Nature. Art. Hiking. Yoga. Astrology. Cold Swimming. Photography. Ecology. Surfing. Healthy food. Community. Sauna. Relaxation.
Lofoten Summer
Lofoten Summer
Hello! We are Rachel Pohl (artist) and Charles Post (ecologist)! We fell in love with the Lofoten Islands in the Arctic of Norway when we visited in 2019 for our honeymoon. Three years later, we sold our slice of paradise in Montana and moved to Lofoten to chase an arctic dream.
We are beyond excited to share the magic of our home island with a small group of you at the end of June, 2024. There are 9 spots available. You will find inspiration, connect with community, spend time in nature, learn, and grow alongside your new friends during an unforgettable week.
Read on to learn if this trip might be a good fit for you, and submit your application by April 8!
Not sure you can join our retreat but still dreaming of a trip to Lofoten?
We made our very own travel guide with all of our favorite hikes, trails, cafes, hotels, mountains, saunas, surf and swim spots, views and vistas, shops and places to stay, eat and recharge.
And if you’d like to book a video call we can sit down with you to help create your dream Lofoten trip. We can also create a custom itinerary for you, ensuring you’ll experience the best that Lofoten has to offer with your timeline, budget and bucket list in mind - We can wait for you to experience Lofoten!
Dates:
June 25-July 1
6 nights, 7 days
Updated: April 16, 2024
9 spots available
4 of 5 booked (1 available): Single Occupancy / Private Room
4 Double Occupancy (4 available): Shared room, for Couples, Friends Traveling Together
Price Per Person:
Single Occupancy:5900 USD
Double Occupancy:5700 USD
What’s Included:
Accommodation: 6 nights in The House, located in one of Lofoten’s most idyllic villages surrounded by towering peaks, white sand beaches, surf, and view of the midnight sun. Everyone will have a spacious, private bedroom with either a queen or king sized bed, and a shared bathroom (you and two others per bathroom).
Food: One of our best friends and favorite chefs, Suzie, will be cooking daily breakfast, lunch and dinner with local and organic ingredients. Hiking: The magic of Lofoten is best experienced by foot. With beautiful mountain peaks surrounding us, we will take you on some of our favorite hiking trips.
Yoga: Taught by one of Lofoten’s most beloved instructors and a dear friend of ours. Hedda will teach three classes during the week. Mats and blocks provided.
Private Sauna: Every day in The House’s private sauna by the sea.
Polar swims: Whether it’s to start your day or to cool off after sauna, the sea and gorgeous white sand beaches are a short walk from the house.
Astrology: Before arriving on the trip, we will send you a pre-trip astrology email with some instructions to help make the most of our mini Astrology workshop. Rachel will teach the basics of astrology, perfect for if you are new to, curious about, or enjoy studying astrology. Workshops: Over the past 10 years, we have built careers and platforms that span art and science, storytelling and adventure, following your dreams and manifestation. Each day, we will host mini workshops that dive into one these topics. Photos + Videos: We will have a professional photographer + videographer joining us every day. As each day winds down, there will be a Google Drive folder with images + video clips available for you to share with friends, family and on social media! VAT + Taxes: VAT (value added tax) and other taxes are included in the total price.
What’s Not Included:
Transportation: To and from Lofoten, and during the retreat. We will connect the group via a WhatsApp chat to help the group coordinate rental cars. Ultimately, it will be up to participants to ensure they have local transportation. The reason why we can’t offer transportation is because Norway has a special drivers license required to transport guests commercially, and this is not a license that we or our business have.
Travel Insurance: Each guest must ensure they have their own travel insurance. By booking this trip, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to carry travel insurance for this trip.
Surfing: The House is located a short walk from one of Lofoten’s great surfing beaches. Only a 10 minute walk away, you can book wetsuit rentals, surfboards and surf lessons taught by local, professional instructors. If this is something you’re super keen on experiencing, Charles, a life long surfer, would be happy to join a group for surfing. Depending on interest and weather, we can absolutely plan a surf / beach day! Gear: Lofoten and the Norwegian Arctic can experience seemingly all 4 seasons in a single day, even in the summer. Be prepared for sun and warm weather, wind, rain and cold weather too. We will send a final gear check list / reminder not later than 1 month before the retreat to ensure you have exactly what you need.
How do I book my spot? Apply HERE!
Complete the application: HERE
With only 9 spots available, we believe an application process is the most fair and thoughtful way to curate this experience. This is a trip that will have a focus on movement, hiking steep mountains, community and cohabitation, which means we will try our best to select a group with this intention and itinerary in mind.
Our vision is to create an immersive experience and a smaller group size is how we will be able to offer that to you!
We know some of you will be disappointed for not being able to join on this trip BUT we already have plans for other retreats (maybe as soon as this September). Please stay tuned, and know that we are so excited to meet many of you in the months and years to come.
In the future we would love to offer a variety of experiences during different seasons, and evolve this concept of these small + very special retreats to fit what we are collectively craving during different seasons of life.
The small group size of just 9 people will ensure that everyone can comfortably enjoy the house we have selected for the week, and that we can really dive deep into experiencing this magical place and making deeper connections.
How will I know if I’m selected?
We will contact you by email via arcticdreamsretreats@gmail.com letting you know you’ve been selected April 9th. We may reach out to you later if anyone decides not to go, or we don’t hear back from them. By applying for this retreat, you will also be added our list to hear about future retreats!!
Please note that we are not able to offer this particular retreat to include dogs or kids. In the future we hope to have more retreats with more options, so thank you so much for your understanding!!
How do I reserve my spot?
On April 9th (time tbd, stay tuned, we will let you know via email when) we will let you know if you have been selected. You will have 7 days from then to pay the 30% deposit to reserve your spot. If we don’t hear from you in 7 days, we will invite those on the waiting list. After paying the deposit, the remaining 70% must be paid by May 25th, 2024.
Please remember that your deposit / reservation fee is non refundable.
Rachel and I will be making reservations, including for the house, food, instructors, and everything else ahead of time, so your deposit will make it possible for us to book the trip. It’s going to be such a special week and we cannot wait to share this magical place we call home with all of you!
To pay your deposit and confirm your spot, click the button below and you will be directed to check out. This is a password protected checkout. We will include the password to the shop if/when we contact you.
Rough Itinerary - Activity Days Subject to Weather - Arctic Dreams Retreats
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Rough Itinerary - Activity Days Subject to Weather - Arctic Dreams Retreats 〰️
Day 1
Upon arrival you’ll check into rooms, meet and greet and have a late homemade lunch. Then we will jump into a welcome session to set the tone and discuss week ahead with Rachel and Charles. After, there will be a group hike followed by sauna + cold swim time, dinner then free time to relax.
Day 2
The day will start with home made breakfast, a trip to a local, cozy cafe with an amazing view. Then we will head out our favorite mountain with bag lunch made by our wonderful chef, Suzie. On the summit there will be a watercoloring and nature immersion workshop with Rachel and Charles. After a long day in the mountains, there will be free time for sauna and cold swims, dinner and chill time.
Day 3
The day will start with a restorative morning yoga session followed by fresh a breakfast. Next we will take a trip to one of the best preserved wooden fishing villages in Lofoten where we will make a stop at our favorite bakery for fresh cinnamon buns and local pastries. We will explore the historic village, where Rachel and I used to live, and if we are lucky we might see the local pod of orcas who frequent the area. From there we will take a coastal hike that ends up at our favorite lake in Lofoten. If the weather is warm, this is a perfect place for a swim! Bag lunch made by our wonderful chef, Suzie. After exploring one of Lofoten’s most beautiful fjords, there will be free time for sauna, swimming, optional surf session, evening hike or free time to explore the village and local beaches. Then we will settle in for a relaxing dinner and evening.
Day 4
The day will start with a tasty home made breakfast then a trip down to the beach to surf, explore the beach camp, tide-pool, and enjoy the cafe. In the early afternoon we will offer an Astrology workshop, then a delicious lunch back at the house. Afterwards, there will be a free afternoon for sauna, swimming, hanging out before dinner and then a midnight sun hike through the mountains to one of Lofoten’s most incredible beaches. And If some are keen to hike further to the summit of an adjacent peak with an epic view, we will have that as an option.
Day 5
The day will start off with a delicious breakfast then a free morning to spend as you’d like. Next, we will have lunch ready for you, time for sauna, swim, a local hike if you’d like or you can save your energy for a restorative afternoon yoga session. Then we will have an early dinner before heading towards Lofoten National Park and the cozy villages surrounding it where we will hike one of Lofoten’s most epic + iconic peaks beneath the midnight sun.
Day 6
Morning will start with a restorative yoga session followed by breakfast and a workshop with Rachel who will explore manifestation and following your dreams. This will be followed by free time and a few hours to explore the mountains in the village, head to the beach, rest or relax. Then you’ll be treated to a homemade lunch before we hike up one of our local favorite peaks. Afterwards, we will have our last dinner together before heading to one of our favorite beaches for a midnight sun hang out.
Day 7
One final homemade breakfast at the house and a calm morning to pack up and reflect on the week. Check out will be at noon.
Note on the midnight sun and our schedule:
During the summer months in the arctic we experience the midnight sun here in Lofoten, which means the sun never sets. This is also a busy time with tourism, and so to experience these rugged mountains with few people and the magic of the midnight sun, our schedule will shift a few hours later than normal. Breakfast will be served late (around 10am), lunch (around 3pm) and dinner around (around 8pm). Some of the hikes we take will have us returning home at 3-4am. This schedule will allow us to experience the magic of Lofoten after many have left the trails and mountains. Rachel and I have found this schedule reveals a beautiful and quiet side of Lofoten in the summer that we can’t wait to share with you.
The House
7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
The Food
What to bring?
Three things to keep in mind about Norway + Lofoten
1) There’s no bad weather just the wrong type of clothes
2) If you don’t like the weather just wait 10 minutes
3) You can experience all 4 seasons on a summer’s day in Lofoten (especially if you’re in the mountains!)
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The weather in Lofoten can be wet, even in the summer, so it’s important that you have a good rain jacket, rain pants and waterproof gloves. Also, it’s nice to have a rain cover for your backpack. This will ensure you can be comfortable no matter the weather! It’s also smart to try your rain jacket on over your down jacket to make sure it layers well.
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Muddy, wet trails are common in Lofoten, even in the summer, so having a pair of good, sturdy boots is essential. Much of the hiking we will be doing involves somewhat steep uphills and downhills, so having ankle support is great!
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The key to staying comfortable is by wearing layers - preferably wool because they keep you warm even when wet and they’re naturally odor and bacteria resistant! Here in Norway wool is a way of life. We always suggest wearing wool socks, wool underwear and base layers / midl ayers as the weather dictates. I always bring an extra set of wool base layers (top and bottom) on any hike just in case I get to the top of the mountain, feel a bit sweaty and want a fresh warm layer to jump into. And our note about cotton is one to take to heart - cotton is definitely not what you want to be wearing because if it gets wet or if you sweat, you’ll get cold, which is no fun on the trail.
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You’ll want a bag that’s big enough to carry your extra layers, a water bottle (nalgene or cameback are great!) camera, snacks, and anything else you’ll need for a day on the trail. Also, reminder - get a rain cover. This will come in handy!
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We will be doing yoga, so it’s great to have an outfit that works well for this!
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We will be spending a lot of time outside, away from an outlet so having a portable phone battery is a great way to ensure you’re phone is working all day and you don’t miss being able to document that sunset summit moment!
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This wil come in handy for any sauna and cold swims you take during the week!
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In Norway, we always take our shoes off by the front door so it’s great to have some inside slippers to wear + keep your feet cozy!
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It can be cold, even in the summer, so it’s super important to have a thick down coat - one that can layer beneath your rain shell comfortably.
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This is essential! It could be cold, or fingers crossed, it could be super nice and sunny!
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Even on cloudy days, the sun is powerful in the arctic!
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For that arctic sun!
FAQs
Weather Conditions:
Lofoten is celebrated for it’s beauty but is occasionally subject to extreme weather conditions, regardless of the season. Please be aware that there will be no refunds issued due to adverse weather conditions.
How to get to Lofoten?
Flying:
Flights to Oslo, then continue to Bodø and finally take a short flight Leknes. From Leknes you drive about 35 minutes to the house.
You can also fly from Oslo to Bodø and finally take a short flight to Svolvaer. From Svolaver to the house you drive about 1.5 hours.
Best airlines: Scandinavian Airlines (the flight from Bodø to Leknes is via their partner airlines, WidRøe)
Ferry:
You can take a ferry with Tordghatten Nord from Bodø to Moskenes and then travel to Flakstad by car.
Car rentals:
Hertz, Sixt and Avis all have rental cars available for pick up at Leknes Airport and Svolvaer airport.
Rent A Car Lofoten and Rent A Wreck are local companies that offer rental cars.
Transportation:
Due to local business operating laws and driving regulations, we are not able to drive the group. But we will help you connect with one another in a WhatsApp group chat to coordinate driving and carpooling.
Travel Insurance:
To join us in Lofoten it is required to have travel insurance before your arrival. By booking a trip with Arctic Dreams Retreats you acknowledge and confirm that you have travel insurance.
Cancellation Policy:
Please note that all bookings are considered final and non-refundable, requiring payment at the time of booking.
We of course want to ensure that you get to experience the trip of a lifetime, so should something arise please let us know so we can try and find a solution.
Additional Notes: Please Read.
The goal of this retreat is to create a space to build community around a shared love for travel, nature and wildlife, art and astrology, movement and mountains, extraordinary places, unforgettable experiences and feeling the arctic weather in all of it’s forms from wind and sun to rain and beautiful clouds.
While we love our pets like family, and love hearing from families that they’d like to bring their kids, sadly, this is not the retreat for either pets or kids but we hope to have family friendly retreats in the future!
And for the sake of the community we are gathering, we ask that you do not smoke and we ask that you do not drink excessively at the retreat. Our aim is to create and foster a healthy, safe and inclusive, positive weeklong experience where we can laugh, play, learn, grow and experience the wonderful world of Lofoten in summer.
Meet the Team
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Suzie - Chef
When Rachel and I dream of good, nourishing food, we dream of Suzie’s cooking. She’s amazing. She’s also of Lofoten’s most stylish surfers, inspiring and always brightens our days when we get to spend time together.
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Hedda - Yoga
Hedda quickly became one of our favorite humans after we moved to Lofoten. Whether enjoying her blissfull Yoga classes, nerding out on sustainability or organizing community beach clean-ups together, Hedda is wonderful!
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Jonas and Mimi - All things Mountains and Mountain Top Poetry Readings
We met Jonas and Mimi, and five minutes later, we invited them on a hike. Almost 2 years later, they’ve become two of our closest friends in Europe because they make us laugh constantly, love hiking more than humanly possible and have the best attitudes - we always leave them feeling energized!
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Jo - Astrology
When we think of astrology with think of Jo - simply because she is so passionate and knowledgable about all things astrology. She also recently launched her astrology business called Cosmic Cowgirl! There’s no better astrology teacher on the Lofoten Islands!
