July 7-12, 2024
A Women’s Exploration Experience in Breathtaking Iceland
Are you longing for rejuvenation and expansion through the great outdoors, community, and creativity? Our international offering, ‘Under The Stars’ will include exploring the entirety of Iceland! We will be exploring the city, road-tripping through the lush landscapes of Iceland, sleeping under the stars in little remote cabins, sketching and hiking through some of the world’s most beautiful scenery, exploring National Parks, irreplaceable coffee sunrises, campfire meals, creative practices, and friends that last a lifetime.
Iceland is an explorer’s paradise: filled with jaw-dropping landscapes, waterfalls, ice caves, wild horses, black sand beaches, and more. With so much to see, we will be splitting our time between the city of Reykjavik and the beautiful coastline of Vic!
This trip will be limited to 10 attendees.
This week is for your creative curiosity - for every cell in your body that aches for adventure.
The idea behind this trip is that we disconnect from the pressure to create, the pressure to consume, and the pressure to perform. Instead we explore, we laugh, we run down Icelandic beaches and we take in the hot springs.
We will focus our time in nature each day, as the group decides between jaw-dropping national parks, hikes, and scenic locations to explore as a community. This weekend is for you - for every part of you.
Hiking and worldly exploration is an extension of our creative outlet. A place where flow becomes tangible. There is no inner critic, no restriction of time— only breath, rhythm, a deep release of exploration through our bodily motion and senses. We drop back into our body, and become less confined by it. We become directly immersed in the present— in what is — and remember there is curiosity, discipline, reverence, and mostly, ease. This is our most important work. The work to reinstate our connection to life.
Some of our Destinations Include:
Beautiful harbor colored houses, jaw-dropping landscape, delicious food, art galleries and more— the city of Reykjavik will kick off our trip! Here we will settle in for a few days and enjoy the landscape, the blue lagoon, and epic waterfall hikes.
From here, we will roadtrip around the Golden Circle to see some of Iceland’s most popular sights. We will hike through National Parks, Glaciers, and Waterfalls. The Golden Circle is the most popular roadtrip that covers about 300 kilometers and loops from Reykjavík into central Iceland and back in a day trip. This trip is an amazing way to see the diversity of Icelandic landscape; from waterfalls, to villages, and horses. Some of the most popular spots on our route will be Thingvellir National Park, Strokkur Geyser, Gullfoss Waterfall, Kerid Crater Lake, Skálholt Cathedral and more!
Halfway through the trip, we will pack our bags and head towards the SouthEast area of Iceland to visit the well-known airplane crash and beautiful black sand beaches. Situated on the country’s southern coast, Vik is home to some of Iceland’s most breathtaking scenery. We will be staying in beautiful little cabins near the coast for two days, exploring the nearby scenery. This is a great place to also bird watch the puffins, horseback ride through the country side, visit the abandoned plane, practice or learn photography, and more.
Iceland is a Nordic gem known for it’s gorgeous scenery and geographical wonders. Did you know that Iceland is home to the largest glacier in all of Europe? That's Vatnajökull, which covers 8% of Iceland’s landmass! There are natural hot springs across nearly every county in Iceland, fit for swimming all year long. The Icelandic horse roams the countryside, and was originally brought over by the Vikings in the 9th century. It’s one of the oldest breeds in the whole world.
It is through these sacred outdoor spaces that we will be reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that become lost in our everyday life. We can drop into a place of groundedness, and of curiosity- by allowing ourselves to absorb much more when we are able to quiet the mind. These moments of awe, paired with intentional body movement, are natural remedies for anxiety, exhaustion, and confusion. Our goal is to remember that we are more ourselves than ever before when touching the bark of a tree, watching a beautiful sunset, or feeling the sun on our skin. These moments allow us to drop everything. disconnect, and strip back the layered roles; to fall back into the world around us. Experiences such as this will allow us to feel and think differently, expanding our awareness, creative nature, and overall sense of joy.
We will be hiking to various waterfalls, national parks, glaciers and ice caves— none complete without a picnic along the lush greens or sketch time along the trail. We will enjoy group meals each day and soak in the relaxation of the infamous blue lagoon to end the trip, allowing us to feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle whatever comes next back home.
Everything below is included in your ticket price of $3500:
a 3 night / 4 day stay at a luxury hotel in downtown Reykjavik as well as a 2 night / 3 day stay at a cabin near the black sand beaches (2 per room, upgrade to your own space for $900 additional)
Transportation, snacks, and gas for our entire roadtrip of The Golden Circle and to/from the coastline of Vik. (If you have researched visiting Iceland, roadtripping gets tricky and expensive with limited resources like cars and fuel - we are taking care of this planning and expense so you can enjoy the ride!).
Entrance fee, transportation, and basic spa package for a group spa session at the Blue Lagoon
All hiking excursions and explorations including some of the most breathtaking waterfalls, national parks, and glaciers in the world
Breakfasts and snacks for hiking (please budget for additional meals)
Visits to Iceland’s Black Sand Beach and abandoned plane crash
Ice Cave Tour with a local professional (including all fees)
Creative Activities (sketching, portrait photography)
Guided group healing
Personalized swag bags
Memories that last a lifetime, authentic bonds with fresh faces, and a time to reset
Note: there is a spa onsite at the hotel in Reykjavik, where you will be able to purchase additional massages or services
Hi! We’re Linds and Sam
We met in 2016 and have been traveling the world together (or watching movies on the couch together) ever since! We made a pact in our girl group to plan one outdoor adventure trip per year to reconnect with one another, and disconnect from the stressors of daily life. Two years into the tradition, we knew we needed to bring more people along for the fun! We know first hand how important immersing ourselves outdoors can make an impact on mental, emotional, and physical health.
If you’re new here, we have been hosting retreats and building this amazing community since December of 2019. As both lovers of the outdoors, we have been backpacking and camping around the world together since our friendship began in Charleston 2016. To us, there is nothing more special than unplugging with those you love and resetting your nervous system with fresh air, a cozy camp, and freshly brewed coffee.
We cultivate these experiences based on our desires to build authentic friendship among women from a place of trust, exploration, expansion, and healing. We know it can be difficult to find friends or family who are willing to try new things or take time off. This is where our community comes in! It can be scary to do things ‘alone’ for the first time. But once you attend one retreat, you’re reminded you’re never truly alone x
I don’t consider myself an ‘artist’ or ‘creative’. Is this the retreat for me?
The very reason we started Ember and Solis was to disprove the very notion of ‘gatekeeping’ in the sense of artistic expression: meaning, we believe we are ALL innately creative. You do not need to consider yourself an artist, own a business, or have artistic experience to attend a retreat. All we ask is for you remain open-minded and curious throughout the process— we all find unique ways to drop into that curiosity and right-brained way of life.
What is not included in this pricing?
Your flight to Iceland is not included, alongside your ride from the airport. We will be working as a group to coordinate ride sharing/rental cars to make this as effortless as possible! We are planning to have some meal’s prepared for our adventure, but please factor in cash for some meals, alcohol, water and snacks during your stay. We highly encourage and will help to coordinate sharing a rental car with others from the airport ($350 split between 3-5 people).
Please keep in mind that the car rental rates and cost of gasoline in Iceland are extremely high, around 7USD per gallon. As we are covering the cost for the group roadtrip travel in your ticket price, please keep this in mind when viewing the investment.
What if I am new to hiking or outdoor adventure?
Our favorite thing to say is that it’s never too late to start! The main goal of ‘Under The Stars’ is to promote a safe community for those of us who have always longed for these adventures, but don’t always have the friends or family in our lives to explore them with! Lindsey and Sam have great experience in the outdoors, and will be there to guide you through basic safety needs and group hikes. We will not be participating in hikes that put anyone’s safety at risk, and all hikes will voted on by the group! Because this experience is created to ground you, each attendee has the choice to change their mind each day when choosing activities. That’s the beauty of this glamping site: there is always something to enjoy.
What airport should I fly into? Will we have communication with this process?
To get to Iceland you will fly into the Keflavík International Airport near Reykjavik. There are airport buses to get from the airport into Reykjavik as well as Taxis. We will set up a group chat with all the attendees prior to booking flights so that we can all coordinate, meet up, and find each other safely at our first stop - a luxury hotel in downtown Reykjavik. From there, we will be taking care of all transportation around the beautiful country.
What if I’ve never traveled internationally?
What an incredible trip to get you started! We will be there with you every step of the way to make sure you feel comfortable. For traveling to Iceland, you will need an up-to-date passport. We will be sending a thorough guide for international travel, exchange rates, trips and tricks to make sure everyone is safely on their way to arriving in Iceland!
What is the room sharing situation like?
Each cabin and hotel room be shared between two attendees, with your choice to share a queen sized bed or take the comfortable sleeper sofa. If you wish to book a cabin entirely for yourself, please get in touch! If you and a friend are looking to share a cabin specifically, that can be coordinated as well. Please email us.
Are men welcome on this experience?
Because this retreat is a cabin-sharing experience, we are only able to accept male-presenting attendees if they are able to book a cabin entirely for themselves, OR bring a friend to share their space with. This includes couples as well! It is important to us that all women on this trip would be only sharing an intimate space with someone they are comfortable with. Please email us if you have any questions.
What about food allergies or other food concerns?
We will be sending out a survey prior to arrival to address any and all food concerns! We ourselves have strict diets and will gladly accommodate for the group meals.
I’m new to traveling on a trip like this. How do I know what to bring?
Each attendee will be sent a specific list of goodies that will help make the trip effortless and fun. We will be sure to include everything down to the details of toiletries! We will do the work for you and be sure you’re prepared.
$3500 Investment with monthly installments
Please keep in mind that payment plans are available up until the event date. Once you sign up, we request a $250 deposit to hold your space. Each month until the experience, we will request a payment via a plan you’ve approved. All payments must be made before July 1 in order to attend the retreat.
If you are longing for the excitement of new adventure— the refreshment that comes after a day spent outdoors— and the flow state that comes from a place of re-alignment— this is for you x
Simply fill out the form below and we will send over your contract and deposit request!
If you have any questions or concerns, we are all ears. Feel free to send us an email, we’re happy to help you work it out x
