Registration open
September 20–27, 2026 | D’Alijo Retreat Centre, Portugal
The Retreat That Brings You Back to Yourself
This retreat is limited to 26 guests. It's about balance: rest and conscious effort, softness and strength. Through mindful vinyasa, strengthening yoga, yin, meditation, breathwork, and stillness, we’ll create space not only to unwind but also to reconnect with your resilience.
What To Expect
What if one week could reset everything?
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The noise quiets.
The breath deepens.
Your system softens — and at the same time, your body grows steadier, stronger, more alive.
This retreat is about balance: rest and conscious effort, softness and strength. Through mindful vinyasa, strengthening yoga, yin, meditation, breathwork, and stillness, we’ll create space not only to unwind but also to reconnect with your resilience.
You don’t need to be “fit enough” or “advanced” to join. Every practice is accessible and adaptable. No matter your starting point, you’ll leave with a stronger body, a calmer nervous system, and a steadier mind.
What You’ll Experience
A daily rhythm that restores balance, with guided yoga, meditation, breathwork, and reflection.
Each morning begins in silence, allowing the nervous system to settle into the natural stillness of the land. Early sessions will be meditative, grounding, and deeply calming.
From 11:00 to 13:00, we shift into more active practice: mindful vinyasa, strength-building movement, and mobility work to support a resilient, energized body. This is where we explore conscious effort. Not to strive, but to feel steady, awake, and at home in your own skin.
Strength supports surrender — when the body feels strong, it can let go more deeply.
Evenings bring softer practices — yin, restorative movement, meditation, or Yoga Nidra — to unwind and integrate.
What Makes This Retreat Different
This is not just a retreat. It’s a reset — for your nervous system, your body, and your sense of possibility.
We’ll weave strength with softness, movement with rest, outer awareness with inner stillness. You’ll leave feeling more present, more resilient, more at home in yourself.
Together we’ll explore:
Strengthening and stabilizing yoga to reconnect with your body
Breathwork and meditation to steady your mind
Yin and restorative practices to deeply unwind
Awareness practices and talks to meet what lies underneath
Yoga Nidra for deep integration
You’ll also receive simple tools to calm your nervous system, move through stress cycles, and return to balance with greater ease.
This isn’t about fixing. It’s about remembering. Coming home.
More About this Retreat
Nature as a Healing Mirror
All of this unfolds in the stunning beauty of the Portuguese mountains, at the D’Alijo Retreat Centre. Forests, waterfalls, and river trails invite you into presence.
Afternoons offer time to rest, swim, hike, or simply be. Evenings gently close with still practices, guiding you into deep rest.
This week is a pause.
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A chance to breathe again.
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To feel strong, soft, and whole.
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Sample Daily Flow
08:00 – 09:00 Meditation & Pranayama
09:00 – 11:00 Silent breakfast + break
11:00 – 13:00 Strengthening + mobility-based yoga practice
13:00 – 17:00 Lunch + free time (hike, rest, swim)
17:00 – 19:00 Awareness session / Yin / Restorative / Yoga Nidra
19:00 – 20:00 Dinner
20:15 Optional evening meditation or rest practice
☀️ Mornings are held in silence until 11:00 to support deep restoration.
Who This Retreat Is For
This retreat is open to all levels, though not for complete beginners. If you’re familiar with Level 1 or 1–2 classes on EkhartYoga.com, you’ll feel right at home. And if you’re newer to yoga, I recommend completing my Yoga for Beginners Course beforehand to get the most from this week.
Whether you’re craving clarity, seeking strength, or simply need space to feel again — this retreat is for you.
Booking and Pricing
All prices include 7 nights of accommodation, 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day, and the full yoga, meditation, and awareness program with Esther.
Shared twin (en-suite): €1549 per person
Single room (shared bathroom): €1750
Single room (en-suite): €1885
Luxury single cabin: €2050 (Fully Booked)
✨ Only 26 places available — early booking highly recommended.
Booking Info
To secure your place, a non-refundable deposit of €350 is required.
Payment options for deposit include:
💳 Credit/Debit Cards
🌍 iDeal, Klarna & local bank transfer (where available)
(Remaining balance is due 12 weeks before the start date of the retreat, payable by bank transfer)
Book & Pay Online Today
You can secure your spot immediately be selecting to pay your deposit or full amount. Accepted payments include credit/debit cards, iDeal and Klarna (online bank transfer for specific countries)
Book and Pay by Bank Transfer
You can also choose to pay via bank transfer. If you want to book via this option please fill out our registration form.
We Are Proud Tree Sisters
By booking an in-person training with us, you are actively contributing to the global tree-planting efforts led by Tree Sisters. For every individual attending our retreats and trainings, we make a donation on your behalf.
More Information
Arrival & Departure
Arrival – Sunday,Sept 20th, 2026
Check-in opens at 15:00.
We’ll begin our time together with a gentle grounding practice at 17:30, so please plan your arrival to give yourself time to settle in before we begin.
Departure – Sunday, September 27th, 2026 Check-out is at 11:00.
You’re free to leave whenever you need on Sunday morning.
For those who are still with us, I’ll offer a short, optional 30-minute morning practice before breakfast — a soft goodbye to close our week together.
See further below for details around Getting There – Group Transport & Arrival Info
🤍 You’re So Welcome Here
Come exactly as you are — tired or curious, strong or shaky, open or unsure.
This is a space where you’re allowed to put it all down.
To feel what’s real.
To find strength in softness — and softness in strength.
And to leave more connected than when you arrived.
Let this be the week you come back to yourself.
Getting There – Group Transport & Arrival Info
To make your arrival as smooth as possible, we organise group transport from Porto Airport to the D’Alijo Retreat Centre for guests arriving around the same time. The main group transfer usually leaves around 13:30, so we recommend booking flights that land before 13:00 to join this shared ride.
Please note, check-in at D’Alijo starts at 15:00, so earlier arrival at the centre isn’t possible.
If you arrive later than the main transfer time, we may be able to arrange additional shared rides if other guests arrive around the same time — but this cannot be guaranteed.
Alternatively, you can book a private transfer (which is more expensive) or organise your own Bolt taxi, often costing around €50–€60.
We’ll communicate closer to the retreat to coordinate group transport and support your arrival planning.
About Esther Ekhart
Esther, the founder of EkhartYoga.com, is a down to earth well-loved spiritual teacher and a renowned global authority on yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Esther has a reputation for providing exceptional guidance both online and offline and has captivated countless students over 25 years. Esther's teachings incorporate diverse influences, making her online classes, “live” workshops, and trainings a fusion of wisdom. Her practice has evolved from dynamic styles like Hatha and Vinyasa flow to include slower practices such as Yin Yoga and Meditation & Mindfulness. Continually expanding her knowledge, she remains open-minded and integrates new insights into her work all the time.