Expedition Joy
With Joy into the mountains. Six days in the Italian Alps. Come as you are. Leave as more.
Facilitated by OTRO Elements
- Where
- Albagnano Healing Centre → Alpe Selvaccia & Val Gronda
- How long
- 6 days
- Group
- 10–12 people
- Languages
- English, Dutch
The experience
This expedition is about returning to joy. It begins at the Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre above Lago Maggiore for preparation and grounding, then moves up into the mountains.
Cold exposure, breathwork and stillness are used the way the research supports them: to settle the nervous system and build emotional resilience. Multi-day hiking through Val Gronda terrain asks nothing of you except presence.
Deep Ecology practices, following the Spiral of the Work That Reconnects, run alongside guided group processes designed to build belonging. The programme weaves these elements together with love — in one of the most humbling landscapes on earth.
The character of this experience
What the facilitator has told us about their own trip. Anything they have not said is simply not here.
- Depth of the experience
- Next level inner journeyThis is not a treat trip. In many cases this is transformative: you look at parts of yourself that are not always pretty or pleasant. That brings uncomfortable moments and often brings up grief you may look at and let go of. It makes contact with deeper layers in you, and so with your heart. It lets you sink towards your true essence, towards what you have to bring to this world.
Who this is for
Said plainly, so you can rule it out as easily as rule it in.
- You want nervous-system work and mountain walking in the same week
- You are open to group process, not only solo time
- You can manage several consecutive days of alpine hiking
- You want a purely physical trekking holiday
- Cold exposure and breathwork are not something you are willing to try
What's included
Included
- Cold exposure, breathwork and stillness practices
- Multi-day alpine hiking in Val Gronda terrain
- Deep Ecology practices using the Spiral of the Work That Reconnects
- Guided group processes and interactive sessions
- Yoga and reflection sessions
- Facilitation by Tjeerd, Marit, Kalijn and Fernanda
Not included
- VAT — the price is quoted excluding it
- Travel to and from Italy
- Personal and travel insurance
Meet your facilitator
OTRO Elements
6 years running experiences
OTRO Elements run “nature-based expeditions designed for reflection, deep connection, and the art of letting go”. Their basecamp is Alpe Selvaccia — 22 hectares of alpine meadow and pine forest above Rassa in the Valsesia, with rustic huts, a fire circle, a tipi and a yoga platform looking out at Monte Rosa. They call the facilitator team the Tribe: Quirine, Fenneke, Tjeerd, Marit, Kalijn, Fernanda, Raymond, Robert-Jan, Benny and others, working alongside local Italian hosts and mountain guides.
Why you can trust this listing
- A person read this listing against a checklist before it went live. It carries the quality stamp only because it passed.
- Every photo above was confirmed as this experience, not stock photography.
- Your money is held in a third-party client account and released to the facilitator 1 day after the experience starts.
Practical details
Including the cancellation terms — visible before you book, not buried at checkout.
Meeting point
Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre, above Lago Maggiore, for the opening days before the group moves up to Alpe Selvaccia.
What to bring
Walking boots suitable for multi-day alpine terrain Warm layers, hat and gloves — early October is cold at altitude Swimwear and towel for cold-water practice A daypack of 30–35 litres
Accessibility
Several consecutive hiking days on alpine terrain, with nights at a basecamp reached on foot. Not suitable for wheelchair users. Dietary requirements can be accommodated — tell the supplier at booking.
Cancellation — Moderate
Full refund up to 30 days before the start date.
- More than 30 days before: 100% refund.
- More than 14 days before: 50% refund.
- Inside the last window: 0% refund.
Insurance to consider
Worked out from where this trip goes, how long it lasts and what the terrain is like. Insurance is yours to arrange.
Cancellation cover
Pays back what you cannot get refunded if you have to cancel or cut the trip short, for example through illness.
a.s.r. annuleringsverzekering(opens in a new tab)Medical costs abroad
Pays for a doctor or hospital outside the Netherlands. Your Dutch health insurance may not cover everything abroad.
a.s.r. reisverzekering (via Mountain Beat)(opens in a new tab)Rescue and repatriation
Pays for search, rescue and the journey home after an accident or illness. In remote or mountain areas a helicopter rescue can cost tens of thousands of euros.
NKBV Expeditieverzekering (membership required)(opens in a new tab)
The facilitator has not described the terrain yet, so this is based on the region and length only.
The insurance you actually need depends on your own circumstances, such as the cover you already have. Naturetreats does not sell or recommend insurance: check any policy against your own situation before you travel.