Time for Yourself: A 4-Night Getaway in the Thuringian Forest with Nature, Mindfulness, and True Deep Relaxation
Schmalkalden, Germany
$1,358 / 5 Days
Active Retreats
If you definitely don't want to lie lazily on the beach on vacation, but really want to get going, an active vacation is the best choice. Whether it's sports in and around the sea or water, or climbing the mountains. Wild water in a canoe, or up the mountain on a bike? The possibilities are endless. And at any time of year. Active vacations alone or as a couple, but also in a group, are great fun. Recharged and full of energy, you can then return to everyday life.
243 curated retreats
4.9
(183 reviews)
from
€99
Reclaim Your Power
Funchal, Portugal
$2,123
$2,010
Frühbucher
/ 8 Days
A Retreat by the Sea, Spain: Yoga, Wellness, Relaxation, Nature, Community – Casa el Morisco
Benajarafe, Spain
$606
$550
Früfbucher
/ 8 Days
Rauhnacht Retreat in the Sahara – 9 Days in the Desert Over New Year's Eve
Mhamid, Morocco
$2,651 / 9 Days
Father and Son—A Hero's Journey (Without a Hero?)
Zell im Wiesental, Germany
$2,246 / 6 Days
Back to Inner Strength I Trauma Recovery Retreat in the Vulkaneifel
Daun, Germany
$1,348 / 8 Days
Samhain Yoga Retreat in Eberstein
Eberstein, Austria
$325 / 4 Days
Yoga Retreat Weekend in Hamburg with a View of the Lake—Peace, Relaxation, and Strength, Including a Homemade Lunch
Hamburg, Germany
$313
$268
Last Minute
/ 3 Days
Morocco Desert Retreat in January – 9 Days in the Sahara Instead of New Year's Resolutions
Mhamid, Morocco
$2,213 / 9 Days
6 Days of Yoga, Hiking, and Mindfulness in Europe: The Albanian Alps
Valbonë, Albania
$1,561 / 6 Days
Geroder Days of Fasting — Experiencing Fullness in Emptiness
Gerode, Sonnenstein, Germany
$2,089 / 11 Days
Alcohol-free wellness retreat in Valencia – For people abstaining from alcohol: clarity, nature, and reset
Torrent, Spain
$2,241 / 14 Days
Be mindful of yourself and others
Sylt, Germany
$730 / 6 Days
Yoga Retreat in Morocco: Desert Wind & Inner Space—Find Vastness Without and Space Within
Taroudannt, Morocco
$1,786 / 9 Days
NERVOUS SYSTEM RESET. Yoga Retreat Mallorca
Colònia de Sant Jordi, Spain
$1,193 / 5 Days
Free Painting, Hiking, and Yoga for Women on the Atlantic Coast of Portugal
Sao Luis, Portugal
$935 / 6 Days
From Trauma to Freedom & Inner Sovereignty - Time in Nature | Berchtesgaden
Bischofswiesen, Germany
$549 / 6 Days
5 days/17 hours of one-on-one coaching: Systemic Grounding, Relationship Work, and Belief Systems
Wäschenbeuren, Germany
$1,561 / 5 Days
Slow Trail Längsee—Step by Step.
Sankt Georgen am Längsee, Austria
$703 / 3 Days
A retreat featuring table tennis, hiking, and meditation.
Comano Terme, Italy
$280 / 3 Days
WHOLE HEALTH WEEKEND retreat
Briesen (Mark), Germany
$297 / 3 Days
A Strong Core: Effective Pelvic Floor Exercises and Slow Flow Yoga
San Sebastián de La Gomera, Spain
$684 / 8 Days
A STORYTELLING JOURNEY Between the Mountains and the Lake
Seeboden, Austria
$640
$595
Frübucher
/ 6 Days
Therapeutic Hike - Heart-Centered, Trauma-Sensitive Nature Therapy - One-Day Guided Experience in Nature
Reichelsheim (Odenwald), Germany
$335 / 3 Days
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does an active holiday cost?
The price range in active travel is broad because the disciplines cost different amounts. The 243 comparable stays here currently start from €99 euros for a weekend format and reach up to €11.900 euros for a week with full board, equipment and guide. The average sits around €1.303 euros. Hiking and cycling tend to land in the lower to middle range because participants often bring their own gear and the day stays simply structured. Surfing, climbing and ski touring sit in the middle to upper range because equipment, insurance and a certified guide are built in. What often is not in the price is your own travel to the start, lunch on the way and personal gear like shoes, helmet or wetsuit. Before booking, it is worth checking the list of included services, because two stays at the same headline price can be calculated very differently.
What is the best time to travel for an active holiday?
There is no single best time, there are five, one per strand. Hiking and trekking run calmly in the low mountain ranges from May to October, in the high mountains from late June to early October. Cycling on the major river paths feels most coherent from May to early October, with caution in midsummer because of the heat. Surfing on European Atlantic coasts has a year-round window, with a warm summer for beginners and large waves in autumn and winter for advanced surfers. Winter sport is the clear slot from mid-December to mid-April, with ski touring stretching into May. Climbing and mountain sport are possible year-round, but higher tours need stable conditions between July and September. If you do not want to commit, May, June and September are the most honest universal months because hiking, cycling and sport climbing overlap there.
What physical requirements do I need?
It depends on the chosen strand and the level of the stay. For a hiking week at beginner level in a low mountain range, it is enough if you walk regularly and can stay out for three to four hours in a row with breaks. For an alpine trekking tour with real elevation, you need several weeks of preparation with stair work, weekend walks and some endurance training. For cycling on a river path, basic fitness and a properly fitted bike are enough; for mountain bike days in alpine terrain, riding technique and load capacity matter. Surfing is more physically demanding than it looks, especially the paddling; comfortable swimming in open water is a precondition. Ski touring needs endurance plus avalanche knowledge; the beginner format builds both in the first days. Climbing and via ferrata require surefootedness and freedom from vertigo. Before booking, ask directly which requirements apply to the chosen level; honest hosts will also give you an honest read on your current shape.
Can I combine an active holiday with yoga or meditation?
Yes, and it is in fact the most common model in the retreat format. Hiking plus yoga is the most widespread combination, followed by surfing plus yoga on the coast and cycling plus wellness along river paths. A typical day looks like this: in the morning a yoga unit of 60 to 90 minutes with focus on the areas the day will load, hips and legs before hiking, shoulders and chest after surfing. Then the main activity follows for four to six hours. The evening often holds a short breath or meditation unit that slows the day and makes falling asleep easier. The yoga styles in these programmes are usually Hatha or Yin, slow and holding, because dynamic Vinyasa flows after an active day can overload the body. If you are looking for this combination, pick stays that name yoga explicitly in the programme title or in the daily structure, otherwise the yoga unit stays only an optional add-on.
Are active holidays suitable for beginners?
Yes, every one of the five strands has explicit beginner formats. In hiking that means low daily stages of three to five hours with frequent breaks, well-marked trails and a guide who carries the tempo and pulse of the group. In cycling that means river paths without notable climbs and daily stages of 40 to 60 kilometres, often with luggage transport between the overnights. Surfing beginner weeks form their own category on European Atlantic coasts, with foam-wave practice on the first day, dry exercises on the beach and theory on currents. Beginner skiing still finds its place in a ski school or in a guided beginner camp; ski touring entry runs through certified mountain guides because avalanche knowledge is mandatory. Climbing starts indoors or at a secured practice rock, from there the path leads to the via ferrata. What matters is that the programme names beginners explicitly; mixed groups with mixed levels often frustrate beginners because the pace climbs too high.
Which equipment do I need, and what is provided?
The rule of thumb is: you bring personal kit, technical and safety equipment is often provided. For hiking you bring worn-in shoes, backpack, water bottle and layered clothing yourself; trekking poles are often available to borrow. For cycling most hosts provide the bike including helmet and repair kit, while clipless pedals or your own saddle can be fitted separately. For surfing, board and wetsuit are almost always part of the price, but bringing your own gear is fine. For skiing you usually rent skis, poles and helmet on site; ski touring kit including avalanche set is provided by the mountain guide or arranged for an extra fee. For climbing and via ferrata, helmet, harness and via ferrata set are often included, while climbing shoes you bring yourself once you know your size. What you always bring are functional underwear, sun protection, travel medication, a charged phone and a jacket against rain. What you never carry in any format are maps, because the guide knows the route.
Active holiday solo or in a group: what fits better?
Both work, and both have a clear character. Going solo means you book a stay in which everything is organised through the group, and you join it on your own. You make connections, because the shared doing carries the day; after a morning hike or a surf session on the beach the group already knows each other well by the evening. Solo travellers are over-represented in active formats, around a third of guests in many houses. Single-room supplements vary widely, some houses offer shared double rooms without extra cost. Travelling with your own group works especially well for stays you book as a unit, for example a hiking weekend with friends or a cycling week with your partner. Pick a programme that matches the middle level of the group, otherwise the group splits along the way. Pure women's groups are a segment of their own, especially in surfing and hiking, and are offered explicitly. Anyone travelling in mixed company finds an easy fit in almost any format.