News & Updates

Coronavirus update

UK holidays and also holidays to Europe are all going ahead as scheduled

Please follow this link for a full update      Covid 19 update

Please be patient when contacting us,  we are a small company of only two staff

Kind regards

Jilly & Debbie

Booking Your Flight

Please always try to book your flight through a website or agent who are ABTA and ATOL members and pay with a credit card..Book a flight with a COVID guarantee who will refund you if the holiday does not go ahead. (such as Easyjet)

See our flight button

Brexit - travel rules have changed.

Click here for information on travel to EU countries

Travel Insurance

Always make certain that you have insurance cover as soon as you book your holiday or flight. If you do not have an annual travel insurance policy you can take out cover just for the dates of your holiday at any point prior to the holiday taking place. The Post Office Travel Insurance includes cover fro Covid.

Taking out cover straight away ensures that should anything unexpected happen that is covered by the insurance policy  you can make a claim . Travel insurance policies vary enormously ALWAYS read the small print

Brexit and how it affects your travel

Passport You will now need at least three months validity left on your passport when travelling to an EU country and probably 6 months for further afield. Be especially careful if you renewed your passport early last time you renewed as this does not include the extra time on your passport between the actual renewal date and the date it was due for renewal. Follow this link, click on the country you are travelling to and then click on Entry Requirements http://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)  which gave free, or reduced rate, healthcare when visiting the EU has been replaced with the UK Global Healthcare Insurance Card (GHIC).

This is free of charge, visit nhs.uk.ghic to obtain yours. You can continue to use your old EHIC until it expires. Neither of these cards covers Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Do not forget to take out additional travel insurance as these cards do not cover all costs should you become sick or injured when in an EU country.
Remember that the GHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or costs, such being flown back to the UK, or lost or stolen property.

Updates - flight delays


My flight has been delayed. Can I get compensation?

Check the Citizens advice website for detailed information by following this link

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/if-your-flights-delayed-or-cancelled/

Also read the following

Airlines don't have to pay out for delays caused by snow because weather is classified as an "extraordinary circumstance" – though some airlines may issue a refund at their discretion. For those of you flying to India you are almost certainly on a non EU airline so contact them direct to see exactly what you are entitled to.

According to Which magazine you can challenge your airline if you don't agree there were extraordinary circumstances – for example, if you are told you can't fly due to the snow, but other flights are departing. "Airlines may stretch the definition of extraordinary circumstances further than they should."

Which Magazine  states:-

If the delay is not caused by extraordinary circumstances you will be entitled to compensation under EU rules, but only if you are flying with an airline based in the EU or with a non-EU-based airline flying from an EU airport, and only if the delay is for two hours or more. If you are flying somewhere else or with a non-EU-based airline not flying from the EU you'll have to check that carrier's terms and conditions.

If you are delayed for two hours or more you are entitled to: two free phone calls, faxes or e-mails; free food and drinks; and free hotel accommodation if you need to stay overnight.

If your flight arrives at its destination three hours or more late you will receive compensation of between €250 and €600, depending on how far your flight takes you. So you'll get €250 if your three hour-delayed flight travels 1,500km or less (ie, London to Amsterdam), but €600 if your plane is delayed by four hours or more and travels at least 3,500km (ie, London to Sydney).

My flight has been cancelled. Will I get my money back?

If your flight is cancelled you should be offered either a refund or an alternative flight to your original destination.

For compensation you will have to look to the EU rules again, though if the delay is caused by snow – and thus an extraordinary circumstance – you might not get anything. If you are covered by EU regulations you will be entitled to travel assistance (such as help with rebooking for a later date) as well as meals and accommodation etc. Check the official EU website for more on your rights.

Call to book: 01273 564230

Welcome to Free Spirit Travel, UK's leading provider of yoga holidays

Kadermo Finland

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  • Rural Finland

    From 570 euros

    Astanga yoga retreats. Whilst 5 nights is great we highly recommend a 12 or 19 day stay to gain the full benefits and knowledge offered at this retreat.

Imagine an island with no shops or cars and very few people, a perfect yoga retreat.  Try to come for as long as you are able, this is a true retreat and the befefits are amazing.

Here is a unique opportunity to experience yoga in untouched and idyllic surroundings, far away from city lights, where the sun rises at 4 am and sets at 11 pm. this island is called Kadermo and is situated about 10 km north east of Hanko. Where else can one listen to such silence, broken only by the sound of an owl hooting in the night, a woodpecker hacking away at a pine tree, a deer crying out in the morning mist?

You will stay in one of two houses. Both are old fashioned, traditional villa style, such as was common in the twenties. Water is from the well and hot water is available in the sauna, please note the toilets are also ecological as there is no running water on the island.

We now also have a Café on the island where you can enjoy coffees, healthy cakes and piano music.

This is a yoga retreat, a place to go to improve your yoga techniques, relax and concentrate fully on your well-being. 

As well as yoga there may be spontaneous boat excursions to other islands, swimming, sauna, canoeing and much much more.

 

Astanga Vinyasa yoga, often referred to as aerobic yoga, is a dynamic system gracefully blending together the breath with movement, promoting flexibility, strength, stamina, balance, breath control and relaxation. 

Whilst aimed at the more experienced yoga practitioners this retreat is also suitable for beginners provided they are fit, reasonably supple and prepared to take 2 - 3 days to settle into the routine..

Stefan Engstrom (left), your teacher, has been practising yoga since 1990, learning with Pattabhi Jois and other teachers.

There will also be weeks led by guest teachers - please see tab heading 'Finland Teachers' for their information

   

  

 

 

Daily programme  - Kadermo Conscious Living
 

Normal Arrival Day
 17:30   Arrival in Hanko & transportation from Railway station to our harbour at Sandöströmmen 93 A, Hanko.
 17.45   Boat transportation to the island
 18:00   Arrival to the island & lodging
 18:30   Dinner
 20:30   Sharing
 21:30 - 22:30 Cafe is open

A typical day at the retreat
(07:30 - 08:30 Self-practice Pranayama or silent sitting.)
 09:00 - 11:00 Ashtanga Yoga Asana Class
 11.15 -12:15 Café is open with free Smoothie and Fruits.
 12:45   Lunch
 15:00 - 16:00  Café is open
 16:00   Talks on Yoga or Yin Yoga (Depending on the programme)
 17:30   Pranayama
 19:15   Dinner
 20:30 - 22:00 Cafe is open.
 21:30 - 23:00 Sauna or Film (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Sauna)
 

Departure Day
(07:30 - 08:30 Self-practice Pranayama or silent sitting.)
 09:00 - 11:00  Ashtanga Yoga Asana Class
 11.15 -12:15 Café is open with free Smoothie and Fruits.
 12:45   Lunch
 14:30   Departure from the island (for those who are leaving.)
 14:50   Taxi transportation to Hanko Railway station.
 15:20   Departure of train to Helsinki and Turku
 The day before departure,  Karma yoga for everybody after Lunch.
 

 
This is  Stefan's home for five months of the year.

A two storey house up on a rock overlooking the sea. It has four double bedrooms for guests. The house is built in an old fashioned traditional villa style as was common in the twenties.

For the retreats we normally take only a small group of students to be able to create a nice close-knit group and a family atmosphere.

 

Please check all travel details with the office before you purchase your flights

 

Flights - Fly to Helsinki, plan to arrive by 2.30 pm on the arrival day specified,  you need to catch the 4pm train from Helsinki to make the 6pm transfer from Hanko  - or arrive a day early / leave a day later and stay in the Helsinki Youth Hostel.   Plan your departure flight for the evening or you could stay overnight in Helsinki.

 

Transfers - You are responsible for travel by train to Hanko where you will be met and transferred to the island by boat.  Transfers are at 6pm from Hanko station on the outward journey and you will be transferred back to Hanko station at 1pm on your departure day.

 

Special booking information
 Make sure you have a valid travel insurance as insurance is not included in the price.
 What is included in the price: Lodging, three meals / day, three teaching sessions / day (asana practice, pranayama and talks).
 If you miss the arranged pick-up or departure be prepared to pay for a taxi (approx. 30 Euro) and a boat taxi (approx. 50 Euro).
 Only arranged transfers are included in price.
 In case you forget or prefer to travel light you can hire sheets for 20 Euro/set. We also suggest that you bring some pocket money to enjoy all the cakes and different coffees in the Café.
 If you would like a room for yourself then add 35% to the fees.
 If you bring a pet also add 35% to the fees.
(Check at booking if this is possible as we have a limited amount of pet and privet rooms).

Not Included - Flights, transfers to Hanko from Helsinki, insurance.

 

 

 

Cost - 5 days:570 euros / Two weeks(12 days): 980 euro / Three weeks (19 days): 1400 euros

(For a single room please add 35% to the above prices)

Deposit is 15% payable in the UK, balance is paid on arrival in Finland

Possible arrival days are:  
June: 
Saturday 17th, Thursday 22nd and Sunday 25th.
July: Sunday 2nd, Sunday 9th, Friday 14th, Sunday 16th, Sunday 23rd and Sunday 30th.
August: Friday 4th, Sunday 6th,  Sunday 13th,  Sunday 20th,  Friday 25th and Sunday the 27th.

2023

 

Teacher

Wk 25

Jun 17 - 22: Ashtanga yoga asanas, Yoga Sutra, Chanting and Meditation. (Pranayama self practise).

Heidi Ruokoniemi

Wk 26

Jun 25 - 30: Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and Yoga of Presence and Wholeness.

 Stefan Engstrom

Wk 27

Jul 2 - 7: Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and Function and Form;

 Stefan Engstrom

Wk 28

Jul 9 - 14: Ashtanga yoga asanas and Pranayama and Relaxation techniques, yoga philosophy and chanting.

 Isabella Nitschke

Wk 29

 Jul 16 - 21: Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and Questions and Answers

 Stefan Engstrom

Wk 30

Jul 23 - 28: Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and  Psychosynthesis

 Stefan Engstrom

Wk 31

 Jul 30 - Aug 4: Ashtanga yoga asanas and  Pranayama and Technical classes

 Tashi Dawa.

Wk 32

 Aug 6 - 11: Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and Questions & Answers.

 Stefan Engstrom

Wk 33

 Aug 13 - 18: Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and Yoga of Presence and Wholeness. .

 Stefan Engstrom

Wk 34

Aug 20 - 25: Ashtanga yoga asanas &  Yoga Sutra, Chanting and Meditation. (Pranayama self practise). Heidi Rukoniemi

Wk 35

Aug 27 - Sep 1: Ashtanga yoga asanas &  Pranayama. -

In this workshop we will explore all the limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, starting with asana and moving inwards through the stages that follow.

We will explore practices for each stage, while also speaking about the spiritual, philosophical and psychological ideas that underly their practice and form the target of meditation and samadhi.

This workshop is open to all students regardless of experience.
 

Guy Donahaye
You can also combine the above retreat week or weeks with one of the four weekend workshops mentioned here below. The additional cost is payable directly to Stefan. .
Weekend Midsummer (Thursday 22nd till Sunday 25th June). Ashtanga yoga asanas and Pranayama.
Weekend Mid July (Friday 14th till Sunday 16th July).. Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and introduction to Yoga of Presence & Wholeness.
Weekend August (Friday 4th till Sunday 6th of August). Ashtanga yoga asanas & Pranayama and introduction to Yoga of Presence & Wholeness.
Long Weekend August (Friday 25th till Sunday 27th or Monday 28th of August). Ashtanga yoga asanas, Pranayama and Yin Yoga.

 

Stefan is the owner and resident teacher of the Kadermo Conscious Living yoga retreat. He has been practicing Yoga asanas since 1990 and holds an Authorized level II by KPJAYI. He has been teaching Ashtanga Yoga since 1994. Read more about Stefan under home and teachers.

Isabella is the owner and manager of Ashtanga Yoga Malmö based in southern Sweden where she runs a daily Mysore programme. She found yoga more than 18 years ago following a running injury and the practice has since helped her heal on many levels. Isabella has Sharath Jois’ blessing to teach the primary and intermediate series of Ashtanga Yoga and has assisted him twice at the main shala in Mysore. She returns to India regularly to practice, study and to further develop her chanting skills and studies of yoga philosophy and Sanskrit.       Isabella is also a qualified yoga therapist for mental health, a lifestyle coach and relaxation therapist. She has devoted much of the past ten years to study and explore the effects of yoga on our nervous system and our mental health - in particular how the practice can help increase our resilience to stress and ability to self-regulate. Her teaching style is inclusive and aims to create a safe space for all students. She follows a gentle approach with particular focus on breath to cultivate sensitivity and awareness of the body and mind. Isabella has over 20 years of experience from working in health and fitness worldwide and has studied both anatomy and movement mechanics extensively. Read more about Isabella at https://ashtangayogamalmo.se/en/

Heidi has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga since 2004 and teaching since 2009. She is a student of Sri Sharath Jois and was authorized by him in 2012 to teach both the Primary and Intermediate series.Heidi moved to India in 2013 and lived in both Mysore and Goa for seven years as part of an Indian family. She continued her yoga studies during this time and ran Ashtanga Yoga Goa between 2015 to 2018. In 2018 she began teaching at Sharath Jois institute in Mysore until moving back to Finland in November 2020. 
She is currently living in Lappeenranta, Finland and continues to teach there. You can read more about Heidi on her website: https://www.joogasatama.com <https://www.joogasatama.com/>

Tashi is coming from Australia. However she is also well know in Europe as she comes every year to teach for several months since many years.
More about Tashi at https://www.tashidawa.com

Guy Donahaye  has been teaching Ashtanga Yoga for over 30 years. He has studied extensively in India at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, the KPJAYI and the Sadvidya Foundation in Mysore. He is one of a few students to receive advanced teaching certification from Pattabhi Jois and is author of the influential book Guruji: A Portrait of Sri K Pattabhi Jois Through the Eyes of his Students. Having lived in New York for two and a half decades, where he was the director of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala teaching daily Mysore Style Ashtanga, he currently resides in Israel and continues to teach workshops internationally on asana, pranayama, meditation and yoga philosophy and travels annually to India to continue his studies with Dr KLS Jois (Acharya).  In addition to teaching ashtanga in the tradition of KP Jois, he also teaches a gentler style of practice learned from Acharya that integrates asana, pranayama, mudra and meditation.