Grief getaways are on the rise—here are the retreats leading the way

Grief, it seems, is no longer the private journey it once was. Today, travellers are signing up for a new batch of grief getaways that mix age-old rituals with everything from talking therapy to cold-water healing. And it’s a growing trend. A 2025 Global Wellness Institute report notes a surge in grief rituals and forecasts the global grief‑counselling market will reach about $4.52bn (£3.36bn) by 2029 — up from an estimated $3.67bn (£2.73bn) in 2025 — as demand for support around loss and bereavement grows. This points to a broader societal shift, one that brings emotional wellbeing and mourning out of the shadows.

While bereavement is a common reason to attend, Sabine Wensink of Surf Therapy Travel notes that sorrow can take many forms. “Some guests are mourning a loved one; others are navigating major life transitions or feeling overwhelmed by the pace of modern life.” One thing is certain: all of these transformative journeys offer countless ways to process and reflect — whether surfing waves in Portugal, exploring Gaelic grieving rituals in the Inner Hebrides, or plunging into cold water in Sweden.

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1. Gather the Keeners, Inner Hebrides, UK

Best for: Reclaiming keening, the ancient funeral cry

Why go? Held on the Isle of Eigg, a Hebridean island off Scotland’s west coast, this women-only retreat explores grief as a shifting landscape rather than a problem to be solved or swept under the carpet. Drawing on the ancient practice of keening — a vocal expression of sorrow once common at funerals in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands — the gathering connects with Gaelic grief traditions.

The week-long retreat is led by Jude Lally, an artist whose work focuses on the pre-Christian roots of keening rituals. Using motifs and myths, she guides group keening circles, alongside meditations held at nearby sacred sites. There’s also time for walks, storytelling and crafting traditional dolls linked to Scotland’s folkloric ancestral mothers, offering symbolic ways to honour loss.

2. Tears of Amber & Gold, Bohuslän, Sweden

Best for: Cold-water healing with a splash of Norse mythology

Why go? For those wanting to get far, far away from it all, Tears of Amber & Gold in Sweden’s remote Kärlingesund Retreat Center beckons. Held each February by wellness company Leaves of Lien to welcome the new seasonal chapter, this six-day grief ritual draws on the restorative power of the nearby archipelago, treating it as an active participant in the process of mourning and renewal.

“The retreat centre is a five-minute walk from the ocean,” says mentor Lien De Coster, noting that a nearby stream is treated as a ceremonial altar and that guests can also take cold-water plunges. The Norse goddess Freya, whose tears were said to turn to gold on land and amber in water, looms large at this retreat. “As a closing ritual, we return the harvested water, now salty with our tears, back to the ocean,” Lien adds.

3. Mending Hearts Retreat, Koh Samui, Thailand

Best for: The broken-hearted

Why go? The aftermath of a romantic break-up can be a lonely, disorienting time. For those seeking a community of like-minded people, this gathering offers a nurturing space to process the emotional fallout, all in the soothing setting of the tropical island of Koh Samui. The six-night retreat is held at the beachfront Santiburi Koh Samui, a high-end resort surrounded by lush gardens dotted with lotus ponds.

Recognising that emotional anguish can disrupt appetite, sleep, focus and mood, the schedule encourages realignment of the body, mind and heart. The focus is on self-compassion and reflection via trauma-informed therapy, group sharing and ocean-side yoga. There are also plenty of opportunities for walks beneath palms or hikes to nearby waterfalls.

4. Heart Healing Wellness Retreat, Sierra Nevada, California

Best for: A bespoke, creative take on healing

Why go? Cocooned in a forested patch of the Sierra Nevada foothills, this rustic wooden cabin eco-lodge is the place to come for holistic therapies that aid emotional wellbeing. For those seeking a solo retreat, Luma Via offers a three-day experience individually tailored to each guest’s personal needs.

Practices include a free-flow art session, letter writing and grief yoga; a method pioneered by yogi Paul Denniston to release heartache through movement. The visit culminates in a closing ceremony that calls forth new visions for the future. Luma Via is also home to a Himalayan salt cave, a domed meditation temple and a soundproof rage room, perfect for letting it all out.

5. Belonging Family Retreat, Elan Valley, UK

Best for: Family bonding

Why Go? Tucked away in a mossy Welsh woodland that feels lifted from The Lord of the Rings, the Belonging Family Retreat is a magical hideaway where families can wander ancient forests and reconnect with one another. While not designed specifically for those grieving, the course encourages families to take stock and nurture relationships, all amid a bewitching landscape.

Children explore the woodland, learning practical outdoor skills like foraging, shelter-building and fire-making, while parents participate in guided reflection sessions, mindfulness exercises and workshops on intergenerational patterns. Shared meals, storytelling and creative projects further deepen connection, helping families pause, bond and step back into daily life with a renewed sense of togetherness.

6. Healing with Horses: A Grief Retreat, Santa Monica, US

Best for: Equine therapy

Why go? Discover inner peace — and perhaps your inner cowboy or cowgirl — at Malibu Dream Resort, a luxury mountain-top ranch overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Over a three-night retreat, guests harness the benefits of equine therapy via interactions with the horses, which include grooming, riding and groundwork. There are also daily group grief sessions and vibrating sound baths.

“The horses are magical,” says the retreat’s founder, therapist Angela Schellenberg, whose brand of equine therapy addresses grief, loss and attachment trauma. “Grief isn’t just something you think about, it’s something your body physically carries,” she says. “Horses help by offering a calm, non-judgemental presence that helps people feel held, supported and less alone as they move through loss.”

7. Soul Surfers Retreat, The Algarve, Portugal

Best for: Letting the ocean lift your spirits 

Why go? When life feels stormy, surf therapy offers a somatic approach that combines time spent in the ocean with reflective sessions. This week-long retreat organised by Soul Therapy Travel, founded by therapist Sabine Wensink, offers a deep dive into surf therapy along Portugal’s coastline, often likened to California’s dazzling beaches. Daily sessions riding the waves are paired with sharing circles and yoga, alongside a diet of nourishing vegetarian meals.

Thankfully, you don’t need to be the next Kelly Slater to join, as all surfing abilities are welcome. The focus is on staying in the moment, rather than staying up on the board. Sabine says: “It’s about harnessing the ocean’s natural rhythm as a mirror for life’s challenges and inviting participants to move through stress, grief or disconnection with presence and embodied awareness.”