Crazy Mountain Balance Camp 2024

In the daytime we will be hiking in the overwhelming mountain landscapes with picnics and swimming in wild mountain lakes.

Yoga and meditations in the fields and at the mountain tops!

In the evening we will do fun and meaningful group games, cook and eat together, gaze at the starry sky while having a tea in our outdoor hot tub, have massage workshops etc. The Crazy Mountain Balance Camp will be an amazing adventure!

Let's enjoy this marvelous adventure high in the Alps without any stimulants! We will refrain from consuming alcohol and drugs. Our body will take care of generating adrenaline, endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and lots of oxytocin for happy vibes :) ► Read more here.

LOW RADIATION • In the hut and directly around there is no GSM/mobile phone reception. Also on big parts of the hikes there is no network. In the hut there is no WiFi and if we keep our phones on airplane mode (as there is no network anyway) we will not be generating any radiation ourselves either. Only at some limited occasions we will use a bluetooth speaker.

We will be in a mountain hut, far away from the noise and rumble of cities and villages, in the middle of beautiful nature: mountains with peaks of up to 3.200 metres above sea level, canyons, rivers, fields and forests.

There are no villages in this valley; there are only some summer farms here and there where the farmers stay in summer with the cows.

From our hut, it is an almost two hour walk to get to the nearest village. In that village there is a bus stop; the bus connects to a railway station. There is no public road for cars in our valley. The hut can be reached by mountain bike as well.

The wooden hut is simple and reflects the life style of the summer farmers. All beds are in one dorm. There is an open kitchen with a wood stove and there is a toilet. Outside is the hot tub.

Please do not expect luxury things like comfort, personal privacy or mobile network coverage. There will be max. 14 people in our group. No smoking in the house or in the hot tub. In and around the house, during swimming activities and during parts of the hikes clothing is optional [read faq]

Just being on these amazingly beautiful, uniquely located mountains is already a good reset for your stressed brain. Moreover, we will be actively working on bringing back balance to your life. Every day there will be yoga sessions and meditations – in the hut and outside, even during our hikes. We will be doing massage workshops.

There are measureless light-hearted moments of fun and laughter at the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp. And there are moments of emotional release. One of the house rules is "Feel happy at all times – except when you don't feel happy." All feelings are welcome, and the intention is to not judge any of them.

We will be doing plenty of exercises and games (eye gazing, for example) to connect with ourselves and with the others. We will experience deep levels of sincere connection, radical self-acceptance, body positivity, sharing and letting go of judgement.

Are you ready for this intensive experience? Are you ready to engage in those exercises and games? To be there with all your light and all your darkness? I would love to meet you there!

Hi! I'm Clare, a yoga teacher from Bristol in the UK. I'm super excited to join you all!

My yoga journey began like many people, pretty unaware of its holistic benefits, but wanting the flexibility and some "time out". 8 years later, I found myself teaching at a kids camp, and went onto spend a month at a Bali yoga retreat, before undertaking a 14month long qualification during lockdown. Facilitating sessions and holding space is one of my favourite parts of teaching.

Yoga is so much more than the body; and my sessions are a safe space to calm the mind, connect with the breathe, and achieve what you want to. But also, I want to help people build strength, reduce risk of injuries, and essentially support your physical body to allow you to live your best life, without pain!

In "day to day" life I work in marketing, so understand the trials of the modern world! Look forward to meeting everyone very soon.

Too much yoga and deep stuff?

What if I love mountains but don't want to join all that sharing and yoga and massage stuff?

Of course you can opt out of some activities if you're tired after a long day of hiking, but if all these mind and body things are not your kind of thing, then the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp is not your kind of thing.

Please notice that there is no 'leadership team' or 'staff'. Our yoga facilitator and Klaas will participate in the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp activities just like all participants. At best they are 'primi inter pares'. We're all in it together :)

A good part of the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp will be dedicated to mountain hiking. Not mountaineering; no ropes, crampons or helmets.

There is a hiking programme set up but it is not an obligation to participate; if you are a seasoned mountaineer you might prefer to go rock climbing by yourself instead of hiking with our group. And also if you want to spend your days relaxedly searching for berries or spotting birds, feel free to do so. In general everybody is expected to participate in the group life at the end of the day and in the evening. [read faq]

Please keep the following in mind: the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp is more a social event than a sportive event. The 'weakest' group member will set the pace. If you are a very sporty person that gets nervous if you have to hike a bit slower and/or have a pause more often than what you're used to, your nervousness might establish a problem for yourself and for the group.
[faq: am i fit enough?]
[faq: i have physical limitations or mental health issues, can i still join?]

Although the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp is a relaxed, non-competitive event, mountain hiking is a sports activity that demands some extra attention for two reasons: altitude and safety. You will need a fair condition, good mountain hiking shoes, a daypack, a water bottle, clothing in layers including wind- and rain protection. A pair of hiking poles can be handy but are not necessary.

What if I love mountains but don't want to join that 'serious' hiking? Are there options for me? Yes, there are. You can make easy hikes around the hut, for example. If you're into nature photography or drawing landscapes, you will find a multitude of subjects within 500 meters from the hut… Most probably, you will not be the only one that will not join the bigger hikes.

Cooking will be done by the group for the group; no à la carte service :) Because we are high in the mountains, our resources are limited, and we'll all have to be flexible. If you are very precise with your food, then this is not the right experience for you, sorry.

All food is 100% plant based. The provided food is vegan. Also, please don't bring any animal origin foods with you, such as meat, chicken, fish, seafood, honey, milk, yoghurt, cheese, products containing gelatine, etc. [why is this?] If you think you can't do without them, this is the perfect occasion to learn how rich and fulfilling plant based nutrition can be :)

This is an alcohol-free event. The provided drinks are non-alcoholic. Also, please don't bring any alcoholic drinks yourself. We'll do without external stimulants :) So no drugs as well. Only for coffee, we'll make an exception.

We'll always do our best to accommodate allergies.
It is not always possible to accommodate intolerances. Please contact me to discuss (im)possibilities.

There is space and time for workshop-like activities, so if you would like to share some of your knowledge or skills, feel free! Maybe you want to teach us some capoeira, do a photoshoot or make us sing the traditionals of your native culture? Just some ideas… it really can be anything. And, of course, it's not an obligation :)

Couples

If you are a couple, please understand that in the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp, you cannot behave like a couple. In general, the beds are allocated through a lottery [read faq] and we're all sleeping in one shared space. You participate in all activities and group life as individuals and not as a couple. Yes, you will be hugging – in the many group hugs! So be prepared to sit each at opposite sides of the table during dinner. And accept that someone other than yourself might be giving your partner a massage of the sore muscles.

Your participation in the cost for these 7 days / 6 nights is (depending on your situation) between EUR 599 and EUR 699 per person for accommodation, food (that we will cook together), yoga sessions, guided meditation sessions, massage workshop, use of hot tub, and life enriching experiences.

If you feel that the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp is really the right experience for you, and you are seriously struggling with the participation fee: please reach out to me. Because I wouldn't want that money issues would stop you from participating. There are, for example, possibilities for volunteering.

What is included/provided?
+ Accommodation
+ Luggage transport from the bus stop to our hut
+ Yoga sessions
+ Guided meditations
+ Massage workshop
+ Use of the hot tub
+ Breakfast
+ Simple lunch (sandwiches, leftovers of yesterday's dinner)
+ Dinner (we will cook together)
+ Coffee, tea, water, juice
+ Fun and meaningful experiences

Not included:
x Snacks, fruit, energy bars, soft drinks etc.
x Sleeping bag liners and pillow cases
x Towels

The environmental impact of the Crazy Mountain Balance Camp is very small.

• We will not use touristic cable cars or alike during our stay.
• Hiking trails are the only infrastructure that we use. There is very little touristic infrastructure on 'our' mountain
• Electricity in our accommodation is generated by a micro hydro-electric installation
• As we live in community, we are heating much smaller volumes of spaces then what we would need individually. We will cook centrally for the group, which is way more efficient than people cooking individually at home

• Our food is entirely plant based. Livestock farming, together with the industry that comes with it, is one of the biggest contributors to climate change and destruction of nature. By sticking to plant based nutrition, we do our taste buds and our health a favour – and we do Planet Earth as a whole a favour. Check this link for more info.
• Our activities are not 'gear-intensive' and we don't need to buy lots of materials etc.

► How can I further reduce my impact?

Our meeting place is one bus ride away from a railway station. That railway station is very easy to reach.

The other option is to offer or join a ride-share, for example through blablacar or with other Crazy Mountain Balance Camp participants [read faq].