Green Heart Family Retreats

An immersive all-inclusive experience where families embrace quality time to learn, connect and grow together with a focus on natural wellness, sustainability and self-sufficiency. Encouraging families of all ages and phases of life to join and take this unique opportunity to strengthen the bonds of family and learn new ways of being and living together in a more natural earth-centred way. 

This offering encourages ones to connect deeply with nature.  We learn permaculture and holistic farming practices as well as immerse in daily guided yoga and meditation. We partake in natural arts & crafts for all ages and plant-based-raw-food cooking demonstrations. Participants will come away from this experience inspired to live more naturally, simply and self-sufficiently with a focus on self-governing their health and wellness through natural lifestyle practices. We welcome children of all ages, however children below 5 years must be accompanied by their guardian during all sessions unless previously organised with facilitators. 

DAY 1

Arrive at Hinterland Village Eco Resort, be acquainted with your surroundings, enjoy a guided nature walk around the property, meet your retreat facilitators and settle in. Plant based lunch and dinner meals provided. 

DAY 2

Daily morning sessions start at 07:00 AM with yoga and meditation at the East-facing yoga shala overlooking the coconut-tree-lined paddy fields. Children and adults will separate here as children will partake in their own morning sessions incorporating a nature walk, yoga, breath-work and word-sound affirmations for positive upliftment of themselves, family and community. 

Gardening sessions will commence with learning all things soil regeneration and increasing soil health for growing food for all seasons in a sustainable and purely organic way. Sessions will include demonstrations as well as theory before beginning practical work on the set-up of organic vegetable gardens. Children can choose to join this session or enjoy free art, play and story time where they can follow their interests while being guided where necessary in the nature-school space. 

An open discussion on holistic lifestyle, farming, food and health will open your minds eye to the infinite possibilities and interconnectedness of natural farming and wellness. 

Nature arts and craft sessions will commence and continue throughout the retreat where participants will have the opportunity to explore and experiment with various natural art forms. Today we gets hands on and learn to build a natural hut from coconut palms and bamboo.

DAY 3

After morning yoga, meditation and break-fast the hands-on gardening sessions will continue where it left off and delve into the process of making nutrient-dense compost from scratch to give the best possible start to plant-life. Children can choose to join this session or enjoy free art, play and story time where children can follow their interests while being guided where necessary in the nature-school space. 

In today's family-afternoon nature arts session we will begin learning the process of making natural dyes from natural pigments and foliage, leaves and flowers collected from around the property. Adults and children can choose their natural fabrics, garments and colours to create truly unique pieces of wearable art. 

There will be a cooking demonstration later in the afternoon followed with dinner. 

DAY 4

Today's gardening sessions after morning yoga will be focussed on the benefits of no-till farming and understand the role of commonly seen 'weeds' the area that are beneficial for soil health, wild-crafting and integrating medicinal herbs in daily life. Again, children can choose to stay with their parents or enjoy art time in the nature-school space where they have the options of painting, drawing, crafting, exploring, playing, story telling - our imagination is the limit!

In today's family-afternoon session we will continue with our natural dyeing projects - prepping fabrics and foraging natural materials and getting creative with designs -experimentation is key!

DAY 5

Todays farm sessions get a little more focused and we talk in depth about garden layout, creating planting zones for different kinds of crops, water conservation, seasonal planting and planning for year round produce abundance for your family. The session will also include hands on preparation of no till garden beds for vegetable production and mulching of beds. Today children are encouraged to be involved in the garden, use garden tools, get their hands dirty and spend quality time together as a family in the garden.

In the family-afternoon sessions we will be finishing up our natural dying projects.

DAY 6

Today we continue where we left off in the gardens and delve into chop and drop mulching for pathways and planting seeds and seedlings in the newly prepared beds. We also learn about the most useful and efficient methods of water harvesting and irrigation techniques with the creation of Swales and planting of trees and grass.

Children's morning session will be focused on seed saving, planting and creating potting mixes to raise more seedlings before continuing to the nature-school space for free-play, arts, crafting and story-time.

In today's family-afternoon session we go back to the original ways of our ancestors and make purifying incense cones/dhoop sticks from our own organic dried herbs, organic cow manure, ghee and tree sap. 

Later in the afternoon there will be a cooking demonstration followed with dinner.

DAY 7

The garden beds will really be taking shape now and participants will be able to see and feel the growth and progress. Today we get hands on with turning the compost, planting trees and following the natural rhythm of daily tasks in the farm. We also learn about varieties of crops, food forest and biodiversity as key for abundance in the garden. Again, children can choose to stay with their parents or enjoy art time in the nature-school space.

In today's family-afternoon session we will be making decorative bowls from coconut shells while learning of the expansive, valuable and diverse nature of the coconut plant.

Later in the afternoon we learn how to make 2 varieties of delicious and healthy plant-based raw deserts - sampling is definitely encouraged!

DAY 8

By this day, participants will be in a comfortable rhythm of daily yoga, farming and arts sessions. Today we will focus on 'farm to table' creating a meal plan, harvesting, prepping and making an item on today's menu. 

Today post farm session, we come together in a yoga philosophy discussion and reasoning on how to integrate yogic lifestyle in the day to day. 

This afternoon we venture to the backwaters for a scenic, sunset boat-trip. 

DAY 9

Today will be the final garden session where participants will have the opportunity to review and revise, ask questions and have free time. 

Children can choose how they spend this morning's session whether it be making more coconut bowls, painting with natural earth-based paints or free play/story time in the nature-school space. 

This evening's dinner will be a place to share and showcase all the various art pieces that have been created throughout the retreat. 

DAY 10

Full-joy the final session of morning yoga and meditation before breakfast.

Free time / departures