Camino Yoga Retreats curates a variety of immersive journeys that combine mindful walking, cultural experiences, and gentle yoga in beautiful corners of the world. With supportive guidance and a small group environment, travelers can slow down and connect with the landscape, letting the deeper spirit of the journey reveal itself.
Rebalance, Replenish, and Find Meaning Abroad
Transformational Journeys Start Here
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
– Mary Oliver
The gift of nature. The grace of presence. Growth through movement. Friendships that deepen over time, simple greetings that become meaningful conversations, one step after another.
What Guides Us
People attend retreats for many reasons: a career transition, grief, adventure, or simply the desire to reconnect with themselves. Often, they find something within themselves they didn't realize was there.
Along the way, we develop a deeper appreciation for the places we pass through: the timeless beauty of stone villages, the wonder of wild landscapes, and the moving traditions that broaden our perspective.
Our time away from home is an opportunity to slow down, pay attention, and see the world with fresh eyes. Above all, we carry with us the kindness of the people we meet, and we discover that we have far more in common than we ever could have imagined.
Whatever calls you here, consider this your invitation. Perhaps you'll quiet an anxious mind, reclaim your confidence, or become inspired to begin your next chapter.
We witness quiet transformations, offering support when you feel stuck, encouragement when you need it most, and the reassurance that you're never walking alone.
Camino Yoga Retreats was founded by Laura Sumner in 2024, inspired by years of walking and personal growth along the Camino de Santiago. Laura's close friend, Sarah Daley, helped bring that vision to life as the company's Mindfulness Facilitator.
Their friendship began more than ten years earlier through a local running group, leading to marathons together, a shared passion for travel, and a new direction when they swapped running shoes for hiking boots.
In 2016, Laura and Sarah walked their first Camino together, completing the full, 500-mile Camino Francés in 33 days. That life-changing pilgrimage prompted year after year of returning to Spain and shaped the vision behind Camino Yoga Retreats: to create adventurous yet supportive experiences that combine physical challenge, cultural immersion, and meaningful transformation.
While Sarah has since stepped away from attending retreats to care for a family member, her warmth, wisdom, and generosity remain woven into the spirit of Camino Yoga Retreats.
Meet the Founder
Laura Sumner
affiliations & certifications:
Laura personally designs and leads every retreat, creating journeys rooted in presence, movement, and nature. Drawing upon her own life’s journey of resilience and reinvention, Laura believes people don't need to escape their lives. They simply need time to slow down, and a change of scenery to gain perspective, so they can return home and move forward with renewed clarity and purpose.
Before launching Camino Yoga Retreats, Laura spent nearly 30 years building a successful career in the automotive industry, rising from a part-time receptionist to Corporate Finance Director, overseeing finance operations across eight dealerships in New England. A brain tumor diagnosis in 2019, followed by surgery and additional procedures to treat an infection, forced her to slow down after years of working in a high-pressure work environment and focusing on the needs of her two children.
Before her diagnosis, Laura was an avid runner, but a long, difficult recovery made running feel unsafe. Looking for another way to move, she discovered hot yoga. What began as a physical challenge became a long-term path to healing, mindfulness, and more intentional living.
Walking Beside You
Laura’s Certifications:
500-Hour Yoga Training Certification
Adult/Pediatric First Aid
CPR and AED
Today, she combines her leadership experience, yoga practice, and deep knowledge of the Camino to create thoughtfully designed retreats that inspire meaningful transformation. Laura personally vets and designs every itinerary, leading each retreat with the support of trusted co-hosts and partnering with local hotels and experienced guides.
When she's not hosting retreats, Laura can usually be found practicing yoga or spending time outdoors with family and friends in Massachusetts. She loves finding joy in simple moments: wildflowers blooming along the Camino Francés, the chorus of birdcalls on safari, and the first glimpse of the blue Atlantic at Finisterre. Nature has a remarkable way of giving us exactly what we need, often where we least expect it. Laura warmly invites you to experience that journey for yourself.
Meet The Team
Born and raised in New Jersey and now happily calling Panama City Beach, Florida home, Donna brings a lifetime of teaching, counseling, yoga, and adventure to every retreat. With experience as an educator, guidance counselor, personal trainer, and RYT 500 yoga teacher, she has spent decades supporting others through life's many transitions.
After retirement, yoga and time in nature helped Donna rediscover herself, leading her to the Camino—a place where movement, culture, history, and community come together in beautiful balance. She loves guiding pilgrims because she knows firsthand how the journey has the power to restore peace, confidence, and joy. Her favorite route is the Camino to Finisterre and Muxía, where reaching the "end of the world" feels like both a celebration and a new beginning.
Her advice for first-time pilgrims? Walk your own Camino. There is no right pace, no perfect itinerary—just trust the journey, stay present, and let the Camino reveal exactly what you need.
Donna Riehl
Originally from Cape Cod and now living in the North Georgia Mountains, Patti embraces a life rooted in gratitude, creativity, and adventure. A yoga teacher, designer, grandmother, and lifelong explorer, she finds inspiration in nature, gardening, baking, and quilting.
Patti first traveled to Tanzania expecting an adventure but found something much deeper: a profound connection to the people, the land, and a local orphanage she continues to support. She also fell in love with the Camino, where each step became an invitation to freedom, reflection, and unexpected friendship. Whether in Tanzania or Spain, she loves helping others discover their own courage and joy through meaningful travel.
Her favorite Camino route is from Baiona to Santiago, where the coastline, welcoming villages, and spirit of pilgrimage captured her heart. Patti always encourages first-time pilgrims to slow down enough to notice the small moments—the conversations, the birdsong, the shared meals—because those often become the memories that stay with you longest.
Patti Muller
Kate lives in New York's Catskill Mountains, where daily walks and hikes with her rescue dog, Murphy, remind her of the simple joy of putting one foot in front of the other. An experienced community builder and organizer, she has spent years creating spaces where people feel connected, supported, and inspired.
After walking the Camino del Norte from Bayonne, France to Santiago, Kate discovered that the Camino is about far more than beautiful landscapes and historic villages. She believes its greatest gift is the people you meet along the way and the connections that unfold with every shared meal and conversation.
The Camino del Norte remains Kate's favorite route for its spectacular coastline, vibrant culture, and quieter paths. Her advice to first-time pilgrims is simple: stay curious, be open to unexpected friendships, and trust that every step has something to teach you.
Kate Barthelme
Hella grew up between Germany and Australia, and her love of travel, adventure, and personal growth has shaped both her life and her work. A former primary teacher, she is now a Satyananda yoga teacher, Wim Hof Method instructor, life coach, and devoted pilgrim who has walked seven Camino routes, including the Francés, Portugués, Primitivo, San Salvador, and Norte.
She loves guiding others because she believes the Camino gently invites us back to ourselves through simplicity, nature, meaningful conversations, and the courage to embrace the unknown. Her favorite route is the Camino Primitivo, where an unforgettable encounter with the rare Brocken Spectre reminded her that extraordinary moments often appear when we keep moving forward.
Beyond the Camino, Hella seeks adventure everywhere—from Kilimanjaro and Iceland to Australia's Outback—but walking remains her favorite way to connect with the world. Her advice for first-time pilgrims is to welcome discomfort with curiosity. Some of the greatest gifts of the Camino arrive just beyond your comfort zone, where resilience, confidence, and unexpected joy begin to grow.
Hella Bennett
Based in Ontario, Canada, Colleen O'Toole is an Occupational Therapist, pilgrimage counsellor, author, and lifelong student of contemplative practice. With a background in psychology and occupational therapy, she integrates mindfulness, compassion, somatic practices, and trauma-informed care to support people in living with greater clarity, compassion, and purpose.
For Colleen, pilgrimage is a powerful path toward healing, reflection, and personal transformation. She loves guiding others because she has witnessed how the Camino creates space for people to reconnect with themselves, deepen their relationships, and discover new possibilities with each step. The Camino Francés remains one of her favorite routes for its rich traditions, welcoming pilgrim community, and timeless spirit.
Her advice to first-time pilgrims is to let go of expectations. Trust your own pace, listen deeply, and allow the Camino to unfold in its own remarkable way.
Colleen O'Toole
Every Camino Yoga Retreat is intentionally designed to help you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and experience the world more deeply. Explore our upcoming journeys, find the one that speaks to you, and take the first step toward an experience that may stay with you long after you return home.