A Practical Guide to Retreat Travel Planning

Reserve your retreat place first, buy travel insurance the same day, then book flights that land in time for the transfer and send us your arrival details. For long-haul trips such as Bali, arrive a day early. Book flexible tickets where you can, because no retreat organiser can refund flights if plans change.

What order should you book things in?

• Reserve your place and wait for the confirmation email with your booking reference.
• Buy travel insurance with cancellation cover on the day you book.
• Book flights or trains that arrive in time for the transfer.
• Book a transfer seat during checkout if you want one.
• Send us your arrival details.

A booking is confirmed once the deposit has been received and verified and you have our confirmation email. Booking flights before then risks paying for travel to a retreat you don't have a place on.

What travel insurance do you need?

Travel insurance is required for every SOLARA retreat. It must cover cancellation, medical costs and repatriation. Hiking retreats such as High Trails of the Dolomites also require cover for mountain rescue. Buy it when you book rather than closer to the date, so you are covered if something happens in between.

Book flexible tickets where you can

If SOLARA cancels a retreat, you get a full refund of everything paid to us within 14 days, or you can move to another retreat. We are not responsible for flights or other travel costs, so flexible tickets and good insurance protect you from the part we can't cover.

Getting to each destination

Each destination page has full travel details. These are the key times to plan around.

• Costa Vicentina, Portugal: fly into Lisbon (LIS), 2 hrs 15 min by road. The shared SOLARA shuttle leaves Lisbon Airport at 12:30 and costs €45 each way, so land by 11:30. It returns to the airport by 14:00 on departure day.
• Ubud, Bali: fly into Denpasar (DPS), about 1 hr 30 min by road. Private airport transfers are included between 08:00 and 20:00. Arrive in Bali by 15:00 on arrival day.
• The Dolomites, Italy: Innsbruck (INN) is about 2 hrs by road. The shared transfer (€55 each way) meets the 13:00 train at Bolzano station and the 14:00 meeting point at Innsbruck Airport. Arrive at the hotel between 15:00 and 18:00.
• Värmland, Sweden: Oslo (OSL) is about 3 hrs by road, with direct trains from Oslo and Stockholm to Arvika. The SOLARA minibus (€30 each way) leaves Arvika station at 16:00, so aim to be there by 15:30.

If you would rather drive, there is free parking at Monte da Luz and Hotel Ciasa Lärch. In Portugal, aim to arrive between 15:00 and 17:00, before the 18:00 welcome circle. In South Tyrol, hotel guests receive a free regional transport pass, which is handy for a day in the valley after the retreat.

Should you arrive a day early?

For long-haul retreats, yes. Jet lag on the first day makes the whole week harder, and the Ubud mornings start at 06:30. Many guests fly into Bali a day early to rest after the journey, and we can suggest places to stay. For our European retreats, an early arrival is useful if your only flight lands close to the shuttle time.

Check your documents

Portugal, Italy and Sweden are all in the Schengen Area, so check the entry rules for your passport. For Bali, most visitors need a Visa on Arrival or e-VOA and must pay the Bali tourist levy. Your passport must be valid for at least six months. Visa costs and the levy are not included in the retreat price.

What if you arrive late?

Let us know as soon as you can. We will keep dinner for you and arrange a taxi from the nearest station if the shuttle has left, at your cost. In Portugal, Rede Expressos coaches run from Lisbon to Vila Nova de Milfontes several times a day, and a local taxi from the bus stop costs about €20.

Plan your departure day too

Check-out is by 11:00 at most properties and by 10:30 at Hotel Ciasa Lärch. Transfers back to the airport or station run after check-out. If you are flying home from Lisbon, the shuttle reaches the airport by 14:00, so choose a flight that leaves later in the afternoon.

A short travel checklist

• Booking confirmation and reference
• Travel insurance documents, including mountain rescue cover for hiking weeks
• Passport, visa and any entry documents
• Flight or train times, sent to us after booking
• Transfer seat booked, or a plan to reach the property yourself
• Any personal medication, with a copy of the prescription