Yoga retreat at Kadermo island, Finland

Our annual summer yoga-holiday goes to the island of Kadermo in the Finnish archipelago. For the fifth year since 2018, Isabella teaches a week-long Ashtanga yoga retreat there from 14-19th July 2024. The week at Kadermo Retreat Centre is open to all levels of yoga practitioners, beginners and experienced.

The week will feature daily morning mysore style sessions and/or led classes. Afternoon classes include either asana technique workshops or lectures and discussions on a yoga philosophy theme. Afternoons are ended with a guided relaxation and shorter meditation or breathing exercise.

Kadermo retreat centre

The island of Kadermo is located only a few hours by train from the Finnish capital Helsinki and is easily accessible directly from the airport. The retreat centre offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience yoga in a peaceful, untouched and idyllic setting. There are no shops or cars and hardly any people on the island. The centre is surrounded by a protected oak forest area where some of the oaks are 500 years old.

Kadermo is the founder Stefan Engström's home for most of the year. He was born on the island and started the retreat centre there in 1994. Since then, people from all over the world have travelled to Kadermo to practice yoga and conscious self-development.

Room and board

Participants lodge in shared rooms in the various houses and cottages on the island. Single rooms are available for an additional cost. The houses are built in old-fashioned traditional style from the early 20th century. The center is eco-friendly with, among other things, a wood-burning sauna, a separate shower room with a window facing the sea and dry eco toilets.

We enjoy daily vegetarian lunch and dinner prepared by our Indian chef Anu Ganesh who travels to Finland every summer especially to cook at Kadermo. Various teas are available throughout the day. There is also a small café which is open in the morning and evening where you can buy coffee and pastries. After lunch, everyone has a few hours of free time to explore the surroundings, swim, paddle, read a large selection of yoga books from the library or enjoy a Finnish sauna.

Daily programme

The retreat includes two daily yoga classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning classes are taught within the concept of so called ashtanga mysore style, but depending on the level of the group, newer practitioners can also be offered a separate, guided class if needed. The time of morning class may vary depending on the number of participants at the retreat.

Afternoon classes are taught between 16:00-18:30. These classes give participants the opportunity to deepen their understanding of yoga by looking at asana technique, breathing exercises, yoga philosophy etc. Each class has a special theme based on the needs and wishes of the participants but will also include simple breathing and relaxation techniques.

Classes are taught by Isabella Nitschke, authorised Ashtanga yoga teacher (level 2) by Sharath Jois.

Booking and payment

All bookings and payments are made via Stefan Engström via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The number of places is limited in order for the participants to have as special an experience as possible during the time they stay on the island. The retreat center has ongoing operations throughout the summer and there is the possibility of getting a discount for those who want to stay more than a week.

For more information and details about the retreat centre visit the Kadermo website. For questions about the yoga classes, please contact Isabella here

Price: varies depending on single or shared room and the length of your stay (ask Stefan - see email above)