Montenegro Retreat 2027

A Sea, Mountain + Soul Adventure

A curated Adventure through Montenegro with yoga woven THROUGHOUT

June 16–26, 2027
with Machelle Lee and Eric Lindland

Explore + Restore

There are some places in the world that truly capture your heart, and for me, Montenegro is one of them.

In June 2027, my husband, Eric, and I will guide a journey through one of Europe’s most captivating and still relatively undiscovered countries. Montenegro is a place where medieval villages cling to mountainsides, turquoise water meets dramatic limestone peaks, and the pace of life invites you to slow down and savor each day’s experiences.

This is not a retreat where you spend all day on a yoga mat. This is a yogAdventure.

Yoga will be thoughtfully woven into our days as a way to begin, bookend, and deepen our experience of what Montenegro has to offer. We’ll wander medieval stone streets, boat across bays encircled by dramatic mountains, swim in crystal-clear water, linger over delicious Mediterranean meals, explore historic villages and churches, sleep under mountain skies, and make plenty of room for stillness along the way.

Morning Gentle Yoga, Slow Flow, and Yin Yoga practices, along with occasional evening sessions, will offer a grounding rhythm to our days. The practices are always an invitation, not an obligation, and are designed to complement the adventure rather than define it.

Our Journey Begins...

Our 10-day yogAdventure begins in Podgorica, Montenegro’s relaxed capital city, on June 16th.

Here, the Morača River winds through a fascinating blend of old-world architecture, former communist-era buildings, and charming modern café culture. We’ll spend our first night and morning settling into Montenegro here, strolling the city, enjoying its parks and cafés, and getting to know one another before beginning our journey toward the coast.

The Bay of Kotor

On our second day, we’ll travel by private shuttle to the spectacular Bay of Kotor, where we’ll spend three nights in the enchanting bayside village of Perast.

Imagine morning contemplation with a cup of hot coffee or tea overlooking one of the most beautiful bays in Europe. Perast is the kind of place that feels almost suspended in time with stone buildings, narrow streets, mountains rising dramatically from the water, and the sparkling bay stretching out to the west.

Perast invites us to slow our pace. We can swim just steps from our hotel, wander along the waterfront, linger over conversation, and enjoy meals at a local restaurants and watch the brackish bay sparkle in the sunlight.

We’ll explore the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Town Kotor, with its winding medieval streets, historic architecture, lively squares, and intense black-stone mountains backdrop.

A full day aboard our own private boat will provide another perspective of the bay, with time to discover hidden beaches, swim in clear turquoise water, visit iconic island churches, and stop in picturesque villages scattered along the coast.

There will be experiences we share together and also plenty of room for your own pace, whether that means wandering or simply sitting beside the water and watching the world go by.

From Sea to Mountains

Five Nights of Deep Rest

Ashuma is a luxury mountain glamping and wellness sanctuary surrounded by forests, sweeping mountain views, and an incredible sense of quiet. We’ll stay in beautiful eco-luxury tents with private baths and enjoy nourishing vegetarian and vegan meals prepared with locally sourced ingredients.

This is where our adventure gently shifts from exploration to restoration.

Our days at Ashuma will be intentionally spacious, with opportunities for Gentle Yoga, Slow Flow, and Yin Yoga, along with sauna, hiking, forest walks, and bonfires, all nestled within the mountains and with plenty of unstructured time.

You might fill the day with activity or linger in a cozy spot. You might spend hours hiking, talking with a new friend, or find yourself happily alone with a book or a journal. There is room for all of it.

After the stimulation and beauty of our travels, these 5 nights give us space to exhale, replenish, and discover what becomes possible when we aren’t rushing toward the next thing.

Adventure Is Still on the Table

Although Ashuma will be our place to slow down, there will still be opportunities to explore.

Optional excursions will include a boat tour and swim on breathtaking Lake Skadar and a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Cetinje, famous for its rich history, and some of the world’s most delicious prosciutto.

The beauty of this portion of the journey is having options. Adventure and restoration don’t have to be opposites. You can hike, explore, wander, take a sauna, share a meal, practice yoga, get a massage, or simply enjoy the rare luxury of having nowhere else to be.

Yoga, But Not Just Yoga

One of the things I love most about our international retreats is the way yoga changes when we take it outside the familiar walls of the studio. In Montenegro, yoga becomes part of the journey.

A morning practice prepares us for a day exploring. A gentle evening practice releases the rigors of a sightseeing day from our bodies. Yin Yoga offer a quiet pause after a day filled with new sights, sounds, tastes, and conversations.

Yoga is also a way to pause long enough to really notice and take in the beauty of where we are.

The practices will be accessible and welcoming, with an emphasis on “massaging” the whole body, healthy mobility, relaxation, renewal, and connection rather than strength or flexibility. Come to every practice, to some of them, or to none at all. The choice is yours.

Whether you’ve practiced yoga for years or have never stepped onto a mat, you are welcome here.

Come Solo or Bring Someone You Love

You don’t have to be a “yoga person” to come on this journey.

One of the things I appreciate is watching solo travelers discover that they can have meaningful time away while also forming wonderful new friendships. It’s equally joyful to watch spouses, partners, family members, and friends discover that traveling together on a yoga retreat can be an entirely different kind of adventure.

If someone in your life has always wanted to travel but feels hesitant because it’s called a “yoga retreat,” this might just change their mind.

Please note that this is an adults-only (18+ years) retreat.

Return to Where We Began

On our final day, June 25th, we’ll leave the mountains behind and travel by private shuttle back to Podgorica for one last evening in Montenegro.

After the spaciousness of Ashuma and the many landscapes we’ve experienced along the way, returning to the capital gives us a gentle transition toward home. We’ll enjoy a final dinner together, wander through Podgorica’s squares and parks, and have time to reflect on the journey before our flight the following morning.

A meaningful journey has a way of taking us outside the ordinary. We meet new people, encounter unfamiliar places, try things we’ve never tried before, and experience the physical and mental shifts that come from stepping beyond our usual routines. Somewhere along the way, the distance from everyday life can help us see ourselves a little more clearly.

And perhaps that is part of what we’re really traveling for - not simply to see a beautiful place, but to remember something about ourselves.

On Saturday, June 26th, we’ll head to the airport carrying the beauty of Montenegro, the memories we’ve made together, and whatever has shifted within us along the way.

We return home to where we began - the same, but also changed.

Meet Your Hosts

Machelle Lee + Eric Lindland

I (Machelle Lee) am the founder of Roots & River Yoga in Brunswick, Maryland, and have been teaching yoga for 30 years. With a background in massage therapy and a master’s degree in Depth Psychology and Mythology, I weave together movement, anatomy, psychology, and contemplative practice to support people in deepening their understanding of themselves and enrich their lives.

Eric is a cognitive anthropologist, avid yoga practitioner, and lifelong student of how people understand the world around them. With a PhD in Anthropology, university teaching experience, and a background in nonprofit research and social change, he brings a curiosity about culture, human connection, and the stories that shape our perspectives.

Married for 17 years, business partners and travel companions, Montenegro will our fourth international retreat we have led together. We love creating journeys that balance adventure and discovery with opportunities for connection, reflection, and the freedom to make the experience your own.

MONTENEGRO · JUNE 16–26, 2027
Three landscapes. Three different rhythms. One unforgettable journey.