Frequently asked questions

Juice fasting is the foundation, but it's only one part of the day. Alongside fresh juices and evening broth, every guest joins daily yoga, evening meditation, workshops and — if they choose — a run of complementary therapies. We've built the programme this way since 1992, on the idea that a proper reset needs the mind and spirit involved as well as the digestive system. It's less a diet than a week structured entirely around rest, movement and stillness.

Most guests are surprised by how manageable it feels. There's a juice or broth roughly every three hours through the day, so it's never long until the next one arrives, and the day is full enough — yoga, therapies, workshops, company — that hunger rarely has much room to settle in. The first day or two ask the most of you; after that, most people say it gets noticeably easier.

It varies a lot from person to person. Some guests notice a dip in energy for the first couple of days as the body adjusts; others say they feel sharper and more alert as the week goes on. We ask everyone to listen to their own body and scale their activity accordingly — nobody is expected to push through morning yoga or a beach walk if a quiet day by the pool is what's needed instead.

Usually the anticipation beforehand, more than the week itself. Not everyone arrives with a yoga practice or any fasting experience, so we keep classes accessible and the whole atmosphere unhurried and light. If there's any real discomfort, it tends to show up in the first two or three days while the body settles into a new rhythm — most guests say the week gets easier, not harder, as it goes on.

That depends on where you're starting from. Guests carrying some extra weight tend to see a noticeable change over a week or ten days; those already close to their natural weight generally see less. Almost everyone leaves feeling lighter and less bloated, whatever the number on the scale does. What happens afterwards is really down to the choices you make once home — we can't promise the fast alone keeps weight off long-term.

A week away from your usual routines and triggers is often exactly the kind of reset that makes a habit easier to interrupt. We can't promise a particular outcome, but plenty of guests tell us that cravings feel more manageable during and after their stay, simply because the pattern around them has changed for a while. It's a genuine opportunity, not a guarantee.

Most guests complete the programme without anything resembling a crisis, and many finish feeling lighter and more energised than when they arrived. That said, everyone's different — some notice short-lived symptoms like fatigue, a headache or an emotional wobble as the body works through its own process. Our team is used to supporting guests through this and will always adjust the pace to suit you.

No — and we're careful never to claim that it can. Fasting doesn't cure anything by itself; it simply gives your body space and resources to do some of its own repair work, alongside yoga, rest and a calmer routine. The programme is designed to support your body's natural processes, not to replace medical treatment, and anyone with a health condition should take advice from their own doctor before booking.

The day runs on a steady rhythm: wake around seven, yoga at eight, then juices at ten, one and four o'clock with therapies, workshops or free time in between. Evening broth comes at seven, followed by meditation at quarter to eight. It sounds regimented written down, but in practice it feels more like a gentle current than a schedule — most guests stop checking the time by day three.

No. The programme works best when you engage with it, but nothing is compulsory. Some guests attend every class; others skip a session here and there in favour of rest, a swim or quiet time alone. Our approach is deliberately permissive — you decide how much of the schedule suits you on any given day, and the team will never make you feel awkward for opting out.

Yes. Every room, cottage and bell tent has wifi, and internet access is included in your programme fee, so you can check in with home or work if you need to. That said, most guests find themselves reaching for their phone far less by the second or third day — something about the valley seems to make it feel less urgent.

You'll have an initial health check-in with our team when you arrive, and our resident staff carry decades of combined experience supporting guests through detox programmes. That said, we're not a medical facility, and the retreat doesn't provide diagnosis or treatment — it's a complementary, non-medical environment designed to support your body's own processes. Anyone with an existing condition should also check in with their own doctor beforehand.

Yes — every guest completes a health questionnaire at least 14 days before arrival (within 48 hours of booking, if you book later than that). It lets our team check the programme is a safe fit for you, and flag anything worth adjusting in advance. It's a standard part of booking, not a formality we skip, so please fill it in as soon as you can after reserving your place.

Yes, guests must be 18 or over — there's no upper limit. We regularly welcome guests well into their seventies and eighties alongside those in their twenties and thirties, and the programme's permissive structure flexes naturally to suit a wide range of ages, fitness levels and prior experience. If you have any concerns about suitability, mention it on your health questionnaire and our team will advise you directly.

Everything you need for the week itself: all juices and broth, lemon water and herbal teas, your initial check-in, daily yoga, evening meditation, the QRS bed and parasite-zapper, the pool, the sauna, the gardens, a weekly beach or Lagos trip, wifi, and free pick-up from Lagos. The only extras are optional specialist therapies such as massage or acupuncture, booked separately.

We're about an hour from Faro Airport and fifteen minutes from Lagos. Tell us your flight details and we can arrange a transfer — €80 each way for one person, €45 per person for two, and €35 per person for three or more. Pick-up from Lagos itself is always free, so many guests choose to arrive there by train or taxi and let us collect them from that point.

There's a genuine range: premium en suite singles in the old mill, twin rooms in the main guesthouse and beneath the yoga temple, twin cottages with their own bathrooms, compact singles in the Lodge, and canvas bell tents with electricity and wifi over the summer months. Every option is en suite with wifi and mosquito nets, whatever your budget.

Yes. Our Wellness Stay is a lighter, non-detox option — breakfast included, optional morning yoga, and full use of the pool and gardens, with your time otherwise your own. It's ideal as a standalone break, or tacked onto the start or end of a detox retreat. Rates are seasonal and stays are arranged directly rather than through the booking wizard — just get in touch.