What if your next trip left you feeling more energized than when you left home — nourished instead of depleted, present instead of checked out? That's not a fantasy. That's exactly what today's guest designs for travelers all over the world.

Kilty is a yoga educator from Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʻi who traded a career in civil and environmental engineering for a life on the mat — and eventually, a life on the road. She now works with The Travel Yogi, the original yoga adventure travel company, helping design and lead immersive small-group journeys that weave together movement, culture, nature, and meaningful human connection. Whether she's guiding a group through Sri Lanka, Iceland, or the remote glaciers of Greenland, Kilty's approach is the same: the adventure comes first, and the yoga holds it all together.

Guest Bio

Kilty Inafuku is a yoga educator from Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʻi who believes that what happens on the mat is practice for how we show up in everyday life. She studied Civil and Environmental Engineering at UCLA before leaving the engineering world to pursue yoga as a career and lifestyle, training with Jay Co and Jason Crandell. Kilty teaches vinyasa-based yoga and works with The Travel Yogi, helping scout new destinations, build itineraries, and lead transformational small-group travel experiences around the world. In 2025 she added Greenland to her growing list of extraordinary destinations — and calls it one of the most profound places she's ever been.

Host Bio

Karen Cleveland is the creator and host of Travel That Touches Your Soul. She is a safari host, spiritual teacher, and animal communicator devoted to helping people reconnect with what matters most through meaningful travel. Her work centers on connection with animals, land, culture, and inner truth, and the quiet inner knowing that says, this is the kind of life I came here to live.

Episode Topics and Timestamps

1. Travel that energizes instead of depletes — and the company making it happen (00:00)
2. Welcome and introduction — Karen introduces Kilty Inafuku and The Travel Yogi (00:18)
3. From engineering to the mat — how Kilty left UCLA and never looked back (01:00)
4. How yoga on the road differs from yoga at home — and why self-reflection is the common thread (04:00)
5. The Travel Yogi difference: adventure first, yoga as the grounding thread (05:31)
6. All levels welcome — what vinyasa means and how teachers adapt for every body (07:17)
7. Small groups, local guides, and why it feels like a friend showing you their home (09:27)
8. The personalized trip app — packing lists, gratuity guides, fun phrases, and more (13:00)
9. Upcoming trips: Sri Lanka in March and Iceland in October (08:20)
10. Greenland — glaciers, silence, and a native culture that reminded Kilty of home in Hawaiʻi (14:40)
11. Galapagos — where the animals walk right up to you (17:27)
12. How each destination shapes the itinerary: slow food in Italy, perfume-making in France, rafting in Patagonia (18:37)
13. Traveling responsibly — local guides, boutique hotels, and doing good where they can (20:37)
14. Where to find The Travel Yogi and upcoming trips (21:21)

The Travel Yogi https://www.thetravelyogi.com

Instagram & Facebook: @thetravelyogi

Join our email community to receive notice of upcoming trips, new podcasts, and find out the "Top Travels of 2026 to Soothe Your Soul" https://mailchi.mp/soulful/travels or https://soulful.travel

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@soulfultravelchannel

Wouldn't it be great to have experiences

that are nourishing and energizing

2

instead of depleting when you're traveling

around the world, wherever it is you

3

wanna go, Well, I think you'll love the

person we're talking to today, because

4

that's what she does, is she helps create

these experiences all around the world.

5

That energize you, that

make you feel good.

6

And we'll get to hear

from her in just a moment.

7

welcome to Travel that touches Your

Soul podcast and video channel where

8

we bring you people, places around

the world that help you connect

9

with something greater than yourself

or fulfill your heart's desires.

10

I'm Karen Cleveland.

11

Welcome to the show.

12

. Today's guest, Kilti Ina Fuku believes

that how we show up on the mat is practice

13

for how we show up every day in the world.

14

she studied civil and

environmental engineering at

15

UCLA before she actually left.

16

The engineering world to pursue

yoga as her career and lifestyle.

17

So welcome to the show, Kilti.

18

It's great to have you.

19

Thanks Karen.

20

It's great to be here.

21

Good.

22

So, , this is quite a sw a switch, uh,

engineering into yoga as a full-time like

23

profession, not just a, a passion or,

or hobby, I guess, as some people say.

24

So why don't you tell me how

that happened, what happened,

25

what your experience was?

26

Yeah, absolutely.

27

I was going to school studying civil and

environmental engineering and my only

28

outlet and kind of reprieve from studying

and, and textbooks was a yoga studio

29

down the street from me, so I ended up.

30

Going almost every single day.

31

And my parents knew I absolutely loved it.

32

And as like a graduation gift of

sorts, they said, well, if you wanna

33

do yoga teacher training, have at it.

34

So I signed up for a yoga teacher

training and concurrently when

35

I graduated from UCLA and the

yoga teacher training program.

36

I eventually moved home, uh, got a

full-time job with a geotech company,

37

a soils engineering company, and

did that for a little over a year.

38

And it was, it was good enough,

but it wasn't anything that.

39

Fulfilled my soul.

40

Right.

41

You know, it kind of felt like

just punching in, punching out.

42

And so I quit with the intention

of trying to find something more

43

creative to do with my degree.

44

Mm-hmm.

45

And in that process of applying

to all these, all of these other

46

different positions, which.

47

Frankly, sounded exactly the same.

48

Uh, started teaching yoga as, as a side

hobby, as a temporary form of income.

49

And after a little while of applying

for different jobs and teaching

50

temp, quote unquote temporarily,

I realized, well, you know what?

51

I, I don't have a mortgage.

52

I don't have major bills or

major debt that I have to get out

53

of, which is quite a blessing.

54

So I made this decision well.

55

I'm just gonna keep teaching yoga.

56

And it kind of grew from there.

57

Met quite a few different

people at different studios.

58

Started teaching at different places.

59

Uh, started to contribute

to a yoga teacher training.

60

Mm.

61

And at that point, eventually

decided, well, I do wanna travel more.

62

So I ended up reaching out to the travel

yogi, who I'm, uh, here on behalf of,

63

and I saw that they had a couple of

teachers working with them that I knew of.

64

And because of that, it felt a little

bit more comfortable to reach out

65

and say, Hey, I wanna work with you.

66

And from there I started teaching

one to two or leading one to

67

two trips a year with them.

68

Um, that was in 2018.

69

And have been working with

them, with them ever since.

70

And last year started working

with them on the backend.

71

So not just leading yoga on these trips,

but also helping to scout new locations

72

and, and build new itineraries and

help the coordination side of things.

73

Oh, that's fun.

74

So yeah, that's the short, abbreviated

version of how I've gotten to where I am.

75

Yeah.

76

So what's it like.

77

When you travel, so you, um, I don't

know where you trained, but you've

78

been practicing in the United States

at this point, and all of a sudden

79

you're in other countries, other

cultures, uh, is it the same worldwide?

80

What's the experience of actually being

on the mat in a place in a distant land

81

as opposed to where someone is at home

in the US or Canada or Europe, maybe.

82

I'd say the connecting thread,

regardless of where you are in the

83

world, is just a sense of mindfulness.

84

Mm-hmm.

85

And a practice of self-reflection,

whether it's on the mat of, okay, am I.

86

Doing this posture in a way that

I like, how does my body feel?

87

Does this feel appropriate?

88

Does it feel like I'm pushing my

edges in a good way or a not good way?

89

And then when you're off the mat,

you know, reflecting on, okay, what

90

is my impact on the world around me?

91

Am I making sound choices and using

the words and making decisions in a way

92

that I think is good and healthy, or

maybe is a little self-absorbed, or?

93

Whatever it might be.

94

So ultimately for me, it boils down

to a quality of self-reflection.

95

Okay, that's perfect self-reflection.

96

So can you describe what it's like,

because obviously you're not gonna

97

be on the mat 24 hours a day when

you are on one of these trips.

98

So walk us through like what, what one

of your favorite trips has been and what

99

are the other activities you're doing

and, and what's the self reflection?

100

Activities, are they group

activities or solo activities?

101

So walk us through one of those.

102

Okay.

103

So at in general and at large, all

of the trips that we run, we tend

104

to brand ourselves, if you will.

105

I don't know if that's the best word, but

a typical stereotypical yoga retreat, not

106

in a bad way by any means, uh, has someone

showing up to a beautiful location and.

107

Focusing on the yoga multiple practices

throughout the day, a couple of

108

workshops, and they will happen to

go to the beach or happen to visit

109

a market, or go on a hike, right?

110

We have flip flopped that where the

focus is on the beach, the hike,

111

the market, all of the things that

make a place, uniquely that place.

112

And yoga is the icing on the cake.

113

It is.

114

Uh, what happens once,

sometimes twice a day?

115

It is the.

116

Grounding common thread for everyone.

117

Okay?

118

But the yoga is not the sole focus.

119

The focus is on the

adventure and the travel.

120

so with all of these

different places we go.

121

You get off the plane and you're tired

and jet lagged, and you get on your mat,

122

and that helps get you on the time zone.

123

And then the next day you go out and

explore something really amazing and

124

you come back and you stretch out

your legs after a good solid hike.

125

The next day you wake up, you have an

energizing practice, and then you go.

126

To the beach and explore around there.

127

So it's, it's a really nice combination

of movement, mindfulness, and, and travel.

128

So these trips, it sounds like they're

for any level of person that, you know,

129

you don't have to be a yogi star, so to

speak, to, um, be on one of these trips.

130

Absolutely.

131

So we have travelers who, you know, they

follow a very specific teacher and they

132

like to practice in that specific style.

133

All of our trips offer vinyasa

based practices, um, but we also

134

have travelers who know how we

travel, how we plan itineraries,

135

uh, and they just wanna experience

different parts of the world with us.

136

So by no means do you have to

be a, quote unquote yogi, uh,

137

or consider yourself to be one.

138

Just a desire to travel, uh, and if you

wanna practice yoga with us, fantastic.

139

And really travel with people

that have this sim similar goal.

140

Right.

141

Uh, are both men and women on the trips?

142

Totally.

143

Yeah.

144

I'd say some locations attract

more men than women and vice versa.

145

More women than men.

146

But every, everyone's welcome.

147

So I know I can, , look on the

website, but, , do you have

148

some trips coming up this year?

149

Oh gosh.

150

Do we ever, I mean, you personally, are

you, are you leading any I, I'm heading

151

to Sri Lanka in March with a group.

152

Okay.

153

Um, or end of March into April.

154

So I've not actually

been to Sri Lanka before.

155

I'm very excited to explore

that part of the world.

156

Uh, and then later this year in

October, I'm taking a crew to Iceland.

157

Oh, nice.

158

Nice.

159

are the locations, are there

specific criteria for the

160

locations that you're going?,

161

We're always adding, we aim to add one to

two new locations every year to our map.

162

Um, there's not specific criteria that

we have beyond we are excited to explore

163

there, or we continue to get word from

our travelers of, Hey, when are you

164

leading a trip to whatever destination?

165

Yeah.

166

So, uh, it's there.

167

I can't say that there's a specific

methodology to picking new locations.

168

Okay.

169

Um.

170

All of the places we do go, they tend

to be relatively bucket list locations.

171

Okay.

172

Okay.

173

And so our goal is that when someone

comes on these trips, they tick off

174

their bucket list items and also

we get them off the beaten path.

175

So you're not gonna go somewhere

that you could plan on your own.

176

Via Trip Advisor, um, all of our

trips have a dedicated guide with

177

you the entire week or the entire

time, and it really does feel like

178

a friend is showing you their home.

179

This guide is from the area.

180

They speak the local language, so it's.

181

It really feels like a cultural

immersion and someone showing you,

182

Hey, this is, you know, what's

unique and special about this place.

183

Here's some mythology and, you know,

stories from my childhood about that area.

184

And this is my favorite restaurant.

185

This is where my family goes.

186

Nice.

187

It's uh, it's a really.

188

It feels very personal,

if that makes sense.

189

Yeah.

190

And you're using local guides, so there

really is a connection with what's

191

going on in that particular place.

192

Um, totally.

193

I think you mentioned there's one.

194

To Patagonia later that

I looked on the website.

195

Two of them are already

sold out for this year.

196

but it's on my list, so I'm

gonna, I'm gonna keep looking.

197

But anyway, looking at your future

dates, I'm gonna just come clean here.

198

I don't know.

199

Yoga poses

200

quite all right, so that's okay.

201

Then, uh, someone will help

during that time on the mat.

202

Totally.

203

So all of the yoga on the

trip is vinyasa based.

204

And if you don't know what that word

means, vinyasa, it means essentially

205

match one breath per movement.

206

So inhale, move your arms up, exhale,

fold forward, inhale, move, exhale, move.

207

So there's this flow in continuity

to it, and it doesn't mean we don't

208

hold postures, but in general it's

a little bit more movement focused

209

rather than just static holding.

210

Okay.

211

With that, uh, all of our teachers,

they know and are well equipped to adapt

212

practices and allow practitioners to ramp

things up and add more intensity or tone

213

it down and make it a lot more mellow.

214

Uh, so it's really all levels

are welcome and our teachers are

215

fantastic at accommodating that.

216

Yeah, I'm sure they really

know how to read the groups.

217

How big of groups do you have go.

218

Typically we only do, we only do

small group travel, meaning anywhere

219

between seven to 15 travelers.

220

Okay.

221

Okay.

222

Um, and each location is different.

223

Yeah.

224

And can accommodate different.

225

Different, uh, group sizes, but

in general, we really prioritize

226

the small groups because we

want it to feel intimate.

227

We want people to feel like they

really are being immersed and not

228

just a number on a tour group.

229

Um, but also the group sizes

that are 10 or 12, which is

230

usually what they land around.

231

They're full enough to feel like,

okay, I'm not always sitting with

232

the same people at every single meal.

233

Right.

234

Right.

235

What about speaking of meals,

things like special diets?

236

is that like we, we accommodate,

uh, basically everything.

237

Okay.

238

Okay.

239

If someone tells us, you know,

I'm gluten free and, uh, extremely

240

sensitive and or allergic to something,

our teams can accommodate it as

241

long as we know well in advance.

242

Yeah.

243

Okay, .. So if I'm booking a trip,

one of our listeners is booking a

244

trip to some land we've never been to.

245

We don't know the money.

246

We don't know the immunizations.

247

We don't know tipping practices.

248

Someone would help us with that.

249

Absolutely.

250

We actually build a personalized app for

every trip that we, okay, that we launch.

251

And within that app, you

have a day-to-day itinerary.

252

You have guidelines on when to book

your flights, what airline or so

253

not what airlines, what airports

to arrive to and depart from.

254

Gratuity, guidelines, packing lists, uh.

255

All of the essentials that you'll

need for travel, visa information,

256

emergency contacts, all the way up until

just fun things that get you excited.

257

Videos about where you're gonna be

traveling to, uh, fun phrases that you

258

can practice saying before you get there.

259

Good idea.

260

Good idea.

261

Yeah.

262

It sounds like really, I, I,

I pick a place and you just

263

make it easy to go, don't you?

264

That, that's our goal.

265

I used to travel mostly on my own and

would get to a destination, try to figure

266

it out on my, on my own, and, you know,

whether it was staying in a hostel or

267

meeting up with friends or whatnot.

268

And I, I think frankly, I was

a little resistant to going

269

on a group tour of sorts.

270

Mm-hmm.

271

Uh, having worked with the travel

Yogi, I'm a full convert and totally

272

prefer to travel this way now, where

everything is planned out ahead of time.

273

And for the most part, I really

get to just show up and follow

274

along and have a great time.

275

Awesome.

276

That sounds good.

277

So I know that there was

some special, um, in January.

278

Do you know of any other, like promotions

or anything you want to call out?

279

We do have some new locations coming

up that we are very excited about.

280

Oh, where we announced, we announced

Greenland last year so that the first

281

departure for that will be in 2027.

282

It is a bigger trip, but Oh my goodness.

283

If you, what do you, what

do you see in Greenland?

284

Tell me about Greenland.

285

Have you been?

286

I have.

287

It is.

288

Literally I'm speechless.

289

It is incredible to see these giant

glaciers that are anywhere from white

290

to a turquoise blue, and it is just

piercing, um, the silence that if

291

you've ever been in nature where it's

either really creepy and eerie or super

292

peaceful and just calming for your soul.

293

That is Greenland and

what's I find very unique.

294

Uh, I'm part Hawaiian.

295

I grew up in Hawaii, so, uh, connection

to that culture is, is strong.

296

And Greenland is not a place

that I ever really knew about

297

or envisioned myself visiting.

298

But having been there,

the, the native culture.

299

Uh, is very similar and so their

reliance and connection to nature is

300

really, really, really impressive.

301

Nothing goes to waste and because it is

such a harsh environment, they really lean

302

on each other as far as community, and

that is very prevalent when you, when you

303

visit and when you see the artwork and how

they use, um, whatever resources for food.

304

It sounds like a place I'd love to go.

305

The silence.

306

Yeah.

307

I mean, the ner your nervous system

must just like not know what to do

308

at first, and then all of a sudden,

all of a sudden you're there and

309

you're relaxed and you melt into it.

310

Wow.

311

Yeah.

312

Uh, the place that we actually

go, um, you have to catch a boat.

313

It's, and depending on ocean

conditions, anywhere from an hour

314

and a half to a three hour boat ride.

315

Um, and it's really a glamping

setup in this remote area.

316

And so even more so, you are

dependent on your community.

317

Mm.

318

And that's not just a quick, oh,

I'm gonna head down to, you know,

319

the convenience store, right?

320

To grab some extra food or band-aids.

321

Um, and so that remoteness,

you really feel it in a way

322

that is unique and special.

323

That's gonna be a fantastic trip.

324

Where else are you guys

headed to new locations?

325

We have, uh, new locations.

326

Well, I, I don't know if

I'm allowed to Oh, okay.

327

Release.

328

Okay.

329

Yeah, only the release one.

330

Greenland is our most recent.

331

It, it's quite special.

332

One of the longest standing trips we've

been running is Galapagos, and that

333

is also incredibly nature focused.

334

if you have not been to the Galapagos,

you get so up close to these

335

animals that you would absolutely

never be that close to right.

336

And everything's protected, so

they don't have a sense of fear

337

or, uh, a need to run away.

338

And they're actually quite curious.

339

So they will come right up to you

to the point where I actually had

340

to step back because I'm like, ah,

I'm, I'm not supposed to touch you.

341

Oh, um.

342

So it is very special, and

the way that the community has

343

banded together to protect the

nature is, is really impressive.

344

Yeah.

345

Um, I, yeah.

346

Galapagos is, is very, very special.

347

, I imagine it is.

348

So I will definitely

pro be promoting that.

349

So viewers, listeners, uh, you'll

have to go to my webpage to see

350

which trip I'm gonna be on and,

and come with me on that for sure.

351

It sounds wonderful to be on your

trips, to be, , so taken care of, like.

352

I, I don't know how to say it.

353

The body is taking care of the

stretching, the relaxing, you know,

354

the, the breathing and then going out

into the, into the community and coming

355

from that place of presence, I guess.

356

Right.

357

That's, I think you nailed it on

the head with the word presence.

358

All of the different places we go, uh,

we've curated itineraries that really

359

reflect what is unique about those places.

360

So, uh, of course, Galapagos is

focused on nature and the animals.

361

Greenland is focused on nature.

362

Uh, Patagonia, you are surrounded

by glaciers and rafting down rivers.

363

It's it's nature in your face to the max.

364

Um, by comparison some of our

other locations in Europe, um,

365

going to Italy, you'll visit the

home of the slow food movement.

366

So it's taking your time to sip

on and taste different wines from,

367

you know, an organic vineyard.

368

Yeah.

369

Or EBI through the countryside

to see the rolling hills.

370

Uh, in France we visit an organic

farm where you make your own

371

perfume from essential oils.

372

So, oh, depending on what's in season,

you really get to curate your own perfume.

373

Um.

374

I can't say that mine smelled

great when I made it, but hopefully

375

you have a better nose than I do.

376

But it's your signature brand.

377

That's awesome.

378

That's good.

379

Or sound so.

380

Yeah.

381

Um, all of the places we visit,

it's, it's really about tapping

382

into that place specifically.

383

And again, you have a new

friend and a guide with you.

384

Um, we get feedback from a lot of

our travelers that they've maintained

385

friendships with their guides and are now

staying in touch on Facebook or whatever

386

social media platform or email or text.

387

And, um, to have a new friend in

a different part of the world is.

388

Pretty special.

389

It is.

390

it helps the livelihood of the guides,

of the families cause those people

391

will either send or bring other people

with them and probably travel with

392

you again, you know, your company.

393

So yeah, it's helping in a PO as

long as it's in a positive way.

394

It helps the people and

the cultures and the land.

395

Yeah, absolutely.

396

We, we wanna prioritize

traveling responsibly.

397

Um, so of course, you know, hiring

someone who is from that country

398

and from that area is important.

399

Staying at accommodations or

luxury, but small boutique hotels

400

is really important, not just, you

know, finding a good deal at a.

401

Right at a chain hotel.

402

Right.

403

Um, right.

404

So as much as possible, doing

good where we can, Nice.

405

that's, sounds fantastic.

406

Can you, everything will be in the show

notes as well, but Do you wanna tell

407

us the website and any social, uh Yeah.

408

Addresses we need?

409

You can find us on the

web www.thetravelyogi.com,

410

and very simple on Instagram and Facebook

at the travel yogi, and those will be

411

the easiest way to get in touch with us.

412

Fantastic.

413

Well, Kilty, I'm excited

to travel with you and.

414

Like I said, listeners, viewers, you

will be invited to come along as well.

415

you're gonna have to give me

a frequent flyer card for, for

416

your trips, it sounds like.

417

Anyways, thank you for being on the

show today and, um, and viewers,

418

listeners, I will connect with you later.

419

Thank you.