Fresh Start Retreat: 3 Days Just for You and Your New Direction - Individual Hiking and Coaching Retreat
Graz, Austria
$2,460 / 3 Days
5.0Active 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
5-Day Yoga & Adventure in Corfu: Walks, Kayak, Swim & Recharge
Corfu, Greece
$448 / 5 Days
7 days Ski and Yoga in the Dolomites
Arabba, Italy
$3,707 / 8 Days
TIME FOR YOU: Constellations, self-awareness & coaching with horses
Wiesenburg/Mark, Germany
$730 / 2 Days
5.0
4-day spiritual GOLF retreat, including the Glücksziel method in Groß-Umstadt/Weininsel by Glücksziel©
Groß-Umstadt, Germany
$1,370 / 4 Days
4-day spiritual SKI retreat, including the Glücksziel method in Oberstaufen/Allgäu by Glücksziel©
Oberstaufen, Germany
$1,617 / 4 Days
Leadership & Breathwork Retreat for Modern Leaders
Rt Veslo, Montenegro
$2,190 / 7 Days
4-day spiritual retreat – summit e-bike hiking – including seminar in Oberstaufen by Glücksziel©
Oberstaufen, Germany
$1,370 / 4 Days
4-day spiritual retreat – art, vineyards, e-bikes – including seminar in Groß-Umstadt by Glücksziel©
Groß-Umstadt, Germany
$1,370 / 4 Days
Creative project design
Medulin, Croatia
$3,370 / 4 Days
Exclusive personal retreat for moms - your time out in the Algarve with Femine Yoga & Massage!
Budens, Portugal
$2,235 / 7 Days
RETREAT: TIME OUT WITH HORSES JUST FOR YOU
Wiesenburg/Mark, Germany
$999 / 3 Days
5.0
Body & Mind Retreat Week in Düsseldorf with exclusive individual support
Düsseldorf/Hubbelrath, Germany
$2,134 / 5 Days
5.0
Desert hiking in Jordan
Wadi Rum, Jordan, Jordan
$785 / 5 Days
A Gentle Healing and Wellness Week at the Enchanting Vidyamor Oasis on La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
Tijarafe, Spain
$1,679 / 8 Days
Yoga Retreat (3–6 nights)
Lech, Austria
$909 / 4 Days
Yoga vacation right by the sea on Aphrodite's Golden Beach
Poli Chrysochous, Cyprus
$876 / 8 Days
7 Day Sun, Sand & Serenity: Ultimate Surf & Yoga Retreat for Mind & Body Renewal
Agadir, Morocco
$359 / 4 Days
ERFÜLLT in der Liebe - the power of your heart - coaching & time out in nature
Hoppenrade, Germany
$1,617 / 3 Days
YOGA & Mountains - 1 Week
Lech, Austria
$2,132 / 8 Days
Time out INSIDE - OUTSIDE
Winseler, Luxembourg
$671 / 4 Days
5.0
8-Day Active Training & Wellness Vacation in Northern Tenerife
Puerto de la Cruz, Spain
$2,999 / 8 Days
Customized Retreats - du entscheidest, was dir gut tut
Barbate, Spain
$2,133 / 7 Days
Active time out with a view of the sea and me
Adrasan, Türkiye
$1,122 / 7 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.