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What to expect on a breathwork retreat in Lanzarote

By Alan Dolan, Founder of Breathguru® • Retreat host, Lanzarote

Breathguru® Retreat Venue 2026

There is a moment that happens on almost every retreat I run — usually around day two or three — when something visibly shifts in a guest. The tension they arrived with, the tightness around the eyes, the slightly braced quality that so many of us carry without realising it — it begins to dissolve. They breathe differently. They hold themselves differently. They look, quite simply, more like themselves.

This is what a breathwork retreat in Lanzarote does. But if you are considering coming, you probably want to know a little more than that. What actually happens? What will a typical day look like? Will it be uncomfortable? Will it be worth it?

Here is an honest account of what you can expect.

Why Lanzarote?

Lanzarote is not a typical holiday island. It has 352 dormant volcanoes, an extraordinary landscape of black lava fields, white-washed villages, and sweeping Atlantic coastline. The light is different here. The air is clean, warm, and still. The island sits just 60 miles off the coast of Africa, which gives it a mild climate year-round — meaning a retreat here works beautifully in February just as much as it does in July.

I have been based here for years, and I chose this place deliberately. The environment matters enormously to the quality of breathwork. When you remove yourself from the noise and demands of your ordinary life — the commute, the emails, the constant pull of obligations — and place yourself in a setting of genuine beauty and stillness, the breath can go deeper. The results multiply exponentially. I have seen it happen hundreds of times.

My retreat is located in the village of Yaiza, close to the breathtaking Timanfaya Volcanic National Park — a place of extraordinary natural power and stillness that feels a world away from the chaos of modern life. Guests come from across the UK, Europe, and beyond.

What does a typical day look like?

Every retreat is tailored to the individual, but here is a sense of the rhythm that most guests experience:

Morning
The day begins gently. There is time to ease into the morning — to have breakfast, sit in the garden, watch the light change over the volcanic landscape. There is no pressure, no itinerary to race through. The pace of a retreat is intentionally slow, because slowing down is itself part of the process.

Breathwork session
Each day includes at least one one-to-one breathwork session with me. These are the heart of the retreat. You lie down comfortably, close your eyes, and we begin. I guide you through the Conscious Connected Breathing pattern — a circular, continuous breath that gradually builds in depth and intensity. Music plays. I am with you throughout, offering support, guidance, and presence as the experience unfolds.
Sessions typically last between 60 and 90 minutes. No two sessions are the same — because no two days are the same, and the Breath responds to where you are right now. Some sessions are deeply emotional. Some are physical — you may feel tingling, warmth, or energy moving through the body. Some are peaceful and expansive. All of them are valuable.

Integration
After each session, we take time to sit together and talk — to process what came up, to understand what shifted, and to give it meaning in the context of your life. This integration time is as important as the breathwork itself. The Breath surfaces material; integration helps you work with it.

Bodywork with Matthieu
One of the things that makes a Breathguru® retreat truly exceptional is the presence of Matthieu, our gifted massage therapist and bodyworker. Every guest receives one bodywork session with Matthieu as part of their retreat package — included in the price, with no extras to think about.

Breathwork and bodywork are natural partners. The breath releases what is held in the body; bodywork helps to integrate that release at a physical level, softening tissue, restoring flow, and grounding the nervous system. Matthieu’s work is deeply skilled and profoundly restorative, and many guests tell us that their session with him was among the most powerful experiences of the entire retreat.

It will perhaps come as no surprise that the vast majority of guests who experience their complimentary session choose to book additional sessions with Matthieu — many returning daily, or as frequently as their schedule allows. Additional sessions are available to book during the retreat at a supplement. We recommend leaving your options open and seeing how you feel after the first session.

The rest of the day
The remainder of the day is yours. Some guests walk in the volcanic landscape surrounding Yaiza, or explore the dramatic terrain of the nearby Timanfaya Volcanic National Park. Some visit the beach. Some simply rest, read, or sleep. The island has a quality of restorative stillness that guests consistently comment on. For those who want to explore further, Lanzarote’s architecture, food, and natural wonders are extraordinary — the island was deeply shaped by the artist and architect César Manrique and has a visual beauty unlike anywhere else in the Canary Islands.

Many guests tell me they sleep more deeply during a retreat than they have in years. The combination of the breathwork, Matthieu’s bodywork, the stillness of Yaiza, and the extraordinary landscape creates the conditions for a quality of rest that most of us have forgotten is even possible.

What is included?

A Breathguru® retreat is fully inclusive. From a four-night stay, everything is taken care of so that your only job is to breathe and be present. This includes:

Additional bodywork sessions with Matthieu are available to book during your stay at a supplement.

Retreats are intentionally small and intimate. This is not a group programme — it is a deeply personal experience, tailored to you.

Who comes on a breathwork retreat?

The guests who come to Lanzarote are as varied as the reasons that bring them. Some are at a crossroads in their lives — facing a major decision, recovering from a difficult period, feeling the need for something to shift. Some are dealing with grief, anxiety, or burnout. Some come simply because they have heard about the retreat and feel drawn to it, even if they cannot quite explain why.

What they have in common is a willingness to be open — to give the Breath the chance to do what it does. You do not need prior experience of breathwork. You do not need to be spiritual or particularly wellness-oriented. You simply need to be ready to show up and breathe.

Is it the right retreat for me?

A Breathguru® retreat is not a yoga holiday or a spa break, though it shares with those experiences a deep commitment to your wellbeing. It is a genuine working retreat — one that asks something of you, and gives back considerably more.

If you are looking for something that will genuinely change how you feel — not just for the duration of the holiday, but afterwards, in your life — then yes, this retreat is likely right for you.

Retreats are available throughout the year, with specific group retreat dates and year-round individual stays. Spaces are limited, and many retreats fill well in advance.

If you would like to find out more or discuss whether this retreat is right for you, please get in touch at info@breathguru.com. I look forward to welcoming you to Lanzarote.

Alan Dolan is the founder of Breathguru® and host of the Breathguru® Retreats in Lanzarote. He has been featured in Forbes, The Guardian, The Times, and The Telegraph. Visit breathguru.com for dates and availability.