New Zealand Retreat 2026
Some places feel like portals.
A location where you can step into a more aligned version of yourself, where your breath moves a little freer, and things get a little clearer. For me Waiheke Island in New Zealand has long been a portal.
Once a haven for hippies, this island destination less than an hour from downtown Auckland, is now a popular sun-drenched getaway spot receiving recognition globally for its vineyards, olive groves, incomparable ocean views and sandy beaches. But the land hasn’t forgotten its spiritual past. The mana (power) is strong here.
In March 2026, Carmela and I want to share this special place with you as we run Mother Wild’s first New Zealand retreat.
We’ll be spending three glorious nights at Sandhana, a wellness sanctuary on Waiheke, followed by a chance to fully disconnect in another one of Auckland’s magical places, the Waitakere Ranges, a rugged mountain range west of Auckland famous for its dramatic coastline and lush native forest.
At Aio Wira, a retreat center deep in the heart of the Waitakere’s, we’ll get a different experience of Aotearoa fully immersing ourselves in the healing powers of nature.
Full Retreat: Tuesday, March 24 - Sunday, March 29, 2026 (5 nights)
Waiheke: Tuesday, March 24 - 27, 2026 (3 nights)
Waitakere Ranges: Friday, March 27 - 29 (2 nights)
Sandhana Retreat on Waiheke Island and Aio Wira Retreat Centre in Waitakere (both in Auckland)
Ranges from NZD 1,020 to NZD 3,070
(Approx USD 610 - USD 1,830)
Why two destinations? If we could we’d include 20. There is so much to experience in New Zealand but we hope to share two essential elements of Aotearoa: the ocean and the forest, through these two locations. We also created this retreat with local and international guests in mind.
Although anyone is welcome to join the full retreat we wanted to offer an experience long and fruitful enough for those coming from overseas, as well as a weekend getaway that was more manageable and accessible for locals.
Who is this for? Inspiring sheroes in need of some vitamin R: to rest, refresh, recharge, rejuvenate, recalibrate, reassess, revitalize, reprioritize, and retreat.
What is it all about? Our retreats have always been about connection. Connection to self and others. Through movement, breathwork, writing, talking and deeper practices we unravel old patterns of thinking and feeling so we can create space for our “wild” to emerge. By wild we mean your true nature, your authentic self, you stripped of all the shoulds and should nots.
With that said we like a bit of wild too. Dancing in the moonlight anyone? Laughing till you almost pee yourself? We like to mix the deep work with a dose of giggles and joy. We invite you to take things as deep or as light as feels right to you.
Why book now? There are very limited spots. The full retreat only has five spots available. The weekend retreat only has seven. If you’re keen, now is the time. Also our early bird pricing runs out on November 15th, which will be here in the blink of an eye.
Why us? Carmela is a moonbeam in human form. If you know Carmela then you’re likely nodding your head right now. She’s the perfect balance of magic and joy, truth bombs and profound teachings. We ran our first retreat together in South Korea in 2019 and over the years I’ve been lucky enough to have offered several more alongside her and the other amazing women of Mother Wild in the US, Thailand, Indonesia and Italy. Carmela has hosted many, many more retreats for women over the years. I’ve lost count. This is all to say this is not our first rodeo.
And how about me? Carmela would say I have a strong back, strong abs, strong spirit — that I’m completely balanced and utterly unflappable. That I radiate calm no matter what’s happening around me. With Carmela’s magic and my grounded nature, there’s a unique alchemy that allows us to show up at our best together to help guide, support and nourish the women on our retreats.
We hope you’ll join us. Let’s step into this portal together and support each other as we unfurl, release, restore and re-emerge .
With heartfelt gratitude,
Karryn
