Experience the magic of walking this sacred pilgrimage in a life-changing journey.
Namasté. My name is Daniel Pardo, I am from A Coruña, and I have been living by the Camino de Santiago, in Palas de Rei, for more than 6 years. I have organised and directed retreats, and I’ve taught yoga classes and trainings in this beautiful location, only a two days walk from Santiago.
I am a certified Yoga Siromani, a yoga teacher from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta lineage and a certified Thai Massage therapist, both of North and South Traditional Thai Massage schools: Wat Po and Sunshine School. I am also an Abhyanga Yoga (Ayurvedic Yoga Massage) practitioner. I teach both dynamic yoga and gentle restorative yoga classes and meditation sessions for all kinds of students.
I believe in the power of pilgrimage: walking can be a healing, life-changing experience, especially if we do it with an intention.
So I invite you to join me in this 8 day journey, beginning in the highest mountains of Galicia: O Cebreiro, and ending in Santiago de Compostela. The journey includes yoga classes, personalised bodywork sessions and several exclusive cultural visits.
Yoga classes will always begin with breathwork and end with savasana (final relaxation) and meditation.
Here is a little summary of the things we’ll see and do:
Day 1: Madrid.
We’ll meet in Madrid. I will help you get checked in to your hotel room and we’ll have dinner with the rest of the group and an orientation about the pilgrimage. Day one of the Camino starts tomorrow so a good rest is highly advised!
Day 2: O Cebreiro – Triacastela. Length: 22,3km.
Of course, the day will start with a yoga class, and after breakfast, we’ll head to the Camino.
The journey begins in O Cebreiro, a prehistoric town where we can visit the Pallozas, traditional thatched buildings. We will talk about the power of intention and we’ll set an intention for our pilgrimage before we start walking.
This is one of the most spectacular landscapes in the whole French Camino: we will walk on the Ancares mountains, through oak and pine tree forests. We’ll visit beautiful chapels on the way and enjoy the views of the Caurel mountain ranges. Once in Triacastela, you’re free to visit this small town with a rather marked pilgrimage character.
Day 3: Triacastela – Sarria. 17,9 km.
Beginning with a restorative yoga class and a delicious breakfast, we’ll leave our hotel and walk down from the mountains into an easier track: a long walk through the forest will bring peace to our spirits. The next cultural visit is the Samos Monastery. We will learn about this abby which is more than 1500 years old. The path to Sarria goes through more majestic oak and chestnut forests.
Day 4: Sarria – Portomarín. 22 km
We will start the day with gentle yoga and meditation and breakfast at your leisure.
We will enter the Ribeira Sacra, along the bank of the Miño, the biggest river in Galicia. This area is known for its fertile earth and excellent wine. We will reach Portomarín, an attractive village with numerous amenities.
Day 5: Portomarín – Palas de Rei. 25km.
Morning yoga and a nourishing breakfast to start the day energised and relaxed. Some of the biggest pasture fields in Galicia are here: in the Ulloa region, which Palas de Rei belongs to. Two fascinating visits today: the monastery and Romanesque Church of Vilar de Donas, where pilgrims used to come seeking refuge during the times of the crusades; and an organic milk farm, known for its excellent cheese, which preserves a traditional Galician farm house. We will sleep in the beautiful Parada das Bestas, where the chef María Varela will prepare a delicious dinner for us.
Day 6: Palas de Rei – Arzúa: 29 km.
Restorative yoga to recover and charge up our batteries for more walking today. Breakfast in A Paínza is sublime!
Restorative yoga and meditation to start the day. And an abundant breakfast. The castle of Pambre is a medieval building we’ll get to visit today, and possibly it gives its name to the village of Palas de Rei (Palace of the King). The next stop is Melide, with a beautiful historical center. Melide is the best place to have a typical Galician meal. We’ll continue our journey to Arzúa, where we’ll stay in A Paínza, a wonderful holiday cottage.
Day 7: Arzúa – O Pino: 18,4km.
We’ll cross Ponte de Ribadiso, a medieval bridge, and walk by forests and pasturelands to arrive at O Pino. Tomorrow it’s the last day of our pilgrimage: Santiago awaits, so it’s advised to rest and get ready for the city. We’ll have another meditation session in the evening before dinner. If the sky is clear, we will watch the stars. Campus Stellae(Compostela) means the field of stars, and we’re following their layout: the Milky Way.
Day 8: O Pino – Santiago: 20,2 km
Dynamic yoga and meditation today. We’ll walk up to Lavacolla. There’s a river there that is said to be where pilgrims used to wash themselves to be clean when they arrived at the Santiago cathedral.
And we’ll reach Monte do Gozo, “mountain of joy”, where we’ll see Santiago for the first time.
We must have got our credential stamped during the Camino, so when we get to Santiago we can earn the Compostela, which is the certificate proving we’ve finished the pilgrimage. There’s much to see and do in Santiago, like: visit the cathedral, eat some tapas and walk around the medieval city, learning about its fascinating history.
Day 9: Santiago.
We won’t wake up too early today for yoga, so you can rest longer this morning. Then we will have a gentle yoga class at the hotel, followed by a closing ceremony, reviewing our intentions and talking about our hopes and desires. Like the desire to take with us what we’ve learned and experience and integrate it into our daily lives.
More time to explore Santiago if you want, or continue your trip. I will help you to make sure you have the best possible ending of your journey.
Please do not hesitate to ask any questions you have about this retreat. You can email me directly: daniel_pardo@hotmail.com or call me on +34 653820444.
¡Buen Camino!
Namasté.
Yatra 