Visioning the Year Ahead
A weeklong kayaking + camping retreat for creative leaders and changemakers ready to lay down what’s heavy, be held in circle, and step into the new year clear, grounded, and alive.
SEA OF CORTEZ, MEXICO
Jan 17th - Jan 24th 2026
You Don’t Have to Carry It All Alone
As someone who holds space for others, this retreat is guided intentional time just for you so you can vision the year ahead with the same kind of space and depth you give to others.
>> Step out of linear planning and into a more intuitive way of visioning
>> Anchor a vision that aligns both your personal life and the work you offer to the world
>> Gather with fellow leaders, practitioners, and space holders to reflect on what you want to bring into 2026 and leave with a circle of women committed to holding that vision with you through the year
Led by Zoe, a Licensed Therapist, meditation teacher, and seasoned wilderness guide, this retreat offers a grounded container to deepen your own vision while engaging with practices you can bring back to those you serve.
The Trip At A Glance
ACTIVITY LEVEL
LOCATION
Camping & Kayaking
3-5 Hours a Day
Sea of Cortez
Loreto, Mexico
COST
DURATION
$4,850
Goes up Oct. 1st
7 Nights: Jan 17 - Jan 24
(hotel pre & post trip)
GROUP SIZE
MINDFULNESS LEVEL
Meditation, Yoga, Journaling
Gently Woven Throughout
10 Women
Facilitator + Local Guides
A Container That Holds You Before, During, and After
Every threshold requires preparation and integration. Our pre- and post-trip support creates the arc that holds this work, so that once you’re on the water, you can fully engage in ceremony, deep listening, and connection with the land and sea.
What’s Included In Your Year Of Support
One week to remember yourself, one year to live it out, supported by a circle that keeps your vision burning bright.
Preparation: 3 virtual gatherings to set intentions and weave trust before stepping onto the land.
Immersion Retreat: A week on the water and in circle, surrendering to what’s ready to be revealed.
Integration: A closing call for our group to reflect, integrate, and anchor what’s shifted
Ongoing Support: Quarterly alumni circles to reorient and stay connected through 2026.
Led by Zoe, a licensed therapist, one retreat becomes a full year of being witnessed, supported, and reminded that you don’t have to carry your vision alone.
“You are in the best hands possible, it is worth every penny and more, you can't put a price on soul work and community. I love the pairing of physically being challenged mixed w/ the mindfulness, mental, spiritual and emotional work. Be open to the journey, be open to yourself. You are in safe capable hands with Wild Minds. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
- Dana
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How We Move Together
This retreat is held within a circle of values that shape how we move together. Where the dominant culture prizes speed and certainty, we honor slower, embodied, and earth-based ways of knowing and visioning the future we want.
Courageous Inquiry
We make space for hard questions, grief, and the curiosity required to birth new visions.
Embodied Wisdom
Our bodies, and the larger collective earth body, has wisdom worth listening to.
Love Is A Practice
Love, wisdom, justice, peace, these are all qualities that need to be practiced.
What You’ll Take Home
Belonging & Listening
Through evening council, you’ll discover the power of being witnessed without judgment. Leave with clearer language for your own truth, a deeper sense of belonging, and the confidence to bring these ways of listening into your own work and relationships.
Confidence From Within
At the heart of our retreat, we will have a full day of noble silence where you will be invited to sit with your inner landscape, attune to your own wisdom, and learn to trust it—a strength you’ll carry with you into every part of your life and leadership.
Shared Visioning
In reflection and shared visioning, you’ll be held by a circle of women who are rooting for you and asking the clarifying questions that matter. You’ll leave not only inspired, but with concrete insights and encouragement from peers who see your brilliance and want to see it in motion.
COST OF THE RETREAT
$4,850
Register by October 8th and receive $500 off plus…
Option for a 5-month payment plan
1:1 coaching sessions with Zoe to help you clarify your intention and prepare for the journey ahead
PAY IN FULL
$4,850
OR
5 MONTHLY PAYMENTS
$1060 + Deposit
Ask about longer financing available through Afterpay
MEET YOUR GUIDES
Zoe Gillis, MFT
Zoe is a licensed psychotherapist with a degree in Outdoor Education and over 15 years of guiding experience. She specializes in group facilitation and supporting creative professionals, blending her love of nature, mindfulness meditation, and rites of passage work. As the founder of Wild Minds, Zoe is passionate about creating experiences where people can connect deeply to themselves, the land, and each other.
Antonio Hernandez
Born and raised in Loreto, Antonio has been guiding in the Sea of Cortez for over 20 years and has been a partner for Paddling South since 2007. With a background in sports education, he brings skill, humor, and heart to every trip. Antonio carries a deep knowledge of the land and sea, an incredibly generous and playful spirit, and a gift for making people feel both safe and at ease on the water. Whether he’s pointing out hidden wildlife, cooking a meal on the beach, or sharing a laugh, Antonio brings the magic of his home to life.
How We Work Together
Antonio and his crew take incredible care of us — from cooking meals and setting up shade to guiding us across the water and tending to the countless camp tasks that keep the trip flowing smoothly. Their support creates the spaciousness for practices of visioning, listening, slowing down, and tending to the relational field.
Wild Minds holds the arc of the retreat—guiding vision-setting practices, council circles, and the deeper transformation that unfold before, during, and after our days on the water. We also handle travel and accommodations once in Mexico so you can arrive with ease, fully resourced for the work ahead.
Together, we weave logistics, local knowledge, and inner work into one seamless experience. We’re honored to partner with Antonio and the Paddling South team to bring this journey to life.
What Others Are Saying
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Sarah B.
“Wild Minds was a life changing experience for me! It was just the right amount of group facilitation mixed with one-on-one support. The moments with the people I met in that beautiful place will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was able to look deeply within myself and see what I needed to see. I left with new tools and new perspectives that have changed me forever. One of the best things I have ever done for myself!”
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Suzzane G.
“All of the various parts of this journey ( kayaking, camping, meditating, beaches, snorkeling, sea stars, star gazing, counsel, dolphins, whales, pelicans, seaside cactus, turtles, space and assistance with finding an intentional path forward, and much more), showed that not only is the whole greater than the sum of its parts but This magic combination somehow created emergent properties that carry me forward on a light wind”
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Katie F.
“I cannot recommend this experience enough. If even a little piece of you is intrigued, listen to that part of your heart and see if you can make this happen.”
RETREAT ITINERARY
Sea Of Cortez, Where The Desert Meets The Sea
Engage in practices to envision the future and world you long to see. Together, we’ll hold space for both possibility and grief—for the reality that some of the changes we dream of may not come within our lifetime. Alongside us will be the wild teachers of this place—fish, dolphins, whales, birds, and countless other beings of the islands—reminding us of the vastness and resilience we are a part of.
DAILY SCHEDULE:
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You’ll land in the charming seaside town of Loreto, Baja Mexico, where our group driver will meet you at the airport for a single afternoon pickup (around 2pm).
Loreto is a safe, walkable town with cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and the Sea of Cortez just steps away.
The hotel is simple, comfortable, and conveniently located — with a restaurant and mini-mart right in the lobby so you can stay close if you don’t feel like going out. Or, walk 15 min into town where you can find an array of delicious local spots for dinner.
At 6pm, we’ll gather in the hotel lobby for orientation, meet our local guide Antonio, and open our time together.
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Enjoy a hotel breakfast (included with your stay) before we gather in the lobby and head out by van to our launch site.
From there, we’ll paddle 3–5 miles into Loreto National Marine Park — a protected stretch of sea dotted with rugged islands, dolphins, and seabirds overhead.
By afternoon, we’ll land on a wild beach where you’ll set up your tent and begin acquainting yourself with the land.
As the sun sets, we’ll settle into our first guided meditation by the waves, followed by dinner with a view.
Dinner with a view and then our first council circle where you will be invited to reflect on what’s ready to be released as you move into this new year.
That evening, our opening council circle invites reflection on what you’re ready to release as you step into this new year. Then, stretch out beneath the vast Baja sky and watch as the stars slowly reveal themselves.
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Our days together move with intention, guided by the rhythm of the sea. While each day holds its own flavor, you can expect a variation on the following flow:
Early mornings with meditation and Qigong as the sun rises
Daily themes to guide reflection and connection
Paddling 3–5 hours between islands, supported by a skiff boat that carries our gear (and sometimes us!)
New beaches and campsites to make our temporary home
Afternoon circles for reflection, council, or guided practice
Exploration time — hike island trails, snorkel vibrant reefs, or hop in the skiff boat for dolphin or whale watching
Nights under the stars, drifting into dreamtime with the sound of the waves
Themes we’ll explore throughout the journey:
Letting go, shedding, releasing
The space between: cultivating curiosity, spaciousness, deep listening
Visioning, dreaming, setting intentions for the return home
Finding and following your inner thread
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We’ll paddle back across the waters to our landing dock, completing our circle to honor the journey we’ve shared.
From there, a group shuttle will return you to the hotel in Loreto — the same safe, comfortable spot where you began.
You’ll have the evening free to wander the town, do a little shopping, or find a cute spot to enjoy a dinner before departure.
Loreto is a small, welcoming town, and the hotel is just a short walk (about 15 minutes) from the heart of it all. A gentle landing before heading home.
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On your final morning in Loreto, we’ll coordinate a single group airport shuttle from the hotel (likely between 10–11am, depending on flight schedules). Our driver will get you to the airport with plenty of time to check your bags, move through security, and grab a snack before your journey home.
Embark On A Journey, Discover Yourself Along the Way
WHAT’S
INCLUDED
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This isn’t a “come for a week and good luck out there” kind of retreat. From the moment you say yes, you’ll be held in a year-long arc of support — with pre-retreat calls to prepare and connect, a closing circle to share stories of returning home, and quarterly alumni gatherings to help you reorient when life gets noisy. It means your vision won’t just fade into a memory — it will be nurtured, witnessed, and carried alongside you through 2026.
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In addition to group practices, you’ll have the option for a 1:1 check-in with Zoe while on retreat.
These one-on-one sessions give you space to deepen your insights, process what’s coming up, and receive personalized support during our time together.
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Your safety, experience, and growth are held by a team that blends deep local knowledge with decades of guiding and facilitation.
Antonio grew up in Loreto and has spent over 20 years guiding in the Sea of Cortez. As a part-owner of the local outfitter that supports our journey, he brings unmatched expertise in the waters, wildlife, and history of this place.
Zoe is certified as a Wilderness First Responder, seasoned backpacking and sea-kayak guide, and licensed therapist. She weaves her background in facilitation and meditation into every retreat, creating containers for reflection, growth, and community.
Together, we hold not just the logistics of the trip, but also the emotional and cultural container — ensuring you’re supported, safe, and invited into deeper connection with the land, sea, and yourself.
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We take care of the accommodations before and after our time on the water so you don’t have to stress about finding a place to stay.
You’ll be at the same safe, welcoming hotel on both ends of the retreat — about a 15-minute walk to town, with a restaurant and mini-mart right in the lobby if you’d rather stay in.
On the final evening, you’ll also have the option to relax in the jacuzzi, wander into Loreto for dinner, or simply enjoy a good night’s rest before heading home.
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We will offer a van pick-up at a set time from the airport to the hotel and transportation back to the airport on departure day.
If you can’t make the time we set for the group pick up not to worry. It’s really easy to get around Loreto. It’s a small town and very easy to pick up a cab, even if you don’t speak Spanish.
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This isn’t your average “camp meal.” Because the trip is skiff-boat supported, we get to enjoy meals that feel downright luxurious after a day on the water. All of it is prepared by our incredible local guide and chef, Antonio—aka the man who can turn fresh fish into magic.
Think:
Fresh-caught ceviche with lime and chiles
Creamy guacamole and salsa served with warm tortillas
Poblano chicken that will make you close your eyes in happiness
Fresh fruit, snacks, and yes—plenty of chocolate for those mid-afternoon cravings
Morning coffee and tea as the sun edges up over the Sea of Cortez
Dietary restrictions? No worries—we’ve got you covered. Just let us know ahead of time, and Antonio will make sure you’re nourished, happy, and well-fed.
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While many folks like to use their own gear, we’ve got you fully covered if you don’t want to invest in or lug it down to Mexico. We’ll provide everything from tents, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags to big waterproof boat bags to keep your stuff dry, plus wetsuits and snorkeling gear for when you’re ready to dive in.
And here’s the best part: this trip is skiff-boat supported. That means all your big gear rides on the boat, not on your back. (Pack light-ish, but know you don’t have to be a minimalist wizard to make it work 😉).
We provide:
Tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad (all the big cozy stuff)
Kayaks, paddles, and safety gear
Snorkeling gear so you can meet the fish face-to-face
Wetsuits for when the water invites you in
All you really need to bring are your clothes, personal items, and that sense of adventure.
We’ll also send you a welcome page with all the trip details, including a full packing list, so you’ll know exactly what to bring (and what to leave behind).
NOT INCLUDED:
Trip Insurance
Flights
Local Guide Gratuity (Suggested $200-$300)
COST OF THE RETREAT
$4,850
Register by October 8th and receive
Option for a 5-month payment plan
1:1 coaching sessions with Zoe to help you clarify your intention and prepare for the journey ahead
Cost goes up by $500 on Oct. 8th
PAY IN FULL
$4,850
OR
5 MONTHLY PAYMENTS
$1050 + Deposit
Longer financing available through Afterpay
RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE LAND
Dear fellow wild ones,
As we embark on retreat, we will be entering into the Loreto Bay National Marine Park Wilderness which is in the Sea of Cortez. Loreto has been inhabited for over 12,000 years. Originally called Concho, a simple and beautiful home for Mexican tribes including the Cochimies and Guaycuras people. Historians believe that Loreto is the oldest human settlement in Baja California. In 1996, Loreto Bay National Marine Park was established, protecting 790 square miles of the Sea of Cortez and the Islands of Loreto.
Understanding the history of the area we are exploring together is something we are working to incorporate more of into the retreats offered.
In addition, the intention for this trip is to be in the right relationship with the land and sea. This means thinking of ways we can give back to the area for all that we receive.
Part of this involves traveling on land and sea in a way that minimizes impact and donating to organizations that protect and look over the areas.
We are open to any thoughts or suggestions around this topic.
With love,
Zoe + Mel
EMBARK ON A JOURNEY, DISCOVER YOURSELF ALONG THE WAY
FAQ
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If you cancel within 45 days of the retreat, you may receive a full refund minus the $500 deposit.
After, Wild Minds loses the ability to sell your reserved space to other individuals or groups. Therefore, we regret that we cannot make exceptions for personal emergencies.
For this reason, we strongly recommend you consider purchasing a travel insurance plan.
Please see next question about travel insurance.
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We strongly recommend you protect your adventure retreat by purchasing a short-term traveler's insurance policy which covers baggage loss, accidents, and trip cancellation. Wild Minds accepts no responsibility for lost, damaged or delayed property.
Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for any nonrefundable air and land expenses should you have to cancel your space due to family illness. It may also cover any emergency evacuation expenses should you become ill during the trip. Although every effort is made to ensure a safe trip, you should realize that in the event of illness or injury evacuation can be expensive. Please check your medical coverage to ensure it is adequate.
There are many travel insurance companies to choose from.
We recommend purchasing travel insurance when you purchase your air fair, but no later than a week before the trip. Purchasing early enough will provide you with a waiver of pre-existing conditions. Insurance acquired typically does not provide protection for pre-existing conditions.
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This kayaking and camping adventure is designed so you can feel pleasantly tired at the end of the day while still having enough energy for the introspection and reflection that accompany a retreat experience.
The trip is not meant to be physically intense, however we will be spending our days kayaking, doing yoga, hiking, snorkeling, and camping.
Below are some guidelines for minimal physical requirements; if you feel comfortable with these types of activities, you are in a perfect position to enjoy the trip.
Paddle 1 – 3 hours/day with breaks
Enjoy a camping lifestyle including getting in/out of camp chairs and tents, squatting for a variety of activities, walking up/down rocky slopes or sandy dunes, some rock-hopping through intertidal zones.
Getting in/out/off a kayak and carrying it up to the beach with help.
If you have any questions or concerns, book an interest call here, and we can talk it through together.
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The meals will be prepared for you by our local guides with delicious, locally sourced food.
If you have dietary restrictions, we will work with you.
For example, one of our guides has celiac disease and is very well-versed in safety and preventing cross-contamination.
Should you have special/severe dietary restrictions or needs, let's chat and we can figure out what you might need.
We also carry plenty of snacks for breaks while paddling, typically consisting of fruit and nut mixes, and local energy bars such as peanut and amaranth bars.
Over the years, the local guides have developed a creative menu to please the guests and the food has received rave reviews.
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After you sign up you will get an email with what to expect in the months leading up to our trip.
Camping Gear:
Tent and dry bags for kayaking will be provided. Some of the other camping gear like sleeping bag and sleeping pad can be provided upon request, just make sure to fill out the questionnaire.
Clothing & Personal Gear:
You will get a detailed packing list but you can start thinking about non-cotton moister wicking material clothing you can bring.
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The great outdoors! Don’t worry though, we will teach you everything you need to know in order to have a 5-star bathroom experience.
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There will not be service where we are going.
Part of this experience is going completely offline. During our group calls we will talk about the value in going offline and ways to prepare for the trip and integrate back to cell service and email after the trip.
For safety we will have a gps tracking device which we will send and receive messages on in case of an emergency. Included in your welcome packet is information about safety and communication.
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The group calls are a really important part of this experience.
In your welcome e-mail will be a link to fill out your availability so we can try and find a time that works best for everyone.
On these calls you will get a chance to
Connect with your new adventure friends
Practice mindfulness and self-compassion techniques that you will use during our trip
Plan how you would like to prepare mentally and physically
Ask questions about packing and gear
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This is a substance-free trip. There is a focus and emphasis on deepening your relationship with yourself and the land. It is also an opportunity to expand your capacity to be with the ups and downs without turning to substances.
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TRANSPORTATION / ACCOMMODATIONS
You will be flying into Loretto International Airport.
From there we will coordinate with our group to have a shuttle pick you up from the airport on January 17th to take you to a beautiful local hotel. We will also provide a shuttle back to the airport on January 24th.
We take transitions seriously and want to make sure you have time to settle and feel supported before heading out on our adventure.
Accommodation pre-and post kayaking adventure are included in the cost.
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This trip is for those over the age of 18. There is no age limit on who can come on this trip.
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From January to March, the average daily high temps range from the mid-fifties to mid-seventies, with hardly any rainfall. It's the absolute best time of the year to visit.
Whale migration also happens during this season, and it's possible to see these beautiful creatures on their journey, along with dolphins and local fish.
Have more questions?