Argayall - La Gomera

Activities | Prices | Includes/Not included | Getting There |

One of the Free Spirit staff's favourite venues! A place of year round sunshine, dolphins, warm sea and great food - plus its cheap to get to!

Come and join us on the beautiful Island of La Gomera - 3 meals a day plus tea, coffee and water all included.

This venue is secluded and right on the beach far away from the tourist route, a truly unspoilt island paradise.

With cheap flights for getting there and a magical venue when you arrive - this venue has it all.

Its secluded with its own organic farm, a huge choice of accommodation, two swimming pools (one heated), step over the wall and you are on the beach!

There are three meals a day, plus a choice of teas and coffee all day long.

Up to four classes a day are available, two with your designated teacher, plus an early morning meditation put on by Argayall and a mid afternoon class which varies in content depending on who is teaching.

La Gomera, one of the least known of the Canary Islands, is an island of tranquillity and contrasting landscapes. From the barren coastline dotted with traditional fishing villages to it's mountainous core of misty rainforests, banana plantations and terraces.

Our venue is in a secluded bay ten minutes walk from the village of Vueletas. There are several long sandy beaches within the village, plus a great cake shop and a home made ice cream parlour - you must try their 88% chocolate ice cream!

There are lots of cafes and shops and an air of calmness and old fashioned tourism.

For the adventurous dolphin trips and kayaking are available or venture inland to the rain forest on either guided walks or guided mountain bike trips (for all levels) walking or mountain biking in the rain forest in the centre of the island.

Our venue is completely hidden along the cliff-face. The front of our venue faces the ocean and a pebble beach. Behind it the land has been transformed by permaculture gardening techniques into a lush and highly productive small organic farm with its own natural spring (the water is said to have healing properties).

There's lots to do between your yoga classes.

Two pools, one heated at body temperature for water therapies and one full size to have a cooling swim in the heat of the day.

Or you may want to hang around in the shade of the rubber trees, one holds a hammock the other a swing that sweeps the pool.

A variety of early morning and afternoon meditation classes are held between your yoga programme and there's a choice of easy to hard rainforest walks, dolphin boat rides, kayaking trips and mountain biking. Book these individually in the village or ask the office to arrange a group booking.

Or you can chose to just relax and spend your days basking in the sunshine on the lawns looking out to the balmy sea.

Therapies such as ayurvedic massage and reiki are available every day.

A typical day on your holiday will look like this

07.00 - 08.00 Meditation for the early risers!
08.00 - 09.45 Yoga with your designated teacher
09.45 - 10.30 Breakfast (breakfast can be taken from 8 am)
10.30 - 13.30 Free-time
13.30 - 14.30 Lunch
14.30 - 15.30 Free-time / excursions / massages
15.30 - 17.00 Free-time / *Locally run classes / massages
17.00 - 19.30 Yoga with your designated teacher
20.00 - 21.00 Dinner
21.00 - 22.30 Free-time/ evening activity programme

*Please note we cannot guarantee the daily availability of locally run classes

Pool 1:the large pool

overlooking the beach

Pool 2 : the small sheltered

heated pool

Pool 3: the private hilltop pool

for the three studio apartments

2009 Programme

Dates	Teacher	Programme	Yurt shared	Garden room shared	Summer-house shared	Ensuite room shared	Apartment shared
2010	LAST MINUTE DISCOUNTS ON JULY 2ND - 9TH FOR LAST 3 PLACES - CALL JILLY FOR DETAILS 01273-564230
May 14th-21st	Ken Eyerman	Flowing Yoga with Body Awareness	full	£550	full	full	full
May 21st-28th	Mary Niker	Iyengar Yoga	full	£550	£570	£650	full
July 2nd - 9th	Angus Ford-Robertson	Hatha Yoga	£495	£550	£570	£650	full
Dec 3rd - 10th	David Sye	'Yoga Beats'	£495	£550	£570	£650	£670
All holidays are 7 nights except where specified and include 3 meals and 4 classes on most days Single room supplement: Yurt / Garden Room / Summer House £120 Single room supplement: Apartments / En-suite rooms £170 All single supplement on application only click here to view information on all teachers at this venue

Once at this venue you need spend nothing - the optional extras are wine and beer, treatments and excursions.

During your stay, you will enjoy 3 superb organic vegetarian buffet meals per day, along with teas, coffee and spring water. An honesty bar operates from which you may purchase fruit drinks, beer and wine.

Black tea, coffees, herb teas made from fresh herbs and drinking water are all provided free of charge 24 hours. Snacks are also put out between meals - although with 3 vegetarian meals a day you may not need these!

On one day, usually Tuesday evening, we will eat out as the on-site restaurant is closed, this is not included in the cost of your holiday. On this evening if you don't want to go into the village to a restaurant you can raid the venue's fridge and cook yourself something in their kitchen.

If sufficient numbers are interested we usually run two optional excursions; an interior island walk and a boat trip to see dolphins in their natural habitat, plus a group dinner at a restaurant on Tuesday evening. All excursions are optional and still leave you plenty of time to relax and sunbathe in the gardens or on the beach.

Prices: all room prices are based on twin share, solo travellers are matched with an appropriate room mate from our group, we have a very limited number of single rooms (one only for every 10 yoga students).

Accommodation

There is a range of accommodation. Staying within the tropical garden in a yurt or summerhouse is amazing with the sounds of the birds and the frogs and your own garden area with table and chairs. Most standard rooms also overlook the garden and en-suite rooms and apartments face the ocean.

For those students staying in the garden or the standard rooms there are three places to shower, one with one shower and toilet, one with 2 showers and toilets and one with three showers and two toilets. Please ask us if you wish to be close to a shower/toilet - most rooms and yurts are very close but one summerhouse is a little further away.

Canvas yurt: - spacious and fully standing on wooden floor platforms with private verandas, garden table and chairs, these are set in the shade of the mango trees. These yurts are fully equipped with twin beds, lighting, and clothes storage space. Please note that if you choose a yurt you are sleeping outdoors and as such should feel comfortable with the stirrings and friendly companionship of nature!

Summerhouse: - spacious and set in the garden shade these are wooden 'houses' with verandas, a small garden area and garden table and chairs

Garden Rooms - A row of prettily decorated rooms along a shared shady veranda, with use of shared showers and bathrooms at either end. Quiet and comfortable, each room is simply designed and most have washbasins.

En suite Rooms - A row of en suite rooms at the heart of the Finca facing the sea with small private balconies overlooking the garden at rear. Each room has patio doors leading on to communal sea view veranda.

En suite Studio Apartments - Just a few minutes walk up the hill to the rear of the Finca, these 3 studio apartments come with their own private swimming pool that overlooks the sea, with stunning views.

Getting There	Flying in the morning from London to Tenerife, you'll make your way to Los Cristiannos ferry port (approx 15mins from airport) and catch the Olson Benchi Express to Valle Gran Rey where we will meet you and take you the short distance to the venue. Cost is 33 euros one way or 40 euros return. Alternatively catch one of the afternoon car ferries to San Sebastian (the port and only town on La Gomera). This ferry costs from 20 euros takes and is a fast and comfortable way to travel and then catch a local bus
Transfers	On arrival at Valle Gran Rey port you will be met by a representative who will arrange your transfer to Argayall (meaning place of light) . Transfer cost is £5 payable directly to the venue If arriving on the bus from San Sebastian, Argayall is located at the base of Valle Gran Rey approx a 1hr drive across the island through the clouds of the rainforest, dropping down into the spectacular scenery and coastline of the valley. Full directions will be sent with your reservation.

Includes:	Tuition - 10 classes with the scheduled teacher plus locally run meditation and afternoon classes, accommodation and full board (except for one evening meal on the cooks night off when we eat out, this meal is not included in the cost of the holiday) 3 superb organic vegetarian buffet meals per day are served Everything at Argayall is entirely optional, including yoga class.
Not included:	Flights, ferry and insurance, meal at restaurant on cooks night off. Local transfers

For more information please email us at: Free Spirit Travel or call us on: 01273-564230

last updated 15/07/2010