On a clear night on Sark, the Milky Way can be visible overhead to the naked eye, with no city glow to compete against it. What any guest sees still depends on the weather, so the sky is never sold as a guarantee.
Sark became the world’s first Dark Sky Island in January 2011, and that darkness carries through a five-night yoga and wellness retreat here.
One evening included
Sark Observatory
One evening of the retreat is spent at Sark Observatory as part of the programme.
The rest of the week does not revolve around telescopes. Morning and evening yoga give the day its fixed points, while the middle hours and afternoons remain free around the guided parts of the retreat.
After sunset
What the dark sky changes
After sunset on Sark, the island gets properly dark.
Research into evening light shows that light exposure can suppress melatonin, the hormone involved in signalling sleep. Guests often tell us they sleep better here.
For the astronomy itself, use the Dark Sky Almanac to explore the night sky by season.
The retreat
What a day looks like
Morning yoga starts early and breakfast follows. The middle of the day and afternoons are free, with guided walks and wild swimming included during the week. Evening practice and dinner close the day.
Meals are vegetarian, prepared by a private chef and eaten together family style.
The retreat lasts five nights. The early booking rate is £1,495 per person for a shared room and £1,995 for a single room. The standard shared-room rate is £1,695 per person.
Getting here
Sark is about 45 minutes from Guernsey by ferry
Sark has no airport. The final leg is the passenger ferry from Guernsey with Sark Shipping, which takes about 45 minutes.
For flights, ferry connections, luggage and arrival, use the getting to Sark guide. For more on the island itself, start with Why Sark?.
