Yoga, Kayaking, and Hiking in Liguria

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Yoga, kayak ed escursionismo nel Finalese Ligure

A combination of hiking in the nature and yoga practices, we work on physical postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama), and practise guided meditation, and moments of silence and introspection while walking, immersed in the setting of the Ligurian mountains, between the colours of its dense mediterranean forests, its white rocky cliffs and the blue of the sea.

General Information

Duration:

6 days 5 nights

Participants:

maximum 12

Difficulty:

Activities:

🥾 hiking, 🧘‍♂️ yoga, 🛶 kayaking

Transport:

public transport, private vehicles.

Type of accommodation:

Bed & breakfast with shared rooms and shared bathrooms.

The journey at a glance

Each day we practise yoga in the morning and in the evening, in a hall of the church of the small village of Orco, a cluster of houses perched on the heights of Finale, surrounded by limestone cliffs, dense forests of Mediterranean vegetation, with the Ligurian sea in the distance. During the day, we will go on hikes in the surroundings, discovering the history and secrets of the Finale area. We will pass by caves where traces of prehistoric man have been found, Roman ruins, Mediaeval villages, and castles dating back to the period of conflicts between the Maritime Republics. While walking, we seek to establish a connection with the nature around us, listening to our breath, to the sounds of the woods and the sea, and to our sensations. If the weather allows us, two of our yoga sessions can take place on the beach. During the hikes, we alternate moments of sharing with moments of walking in silence, practising this form of meditation, often perceived as easier than the static one.

Gallery

Costs

Service cost: 380€
Registration fee: 250€

Day-by-Day Program

Day 1

Meeting in Finale Ligure

Meeting with the guide at Finalmarina station or directly at the B&B. After settling in our accommodation, we start to get to know each other with an initial yoga practice, followed by a communal dinner.

Day 2

Val Di Nava e Boragni hamlet

5km +220m/-220m 3/4h
After the morning yoga practice, consisting of breathing exercises and a sequence of asanas for muscle awakening, we have our breakfast and set off for the first hike. Directly from the village of Orco, we venture into Val di Nava, with its rich and wild forest, walking among limestone cliffs. We cross the Balconi cave and the Strapatente cave, then climb to the top of Rocca di Nava, where an ancient megalithic altar overlooks the valley below. Here we can have our packed lunch, then continue for a stretch along the crest of the Rocca, and finally descend among the cliffs and conclude our loop walking in a suggestive rock canyon, in the Boragni sector. We return to our B&B for our yoga practice, then have dinner and rest.

Day 3

Perti hamlet and Monte Sordo Valley

9km +410m/-410m 6h
Today's hike explores another valley of Finale: after the morning yoga practice and breakfast, our transport takes us to the mediaeval village of Finalborgo, from which we climb the hill towards the hamlet of Perti Alta, walking on the ancient Roman road that reaches the church “Cinque Campanili”. We climb the Monte Sordo valley to reach the Castrum of Perti, a Roman ruin, then continue towards the wonderful Edera cave, a vertical well carved in the limestone rock, which can be admired from a wide window in the cliff, or accessed from the underground entrance. From here we proceed along the crag of Monte Sordo, until reaching the Pollera cave and descending into the valley below. We return to Finalborgo passing in front of Castel Gavone and the Diamond Tower. We can decide whether to do our yoga practice by the beach, or return to the hall at the church of Orco.

Day 4

Noli village and the Brigands’ Cave

5.23km +260m/-280m 3.5h
After the morning practice and breakfast at our B&B, we move to the village of Noli, where it's worth taking a stroll among the "caruggi" (alleyways in Ligurian dialect) and purchasing some local specialties for our packed lunch, before reaching the start of the trail that will lead us to the “Brigands' Cave”. This cave is a window that opens onto the sea from the cliff of Capo Noli, from which nothing but the blue of the water blending with that of the sky can be seen. We continue hiking along the coast, to descend to the village of Varigotti, on the other side of the cliff. Here too, we can decide whether to conduct the evening practice on the beach of Varigotti or return to the church in Orco village.

Day 5

Kayaking to the island of Bergeggi

Kayak: 5km 6h
We reach Torre del Mare in the early morning, where we start our kayak tour in the protected marine area of the island of Bergeggi. We paddle on the crystal-clear waters and explore the rugged coasts along the way to the island. Don’t forget to bring your mask and snorkel to observe the seabed. At the end of our tour, if the waves allow it, we can perform our yoga session on stand-up paddleboards, or on the beach, waiting for the sunset.
Return to the B&B with our private transport.

Day 6

Caprazoppa mountain and Borgio Verezzi hamlet

8.5km +480/-460m 6h 4h Our transport takes us to Finalborgo, where we can stop at the bakery to get something for our lunch break during the hike. This time we leave the village through the “Testa” gate and set off towards Monte Caprazzoppa, which divides Finale from Borgio Verezzi. We climb the Napoleonic road up above the quarry, from which we can spot the entrance to the Arene Candide cave, the site of an important prehistoric find. This coastal path overlooking the sea again offers us a breathtaking view of the riviera below, where the glittering of the sea waves almost dazzles us. We proceed towards the hamlet of Verezzi, to head back to Finalborgo completing the loop around Caprazzoppa.
Our trip has come to an end, we get our luggage and set off to get back home after a farewell “aperitivo”.

The walking hours per day during the hike refer to the time needed to move from one bivouac to another, including stops for eating, resting, or taking photos.

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