The Vamonos Experience Retreat 2027 – Your Questions…Answered

At some point, many accomplished women arrive at a moment where the life they have built — however successful it looks from the outside — starts to feel like it belongs to someone else. The questions get quieter but more persistent: Is this still it for me? What’s next? What do I actually want?

A Pause for Possibilities was designed for exactly that moment.

Over seven intentional days in Oaxaca, you will slow down, reconnect with yourself, identify the patterns and beliefs that have been quietly keeping you stuck, and begin to shape a vision for your next chapter — personally and professionally. We balance deep inner work with cultural immersion, community, and the kind of honest conversation that is hard to find in everyday life.

You don’t need to be in crisis to be ready for this. You just need to be honest with yourself that something has to shift.

Meaningful inner work takes time, intention, and space — more than a weekend can hold.

A full week gives you the rhythm needed to slow down, go beneath the surface, and actually integrate what you’re discovering. The first couple of days are often about decompressing and arriving. The middle of the week is where the real work happens. By the end, you’re not just rested — you’re clearer.

We begin on a Saturday, giving you time to close out your week and arrive with a clear head. We end on a Friday, so you return home with a natural buffer to settle back in before re-entering your daily life.

Every day is designed intentionally — not packed, but purposeful. There is time built in for reflection, for silence, for the conversations that happen when no one is rushing to the next thing.

You’ve probably heard of a gap year — an intentional pause to step outside your life, reconnect with yourself, and figure out what actually matters. The need for that kind of pause doesn’t disappear with age. If anything, it becomes more urgent.

Most accomplished women can’t step away for a year. Careers, families, and responsibilities don’t pause on request. So we asked: what if you could get the essential benefit of that year — the clarity, the perspective shift, the reconnection with yourself — in a single, well-designed week?

The arc of A Pause for Possibilities is built on that question. In Suzanne’s experience working with clients over months, the progress women make during this week consistently exceeds what most achieve in six months of one-on-one coaching — not because the time is longer, but because it is uninterrupted, intentional, and shared with others who are equally committed to doing the work.

You don’t need a year. You need this week.

Oaxaca is one of the most extraordinary places in Mexico — and in the world. It was recently named the #1 Travel Destination in the World by Travel + Leisure. Situated almost a mile above sea level in a valley surrounded by mountains, Oaxaca is home to 16 distinct ethnic groups, each contributing to a culture that is rich, layered, and deeply alive.

The food, the art, the ancient archaeological sites, the warmth of the people — all of it creates an environment that naturally invites reflection and openness. Being somewhere genuinely new has a way of loosening the grip of old patterns and familiar narratives. Oaxaca doesn’t just provide a backdrop for this week. It is part of the experience.

On a more personal level, Suzanne spent her own Adult Gap Year in Oaxaca, so it holds a special place in her heart. Coming back to Oaxaca is like coming home.

We understand that recent news about Mexico may give some travelers pause. Here is what we want you to know.

Mexico is a large and diverse country, and travel conditions vary significantly by region. Oaxaca State is consistently recognized as one of Mexico’s safest and most welcoming destinations for international travelers. The U.S. Department of State currently lists Oaxaca State at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution — the same advisory level assigned to countries like France, the United Kingdom, and Germany. This designation reflects a general recommendation to stay aware of your surroundings, not an indication of significant danger.

Oaxaca de Juárez, where the retreat takes place, is a UNESCO World Heritage city with a strong tradition of welcoming visitors. It is a city of artists, chefs, archaeologists, and families — not a border region or a tourist corridor with the risks those sometimes carry. Our accommodations, transportation, and excursions are coordinated exclusively with trusted local partners who know the area deeply and have worked with us across multiple retreats.

You will be in a small, guided group throughout the week. Past participants have consistently described feeling safe, embraced, and genuinely welcomed by Oaxaca and its people. If you have specific concerns about travel, we are happy to talk them through on a call.

A Pause for Possibilities is intentionally limited to eight women. Past participants have included senior leaders and partners from Big 4 and consulting firms, executives from tech companies, entrepreneurs, and women returning to the workforce after pausing significant careers. What they share is less about title or industry and more about where they are: accomplished, self-aware, and ready to stop drifting and start choosing.

Some are approaching retirement and want to arrive there on their own terms. Some are mid-career and running on empty. Some have just left a role and are figuring out what’s next. All of them are curious, open-hearted, and willing to do the work.

The small group size is intentional. Eight women create an intimate enough container for real connection and honest conversation, while still offering enough diversity of perspective to challenge your thinking and expand your view.

This retreat is for you if you are a senior leader, executive, or accomplished professional who has built a successful life — and lately something about it has stopped fitting the way it used to.

It is also for you if:

• You’ve accomplished a lot, but lately something feels off.
• You’re navigating a transition, or sensing one on the horizon.
• You need space to hear your own voice again and figure out what’s next.
• You’re an adventurous soul with a curious heart.
• You’re ready to make meaningful changes.

If you’re unsure whether this is the right moment, schedule a call with Suzanne. There’s no obligation — just a conversation.

That feeling is more common than you might think, and it’s worth paying attention to — not as a reason to hold back, but as a signal that something in you is ready to move.

There is rarely a perfect time to step away. But if something about this retreat has stayed with you, trust that. The women who get the most from this week are often the ones who almost didn’t come.

If it would help to talk it through first, Suzanne is happy to connect. No pressure, no agenda — just a real conversation about where you are and whether this week makes sense for you.

Our goal is for you to arrive open and leave with a renewed sense of possibility. We handle everything in between so you can focus entirely on yourself. Tuition includes:

• Six nights of accommodation
• All meals — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — throughout the retreat
• All transportation within Oaxaca, including airport transfers
• Full coaching support before, during, and after the retreat (see “What coaching is included, and when?)
• An intentionally designed curriculum and 75-page workbook
• Daily yoga, meditation, and breathwork
• A street food and market tour with Oaxaca Street Food Tours
• A guided hike from Hierve el Agua to Las Salinas
• Cultural visits to Mitla and Teotitlán del Valle
• A cacao ceremony and a traditional Zapotec temazcal ceremony
• A home-cooked traditional meal with a local family
• Two celebratory dinners at top Oaxacan restaurants

A Pause for Possibilities is designed to support you before, during, and after the retreat. Here is how the coaching structure unfolds:

Getting Ready — January to February 2027

• One private 60-minute 1:1 coaching session to set your intentions and arrive prepared
• One virtual group gathering (60–90 minutes) to meet your cohort and begin the work together

The Heart of the Experience — February 20–26, 2027

• Seven days in Oaxaca, Mexico
• 25+ hours of group coaching with Suzanne and Kimberly
• Daily yoga, meditation, and breathwork
• Full cultural immersion — market tour, hike, ceremonies, village visits, and more

Carrying It Forward — March to April 2027

• Four private 60-minute 1:1 coaching sessions to integrate your discoveries and move forward with clarity
• Two virtual group gatherings (60 minutes each) to reconnect with your cohort and sustain momentum

You won’t do this alone. From your first coaching session to your final integration call, we’re with you every step of the way.

While the Vamonos Experience is all-inclusive, there are a few items that are not included in your tuition. These include:

• Airfare and transportation to and from Oaxaca
• Trip insurance
• Massage, if you choose to participate
• Shopping and souvenirs that you may wish to purchase
• Gratuities for exceptional service, above and beyond what Vamonos provides
• Accommodations before and after the retreat
• Food and beverages outside of what is provided

All meals are locally sourced and prepared with fresh, traditional Oaxacan ingredients. During our stay at Casa Lyobaa, Conchita, a local Oaxacan chef, prepares all lunches and dinners from scratch. Traditional soups, memelas, tamales, tacitos; each meal is rooted in the flavors and traditions of the valley surrounding you.

You will also enjoy a home-cooked traditional meal with a local family, which is often one of the most memorable moments of the week. We will start and end our week with two celebratory dinners at top restaurants in Oaxaca City.

Dietary restrictions are easily accommodated. Please let us know your needs in advance, and we will take care of the rest.

The retreat takes place across three thoughtfully selected properties, each with its own character and sense of place.

Your first night is at Hotel Victoria in Oaxaca de Juárez — a welcoming property in the city that gives you a gentle first taste of Oaxaca before the week begins in earnest.

For the four nights at the heart of the retreat, you will have exclusive access to Casa Lyobaa — a private, family-owned boutique retreat on more than three acres of the Tlacolula Valley. This is not a hotel. There are no other guests, no lobby, no ambient noise of strangers. A large palapa surrounded by hammocks is where the group gathers for coaching work. Meditation gardens and private spaces offer quiet when you need it. The pool, shared kitchen, and open living spaces invite the kind of conversations that happen when women stop performing and start talking.

Casa Lyobaa means “place of rest” in Zapotec. It earns the name.

Your final night is at NaNa Vida Hotel Oaxaca in Oaxaca de Juárez, giving you one last evening in the city before you head home.

For your first night at Hotel Victoria and your final night at NaNa Vida Hotel Oaxaca, private rooms are available upon request, subject to availability and an additional fee.

During our four nights at Casa Lyobaa, all guests share a room with one other participant. Each room has two queen beds and an en suite bathroom. The property itself offers abundant private spaces for solitude, reflection, and quiet time on your own.

We understand that sharing a room can feel like a stretch. What we’ve seen, consistently, is that the women who were most hesitant about this often come to feel it was one of the most meaningful parts of their week. You’ll share a room with a woman who is on her own journey of reconnection, reimagination, and return to herself. The late-night conversations, the quiet companionship, the sense of being truly known by someone new — these moments don’t happen in a private room.

Arrival: Please plan to land at Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) by 1:30 pm on Saturday, February 20, 2027. Our welcome reception begins at 3:30 pm, and we want to make sure you have time to be transported to the hotel, get settled, and arrive relaxed rather than rushed.

Departure: There is no scheduled programming on Friday, February 26. Breakfast will be offered, and official checkout is at 11:00 am. Private transportation to the airport will be arranged to fit your departure flight.

Unfortunately, no. If you are unable to arrive by 3:30 pm on February 20, 2027, we will not be able to honor your reservation. The opening session sets the foundation for everything that follows, and the integrity of the group experience depends on everyone being present from the start.

If you encounter travel delays en route, please don’t worry — we will monitor your flight and arrange transportation to meet you when you land.

OAX – Oaxaca International Airport.

Direct and connecting flights are available from Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Tijuana, and other major hubs. We will coordinate private transportation from the airport to your first night’s accommodation and keep in touch with you via a WhatsApp group chat during your travels.

We will obtain your travel information from you prior to the retreat. Our team will arrange for private transportation from OAX to our first night accommodations. We will coordinate with you during your travels using a WhatsApp group chat.

Before the retreat, you will be asked to provide your flight information to the Vamonos team. We will arrange transportation from the airport to our hotel. If you are arriving on the same flight as other guests, you will share transportation. We will provide you with details about your transportation via a WhatsApp group chat before landing in Oaxaca. We will monitor your flight arrival times and, if needed, make changes to your transportation so that it meets you when your flight arrives.

Absolutely. Oaxaca is worth more than a week. If you would like to arrive early or stay on after the retreat, we are happy to help you secure additional accommodations. The cost of extra nights is your responsibility.

Late February in Oaxaca is about as close to perfect as weather gets. Daily highs range from 77 to 85°F, with lows around 50 to 55°F. Afternoons can be breezy, so layers are helpful. Oaxaca’s dry season runs from October through April — rain is rare.

A note on water: Oaxaca is experiencing an ongoing drought, and water conservation is taken seriously. We ask all guests to be mindful of their water use throughout the retreat. Please note that the drought may affect water pressure throughout our trip.

• Curiosity and an open mind
• Casual, comfortable clothing suitable for yoga, coaching sessions, exploring, and relaxing
• Layers for temperature swings between day and night
• Sturdy walking shoes for the city
• Hiking boots or shoes with good grip for the hike (required)
• Water shoes for waterfall exploration
• Flip-flops or sandals for the pool
• Swimsuit
• Hat and sunglasses
• Sunscreen (can be expensive locally)
• Reusable water bottle 
• Hydration bladder, or reusable water bottle, for hiking (minimum 1.5 liters capacity required)
• Daypack or backpack for hiking
• Passport valid for at least six months after February 26, 2027
• Prescriptions and any medications you need for the full duration
• Power adapters if traveling from Europe (US, Canada, and Mexico use the same outlets)

Yes. All guests entering Mexico must have a valid passport. Mexico requires your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your return date — meaning your passport must be valid through at least August 26, 2027.

U.S. citizens can learn more about arrival requirements here.

Travel requirements can evolve, and we will share the most current entry information with you before your departure, including any electronic registration requirements.

We recommend against drinking tap water in Oaxaca. Filtered and bottled water will be available at all accommodations and throughout all activities. We also recommend using filtered water when brushing your teeth — we will have it available for you.

In keeping with our commitment to sustainability and Oaxaca’s water conservation efforts, we ask guests to bring a reusable water bottle to minimize plastic use throughout the week.

Please check with your carrier about your Mexico plan before traveling. We recommend downloading WhatsApp before you arrive — it’s free, widely used in Mexico, and how the Vamonos team will stay in touch with you throughout the retreat.

Wi-Fi is available at all retreat accommodations. That said, part of what makes this week work is the intentional distance from daily distractions. We ask that you limit device use during group sessions and coaching, and keep your phone tucked away so everyone can be fully present. When we are out in the city or the mountains, connectivity may be limited — which most participants find to be a welcome relief.

While the retreat is all-inclusive, you may want to have some pesos on hand for personal purchases, tips, or vendor markets. Many local vendors accept credit cards, but cash is always useful. Unlike other tourist destinations in Mexico, USD is not widely accepted in Oaxaca. The most reliable place to obtain pesos is at the ATMs at Oaxaca International Airport upon arrival.

The hike from Hierve el Agua to Las Salinas is one of the most memorable days of the week, both physically and emotionally. We start early to enjoy the mineral pools and stunning views at Hierve el Agua before the crowds arrive, share a local breakfast, and then begin our descent.

The hike is approximately 4.3 miles (7 km). Most of the route is downhill, but the terrain is rocky and uneven. Hiking boots or shoes with a solid grip are required. Sun protection and water are equally essential.

Hike details:

• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Distance: 7 km / 4.3 miles
• Total ascent: 174 m
• Total descent: 287 m
• Minimum water required: 1.5 liters per person

As with all outdoor activities, there are inherent risks involved. It is your responsibility to assess whether you can participate safely, given your physical condition and the terrain. Our local guide will provide safety instructions throughout. If you choose not to participate in the hike, we will arrange alternative transportation between activity sites.

Each day is thoughtfully designed to balance inner work, cultural experience, movement, and rest. A typical day looks something like this:

• 6:30–8:30 am: Breakfast
• 7:30–8:00 am: Morning movement, yoga, or meditation
• 9:00 am–12:30 pm: Workshop and coaching sessions
• 12:30–2:00 pm: Lunch and break
• 2:00–5:30 pm: Workshop and coaching sessions
• 7:00–7:30 pm: Dinner 

Days with excursions are structured differently, but the intention remains the same: every moment of the week is in service of your growth and your possibilities.

The retreat has no religious affiliation. We offer yoga, breathwork, and meditation as tools for grounding and reflection, and you will experience two cultural ceremonies: a cacao ceremony with sound bath, and a traditional Zapotec temazcal. Both are offered with respect and intention, and both are optional. Participants of all religious and spiritual backgrounds are warmly welcome.

You are invited to participate fully, but never pressured. If something doesn’t feel right or you need space, honor that. This week is yours.

That said, we have found that the moments of hesitation are often the ones worth leaning into. Growth tends to live just at the edge of comfort. If you’re unsure about something, stay curious — that instinct might be exactly where your breakthrough begins.

Shared Accommodations:

Early Bird Pricing: $5,400 USD per person

Available May 15 – November 30, 2026 | Four payments of $1,350

Regular Pricing: $6,200 USD per person

Available December 1 – 31, 2026 | Two payments of $3,100

After December 31, 2026: $6,200 USD, paid in full at registration.

Bring Your Best Friend: Per person pricing when two friends register together.

Early Bird: $4,700 USD per person | Available May 15 – November 30, 2026 | Four payments of $1,175

Regular Pricing: $5,500 USD per person | Available May 15 – November 30, 2026 | Two payments of $2,750

After December 31, 2026: $5,500 USD, paid in full at registration.

Both friends must register within 14 days of each other to qualify.

Yes. The installment schedule is as follows:

Early Bird registrants (by November 30, 2026):

Four payments of $1,350. Your first payment is due at registration and secures your spot. Remaining payments are due at roughly monthly intervals, with your final payment due no later than January 31, 2027.

Regular pricing registrants (December 1–31, 2026):

Two payments of $3,100. Your first payment is due at registration. Your second payment is due January 31, 2027.

Registrations after December 31, 2026:

Full payment of $6,200 is due at the time of registration.

The same installment schedule applies to Bring Your Best Friend pricing.

If you miss a scheduled payment, you will receive written notice from Vamonos. You will have seven (7) days to make the outstanding payment. If payment is not received within that period, the cancellation policy will apply.

We value this experience and want it to be accessible to the women who are ready for it. If this retreat feels right but the investment gives you pause, please reach out to Suzanne at suzanne@vamonoscoaching.com. We would rather have a conversation than have you talk yourself out of something that could change the way you live and lead.

Many companies will cover a portion of retreat tuition as a professional development investment. We are happy to provide supporting documentation about your learning objectives and the professional benefits of the experience to assist with any reimbursement request.

Cancellations must be submitted in writing via email and are effective upon receipt. The refund schedule is as follows:

• Through August 31, 2026: Full refund, minus a $250.00 administrative fee
• September 1 – October 31, 2026: 50% refund
• After October 31, 2026: Non-refundable

Changes to your reservation may incur a $150 amendment fee, plus any additional costs. Because A Pause for Possibilities is largely non-refundable after October 31, 2026, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment.

We strongly recommend it. Travel insurance can protect your investment in the event of unexpected cancellations, medical emergencies, travel delays, or other unforeseen circumstances — especially given that the retreat becomes non-refundable after October 31, 2026.

Two providers worth considering are Wanderwell and Activity Insurance, both of which offer policies tailored for retreats and outdoor adventure travel. Please review your options carefully and choose the coverage that best fits your needs.