3 dolphin swims a day
6am, 10am and 3pm, always with experienced guides. Your alarm clock? A pod of dolphins.
Applications open · the list hears price and conditions first
Dolphin Solar Eclipse Retreat · July and August 2027
First the dolphins. Then 6 minutes and 22 seconds of night in broad daylight.
Seven days on the water with wild dolphins and breathwork. Want more? Then you watch the sun disappear together in Luxor. For men and women.
July 24 to 31, 2027 (boat)Optional through Aug 5, 2027: eclipse in Luxor, temples & pyramids
Sataya Reef → LuxorEgypt
16 to 18 participantsMen & women
Price coming soonThe list hears it first
Status Applications open · confirmed at 10 participantsLanguages English · Dutch
Why this retreat, why now
On August 2, 2027, the moon will pass directly in front of the sun. Stand in the right place and day turns to night for 6 minutes and 22 seconds. It’s the longest total solar eclipse until 2114.
I’ve stood in the shadow of the moon four times: Australia (2012), Indonesia (2016), Oregon, USA (2017) and Spain (August 2026). In 2024 I felt the eclipse in Mazunte, Mexico, on the last day of a 17 day silent retreat. Luxor will be the next one. And this time we’ll stand there together, as a group that has just spent a week living on the water.
Duration of totality
6 minutes 22 seconds (Aug 2, 2027, around midday, local time)
Best viewing spot
Luxor: centerline of the eclipse path, best odds of clear skies
Previous and next this long
2005 (Spain) · 2114 (Australia)
Goddesses & Dolphins retreat, Sataya Reef and Egypt, November 2023
Who this is for, and who it isn’t
This is for you
- You long to feel truly alive again, in your body and your heart
- You’ve dreamed of swimming with wild dolphins for years
- You want to witness the longest eclipse of our lifetime, together with a group
- You’re ready to let something old go and come home lighter
- You love the sea, the sun and waking up on the water
- You want to share this with your partner or a friend, or meet new soul friends
- You say yes to breathwork, dance, ceremony and lots of laughter
This is not for you
- You’re looking for resort luxury and room service
- You’d rather watch from the sidelines than join in
- You want dolphins on demand; here, the wild ones decide
- You expect the retreat to do the work for you
Why dolphins
At Sataya Reef, a resident pod of wild spinner dolphins comes back every day to the same shallow lagoon: not trained, but by choice. We get in the water and make ourselves available; what happens next isn’t up to us.
Not entertainment
We’re guests in their home, not customers of an attraction.
Strict guidelines
No touching, no chasing, small groups and always a briefing first.
We honor their rhythm
Sometimes they come close, sometimes they keep their distance; that’s the agreement. We adapt our program to them.
Protection built in
Part of the fee goes toward reef protection and the National Park contribution.
Many participants describe meeting the dolphins as a turning point. Dolphins are known for their calming effect and can help with stress and tension.
The program
Here’s what to expect. The exact program for each day follows closer to the date.
Dolphin Connection Seminar
Learn to speak a little dolphin: their behavior, safety and how to prepare. Not a strong swimmer? No need: snorkeling works at any level.
Compassionate Breathwork
Breathing with kindness for your nervous system, with the sea as your soundtrack.
Heart meditations & heart opening sessions
Every day: stillness and gentle reflection. Your heart gets a holiday too.
Cacao ceremony with Blue Lotus
Heart opening preparation. Warm, chocolatey and a little bit magic.
PranaBliss Workshop
Breath, energy and bliss: afterwards, you’ll understand the name.
Yoga
Under the stars, gently rocked by the boat.
Ecstatic Dance
Shoes off, music on, the deck as your dance floor. Even if you’re quite sure you can’t dance.
Joy & Laughter Workshop
Joy as medicine. Warning: laughter is highly contagious.
Empowerment & jewelry photoshoot
With face jewels from my own collection (Goddess Warrior Jewelry).
Go home with photos you’ll actually want to share.
A day on board
It’s 6am and the water is still glassy.
- 6:00amFirst dolphin session
- 8:00amBreakfast
- 10:00amSecond dolphin session
- 1:30pmLunch & rest
- 3:00pmThird dolphin session (if the dolphins are around)
- 7:00pmDinner
- EveningYoga, healing circles, Compassionate Breathwork or ecstatic dance
This is the general shape of the days; no two are exactly alike.
The boat
For one week, a comfortable motor yacht is your home: full board with three buffet meals a day, fresh juices and unlimited water/tea/coffee/soft drinks. Private bathroom, air conditioning and spacious sun decks.
You’ll share a cabin with another participant of the same gender, unless you apply together with a partner or friend. A private cabin is available for a surcharge.
Most guests say sharing a cabin becomes one of the most meaningful parts of the retreat.
The structure
Seven nights on board
Seven nights on board at Sataya Reef (July 24 to 31). If you book the extension, you then travel on to Luxor.
Setting intentions in Luxor
On the morning of August 2, 2027, you gather with your group to set your intention.
The moon covers the sun
Slowly the moon slides in front of the sun. The light shifts, the temperature drops.
Ceremony during totality
During totality I hold a group ceremony: felt, not instructed.
Optional extension: exploring more of Egypt
After the week on the boat you travel on to Luxor for the eclipse on August 2. Then, through August 5, we continue to the temples of Luxor and the pyramids near Cairo. You book this extension (July 31 through August 5) separately, at extra cost:
- Karnak Temple & Hatshepsut Temple, both in Luxor
- A dinner cruise on the Nile
- The Giza pyramids & the Sphinx, incl. inside the Great Pyramid
- The Tomb of Kagemni, the Pyramid of Titi and the Step Pyramid of Saqqara
- The Khan El Khalili market in Cairo
Price and logistics on request; just ask me through the form.
Who’s guiding you
I’m Anne de Boer, from Amsterdam. On board I hold the breath and the container; experienced guides take care of the reef.
- In November 2023 I led the Goddesses & Dolphins retreat, right here at Sataya Reef
- Three total solar eclipses so far: Australia (2012), Indonesia (2016) and Oregon, USA (2017)
- Certified breathwork coach since 2019
- IAKP certified Kambo practitioner
- Ten editions of Rise Up Women’s Retreat
- A background in festival programming, so every day has a flow that makes sense
What I’m not: a dolphin trainer. Out here they’re wild, and that’s how it stays.
What participants of my other retreats say
Nobody can tell you about the 2027 dolphin retreats yet; they haven’t happened. What people can tell you is how I hold a group. Here’s what participants of my other retreats wrote, in their own words.
Anne is such a wonderful host, guide and human being, grounded, intuitive and genuinely caring. She creates a space where you can simply be, drop in, and feel held.Healing and playfulness. Trust and safety. Connecting with women and letting the magic do its work; this was definitely not my last time with Nada and Anne.Each part of the programme has been carefully chosen, like beads on a necklace, so that the different processes blend and strengthen seamlessly.Investment & applying
I’ll share the price of the boat week (July 24 to 31) soon. Apply now and you’ll hear it first, with the best conditions.
Eclipse extensionExtra costJuly 31 to Aug 5: eclipse in Luxor, temples & pyramids in Cairo. Price on request
Apply together€150 off p.p.You + a friend, both booked
Private cabinSurchargeOn request, limited availability
Deposit€500Balance due 90 days before departure · payment plans available
Included (boat)
- 7 nights on board, full board
- 3 buffet meals a day + snacks
- Fresh juice daily, unlimited water/tea/coffee/soft drinks
- Daily dolphin sessions with experienced guides
- Mask, fins, snorkel
- The full program
- Empowerment & jewelry photoshoot
- National Park contribution (€150 p.p.)
- Airport transfer from Hurghada
- Crew tip (€80 p.p.), we take care of it
Not included
- Flight to Hurghada
- Visa (€28 to €30 cash)
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- Personal expenses
- Optional eclipse extension & temple visits
Paying and cancelling
Deposit
€500 secures your spot. The deposit is not refundable.
Up to 90 days before departure you can move your deposit once, free of charge, to another dolphin retreat within 12 months.
Balance
The balance is due 90 days before departure.
Payment plans available.
Cancelling
90 days or more before departure: you get back everything you paid, except the deposit.
Within 90 days of departure: no refund. You can transfer your spot to someone else, or, in consultation, move it to a later dolphin retreat if there’s space.
What if the retreat doesn’t go ahead?
If there are too few bookings or in case of force majeure, you get back everything you paid me.
So please book your flight only once I confirm the retreat.
I strongly recommend cancellation insurance.
Is this only for women? And can I come alone?
No, and yes. My Goddesses & Dolphins retreat here in 2023 was for women; this is a new, mixed group for men and women. Coming alone is absolutely fine: the circles on board are there precisely so you get to know each other.
Do I need to be a good swimmer?
No. Snorkeling is accessible at any level. You’ll be in a group with guides, and the water is calm. Feeling nervous? Just say so; we’ll prepare you well.
What if the dolphins don’t show up?
Dolphins are present at Sataya almost every day, but sometimes they keep their distance. When that happens, we adapt: extra breathwork, extra swimming, extra depth.
Do I share a cabin?
Yes, with someone of the same gender, unless you apply together with a partner or friend. A private cabin is available for a surcharge, limited availability.
What if it’s cloudy on eclipse day?
Luxor has almost zero chance of cloud cover in August. If it happens anyway, we still hold the ceremony. You’ll feel the shift in light and temperature in your body regardless.
Can I do just the boat week, without the eclipse?
Yes. You can book the boat retreat (July 24 to 31) without the eclipse extension.
What if there aren’t enough participants?
The retreat runs once we reach 10 confirmed bookings. If the retreat doesn’t go ahead, because of too few bookings or force majeure, you get back everything you paid me. So please book your flight only once I confirm the retreat.
Do I need to be into spirituality?
No. The eclipse itself is an astronomical event; the moon is simply doing her thing. What you do with it is up to you. Watching is fine, setting an intention too.
How does payment work, and what if I need to cancel?
A €500 deposit secures your spot; the balance is due 90 days before departure. Payment plans available. I’ll share the price of the boat week soon.
The deposit is not refundable. Up to 90 days before departure you can move your deposit once, free of charge, to another dolphin retreat within 12 months. If you cancel 90 days or more before departure, you get back everything you paid, except the deposit. Within 90 days of departure there’s no refund. You can transfer your spot to someone else, or, in consultation, move it to a later dolphin retreat if there’s space.
I strongly recommend cancellation insurance.
Feel the pull? Tell me who you are
Fill in the form and I’ll get in touch with you personally. No obligation, just getting to know each other. Still in doubt? That’s exactly when to reach out. Apply now and you’ll hear the price first, with the best conditions.
Rather send a message? →
Rather talk it through first? Message me on WhatsApp at +31 6 8166 7948 or email [email protected]. Tell me a little about yourself, whether you want the eclipse extension and anything medical or practical I should know.
The moon doesn’t wait. Neither does your heart.