The 16 Best Yoga Teacher Trainings in Costa Rica
| Author: |
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Georgia Brent |
Choosing the wrong teacher training program in a foreign country may cause accommodation and travel problems, affecting the quality of your training. I’ve guided several instructors in finding the perfect yoga style training for their businesses. I’m sharing a guide to the best training centers in Costa Rica for practicing yoga.
Best Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is not only a tropical paradise full of dense jungles, spellbinding waterfalls, and golden sands, it’s also the home of great yoga teacher training in Costa Rica! A nature-lovers playground, flanked by rainforests, volcanos, wildlife, and rugged coastline, Costa Rica has a rustic charm that’ll make you never want to leave.
Lean into their motto of “Pura Vida”, and celebrate the meaning of living a ‘pure life’. Known for its surfing beaches and endless adventures, this South American gem has something for everyone.
The best yoga teacher training in Costa Rica includes Sacred Paths Yoga, East + West YTT, Soma Yoga Institute, Blue Osa Yoga, and Kindred Spirits. These centers offer intensive certification courses at specialized centers to deepen your yogic lifestyle as you gain teaching skills in a paradise setting.
When considering a 200-hour yoga teacher training, training in enchanting Costa Rica may be the perfect place for you. Many established yoga schools and institutes run yoga style training here, and there are a plethora of training courses to choose from.
| CENTER | STARTING FEE | YOGA STYLE | LENGTH OF TRAINING | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Sacred Paths Yoga |
$2300 | Hatha, Vinyasa | 4 weeks |
| 2. |
Soma Yoga Institute |
$4297 | Vinyasa, Therapeutic | 4 weeks |
| 3. |
Kindred Spirits |
$2757 | Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga | 3 weeks |
| 4. |
Marianne Wells |
$3695 | Yin, Restorative | 15 days |
| 5. |
Lakshmi Rising Yoga |
$3800 | Vinyasa, Hatha | 20 days |
| 6. |
Gypsea EcoYoga |
$3082 | Hatha, Vinyasa | 3 weeks |
| 7. |
Vida Asana |
$2793 | Vinyasa, Hatha | 3 weeks |
| 8. |
Blue Osa Yoga |
$2890 | Vinyasa, Restorative | 2 or 4 weeks |
| 9. |
East + West YTT |
$4250 | Hatha, Vinyasa | 22 days |
| 10. |
School Yoga Institute |
$4154 | Vinyasa, Hatha | 3 weeks |
| 11. |
Bienstar Uvita Yoga Shala |
$3269 | Vinyasa, Hatha | 4 weeks |
| 12. |
PachaMama Costa Rica |
$2820 | Ashtanga, Vinyasa | 24 days |
| 13. |
Sampoorna Yoga |
$3720 | Ashtanga, Vinyasa | 2 weeks |
| 14. |
Cabuya Lodge |
$3180 | Vinyasa, Restorative | 21 days |
| 15. |
Danyasa Yoga School |
$3795 | Hatha, Vinyasa | 20 days |
| 16. |
Yoga Project |
$3125 | Vinyasa | 1 week |
Sound good? Scroll down to check out our list of the 10 Best Yoga Teacher Trainings in Costa Rica.
- Still not sure about doing the yoga training in Costa Rica?
Bali is also a great destination for a yoga course!
- Amazing Beaches
- Most Comprehensive yoga program
- English Speaking
- Great foods
- FREE accommodations 22 nights
1. Sacred Paths Yoga – 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
Experience the power of returning to nature and your true nature to deepen your connection to the Earth and her Medicine through the exploration of Yoga and the Elements.
Sacred Paths Yoga offers the original Earth Medicine and Elemental focused yoga teacher training course. Their well developed, thoughtful and intentional curriculum offers an accessible approach of relating to the natural world and its medicine and how to apply its lessons to living life with more mindfulness, consciousness, connection, harmony and purpose. By tuning into the Earth’s wisdom and natural cycles, students deepen their understanding of Self, heal, transform and awaken to their own internal wisdom and highest potential.
Their spiritually focused program is a sacred journey that goes far beyond yoga asana. It is full of learning, connection, self-exploration, spiritual practices, rituals and ceremonies designed to help you better understand yourself, your practice and the light you want to bring into the world. In this program, yoga is explored through the lens of the elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Air. This becomes our framework for transformation, how it relates to healing, personal growth and spiritual connection.
The Sacred Paths Yoga YTT provides all of the skills, tools, knowledge and depth to become embodied home practitioners and proficient yoga teachers through their effective approach in sharing ancient traditions, philosophy and contemporary teaching methodologies. Integrated into the course are the Yoga Sutras and other ancient texts, in-depth anatomy, the 4 Elements philosophy and Earth Medicine, the Art of Teaching and Alignment, daily intention setting, Ayurveda, chakras, bandhas, and yogic cleansing techniques, kirtan, dance, ceremony, ritual and so much more!
Students will learn the Sacred Vinyasa Flow sequence, traditional Hatha, Restorative, Yin and Prenatal Yoga. There is also guidance on how to create unique and authentic classes that are accessible for all. Another highlight of the course is experiencing sacred ceremonies such as Full Moon, New Moon, Earth Gratitude, Water Blessing and Cacao ceremonies. Their world renowned program fosters healing and spiritual growth so that students emerge with not only the knowledge but the personal experience and wisdom to step into their role as inspired and empowered spiritual guides.
Sacred Paths Yoga offers the tools and wisdom to live a well balanced life with yoga at its center. You will leave this program with a renewed sense of purpose, a deepened spiritual connection and a soul family to continue growing with along this path.
Prices start from $2300 and payment plans are accepted. Courses run with a team of experienced teachers from January 2024 through December 2024. The course is run from the Indigo Yoga Resort which houses a pool and café amongst the rainforest. The open-air Shala is tucked away in the jungle to provide a quiet sanctuary to learn, study and grow. Accommodation is not included in the price, but the resort offers triple, double and private rooms. Three organic vegetarian meals made from locally grown produce are included in the room price.
2. Soma Yoga Institute – Therapeutic 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
The Soma Yoga Institute teacher training offers students in-depth skills to explore Yoga as a vehicle for vibrant health, self-transformation, and personal empowerment. The curriculum includes a unique blend of alignment-based Vinyasa Flow, a solid foundation in Hatha Yoga, and 200 hours of instruction offered within a therapeutic framework. As a top-rated Yoga Alliance school, Soma Yoga Institute has received glowing feedback from over 450 graduates and boasts an outstanding 9.5/10 NPS score, highlighting its role as a beacon of excellence in yoga education.
Their heart-centered curriculum blends the timeless wisdom of ancient yoga practices with the insights from modern science. The instruction covers a wide range of Yoga techniques, including Yoga postures, anatomy, relaxation, breath awareness, pranayama, meditations to calm the mind, contemplations to transform limiting tendencies into life-affirming thought patterns, and the application of clear, anatomy-informed principles of alignment to create safety, balance, and freedom in Yoga poses.
Students dive into concepts from Ayurveda, the Upanishads, Patanjali, and the Chakra System as frameworks for the application of Yoga as a journey towards radiant health and wellbeing.
Program highlights include:
- Immersion in a magical Costa Rican oceanside location with sunrise beach meditations, views, and a yoga studio with an infinity pool.
- Training with a world-class faculty and C-IAYT Yoga Therapists with over 25 years of teaching experience.
- Learning a biomechanically sound and anatomy-informed alignment framework to avoid repetitive strain and injuries.
- Engaging with Mindful Vinyasa, Hatha, Therapeutic, and Restorative practices with variations for all bodies.
- Utilizing breathwork, mantra, and meditation as tools to create vibrant health and well-being in your life.
Instead of standard sequencing or rigid methodologies, Soma Yoga Institute exposes students to frameworks that encourage each yoga teacher to embrace the practices, ignite their creativity, and discover their unique voice as a teacher.
Graduates of this program feel confident and equipped to teach various Yoga class types, including all levels vinyasa Yoga, alignment-based classes, Yoga foundations, senior, gentle, and restorative.
3. Kindred Spirits – 21 night, 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
Kindred Spirits welcomes you to discover and connect with your true, authentic self in an intimate class setting of 6 to 10 students per yoga style training. Set on the Caribbean Coast in the popular wellness destination of Puerto Viejo, this venue is on an organic permaculture farm.
It’s the perfect place to raise your vibrations into a transformative teacher training learning experience.
- Hatha, Sivananda, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa yoga
- Daily pranayama, mantra chanting, yoga philosophy, anatomy and physiology
- Ethics and daily journaling
- Walking meditations, silent time, and learning the Sanskrit names of poses
4. Marianne Wells Yoga School 200-Hour Certification
Marianne Wells has over 30 years of teaching yoga and studying with great masters, bringing ancient teachings to modern life in her comprehensive 200-hour teacher training. Her foundational Hatha and Vinyasa program incorporates Tantra, Bhakti, and holistic living.
As one of the Yoga-Alliance-certified training centers in Costa Rica, Marianne Wells provides comfortable lodging and inspiring study areas for yoga style students who want to learn:
- Vinyasa, Ashtanga primary series, Kundalini, Tibetan, Tantra, restorative
- Pranayama, meditation, chanting, kriyas
- Injuries, alignment principles, prevention
- Sequencing and staging of classes
5. Lakshmi Rising
The Sanctuary at Two Rivers is on the beautiful Nicoya Peninsula and is home to the Lakshmi Rising 200-hour and 300-hour YTT. The 100% off-the-grid solar-powered property was created solely for offering yoga teacher trainings in Costa Rica, a place for spiritual healing while connecting with the stunning scenery and local wildlife.
This Costa Rica yoga school focuses on awareness-based yoga practice, infused with:
- Vinyasa yoga, mantra, dance, kriya, pranayama, and self-care
- Hands-on adjustments and Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga
- Plant-based nutrition, conscious dance, and stepping
- 500+ page yoga teacher training manual and organized group trips
6. Gypsea EcoYoga Teacher Training – 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
The Gypsea EcoYoga teacher training offers a unique ecological experience while training in the heart of the marvelous village of Uvita, close to the Marino Ballena National Park. This course promises to help you discover your highest self through the ancient wisdom of yoga while connecting you to your inner light.
The styles of yoga that are introduced to trainees include:
- Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kids Yoga, Acro Yoga, Chair Yoga
- Anatomy, teaching methodology, and teaching practice
- Daily asana and meditation sessions
- Extra-curricular activities, including eco-hikes and waterfall excursions
7. Vida Asana – Awakenings 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
Known for its food and family atmosphere, Vida Asana invites you to share the magic of yoga during their Awakenings Yoga Teacher Training Course. The center is in the peaceful surfing community of Playa Hermosa.
The average cost for a 200-hour teacher training in Costa Rica ranges from $2,000-$4,000. With training fees starting only at $2,700, you’ll receive an all-inclusive training course consisting of:
- Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Anusara, and general yoga styles
- Yoga Nidra, mantra, pranayama and kriyas
- Meditation, anatomy, methodology, alignment, and philosophy
- Sacred texts of the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
8. Blue Osa Yoga
Blue Osa Yoga offers 14-day or 28-day yoga teacher training immersed in their beachfront eco-resort with international yoga style instructors. Students dig deep into yoga’s physical and spiritual science, emerging confident in caring for their bodies and guiding others.
This Costa Rica yoga school offers the most in-demand programs, with intensive certification grounding students in yogic foundations and modern teaching methodology.
- Morning asana and meditation practice
- Purification rituals
- Himalayan yoga
- Functional anatomy
9. East + West YTT
East+West YTT is a renowned international yoga teacher training program that brings Indian yogic wisdom and Western teaching skills into a 200-hour course at The Goddess Garden Retreat in Costa Rica.
Yoga teachers from India and a former Buddhist monk lead transformative training deeply rooted in spiritual tradition. The yoga style courses prepare students with the professional skills needed for modern yoga teaching.
- Asana
- Alignment
- Anatomy
- Adjustments
10. School Yoga Institute – Vinyasa and Surfing 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
The School Yoga Institute invites you to develop a consistent yoga practice at the surfer destination of Mal Pais on the Nicoya Peninsula. Activities on days off include zip-lining, surfing, horseback riding, snorkeling, or day trips to Cabuya.
Known for its year-round surf and sandy beaches, the town of Mal Pais gives travelers a chance to reconnect with nature as they complete a teacher training course.
- Hatha, Vinyasa, Dynamic, and Power
- Art of teaching yoga, including New Moon and Full Moon ceremonies
- Meditation and pranayama practices
- Massage and energy healing
11. Bienstar Uvita Yoga Shala Integrative 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
At Bienstar Uvita Yoga Shala, the program aims to help you connect your mind, body, and spirit while learning how to teach yoga safely. Each yoga style training accepts a small number of students so that individual guidance and support can be given to each student.
Recommended for beginners and intermediate trainees alike, the yoga teacher course material includes:
- Meditative practices, the breath, the physical practice, energetic systems
- Yoga philosophy, history, and the Eight Limbs of Yoga
- General anatomy and physiology
- Vinyasa, Nidra, and Hatha
12. PachaMama Costa Rica YTT
PachaMama’s unique 200-hour yoga teacher training fuses asana mastery and zen meditation, led by adept teachers Adya and Velan in the jungle retreat. Students deeply connect with Mother Earth through rituals, exploring yoga, spirituality, and energy.
The average yoga teacher training class size in Costa Rica is 10 to 15 students. With a small class size, the program incorporates diverse courses that will awaken your most empowered self-expression:
- Body flow and movement
- Restorative, partner, and prenatal yoga
- Sound exploration and matra singing
- Self-inquiry into deepening the relationship between one’s body and self
13. Sampoorna Yoga – Ashtanga Vinyasa and Vinyasa Flow 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
Sampoorna Yoga offers an extensive 200-hour Ashtanga Vinyasa training course. The school has a facility established in 2008 in Goa, India. The in-person training is held at The Goddess Garden Yoga Retreat Centre on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast.
The in-person yoga teacher teaching covers an intensive and immersive 12 days to help you improve your yoga practice and expand your teaching skills.
- Yogic philosophy, pranayama, mediation techniques
- Ashtanga Vinyasa and Vinyasa Flow methods
- Eight Limbs of Yoga
- Vitality and personal recreation
14. Cabuya Lodge
Mandy Lawson leads Cabuya Lodge’s nurturing 200-hour training in Costa Rica after nearly a decade of teaching yoga locally. Her gentle, open approach suits all abilities to find their path; no experience is needed.
Kids under six stay and eat free, perfect for parenting yogis! Aside from that, you’ll dive deep into these teacher training courses:
- Gentle Vinyasa Flow, Hatha, Restorative, and Yin Yoga
- Daily breath awareness and Pranayama practice
- Philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics
- Koshas and Gunas
15. Danyasa Yoga School
The Danyasa Yoga School fuses Vinyasa flow and dance for a practice guided by embodying, empowering, expressing, and evolving. Savor organic meals from their permaculture farm during the 20-day training to connect yourself, peers, yoga’s art, and earth’s gifts while training in their stunning accommodations.
The most popular months for yoga training in Costa Rica are January-April and September-November. At any time of the year, you’ll find a training program from Danya that provides a holistic experience for aspiring teachers.
- Yogic anatomy and psychology
- Yoga techniques and practice
- Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin yoga classes
- Meditation, pranayama, and chakras
16. Yoga Project – 200-hour Hybrid Anatomical Embodiment Yoga Teacher Training
The Yoga Project is offering a hybrid Anatomical Embodiment course, which includes both an online course and a seven-day in-person training on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Founded in 2005, Yoga Project creators Dave and Stacy have led trainings across the globe and have set up multiple successful yoga studios in Texas.
Learn about yoga through material delivered over three months and solidify that knowledge on:
- Basic Power Vinyasa yoga
- Anatomy and physiology
- Yoga postures
- Spiritual transformation, personal growth, and environmental sustainability
Related Questions
How Long Is Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica?
Yoga teacher trainings in Costa Rica typically range from 200-300 hours. Most programs last three to four weeks of intensive study and practice.
What Is the Yoga Practice Capital of Costa Rica?
Nosara is considered the yoga capital of Costa Rica. As a wellness hub, Nosara houses most yoga studios and retreat centers.
Is Yoga Big in Costa Rica?
Yes, yoga is quite popular in Costa Rica. The country has a thriving yoga community, with numerous yoga studios and retreats catering to both locals and tourists. The natural beauty and laid-back lifestyle of Costa Rica provide an ideal setting for practicing yoga.
Conclusion
Studying at a highly-rated yoga teacher training program in Costa Rica allows you to fully immerse yourself in yogic teachings surrounded by lush rainforests and pristine beaches for a truly transformative experience. Choose your preferred yoga style and master teaching skills, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful instructor.
About Georgia Brent
Georgia turned to yoga after years of battling recurring depression and anxiety during her teens and early twenties. After finding the courage to go to a class, she hasn’t looked back and found that yoga gave her the strength to deal with life and all its challenges like never before. Three years later, she is a now a freelance writer and a yoga teacher, with a deep-rooted passion for helping others tap into their own source of self-love, self-acceptance, and empowerment.
She has extensively travelled across the globe and her adventures have led her to teach in Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Georgia has also continued to study yoga in Mysore, India. She is currently based in Wiltshire, UK.
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