length
5 Days
difficulty
Moderate
trip cost
From $2750pp
Highlights
Yoga, meditation & hiking journey
- Daily Yoga and meditation practice each day
- 5 x day hikes with a RAW leader and additional local guides on 2 days
- Hotel Accommodation in central location in Byron Bay
- 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 4 restaurant dinners and snacks
- Fabulously healthy food showcasing local producers and suppliers
- Waterfall and Hinterland hike led by a local guide
- Bush Tucker walk with an Indigenous guide
- Trailhead transfers each day
Map
Byron Coastal and Hinterland
Walking on 5 days
Yoga classes on 5 days
Overall distance walked: Approx 40km
Grade: Moderate
NOTE: Chart shows optimal months for walking not beach weather!
Day 1: Cape Byron walk 5km
Day 2: Lennox head – Ballina Distance: 8.8km
Day 2: Lennox head – Ballina Distance: 8.8km
Day 2: Bangalow Bush Tucker Walk approx 1km
Day 3: Hinterland waterfalls walk distance : 13km
Day 4: Brunswick heads to Tygarah reserve distance 7.5km
Day 4: Broken head walk with local guide 1.6km
On the trail
The Experience
The walks are a mixture of different terrain and conditions underfoot but generally not challenging for anyone of moderate fitness and walking ability. Coastal walks take place on well-defined easy to follow, signed paths with beach walking on one day from Brunswick Heads to Byron. The Hinterland walks through rainforest to waterfalls follow paths and do involve some uphill and trail walking to reach the waterfalls.
Itinerary
Yoga, meditation and hiking
Arrive by lunchtime into Byron Bay and after we check into our accommodation we will have a briefing to inform for the week’s activities ahead.
Later that afternoon we arrive at the Bamboo Hut yoga school for the first of our yoga classes and for the introduction with our teacher.
After the class we take a walk on the stunning Cape Byron headland, climbing first to the famous Lighthouse and lookout before making a circuit around the headland on a path with many stairs and stunning views. Expect to see many Humpback whales passing by the Cape Byron Headland, which is the most easterly point of the Australian continent. After taking in a magnificent Byron bay sunset we head into town, having a chance to change before we head out to dinner at an excellent restaurant, loved by locals and renowned for it’s incredible food; The plant-based menu is modern Asian and dishes are matched with a diverse vegan wine list, local spirits and cocktails, and their own brewed range of craft beers, cider, kombucha and other beverages.
Overnight Lord Byron Hotel ( L, D)
We start the day with a nourishing breakfast bowl at one of Byron’s iconic cafes. Today we have a wonderful walk along the coastline between the surfer’s hangout of Lennox Head and the town of Ballina. Along the way you’ll pass coves and headlands that are rich with Aboriginal history and there are many informative signboards along the way that tell the story of the First Nations people in this area. Today’s walk is a mixture of trails, sealed paths and boardwalks and the views along the rugged coastal headlands are excellent. We will finish by the compact and neat little lighthouse in Ballina where we will take our lunch. Then we return to Byron for an afternoon session of Yoga to stretch out after our walk.
Following our class, we transfer for a short distance to the nearby town of Bangalow, nestled in the hinterland hills. On this walk, our local Indigenous guide Delta takes guests along the stunning Byron Creek, located within Bangalow Parklands, which has been regenerated this area with hundreds of native plant species that are really important to Bundjalung people. During the walk Delta points out a variety of these edible bush tucker plants, as well as plants used for natural medicine, jewellery, fibre, tools and weapons. She speaks about local indigenous history and shares traditional stories that have been passed down to her from her ancestors. There are opportunities to learn some Bundjalung language and we are sometimes lucky to see Binging the river turtle or Junbung the platypus. At the end of the walk, we enjoy tasting a variety of delicious bush tucker foods and have cup of bush tea and a biscuit.
Dinner tonight will be taken at a very special vegetarian restaurant.
Overnight Lord Byron Hotel , (B,L,D)
Today is our big walk so we’ll be setting off earlier today and planning our Yoga session when we return in the afternoon. We’ll meet our guide Christiano who’ll be taking us to explore the outstanding Gondwana Rainforests of Australia listed as a Unesco World Heritage Area. We will visit a series of three different waterfall tracks in the Byron Bay Hinterlands that lead us to look outs and creeks in the Gondwana rainforest. We head back to Byron rejuvenated after a day filled with conscious talks, inspirational ideas, and live sacred instruments sessions in-between. (Approx 6 hours)
This morning we transfer to Brunswick Heads where we start a wonderful walk along the Tygarah nature reserve, following a mixture of a firetail through bushland and a walk along the shore. The beach walking is on an open and flat expanse of ocean beach that has wonderful views across the bay to the Cape Byron headland. Look out for white-bellied sea eagle sea eagles and other seabirds along this wonderful shoreline walk. Reaching the car park at Tygarah we meet the van and take morning tea. Then we continue on our way to reach the outskirts of Byron at beautiful Belongil beach and walk into transfer to town for our lunch, followed by an afternoon Yoga class.
The rest of that afternoon is free time to explore Byron or just relax by the beach or pool.
Overnight Lord Byron Hotel, (B,L,D)
We start our final morning with a last delicious Byron breakfast at a popular cafe with locals, followed by Yoga and meditation session and reflect upon the week we’ve shared together. We then take a final walk along the stunning open expanses of Tallows Beach to finish our trip. We have a late checkout (12 pm) and those who are heading to the airport at 12pm can be transferred as we return the van at that time.
(B)
Important Note: Times and locations of yoga and meditation classes in relation to walks may vary each day according to local weather, site availability and other factors. We will deliver all elements of the itinerary but some flexibility may be required to adapt the order of the schedule on the day.
Inclusions
What's Included?
- Daily Yoga practice led by experienced local teacher
- Yoga mats for classes
- 5 day hikes with a RAW leader and additional local guides on 3 days
- Twin share accommodation at the Lord Byron in Byron Bay
- 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 4 restaurant Dinners and snacks
- Excellent Vegetarian food showcasing local producers and suppliers
- Waterfall and Hinterland hike led by a local guide
- Bush Tucker and Broken Head walk with Indigenous guide
- Trailhead transfers each day
- 10% GST included
- Carbon offset for your trip
- Travel insurance
- Transport to Byron Bay from your location
- Any meals not specified
- Single supplement (on request only)
Yoga Practice
Mindful journey
This is a unique opportunity to practice daily yoga and meditation in the beautiful environs of Byron Bay and is suitable for people of all ages and abilities, from novice to experienced practitioners. We’ll have a daily practice of a yoga class and meditation led by our local teacher either at the beautiful space of the Byron bamboo hut yoga school or in a wonderful outdoors location. After enjoying a healthy and nourishing breakfast we head out on a different adventure each day, with a RAW leader. The food served during the trip will have a high emphasis on fresh, local ingredients; sometimes organic, sometimes raw but always healthy so it contributes to your sense of well-being during the trip. You’ll be immersing yourself in the calming energies of mother nature, as we take the mindful awareness practices out with us onto the trail each day. At the end of our time we will have a reflection session on what we have experienced, shared and gained from the week.
Walks with locals
Local insights
On this trip we will be joined by a range of Byron locals to get the best insights from people who know this renowned destination intimately. We’ll be guided on a Bush tucker walk with Delta, a wonderful local Indigenous woman who’ll share her knowledge of the native fruits and produce that grows in the area of the village of Bangalow. On another day we will walk with Christiano who will take on a hike to hinterland waterfalls with his unique ‘Conscious Tours’. The hinterland hides the magic of the Rainbow Region where we discover the spiritual Byron Bay famous for its natural beauty and counterculture vision. Enjoy secret waterfalls, ancient forests and a glow-worm experience. You will see how it is to live in communion with Mother Earth, connecting deeply with this sacred land. We will also have Mark from the Bamboo hut yoga school join us to lead and inspire us with sessions of outdoor yoga and meditation following our hikes.
Where do we stay?
Accommodation
Located in the heart of Byron Bay within a tropical setting, The Lord Byron has everything you need for a comfortable stay. The property is home to a range of uniquely decorated Queen-size rooms – each with a private balcony – and fully-furnished apartments; as well as a recently renovated swimming pool and spa with wraparound decking, tennis court, and spacious cabana BBQ area. All rooms are beautifully decorated and also include air-conditioning, a refrigerator, and tea/coffee making facilities. The property is a 11-minute walk from the main beach and very close to centre of town. We will be using a mixture of both twin-share rooms and one 3 bedroom apartment to accommodate our group. A single room is available upon request by paying a supplement.
What you'll eat
Nourishing food
Byron Bay is renowned for its wonderful food culture and the many options on offer for healthy eating. Our Yoga trips place a high emphasis on providing healthy, nourishing food; for the most part vegetarian and vegan so that can you gain the maximum benefits and sense of well-being during the week. (If you’ve not eaten like this before don’t be worried as you will be delighted and surprised with the delicious food offered) Breakfasts will be your choice of healthy bowls or smoothies and lunches will be taken out on the trail wherever possible with a selection of healthy salads, wraps and nibbles supplied by a specialist local caterer – don’t worry you definitely won’t get hungry and you’ll eat really well! In the evening we’ll eat out and be exploring some of Byron’s renowned restaurants.
FAQ's
Need to Know
The walking is quite moderate on this trip, the coastal hikes follow a mixture of well-defined paths and trails, with some beach walks taking place on broad relatively flat expanses of beach. The day that we hike to the hinterland waterfalls is a bit more demanding as we will follow narrow trails through the scrubland and requires proper footwear such as walking shoes. If you are a regular walker of reasonable fitness and used to bushwalking then you won’t find this overly difficult.
The food on this trip is fabulous and a real highlight! Meal choices are aimed at supporting you with really healthy nutritious and delicious fresh food, with an emphasis on vegetarian / vegan meals. We will be enjoying the best of local Byron producers as we explore some of Byron’s best venues for eating out in a town that is probably Australia’s foremost for conscious and healthy eating and has superb vegetarian / vegan restaurants. We will also have our lunches catered by a local supplier who specialises in organic food and supporting local growers. The food is an absolute highlight of this trip and you’ll be very pleasantly surprised by how amazing & delicious it is!
You will be staying the Lord Byron Hotel in central Byron bay. The hotel is a modern light-filled building that is home to 30 rooms and three fully-furnished apartments, Enjoy the tranquility of a property surrounded by lush foliage, a divine swimming pool and spa with wraparound decking, spacious cabana, and tennis court.
From shops, cinema and cafes on your doorstep to the glow of golden hour spent poolside, your hotel experience at The Lord Byron will complement a wonderful week of walking, yoga and relaxation.
We will be taking Yoga classes with the Bamboo Yoga School in Byron Bay which is a boutique yoga studio based in town, teaching a fusion of classical hatha yoga, vinyasa, yin yoga, kundalini yoga, yoga nidra and meditation.
The school has a teaching faculty of some of the best yoga teachers in Byron Shire, offering a daily schedule of classes and regular courses to meet the needs of students at all levels of fitness and experience.
Paloma Rodriguez will be the teacher for our classes during the week. Paloma’s style reflects her personality, passionate and fun along with a high attention to detail and alignment. Her vinyasa classes are both creative & dynamic whilst being deeply mindful and nourishing. Most importantly she encourages the connection between breath and movement to helps students to go deeper in their practice.
Mark Purser the founder of Bamboo Yoga school may also joining us on some classes. Mark developed the school for the purpose of teaching yoga and mediation in a way that stays true to the great tradition of yoga but making it accessible and fun, applying it to the the realities of modern day life. Mark is a passionate writer and educator, who is inspired to develop learning pathways to support students of yoga to experience the life changing potential of a focussed and informed practice.
This trip provides an excellent introduction to anyone new to yoga and is suitable for all levels of experience. Even if you’re a person who has been practicing for many years you will gain benefit and enjoyment from joining this journey. Our teachers at the retreat will be guiding us through classes and address people’s questions around their practice, providing support in an informal, fun and relaxed environment. Some days we will be starting the day with yoga, or taking a class outdoors and other days we will do a class and meditation post walk which can help with any tired muscles. We will be practicing what we learn out on the trails each day, bringing a heightened awareness to our walks in nature.
Positive impacts
Social and environmental
All our adventures are fully carbon offset so that you know your travel has minimal impacts. Hiking itself is a low-impact activity but we offset the cost of all our office operations and food production as well, so you can be satisfied that you have chosen a form of travel that is both good for you and good for the planet. Each year we also plant trees on behalf of every customer who has travelled with us, aiming to build towards a carbon positive effect with our operations.
As a B-Corp a focus on local community is an important part of who we are. We are committed to supporting our local community and charities in many ways through fundraising events, sponsorships, environmental clean-ups and empowering people through training.
TRIP date selection
when would you like to travel?
Please select your preferred dates for on-demand trips or select a scheduled date for group departures. If you have booked a self-guided trip please understand that because your trip date is on demand and we must check availability of all properties on your chosen dates before it can be fully confirmed