Relax doing yoga as you glide through Patagonia’s pristine waters

Practicing a sport or any physical activity is practically impossible when traveling by plane, bus or car. By ferry, however, it's a different story.

Moisa, a traveler and yoga practitioner, came to this conclusion as she kept up her usual routine on the Navimag ferry while enjoying the remote places and experiences that only a boat trip can offer.

Yoga is synonymous with peace, tranquility, and silence. It requires gentle, but firm movements and practitioners need great concentration to perform them correctly.

But how can you find this peace and calm when traveling on buses, planes, and cars? It's almost impossible.

It’s another story when you’re on a ferry. This motivated 64-year-old Moisa, a Slovenian yoga practitioner who’s been living in Chile for more than 23 years, to travel through Patagonia with her partner on a Navimag ferry.

"I wanted to travel by ferry to experience being on a boat, to feel the sea and see the fjords of Chile," says Moisa. She was also inspired by having space and options to continue practicing her yoga routine on board.

"It’s a huge advantage to practice yoga on a ferry."

Moisa and her partner have been living for some years in San Pedro de Atacama, in northern Chile, where they own a hostel and work in tourism. After years of hard work, they decided to take a break, get away from the desert for a while and see the other end of the country.

But Moisa didn’t want to stop her daily yoga routine. That's why she appreciated the fact there were yoga classes on the Navimag ferry, and she was allowed to practice it on the deck.

"I am a regular yoga practitioner, and that’s why I think it's great that there are yoga classes on board, especially given this is a long trip. This discipline is appealing because of its low impact and an excellent workout. I practiced when the weather was good; it helps a lot to clear the mind."

Moisa never found the boat’s rocking a problem. "Personally, if I am traveling for a long time, I do yoga anywhere. Once you start yoga, you get used to it, and it doesn’t matter where you practice. But it's a huge advantage to practice yoga on a ferry. The idea is to stretch and do exercise," she says.

What's more, the peace and calm offered by the slow-moving ferry trip made it easier to concentrate on the exercises. "Initially, it's hard to get used to being on board because you don’t have the usual distractions like Internet, music, or even the phone. It’s difficult to disconnect and focus on this new experience. But after a while, one begins to enjoy being disconnected. It’s an excellent experience; being calm and watching the sea at a slow pace," she says.

"It makes me feel younger."

There are many benefits to yoga. The main ones are related to the physical strength, resistance and flexibility it gives your body, as well as boosting energy levels, says Healthline fitness and nutrition magazine.

Moisa is aware this. At 64, she practices it with enviable ease. "It helps keep my body agile, keep the different parts of my body more healthy. For me it’s an essential practice, and also makes me feel younger, stronger and more alive.”

Conclusion

Can you imagine doing your yoga postures with the unparalleled beauty of Patagonia as a backdrop?

Traveling by ferry through the fjords and canals of this remote region is an unbeatable experience. It’s also an ideal place to practice yoga at your pace while the boat glides slowly through the pristine waters. We invite you to find out where else to practice yoga in the south of Chile. 

Do you want to know what else you can do in this remote corner in the world? Download our free guide to alternative traveling in Patagonia to find out!