As a single woman who's had so many solo travel holidays, I didn't want to explore Costa Rica alone after attending a writing retreat the week before. 

After following Carly for many years online, it almost felt like booking to stay with a friend. And I wanted that 'visiting a friend on holiday' experience because I liked the idea of someone having my back for a few days. Like not having to think, plan or navigate my way around by myself. Where actually, it's pretty hard to do in Nosara. It's not very easy to explore without transport.

Having Carly plan everything before my stay gave me the comfort of knowing that my days would be spent doing things I wanted to do. The highlight was definitely the horse ride on the beach at sunset. Again, having her pay, arrange it all, drop me off, pick me up. Not having to worry about logistics and be present and to enjoy the moment. To be able to turn my brain off. It was exactly what I wanted from the holiday.

Staying in the casita was like a home from home. LOVED hanging out with Steven and Carly and her family and they made me feel more than welcome. I was self-catered but she even chose the drinks, cafe spots and restaurants and again...that's something you can spend so much time researching and still be disappointed but being with a local means you can trust you're going to the best places.

It was a great way to experience the coast of Costa Rica (I had been in the jungle the week before!) and to feel safe, held and also share wonderful company. Carly is exactly as she shows up online so if you resonate with her through a phone screen then she's even better IRL!

As someone who's normally forced to struggle travelling alone and can get quite overwhelmed in a big group, a retreat with Carly was the sweet spot in-between. 

Solo travel...but without all the sh*t parts! It meant I could truly relax and enjoy Costa Rica real time. Not looking back on photos and remembering how stressed I was or... Not having any photos at all because I didn't have anyone to take them!! 

Thankyou Carly for the type of holiday I didn't really know existed and what's inspired me to create something similar within my own business venture. 

I visited Carly and her wonderful family as part of a longer trip to Costa Rica with my five year old daughter this January and wanted to share my experience.

Travelling solo with a child is a special type of exhausting, and can also feel isolating even when you're surrounded by people. The stress of being on the move, packing, unpacking , driving across a new country. It can be a lot.

Knowing this, I booked to stay for four nights in Carly's tranquil, beautifully curated casita, hoping that it would be a gentle pause in the middle of our trip, and a chance to breathe out, knowing we had a family nearby if anything were to happen.

What I couldn't have anticipated was the level of support Carly personally gave me, and my daughter. We felt so safe, so cared for, so embraced, and most unexpectedly - so seen.

Carly showed us some brilliant parts of the place she now calls home... from an unforgettable night watching turtles hatch, to sunset evenings on the beach, and an idyllic waterfall swim.

Our children played, we chatted, and things lifted.

Thank you, Carly, for helping us so calmly with the challenges we encountered, and for picking us back up when we arrived with you.

Our onward trip was equally incredible but only thanks to you for enabling us to carry on."

“We all had our struggles with the altitude, tiredness and personal goals but we didn’t feel pressured to keep up with the group and at every point Carly and the exodus team made sure we were able to catch-up. Such an amazing group of girls all with there own stories and struggles that we openly talked about and helped each other along with. No one was left out even at the hardest point and we were all able to have a good laugh and reflection period at the end of each day.”

“The trek was so well organised with extra day in Aguascalientes and Cusco. Our guide Wilburt was so lovely, helpful and full of patience and fun. To top this up, this trek wouldn’t have been such a highlight if it wasn’t for Carly and her bags of enthusiasm, laughter and care for everyone. All of us made such a genuine human connection whilst we trekked which made this so special. I cried all the way home overwhelmed with the emotions. Thank you Carly and the team, you made a dream come true!”

“I thought you really took care of all of us and were very thoughtful in catering to what everyone wanted. I was really grateful of being able to go out and explore while others wanted to sunbathe or relax.”

“Carly, Exodus and the 9 other fabulous gals made this experience of a lifetime! The Inca Trail has always been on my bucket list, so as soon as I saw this - I knew I had to book - and it exeeded my expectations by miles! This has beaten any other group trip I have been on, and Carly - what a wonderful, caring, fun and super positive person who was truly there for all of us. I highly recommend any future challenges/retreats with Carly! But leave a space for me ;)”

“Sharing sweaty workouts, fun and silly evenings at the pool and a beautiful insight into the real moroccan life really brought this group of lovely ladies closer together and left us friends.”

“Everyone in our group was so great, hilariously funny and with such amazing passions and stories of their own. I just hope that I’ll be able to see everyone again soon! Thank you thank you for organizing such wonderful experiences for us all!”

“Loved every single moment of it. The team was incredible. Always cheerful and available to help. I recovered the energy and motivation to start exercising regularly again and I am so glad I did. I feel better, both emotionally and physically and I have made very good friends from this retreat. What can I say? I will definitely book again. I can only encourage all the women out there to take a moment for themselves because we truly deserve it 😊 “

“Although we had so many activities to get involved in, it felt very relaxed and there was no pressure to do anything you didn't fancy. This created a safe and free space for everyone to just be themselves and have honest and authentic conversations, which was usually very inspiring!

As well as this, the accommodation and food was gorgeous! After 5 days of movement, meditation, healthy food, rest, and conversation I left the retreat inspired and feeling I understood myself that little bit more.

Huge thanks to Carly and the team for creating this experience!”

‘‘It was a space where every detail was thoughtfully considered, ensuring each one of us felt seen and taken care of. Every activity, every moment of spare time and every shared meal was infused with an intention. I still can’t believe how much we accomplished in just over a week and how soul-stirring the journey inward can be. It’s impossible to return from this retreat without feeling a deeper connection to your most authentic self. Thank you, Carly’’

‘‘Carly is such a kind and soft coach, who leads through encouragement and compassion and you always feel in a safe pair of hands. Come solo and leave with a group of close friends’’

‘‘Throughout the whole week I felt empowered to make my own choices, push myself and realise I am capable of more than I dare to dream. This is all thanks to Carly and a gorgeous bunch of women. I have never felt so safe in a space before. Carly has this amazing way of making you feel great about yourself, even in moments of self doubt. Although a week cannot change your whole life, it is the perfect time to reflect on what you may want to improve or let go of in your life at home and Carly is there to support you in these steps and decisions. I have left Costa Rica feeling refreshed, empowered and more sure of what I want my future to look like. Thank you Carly for being you. You are a superstar!’’

‘‘The connection, the inner learnings and the chance to rediscover you (or discover a new side of you!), are the most incredible gifts. You're given the opportunity to just be you, connect with wonderful likeminded people, enjoy all the activities on offer and in the most beautiful surroundings - what more could you want! I've learnt so much and taken so much away from this experience and would highly recommend it to others’’

No experience like it. From the moment you arrive, Carly feels like a friend who genuinely wants you to have the trip of a lifetime. She makes every moment feel special and somehow makes you feel like a queen the whole time.

She knows all the best local spots and experiences, and what I loved most was how flexible she was. If something wasn’t quite your vibe, she would adjust plans so quickly. If you mentioned something you’d just heard about and wanted to try, she would do everything she could to make it happen. She even helped us with recommendations and things to do in the other places we visited before coming to stay with her, which just shows how much she genuinely cares.

Staying in the casita with her family was such a lovely part of the experience too. They make you feel so welcome, comfortable, and completely at home - never out of place for a second (especially Steve).

There were so many thoughtful moments that meant a lot. It was my sister’s birthday, and the night before we went to the beach at sunset, said our thanks for the year, had cupcakes, and made wishes together. It was simple but so special, and something we’ll always remember.

Carly also has a really calming way about her. She helped us slow down, be present, and ask ourselves curious questions without ever making it feel forced or uncomfortable. She also helped me overcome so many fears at my own pace, never pushing too hard, just encouraging me in the right way. It felt amazing afterwards and gave me so much confidence.

She has such an amazing personality that all the locals clearly love her, which means she knows the best people and places. She also captured so many moments on her phone so we could stay fully in the experience instead of worrying about taking photos.

And our boat trip… wow. We saw so many dolphins, and Carly made sure we truly soaked in every second of it.

Going home was honestly so hard, which says everything about the experience. I only wish it wasn’t so far away, because I’d be back every single year. There is so much more I could say - this was more than just a trip, it was something really special that I’ll never forget.

Preeya + Paris