About Samandar

About Samandar's Founder and Yoga & Nature Teacher, Marianne van Vlaardingen

How a Dutch biologist came to create "Samandar Yoga and Nature" in the Peruvian Amazon

Marianne's story begins amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the 60’s Netherlands, when it still seemed natural for success in the world to be measured by population- and economic growth.

Yet her childhood was not a happy one, and when turning 17, she faced the choice of giving in to her past or resolving the issues. She chose the latter, and this has been the goal of her life ever since.

Even as a young child, Nature was always her safety shelter, and it was only logical she pursued academic studies in biology. These took her to South America, where the untamed beauty of Manu National Park, in the peruvian Amazon, captured her heart.

In the rainforest, she found a kindred spirit and soon after they married. Together, they founded an ecotourism agency, Pantiacolla Tours, not just to showcase the Amazon's natural beauty, but more significant, to have people understand the importance of Nature’s survival.

Later, as she embarked on the miraculous journey of motherhood in the rainforest, Marianne discovered the benefits of the ancient practice of yoga. It became her anchor, weaving into the fabric of her life alongside her deep-rooted connection to Nature.

Although she enjoyed the tourism business, she regretted that office hours kept her away from Nature. Then the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, bringing the bustling tourism industry to a grinding halt.

In the stillness that followed, Marianne seized the opportunity to embark on a new adventure: becoming a yoga teacher. Her ultimate goal being to unite her two great passions-Yoga and Nature-in service of a deeper understanding of life.

«Now is the time to knit these threads together», she says. «My life’s journey has been anything but smooth, yet every twist and turn has shaped me into who I am now. I am eager to share the wisdom I have received along the way and to guide others on their own path of healing and transformation.»

For more information or to sign up for a Retreat, please fill out the below form or write to

Marianne@yoganature.pe