How dark retreat dates work
A dark retreat is counted in nights, you check in on a Saturday, and the most common length is a full week. Here are the rules. The calendar shows the current availability of all five sanctuaries, and the overview of free dates tells you when the next free night is.
When do you check in and when do you leave?
Check-in is always on Saturday afternoon or evening, and check-out on Saturday morning. By arrangement you can arrive as late as Sunday and still finish on the same Saturday; you just shorten your stay by a night. We don’t normally open on other days, because between two participants the sanctuary needs to be aired, cleaned and prepared.
Why are dates counted in nights, not days?
You check in on Saturday afternoon and leave a week later on Saturday morning, so you spend seven nights here but eight calendar days. That is why the calendar shows the 1st to the 7th as booked; on the 8th, someone else is already checking in. The calendar therefore shows seven days, even though the participant is on site for eight.
Should I go into the dark for a week, three nights, or one?
The most common length is one week, chosen by roughly 95% of people. It is not our rule, more the rhythm your body is used to from work and weekends, and it tends to be long enough for the mind to settle. Longer stays come in multiples of weeks: fourteen days, twenty-one, or at most forty-nine.
Shorter stays exist too. Three nights are usually chosen by people who can’t get away from work, or who aren’t sure they want to go all in. One night is a stay in its own right, not a dress rehearsal. The decision is yours, and nobody will try to talk you into staying longer.
Do people regret choosing a shorter stay?
You ask about the length beforehand, but you only know the answer afterwards. This is what people who tried a short stay first write in their Google reviews.
It was great, but 3 days was short. I am already looking forward to autumn, when I’ll go into the dark for a whole week.
Hanka Gabrielová, March 2026
I have been on this dark retreat twice, first cautiously for 3 nights, now for 6.
Jiří Matějček, January 2026
The only thing you can be afraid of is having time for yourself. I plan to come back for a week.
Jan Blažek, December 2025
When is a booked date really mine?
A requested date appears in the calendar, but it is only blocked once the booking deposit has been paid. Until then, anyone else can request it. If your date disappears from the calendar, get in touch anyway — cancellations happen all the time, and we offer a freed-up place first to those who contacted us earlier.
What do I need to arrange in advance?
In the sanctuary you can fast or have vegetarian meals provided. This is agreed beforehand, not on arrival. How to arrange your work and household so that nobody comes looking for you during your stay is described separately on the page about preparing for a dark retreat.
Get in touch
If you have more questions or still aren’t sure what’s what, don’t hesitate to call. We will help and explain.