Emergent Leadership Intensive
Breath Meets Water
You wake to the sound of waves lapping against the shore. After a gentle movement practice on the beach and a nourishing breakfast, you gather for a morning session surrounded by the sounds, smells, and textures of the natural world. In the afternoon, you journey out to sea to meet families of grey whales. The evening brings shared meals, community, and gentle guided breathwork under the stars. You fall asleep renewed, with the sense that something is shifting.
Welcome to Emergent Leadership Intensive - Breath Meets Water.
More than a trip, this is a purposeful gathering of leaders committed to creating positive change. Set against the wild beauty of Baja California, this five-night experience invites you to step away from daily demands, to refill your cup, and to reconnect deeply with yourself, other remarkable leaders, and the power of the natural world.
From the waters of Bahía Magdalena, where gray whales migrate each year, to meaningful conversations in an intimate camp setting, the journey blends awe-inspiring nature with transformational practices: breathwork, personal mythology and storytelling, contemplative exploration, and energetic practices. It is designed to spark reflection, deepen connection, and help you discover what attuned, emergent leadership feels like in your body.
You will return not only inspired by the landscape but carrying a fresh perspective, renewed clarity, and a stronger sense of community with fellow changemakers.
Baja Wild Explore Bahía Magdalena and Todos Santos, home to migrating gray whales, vibrant mangrove ecosystems, and golden desert dunes meeting the Pacific.
Glamping Comfort Stay in luxury safari-style tents at Camp Cecil de la Bahía with real beds, private bathrooms, and communal dining under the stars.
Immersive Nature Witness grey whale encounters so close you can feel their breath. Kayak pristine shorelines, swim alongside sea lions, and watch seabirds soar from the crest of sand dunes.
Transformational Practices Morning teachings, breathwork, personal mythology, contemplative and exploratory practices, and energetic sessions guided by Michael Kass and Julia Albain. Small group and one-on-one sessions are available throughout the retreat at no additional cost.
Unplug & Connect With no cell service to pull your attention away, you're free to fully immerse yourself in the landscape, your own inner world, and the meaningful connections that emerge when a small group of leaders gathers with intention.
Have questions about this journey to Baja? Please email Fiona Mokry with questions at fiona@elevatedestinations.com.
Have questions about the sessions and facilitation? Please email Michael Kass at michael@michaelkass.co.
The facilitated sessions follow a natural arc across the five days, designed to mirror the rhythm of the land and sea around you.
Day 1: Arrival We open the circle. After arriving in Todos Santos, we gather for a welcome dinner and trip briefing at Los Colibris Casitas, a stunning hilltop property overlooking the Pacific. This is the night you begin to arrive—not just to a place, but to yourself.
Day 2: Connection We begin with a morning practice and teaching focused on connecting with each other and the land. You'll formulate a question to carry with you across the days ahead—a question that the whales, the landscape, and your fellow travelers will help you hold. Afternoons offer whale encounters, wildlife exploration, or optional mini-sessions.
Day 3: Exploration The morning teaching moves into personal mythology and self-exploration: the stories we carry, the stories that carry us, and the ones waiting to be told. In the evening, a guided breathwork session invites you to go deeper. Afternoons offer whale encounters, wildlife exploration, or optional small group sessions focused on themes and topics emerging for the group.
Day 4: Emergence The morning session explores consciousness and connection with the land—a chance to listen for the answers your question has been gathering. We begin the work of integration: what are you taking home, and how will you carry it? That evening, we close our time at Magdalena Bay with a group ritual of connection, release, and homecoming.
Day 5: Closing Spend a final morning in submerged in nature before returning to Todos Santos to conclude the journey. This afternoon’s closing session offers a space to reflect on the experiences of the past few days, share insights with the group, and begin the process of carrying what you’ve discovered back into your everyday life.
Day 6: Departure A final morning together before heading to the airport, carrying something new.
Michael Kass
Michael Kass facilitates the inner work of leadership. Over fifteen years, he has worked with everyone from multinational CEOs to men experiencing incarceration, bringing practical mysticism into rooms where it might seem least expected, then watching what opens. An ICF Certified Executive Coach and Breathwork Facilitator, Michael created Beyond Strategy, a workshop for accessing non-linear intelligence, and Quiet Vision, a small-group immersion in attuned, emergent leadership. His work is rooted in the belief that the most powerful leadership emerges when we stop over relying on linear strategy, start listening, and trust what we discover.
Julia Albain
Julia is an Energy Medicine Practitioner and Teacher, and the Founder of the Radical Healing Ecosystem. She has devoted 11+ years of study and practice to channeled energetics, Shamanic Practice, BodyTalk, Folk Herbalism & Plant Medicine, and pioneers a revolutionary new system of energy and consciousness medicine called Integrative Energy Mapping. She has served thousands of private clients and students globally, in a variety of capacities, with the intention of awakening the natural healing abilities that live in each of us, and supporting the emergence of energetic perception & skill as a birthright and way of life.
Welcome to Baja California Sur!
After arriving at San José del Cabo International Airport (SJD), meet your driver for the 90-minute transfer to Todos Santos, a "pueblo mágico" known for its vibrant arts scene and dramatic desert-meets-ocean landscape.
Settle into your ocean-view casitas at Los Colibris, wander the gardens, and take in your first Baja sunset. That evening, enjoy a gourmet taco welcome dinner on the grounds, where your guides will open the circle and outline the journey ahead.
After a peaceful breakfast, transfer north to Magdalena Bay (approximately four hours through cactus forests, desert plains, and quiet fishing villages). A short boat ride brings you to Camp Cecil de la Bahía, your home for the next three nights.
The camp sits on a narrow strip of land with the bay and migrating grey whales on one side and a protected mangrove estuary teeming with dolphins and birdlife on the other. The walk-in safari-style tents are beautifully appointed with comfortable beds, seating areas, and ensuite bathrooms.
After lunch, gather with Julia and Michael for a facilitated experience of connection with the land and each other, then spend time getting to know the camp and the land that will host us.
This evening, gather for a group dinner under the stars.
Morning movement practice followed by breakfast at camp and a teaching session on personal mythology and self-exploration.
Then choose your own afternoon adventure: whale encounters, kayaking and bird watching in the mangroves, sandboarding, or a one-on-one or small group session with Julia and Michael. Lunch is served at camp.
Between outings, relax in camp's open-air lounge spaces, walk the shoreline, or absorb the quiet rhythm of this place where desert, ocean, and estuary converge.
After a group dinner, you will have the chance to explore further with a guided breathwork session under the stars.
Enjoy a peaceful breakfast at camp with views over the ocean.
Afterward, partake in a morning practice and teaching on consciousness exploration and integration. Connect with the land and water to listen to what your question has gathered over these days. What wisdom may the natural world hold that you can bring back to your work and life?
After lunch, the afternoon offers a final round of whale encounters, wildlife exploration, or sessions with Julia and Michael.
That evening, we gather for our final camp meal and a closing ritual of connection, release, and coming home.
A final breakfast and last moment with the whales before the boat ride and transfer back to Los Colibris Casitas in Todos Santos for your final night.
We will have a final integration session and close our circle. Afterwards, walk the beach, take in the ocean views, or simply rest and reflect on the week.
That evening, local chef Iker Algorri hosts a farewell dinner and Mexican Survival Cooking Class—expect margarita-making, memorable dishes inspired by his "Magnificence of Simplicity" philosophy, great Latin music, and very likely, dancing.
Final breakfast at the hotel before your private transfer to the airport.
Please book departing flights between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM.
$4,685 per person
$1,000 single supplement
$1,405 non-refundable 30% deposit of trip total in double occupancy (due at time of booking)
$1,705 non-refundable 30% deposit of trip total in single occupancy (due at time of booking)
Booking and final payment deadline: Wednesday, December 2, 2026
Booking & Final Payment Deadline:
What’s Included:
Shared accommodations
Ground transport and airport transfers
All meals and non-alcoholic drinks
Two (2) happy hour alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks
Two (2) alcoholic drinks at dinner
All activities mentioned
Private English-speaking guide & tour manager
Workshops & group session facilitation
Evacuation insurance
What’s not Included:
Visas
International flights
Travel & medical insurance
Additional alcoholic beverages beyond those included (listed above)
Personal expenses (shopping, phone calls, laundry, etc.)
Gratuity for airport transfer drivers $5 per transfer
Gratuity for drivers, guide, lodging staff (Recommendation $150 total)
Bank or credit card processing fees
Lunch on arrival and departure days: March 12 and March 17
Service Fees: Please note that trip costs do not include credit card or bank fees, which will be added to your final trip cost (as “service fee”) and payment once you select your payment method. If you are paying by bank transfer, there are no additional bank fees.
Refund Policy: Travelers payments are non-refundable.
The main program begins on March 12 in Todos Santos and ends on March 17 in Todos Santos. Arrival and departure flights are booked by travelers independently. Here are our recommended arrival and departure times:
March 12: Arrive at San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD) by 3:00 PM local time. The trip will kick off with a Welcome Dinner at the hotel this evening, likely around 6:30 PM.
March 17: Depart from San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD) between 12pm - 3pm local time. *Check out time is at 11:00 AM
Flight Booking Assistance: If you would like assistance booking your flights, please complete this form and a flight booking specialist from our partners at AirSupply will contact you directly to assist with your booking. Under the line “Traveler / Group Name,” write “Your Name / Elevate Destinations.” Note that there is a $35 service fee per booking.
Interested in extending your travels? If you would like to arrive in Mexico before March 12 or stay after March 17, please email fiona@elevatedestinations.com to arrange any extra nights of accommodation or discuss options for extending your travels.
Los Colibris Casitas is a boutique hideaway designed for nature lovers, offering the services of a small hotel with the privacy of a vacation rental. Each casa and casita overlooks the Pacific Ocean, a freshwater estuary, palm groves, and the Sierra de la Laguna mountains. Just a 10-minute walk from 70 miles of pristine beach and a short drive from the restaurants, galleries, and shops of Todos Santos, it’s a peaceful base for experiencing the natural beauty of Baja.
The spacious Babisuri Suites feature rammed earth walls, cactus rooftop gardens, large terraces, and sweeping views, with flexible sleeping arrangements and thoughtful amenities including air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and kitchen facilities.
Camp Cecil de la Bahía is a luxury tent camp set on a narrow strip of land between a gray whale–filled bay and a protected mangrove estuary alive with birds, dolphins, and other wildlife. Each winter, gray whales complete their 6,000-mile migration from Arctic waters to these warm Baja lagoons to mate and give birth, making Magdalena Bay one of the best places in the world to witness them up close.
The camp’s eight spacious safari-style tents feature beautiful beds, seating areas, rugs, chandeliers, and ensuite toilets, creating a remote, nature-immersed experience that is both wild and wonderfully comfortable.
Passport & Visa:
• Check that your passport is current and valid for at least 6 months beyond your trip departure date, September 12, 2027. If your passport expires before September 12, 2027, you will need to renew your passport. We recommend using A1 Passport & Visa Services. You can email them at info@a1passportvisa.com.
• Check that your passport has at least 2 blank pages for the entry and exit stamps, or more. The last two amendment pages are unacceptable for visas and immigration stamps.
• Visa: Citizens from the United States currently do not require a visa to enter Mexico.
Flights:
Upload your round-trip flight itinerary to your WeTravel account.
Insurance:
Elevate Destinations will purchase emergency evacuation coverage for you. This policy covers emergency evacuations due to medical, political, or natural disasters from March 12 - March 17, 2027. This policy also provides $5,000 of emergency medical coverage. More details about this coverage are noted in this brochure.
This coverage does not include trip cancelation or interruption benefits and also does not cover pre- or post-trip days of travel booked outside of Elevate Destinations. We strongly suggest you purchase additional coverage to cover your non-refundable expenses in the event you need to cancel your trip or have additional expenses incurred on the trip.
Elevate strongly recommends purchasing additional travel and medical insurance and Cancel for Any Reason Coverage (CFAR) to cover trip related expenses. Please note that some CFAR insurance options are time-sensitive. Please be ready to purchase an insurance policy within 14 days of making your first trip payment.
Supplemental medical insurance that covers you in Mexico is recommended for this trip. If you would like to purchase additional medical insurance in the country of travel, below are two insurance brokers that Elevate Destinations recommends.
USI Travel Insurance Services
Email: info@travelinsure.com
Phone Number: (800) 937-1387
Travel Insurance Center (Dan Drennen)
Email: dan@travelinsurancecenter.com
Phone Number: (402) 343-3621
Elevate Destinations is not equipped to answer specific questions on insurance. Please contact the insurance broker or company for specific information.
UPLOADING TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: After completing a booking form and paying your trip deposit, you will receive an email with your WeTravel account information. Please click on the blue "manage your booking" button at the bottom of the email. Then navigate to "complete your info" which is where you can upload the following documents at your earliest convenience.
Prior to travel, Elevate Destinations strongly recommends that you look into other recommended immunizations for your time in Mexico. Given that we are not a licensed healthcare provider, we cannot advise travelers on which immunizations they may need. We recommend that all travelers do the following:
Travel Doctor: Consult with a travel clinic or your primary care physician regarding immunizations or other precautions you may need to take in order to participate in this journey. You will need to do this well in advance of your trip as some vaccinations require time to take effect, and you may need to allow time between a series of shots.
Resources for Health Guidance: Please consult with a travel clinic or your personal physician and read through the following resources for information on immunizations and other health preparations and individual requirements to travel to Mexico.
CDC Website - US
Government of Canada - Canada
Travel Pro - UK
Medical Insurance: Elevate Destinations covers evacuation insurance for this trip. All travelers are recommended to also have health insurance that will cover them while abroad. Check that your health insurance covers you in Mexico.
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
We recommend that all travelers from the U.S. sign up for the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This is a free service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country. STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist you in case of an emergency. Enrolling in this program has enormous benefits in case of an emergency while abroad:
You will receive information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination.
Enrolling lets the U.S. Embassy in that country know that you are there and helps them contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family-related.
COMING SOON: A downloadable Country Guide, which will contain comprehensive information about money, local customs, expectations for the trip and travel tips.
COMING SOON: A downloadable Packing List for traveling to Mexico.
Elevate Destinations specializes in planning group travel for philanthropic organizations, nonprofits, social impact organizations, and responsible corporations. As international event planners, our team manages all on-the-ground logistics—from airport transfers and additional in-country accommodations to post-trip excursions—while ensuring every aspect is handled through an ethical, sustainability-focused lens.
We welcome any questions you have about how to prepare for your trip, in-country arrangements, and cultural information. For questions about your international flights, including how to purchase tickets, cancellations or delays, lost items, or layover arrangements, please contact your airline or booking agency. For questions about travel insurance, please contact your insurance company.
To register for the trip, click “Book Now” at the top of the page and complete your registration form.
After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with a “Manage My Booking” and you can revisit your registration by clicking this button to upload any information you did not have available during the registration process.
Feel free to get in touch via phone or email as well:
Fiona Mokry fiona@elevatedestinations.com or +1.508.618.1354
Michael Kass michael@michaelkass.co