Balance and Beyond: Yoga meets Adventure

/

June 26-29, 2025

$989 per person Shared accommodations in a beautiful yurt

$200 non refundable deposit to hold your spot. Small Group 12 people max. Women Only

Spend a weekend on our gorgeous 140 acre horse ranch connecting with nature, unwind and practice mindfulness.

Experience beautiful and unique Equine workshops that enable you to bond with horses through guided activities. However the time spent with horses creates a calming energy that can enhance the weekend experience!

Connect with nature while exploring New Hampshires local hikes. Combining yoga and hiking is truly the best of both worlds: enjoy the calming benefit of yoga alongside the physical challenge and connection that nature gives you.

Come spend time in a supportive circle, deepening your inner capacity, and connecting to your whole self.

Start your mornings with a beautiful Vinyasa flow in our private yoga yurt followed by an amazing breakfast. Each day will have a variety of workshops ending the day with a dip in the pool/jacuzzi, some free time before our farm to table dinner, a beautiful reflective campfire and of course s’mores!

Saturday night we will have a restorative yoga PJ Party with guided meditation, a gentle Asana flow supported with props - designed to prepare body/mind for a good nights sleep.

Kristina Giliberto will be offering Restorative Yoga focused workshops. Kristina offers a soft hearted, relaxing, and authentic space for students. With her guidance each person is supported with props such as blankets, bolsters and blocks to invite in a stillness and deep relaxation. Restorative is a practice of being rather than doing.

Our Equine workshops are a true Mirror of Yourself. Horses are unique in that they don’t see race, color, socioeconomic status, or the letters next to your name. Their ability to see your true self is what makes them majestic. Bri, and her husband Rob, have been running self-reflective workshops that focus on teaching people that the most effective communication relies on our non-verbal actions and personal motivations as much as it does rational thought and speaking. Having been around horses most of their life, they have created a workshop that helps develop the building blocks for successful communication. By guiding you on how to gain a horse’s trust, we are teaching you how to communicate clearly without using pressure or words.  This is a transformational experience for the participant as well as the horse.

“Do more things that
make you forget to check your phone.”
— Driftwood

Note… this is not a riding weekend. We will be working side by side with horses and their energies.

To register and learn more, please fill out the contact form below.

Intuitive and Free: An equine embodied writing retreat 

/

Spend a weekend on our gorgeous 140 acre horse ranch learning how to live (and write) from horses in this experiential equine embodied writing retreat. Through our Equine workshops we will be combining horse attunement with embodied creativity, discovering the potent alchemy of these powerful practices.

Horses cradle our hearts, offering us a mirror to their noble spirit and allowing us to engage with their sincere, intuitive communication. They call to us, inviting us to descend into our hearts and connect with the timeless wisdom that lives within; they draw out our unity with nature.

Come spend time in a supportive circle, deepening your inner capacity, and connecting to your whole self.

September 19 - 21, 2025

$785 per person Shared accommodations in a beautiful yurt

$150 non refundable deposit to hold your spot. Small Group 8 people max

  • Immerse in the healing presence of horses and allow their tranquil energy to support you toward inner peace, clarity, and self-trust

  • Receive guidance on working with human and horse nervous systems and attuning deeply to felt sense 

  • Explore intimate interactions with the horses that fosters a deep connection and immersive learning.

  • Experience the gentle transformative practice of embodied writing, which combines gentle breath and movement exercises with writing prompts and (optional) sharing to step into authentic voice and creativity. 

  • Enjoy somatic practices and tools to support you during and after the retreat

  • Delicious, home cooked meals from a private chef

  • Natural beauty, relaxation, rejuvenation

  • Enlightening yoga/pilates sessions in our private yoga yurt.

Weekend flow: After you get settled in Friday afternoon we will take you on a tour of the ranch and settle you into yurt life with a farm to table meal experience. Be prepared to start your mornings with a beautiful Vinyasa flow in our private yoga yurt followed by an amazing breakfast. Each day will have a variety of workshops on horses, writing, and embodiment, ending the day with a dip in the pool/jacuzzi, some free time before dinner and beautiful reflective campfire and of course s’mores!

We'll be guided by Bri Gallo, who brings over four decades of horse training and teaching alongside international group leadership, and teacher, writer, and bodyworker Johanna Franzel, who draws from decades of somatic creativity facilitation for deep growth and transformation. 

“A space full of support, permission, courage, and care where we could all show up just as we were in each moment. What an extraordinary gift! … The themes you used to move us through this course feel like guides for moving through life. I want to take the course again right now!”
— -E.A

Discover the healing potency of these powerful animals in your writing and life. Join us for this deeply experiential immersion to reconnect with voice, intuition, body, and trust. It’s rare that one can have an authentic experience that truly reflects who you are in the moment.

Horses are unique in their ability to see beneath our conditioning, histories, or personae. These majestic animals offer us direct insight into our deep selves, showing us our habits of self-regard and how we communicate inwardly and outwardly. In our self-reflective workshops, participants learn to practice effective communication through non-verbal actions and embodied alignment. Horses offer profound teaching in how we inhabit our lives. Note… this is not a riding weekend. We will be working side by side with horses and their energies.

To register and learn more, please fill out the contact form below.

Keep Your Mind in the Boat: Leadership Lessons from a 1936 Olympic Crew Team→

/ Elevate Next/
Keep Your Mind in the Boat: Leadership Lessons from a 1936 Olympic Crew Team

“The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown effectively portrays the physically and mentally all-consuming experience of rowing competitively. The entire team must be in sync to win a race. An errant thought or sneeze could prevent a team of eight rowers directed by a single coxswain from winning a race. Inspired, Christie Solomon of Elevate Next interviewed Briana Gallo, a former coxswain, to compare her competitive crew experience at Rollins College with that of Joe Rantz in “The Boys in the Boat.”

Read More

Meet Briana Gallo | International Photographer/Travel Guide→

/
Meet Briana Gallo | International Photographer/Travel Guide

What makes Driftwood Adventure Treks different? We are a very small boutique travel company. The group size is 8 people max. Our trips are a variety of experiences from trekking Nepal, photo tours and cultural immersion with the Tribes of Ethiopia or learning from and working with local artisans in Oaxaca, Mexico. We have local partners in the countries in which we travel. Our goal is to give our clients a personal experience from the minute they sign up.

Read More

CANVAS REBEL - Meet Briana Gallo, Owner of Driftwood Adventure treks

/
CANVAS REBEL - Meet Briana Gallo, Owner of Driftwood Adventure treks

The name Driftwood symbolizes “go where life takes you”. I feel like my business embodies that. There are many parts to Driftwood, which makes it actually very hard to brand. I am an international photographer as well as a pilates instructor and summer camp director, those are a lot of different hats! My mission is “courage is the power to let go of the familiar”, which is why there are so many different aspects of Driftwood Adventure Treks. Life is an adventure. Whether you are stepping out of your comfort zone to try a Pilates class here locally in San Diego or you are booking a trip abroad with me you will find yourself challenged in a way that you grow as a person because you chose to take a step out of your familiar and try something new. 

Read More

Explore the World with Driftwood Adventure Treks’ Personalized and Transformative Travels→

/
Explore the World with Driftwood Adventure Treks’ Personalized and Transformative Travels

The Driftwood Adventure Treks Community

Driftwood Adventure Treks is a specialized boutique enterprise that prides itself on offering exceptional travel experiences. What sets them apart from others is their strong relationships with local partners in the destinations they visit, which allows for an authentic connection with the culture and its people. From the moment a traveler enrolls, they can expect personalized care and expert guidance.

Read More

Bold Journey Interview→

/
Bold Journey Interview

Hi Briana, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?


I believe confidence and self-esteem is developed naturally when you are able to do something you love. I have been fortunate in life to be able to follow my passion. I wear many hats when it comes to my profession. I am an international photographer, I lead local retreats here in CA and cultural immersion experiences in Nepal, Ethiopia, Japan and Oaxaca, and I am a pilates instructor. Every hat I put on requires a quiet strength so that I can empower those around me. It doesn’t matter if I’m on a photo shoot or in the pilates studio, I use my passion for what I do to make people comfortable and relaxed. Do I have moments where I’m dying and I feel my self esteem running away, of course. When this happens I take a deep breath and remind myself that those around me are probably way more nervous than I am so I channel my nerves into helping them feel confident. With a gentle smile and some encouraging words I can move forward with confidence. Over half the time the encouraging words I share with others are really geared toward my inner self.

Read More

Explore Oaxaca

/
Explore Oaxaca

Oaxaca is a spell-casting city with a red-hot culinary scene, incredible local arts, boutique hotels, and a colonial atmosphere. But even more magic comes from the surrounding valleys and mountains, which are home to Indigenous pueblos continuing centuries-old artistic traditions, massive regional markets, and amazing hikes.

Read More

What does Wanderlust mean?

/
What does Wanderlust mean?

Traveling helps you grow. Every trip you take makes you feel like an adventurer – you feel more confident and become more independent because you face and solve problems on your own. When you find yourself dealing with unusual situations, you learn more about yourself. This alone can help you be more aware of not only who you are but who you want to be.

Read More

5 Intriguing Facts About Ethiopia You Never Knew

/
5 Intriguing Facts About Ethiopia You Never Knew

Home to more than half of Africa’s mountains: Well, if you’re yearning to plan a Northern Ethiopia trek but afraid there aren’t many mountains, think again. Apart from embodying a rich cultural and historical significance, Ethiopia abounds in splendid natural beauty. The country boasts of gorgeous volcanic plateaus, wonderful low desserts and beautiful mountains

Read More

Why is NOW the Time to Book Travel?

/
Why is NOW the Time to Book Travel?

Odds are that you like to travel as I do. You may have cancelled a trip or two because of the pandemic and its associated risks. Going into summer I was like, “I got this”, and I did make it through the summer months, yet not much has changed.

Read More

Treks of Hope

/ Driftwood Adventure Treks/
Treks of Hope

We have always been a small Boutique company that loves immersing ourselves in the cultures in which we travel. Because of this, the communities we visit and stay with are like family. Right now, our family in Nepal is in distress. Due to COVID, their income has been extremely affected. In the beginning, there was hope that tourism could resume in the fall. Here we are, at the end of August and the hope for any sort of mountaineering tourism is fading fast.

Read More

Post Pandemic Travel to Nepal Update

/
Post Pandemic Travel to Nepal Update

If you are going stir-crazy and can’t wait to resume traveling, you probably check CDC travel guidelines often. As we see softening of travel restrictions domestically in the US, we hope for soft re-opening of international travel. How long would it take for things to get back to normal and when can we travel to Nepal? What will be the top changes that are to be seen?

Read More

Make Way for the Ultimate Fall Trek to the Everest Base Camp

/
Make Way for the Ultimate Fall Trek to the Everest Base Camp

In the wake of the global pandemic, the world has come to a standstill. While self-isolation has become a normfor us now, we are looking forward towards the light in this tunnel in the form of a trek to the Everest Base Camp this fall. We are anticipating this global scare to be under control and what better way is to break free from these months of isolation than going straight to one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring pristine nature of the Himalayas.

Read More