Life at Margaret Island, September 2026
Real moments from the week — the group, the excursions, and the reels posted along the way.
Watch the reels
A thermal retreat on Margaret Island
This retreat ran 17–24 September 2026 at the Ensana Thermal Margaret Hotel, set among the gardens of Margaret Island — a quiet, car-free island in the middle of the Danube, ten minutes from the heart of Budapest. The group had unlimited access to the hotel's thermal pools, saunas and steam baths, alongside daily yoga with Hanan and Heather.
Beyond the mat, the week included a Danube river cruise on a historic paddleboat, a private walking tour of Budapest, and a full-day excursion to the riverside towns of Szentendre and Visegrád. Evenings were left open for the city's thermal baths, wandering the island, or simply gathering with the group.
Yoga, thermal water and the city in between
Each day paired a morning practice with a guided excursion or free time, an evening session, and a shared dinner — with Margaret Island's thermal pools and Budapest's own rhythm filling the spaces in between.
A typical day
- Morning yoga with Hanan or Heather
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Guided excursion, or free time on Margaret Island
- Evening yoga session
- Shared dinner together as a group
- Evenings open for the thermal baths, the city, or each other's company
Meals & food
- Breakfast at the hotel every day
- 6 dinners included, 2 of them at local restaurants
- Unlimited hotel-to-city transfers, 8am–10pm, for exploring on your own
- Plenty of independent time to try Budapest's own food scene
Included excursions
Danube river cruise
A cruise on a historic paddleboat past the Chain Bridge and Buda Castle, lit up along the river at night.
Private Budapest walking tour
A private guided walk through Budapest's old town and up to Fisherman's Bastion for the classic view over the Danube.
Széchenyi thermal baths
Budapest's famous outdoor thermal baths, a short trip from Margaret Island — a popular add-on for a free afternoon.
Also included: a full-day excursion to the riverside art town of Szentendre and the hilltop castle ruins of Visegrád above the Danube Bend.
Ensana Thermal Margaret Hotel, Margaret Island
Set among the gardens of Margaret Island, a car-free island in the middle of the Danube, the Ensana Thermal Margaret Hotel gives the whole group unlimited access to its thermal pools, saunas and steam baths — a quiet restorative base just minutes from central Budapest.
What makes the hotel special
- Unlimited access to thermal pools, saunas & steam baths
- Rooftop pool with views of Margaret Island's historic water tower
- On-site fitness center and dedicated yoga space
- Set inside Margaret Island's own gardens and parkland
- Ten minutes from central Budapest, with unlimited transfers included
- A car-free island — quiet, walkable, and easy to explore
Getting there
Fly into Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD). Airport transfers on arrival and departure are included, and once you're settled, unlimited hotel-to-city transfers run daily from 8am to 10pm.
The people behind the retreat
Hanan & Heather are the teaching duo behind Aim Higher. Two Arizona-based yoga teachers and longtime friends, they lead international retreats together, pairing an energizing morning practice with restorative evenings, plenty of time to explore, and the warm, welcoming group spirit that brings travelers back year after year.
Hanan Palz
E-RYT 500 · YACEP · Hanan's Yoga, Arizona
Hanan first stepped onto the mat in 2006, drawn in by the focus and physical challenge of Ashtanga. Today her teaching spans Vinyasa Flow, Myofascial Release and Thai Yoga Bodywork, shaped by training with teachers including David Swenson, Kino MacGregor and Manju Jois.
Her classes are built on encouragement, compassion, humor and faith, with one simple aim: to help students feel good in their bodies so they can keep moving freely for the rest of their lives. As a Yoga Alliance continuing-education provider, she also trains other teachers in myofascial release and Thai bodywork.
Heather Wiest
E-RYT 500 · LCSW · Love Serve Inspire
Heather's yoga journey began in 2001 and now weaves together several threads: she is an E-RYT 500 teacher, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a certified clinical trauma specialist. That combination shapes a teaching style that is grounding, restorative and deeply attentive to how body and mind heal together.
Trained in Restorative and Yin yoga, SmartFLOW, Yoga Nidra and Reiki, she founded Love Serve Inspire in 2018. Her sessions bring together her faith, the neuroscience of trauma and the tools of yoga, designed to leave you feeling balanced, rejuvenated and inspired — whether you're new to yoga or returning to it.
The Green Yogi Traveler team
Gorana & Davor
Co-founders · Green Yogi Traveler
Behind the scenes, Gorana and Davor handled every practical detail — accommodation, transfers, meals, excursions, photography and video — so Hanan, Heather and guests could be fully present. As a licensed travel agency and Travelife Partner, Green Yogi Traveler was the organizer of record for the retreat.
About Margaret Island
How do I get to Margaret Island?
Fly into Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD). From there it's a straightforward transfer into the city, then a short hop across to Margaret Island itself.
How far is Margaret Island from central Budapest?
About ten minutes — close enough for an easy visit into the city, far enough to feel like a quiet, car-free retreat of its own.
Your retreat could be next
Join an upcoming retreat, or let us organize your own — you teach, we handle everything.
