The Real Kaliyoga: Love, Laughter and Letting Go in Andalucia

Not all great love stories begin on a dancefloor. Some start in silence, on a yoga mat, on the peaceful side of Ibiza. That’s where an insomniac actress and a weary record producer locked eyes on a yoga teacher training—and quite literally bent over backwards for each other. Two months later, deep in yogic bliss and full of that delicious early-days optimism, Rosie and Jonji decided London just wouldn’t do. So, armed with nothing but their teaching certificates, a maxed-out credit card and a whole heap of chutzpah, they drove off into the Andalusian mountains and created something pretty extraordinary.

That was 22 years ago. Today, Kaliyoga is one of Europe’s most respected wellness retreats—a glowing star on the map of wellbeing hideaways. It’s won over Condé Nast Traveller, picked up TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice awards, and was voted by The Guardian readers as one of the top ten wellbeing holidays in Europe. But here’s the thing: Kaliyoga was never about building an empire. It was, and still is, Rosie and Jonji’s home.

More Than a Retreat, It’s a Way of Life

This is where they fell in love, got married, raised their babies, and opened their doors to people from all over the world who needed a soft place to land. And you can feel that energy the minute you arrive. It’s in the scent of wild herbs wafting through the air, the music drifting through the house, the laughter coming from the kitchen, and the way you’re greeted—not like a guest, but like an old friend finally making it home.

Rosie puts it best:

“From the very beginning, we knew we didn’t want to run a grand spa resort with hot towels delivered on silver tongs. Nor did we want a pop-up retreat with a ‘specially curated team’ of strangers flown in last-minute. And we definitely weren’t interested in anything that felt punishing or preachy.”

Jonji chimes in with a grin:

“We imagined a place where people could lie in a hammock with a book and do nothing at all—or go deep, let go of what’s been holding them back, and figure out what they really want from life.”

What Makes Kaliyoga So Special?

Well, for starters, the team. Most of them have known each other for years. There’s a rhythm here, a warmth that can’t be manufactured. Meals are vibrant, plant-based and delicious. Yoga is taught with intelligence, humour and compassion. And the setting? Rolling hills, dramatic sunsets, and the kind of peace you only find when the Wi-Fi’s patchy and you’re too content to care.

Former Condé Nast Traveller journalist Francesca Syz nailed it when she said:

“Kaliyoga manages to achieve that rare balance between genuine warmth and utter professionalism.”

It’s the kind of place where you arrive frazzled, overwhelmed, and running on empty—and leave lighter, clearer, and very possibly a little bit in love with life again.

Fancy Finding Out for Yourself?


Trust me, this isn’t your average yoga retreat. It’s Rosie and Jonji’s heart and soul, wrapped up in a sun-drenched farmhouse in southern Spain, with excellent playlists, healing hands, and space to just be.

And that, in this fast-spinning world, might just be the greatest luxury of all.

www.kaliyoga.com

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