The best intensive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) training camps to consider in 2023.
If you’re interested in furthering your jiu jitsu and having a holiday at the same time, a training camp could be a good idea.
Below are some great camps from a variety of organizations and gyms around the world. Not only do you get to immerse yourself in improving your jiu jitsu, but you can also explore the location the camp is in. Some camps also include extras like daily surf lessons, yoga classes and meditation sessions.
If there’s a good camp you think should be on this list let me know!
Skip ahead to see camps in:
Worldwide
North America
Europe
Central & South America
Asia and Oceania
BJJ Globetrotters
- Locations: Many locations around the world
- Usual dates: Most months of the year
- Past/confirmed instructors: Christian Graugart, Priit Mihkelson, Jorgen Matsi, Francesco Fonte and more.
- Estimated price guide: Training and camp only usually starts at €260+, Training and accommodation usually starts at €1200+
- Usual inclusions: Training, morning yoga, workshops, camp t-shirt and camp party
BJJ Globetrotters is by far the largest Brazilian jiu jitsu camp organization around. It holds camps around the year in many locations, mostly focused in Europe, North America and Central America.
The camps themselves are often held in unique locations with unique events, some of which include:
- Iceland. This camp takes place at Mjölnir MMA, the largest grappling and MMA gym in the world.
- Castle Camp. This camp in Umbria, Italy, takes place in a castle with a small group of attendees.
- Caribbean Island Camp. This camp takes place in Saint Barthélemy and includes daily surf lessons.
- Zen camp. This camp in Poland takes place in a traditional Japanese-style village in a remote national park.
BJJ Globetrotters also runs camps in other locations including:
- Arizona, USA
- Maine, USA
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- Pärnu, Estonia
- Heidelberg, Germany
- Wagrain, Austria
Most camps include gi and no gi training with scheduled open mat time too. The camp tickets can also include accommodation and sometimes meals too.
Instructors vary depending on the camp but usually include Christian Graugart, the founder of BJJ Globetrotters, and others such as Priit Mihkelson, the head coach at Estum Jiu Jitsu and a black belt under Matt Thornton of SBG.
Hidden Jiu Jitsu Camps
- Locations: Las Vegas, Costa Rica, Thailand
- Usual dates: Various dates during the year
- Past/confirmed instructors: Henry Akins
- Estimated price guide: Over $840 USD
- Usual inclusions: Training, some group dinners, camp t-shirt
Hidden Jiu Jitsu camps are hosted and taught by Henry Akins, a black belt under Rickson Gracie, and the founder of the Hidden Jiu Jitsu system.
Hidden Jiu Jitsu camps are generally small group affairs, so you get a more intimate experience and plenty of technical assistance from Henry.
Camps are held in a variety of locations around the world each year including Phuket in Thailand and Tamarindo in Costa Rica, in addition to Las Vegas.
Check out Hidden Jiu Jitsu Camps
Grappler’s Retreat
- Location: Mendocino, North California, USA
- Usual dates: Year round
- Past/confirmed instructors: Roger Gracie, Vagner Rocha, Nic Gregoriades, Nathalie “Tata” Ribeiro, Gerald Garland, Roy Dean, Alan Shade, Vlad Koulikov and more
- Estimated price guide: Starting at approximately $2400 USD all inclusive, but varies depending on the retreat
- Usual inclusions: Training, private accommodation, gourmet meals, access to retreat facilities including sauna, and luxury hot tub
Grappler’s Retreat runs a number of small-group BJJ training camps throughout the year at its high-end Northern California location four hours drive from Sacramento.
The retreat facility is built on 2-acres and is surrounded by picturesque redwoods. There are plenty of opportunities not only for intensive grappling training but also the ability to go for hikes, walk along the coast, go wine tasting or visit the historic coastal town of Mendocino.
Camps generally include multiple hours of focused training each day and open mats before and after training sessions. The content of the camps can sometimes be themed. For example some previous camps have focused on leglocks.
Gracie Adventure Camp
- Location: Miami Beach, Florida, USA or Cancun, Mexico
- Usual dates: November, April
- Past/confirmed instructors: Renzo Gracie, Rillion Gracie, Roger Gracie, Kyra Gracie, Rolles Gracie, Igor Gracie, Rolles Gracie, Gregor Gracie, Ffion Davies, Karel Pravec
- Estimated price guide: Starting at $1,550 USD for training and accommodation
- Usual inclusions: Training and accommodation
The Gracie Adventure Camp has an instructor list that reads like a who’s-who of BJJ, with Renzo, Rillion and Roger Gracie having attended and taught at past camps.
The camp has been held in Miami beach at the beachfront Confidante Hotel, but more recently is being held in Cancun, Mexico. At past camps, there has been a total of 15 hours of training if you stay for the full four days. There’s also unlimited access to the training facility if you want to train after the sessions are done.
Training sessions in the past have included a mix of technique classes and live rolling.
Check out Gracie Adventure Camp
Origin Jiu-Jitsu Immersion Camp
- Location: Mount Vernon, Maine, USA
- Usual dates: August
- Past/confirmed instructors: André “Dedeco” Almeida, Alexey Cruz, Jocko Willink, Dean Lister, Rafael Rebello and more
- Estimated price guide: $2,250 USD
- Usual inclusions: Training, accommodation, meals, camp activities, laundry
The Origin Immersion Camp is being held in the picturesque Echo Lake in Maine.
Past camps have included training from BJJ greats like André “Dedeco” Almeida, Dean Lister and well-known retired Navy Seal Officer and black belt Jocko Willink.
The camp is all inclusive, with meals, accommodation, gi laundry and even lobster bake usually part of the price!
Check out the Origin Immersion Camp.
BJJ Camp Tenerife
- Location: Tenerife, Spain
- Usual dates: April
- Past/confirmed instructors: Bob Poppleton, Joanna Ziobronowicz
- Estimated price guide: £300
- Usual inclusions: Training and open mat
The BJJ Camp Tenerife is headed by Bob Poppleton, a 3rd degree black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr with 20 years of training experience.
Bob’s training program for the camp is focused around a systematic approach to BJJ rather than an assortment of techniques, and there are usually two training seminars per day plus sparring opportunities.
BJJ Intensive Camps
- Locations: Lignano and Dolomites, Italy; Porec, Croatia; Munich, Germany
- Usual dates: Year round
- Past/confirmed instructors: Renato Migliaccio, Martin Guggi, Hans Hutton, Victor Duarte, Yuri von Rogoschin, Daniel Krennhuber and more.
- Estimated price guide: Starts at approximately €250 for training only, and €400 for training and accommodation
- Usual inclusions: Training in various styles, 3x daily meals (for full board option), all day access to the mats, optional accommodation
The BJJ Intensive Camps are generally held in Italy and surrounding countries. Camps are often hosted by Professor Renato Migliaccio, a Ryan Gracie blackbelt with a laundry list of competitive accomplishments, and Professor Martin Guggi.
The camps vary depending on location but generally include multiple hours of training per day with a wide variety of gi and no gi classes and also free sparring. Full board is also offered at some of the camps.
Beginners, advanced students and instructors are all welcome, with these camps emphasizing a love of jiu jitsu over politics.
BJJ Summer Week
- Location: Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
- Usual dates: September
- Past/confirmed instructors: Bruno Malfacine, Ashley Williams, Ffion Davies, Nathalie Ribeiro, Josh Hinger, Michelle Nicolini, Dario Bacci, Felipe Pena and more.
- Estimated price guide: Starts at €450 for training only, €670 for training and basic accommodation
- Usual inclusions: Accommodation, food, training, tourist excursions
The BJJ Summer Week camp is usually held in Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, which is known for its medieval monuments and beautiful beaches.
BJJ Summer Week is claimed as the biggest BJJ camp in the world, with over 500 participants attending the 2022 camp.
The training camp usually comprises over 20 technical seminars (held in English) and open mat sessions along with other activities. There are also cultural excursions in the city to enjoy in your downtime.
Roger Gracie Summer Camp
- Location: Costa del Sol, Malaga, Spain
- Usual dates: August/September
- Past/confirmed instructors: Roger Gracie and Mauricio Gomes
- Estimated price guide: €265
- Usual inclusions: Two training sessions per day
This camp is usually taught by the legendary BJJ competitor Roger Gracie and his father and “famous five” 8th degree white and red belt Mauricio Gomes.
The Roger Gracie camp is held in sunny Malaga in Spain, at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena, a large sports arena five minutes from the airport.
Each day features two training sessions.
Check out Roger Gracie Summer Camp
BJJ In Paradise
- Location: Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Usual dates: April
- Past/confirmed instructors: Brad Wolfson, Caio Terra, Magid Hage, Kroyler Gracie and Adrian Erick Davo Vela.
- Estimated price guide: Starting at $1600 USD
- Usual inclusions: accommodation, daily breakfast, daily laundry for gis and clothing, airport transfers, surf lessons, welcome BBQ
BJJ In Paradise is a six night camp held in sunny Puerto Escondido in Mexico.
It includes several training sessions throughout each day with open mat time and one-on-one time with the instructors.
Instructors include Brad Wolfson and Adrian Erick Davo Vela. Brad is a black belt under Marcio Stambowsky and the owner of Soulcraft Martial Arts. Adrian Erick Davo Vela is the co-founder of La Colonia BJJ in Puerto Escondido.
Being held in Puerto Escondido, there are also plenty of opportunities to relax and go swimming and learn to surf.
Rollin’ in Costa Rica
- Location: Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
- Usual dates: February
- Past/confirmed instructors: Lucas Lepri, Fabio Clemente, Kevin Sheridan, Nelson Puentes, Hillary Witt, David Phimsipasom, Fernando Moya and more
- Estimated price guide: From $1,000 USD
- Usual inclusions: Training, accommodation, daily breakfast, laundry service
Rollin’ in Costa Rica is a three day camp held in beautiful Santa Teresa in Costa Rica.
Most days include a morning and evening training session, with ample time throughout the day to relax and use your free time.
Instructors include big names like Lucas Lepri, world champion competitor, and Kevin Sheridan, Fabio Clemente black belt.
Check out Rollin’ in Costa Rica
Hero Retreats
- Location: Tamarindo, Costa Rica
- Usual dates: All year round
- Past/confirmed instructors: Varies depending on the dates. Confirmed instructors for 2023/2024 include Henry Akins, Xande Ribeiro, Josh Hinger, Glover Teixeira, Brandon McCaghren, Nick ‘Chewy’ Albin, Tom DeBlass, Roy Dean, JT Torres, Geo Martinez, Dean Lister, Robert Drysdale
- Estimated price guide: From $599 USD for training only, from $1499 USD with accommodation
- Usual inclusions: Training, accommodation, daily breakfast, laundry service, camp rashguard, retreat T-shirt, waterfall excursion, ability to bring a companion
Hero Retreats runs a steady schedule of jiu jitsu camps around the year in Tamarindo in Costa Rica.
Instructors vary depending on the specific dates, but to give you an example of the caliber of instructors confirmed for 2023 and 2024 some include world champion competitors like JT Torres and Xande Ribeiro, and well known personalities like Brandon McCaghren and Nick “Chewy” Albin.
Hero Retreats include accommodation in boutique hotels and breakfast.
The training schedule generally includes gi and no gi sessions at Hero Academy, which is a non-profit that gives free training to over 150 local kids. Hero Retreats fund this program.
BJJ Escapes
- Locations: Thailand, The Whitsundays (Australia), Bali (Indonesia)
- Usual dates: March, May, Oct/Nov
- Past/confirmed instructors: Josh Hinger, Charles Negromonte, Vicente Cavalcanti, Daniel Almeida and Uros Culic.
- Estimated price guide: Starting at $1000 AUD (Approx. $660 USD) depending on the camp
- Usual inclusions: Training, accommodation, daily meals, yoga and surf lessons
Jiu Jitsu Escapes is a small group BJJ camp which takes place in multiple locations including Australia, Thailand and Bali.
Past and announced instructors at the time of writing include Josh Hinger, Charles Negromonte, Vicente Cavalcanti, Daniel Almeida and Uros Culic.
The camps usually include a packed schedule of gi and/or no gi training depending on the instructor, and often include a tour such as a boat trip to James Bond Island in the Thailand camp.
Australian Girls in Gi
- Past locations: Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Bali, Queenstown
- Past/confirmed instructors: Jess Fraser, Hope Douglass, Laura O’Brien, Nikki Lloyd-Griffiths, Ari Burkhart
- Estimated price guide: From $365
- Usual inclusions: Accommodation (4-8 person dorms), daily meals, training
Australian Girls in Gi hosts a number of female-only camps in Australia and seminars in Australia and internationally.
Camps are held over multiple days with world class female instructors and competitors, including Australian Girls in Gi founder Jess Fraser who is one of the first 12 women in Australia to receive a black belt.
Some camps also include yoga sessions to help with recovery and sleep after training.
Check out Australian Girls in Gi Camps
Absolute MMA camps
- Locations: Phuket, Thailand
- Usual dates: March
- Past/confirmed instructors: Lachlan Giles
- Estimated price guide: Over $1000 USD
- Usual inclusions: Morning and afternoon training sessions, camp rashguard and two 1-hour sports massages, welcome dinner and tours.
The Absolute MMA Camp in Thailand is perfect for Aussies who don’t want to make the trek to Europe for a BJJ camp.
It’s taught by Lachlan Giles, ADCC bronze medallist and respected BJJ teacher. The camp includes two daily training sessions and usually has a theme. The 2023 theme for example is open guard.
The camp is held at Absolute MMA Thailand in Rawai, which is an open air style gym with a full sized MMA cage and plenty of equipment and space.
Check out the Absolute MMA Intensive No-Gi Training Camp Thailand
Did I miss any good camps? Let me know below and I’ll add them to the list.
Free Rollers Jiu Jitsu, based out of Australia are putting on some amazing immersive training getaways all around the globe. Check them out!
Hey Luke! Thanks for the suggestion, it’s great to see an Aussie-based organisation running BJJ camps. We’ll add it to the list!
I’d also add Roll Chasers camps in there – they’ve got a weekend camp in Toronto in December and a tropical one next year (I believe this years was cancelled due to the pandemic)
Thanks for the tip Richard, I’ll add it to the list!
You should check out bjjsummerweek at bjjsummerweek.com. The biggest camp in Europe on the beautiful island of Sardinia! 400/500 athletes and the best professors you can find.
Worth to mention in your blog.
Thanks for the heads up Alberto, I’ve added it in. It looks great!
BJJ Escapes, Based out of Australia are putting on some great events also.
Next Camp is coming up in April!
Hi Luke, it’s awesome to see some more Australian-based camps for 2022. I’ve added it to the list!