to one instruction underwater when needed, group size not exceeding 4 divers, Yoga Diving bouyancy technique, breathing techniques from yoga for dive safety and relaxation, detailed instruction by local experts on nature of the Red Sea, meditation techniqes to focus the mind for diving, dive briefings and instruction that are tailor made for the individual, dive site choice tailor made for the individual, techniques for handling stress and fear underwater. Our dive instructors are trained to the highest standard and follow a holistic philosphy pertaining to ethics and health. Our course includes health considerations for diving and pre dive yoga classes that address fitness needs for diving. When divers are appropriately fit and trained they do not need to walk on reef, hold on to coral and touch the delicate sea bottom, for example. These techniques help divers be able to dive to a level whereby they do not harm the reef. We do not encourage unnecessary use of motorized or noise producing dive equipment. We enter and exit the reef from the most safe point for the reef and the diver evaluating the tides and conditions before deciding entry points. We teach diving looking at the broader ecological context of each dive and emphasize the healing potential of the sea.

Our Trusted Partner's Responsible and Sustainable Travel Policy

Yoga Diving is the first course in the world as far as I know of its kind that prioritizes responsibility in diving from the beginner level up. Our course gives extra training to the skills and knowledge necessary to dive on a coral reef without harming it and with awareness. In addition Yoga Diving is holistic in that it treats each diver and her needs individually and combines yoga techniques with dive training to ensure that divers can navigate the delicate eco system carefully and safely.
In the Yoga Holidays we are offering people through yoga a way of living that is ethical and responsible and that guests can take home with them. We teach yoga in a holistic way enabling the individual to advance on all levels: physically, emotionally and mentally. Our holidays are a life changing experience as people feed back to us time and time again.


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Prices and Enquiries

About our Trusted Partner

Our company runs Yoga And Yoga Diving Holidays on the Red Sea in Dahab, Egypt. We offer holistic learn to dive holidays, advanced diving training and yoga retreats in a small locally run hotel. Diving is conducted in an eco friendly manner and is combined with yoga techniques to enhance the dive experience. Both partners in the business are of the most highly trained and experienced in yoga and diving. The staff are selected in keeping with the ethos of the company. Quality of our activities precedes commercialism and our courses are small groups with individualised tuition. The well-being of the student is of paramount importance. Safety in diving comes first and all dives are supervised above and beyond standards of the industry.

diver on safari : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

diver on safari
diver on safari : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

yoga session : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

yoga session
yoga session : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

diving with turtles : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

diving with turtles
diving with turtles : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

beach view of divers preparing to dive : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

beach view of divers preparing to dive
beach view of divers preparing to dive : YogaDiving at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)

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  • Redeemable against any N&K experience
  • £25, £50, £100 & £500 denominations
  • An ideal wedding gift!

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