If something on this site has felt familiar, I'd like to talk.
Let's have a Threshold Conversation
A Threshold Conversation is not a sales pitch. It is a thirty-minute conversation to find out whether Ultreia is the right thing, at the right time, for you.
I'll ask about where you are in your transition, what drew you here, and what you're hoping this kind of experience might offer. You can ask me anything. We'll both know by the end of the conversation whether this is a fit.
There is no obligation and no pressure. The worst that happens is you spend thirty minutes talking to someone who understands what you're going through.
Ultreia is a a pilgrimage and coaching practice. It is not therapy, counseling, or mental health treatment. If you are currently experiencing a mental health crisis or working with a therapist on acute psychological concerns, please discuss with your provider whether this program is appropriate for you at this time.
Book a Free Threshold Conversation
Questions people usually ask
The Ultreia guided pilgrimage is $4,995 per person. That covers the coaching and guiding I provide: your preparation sessions before the walk, eight days on the Camino at your side, daily evening reflection, your personalized journal and walking questions, and your integration sessions afterward.
It does not include your travel. You book your accommodation, daily breakfast, luggage transfer, and on-route support directly with a ground operator, which most pilgrims find runs roughly $1,000 to $1,300 for the route. International airfare, meals, and travel insurance are also yours to arrange. I work with a small number of trusted operators who know our route and standards, and I will put you in touch once you join a walk, so the booking is simple. The full breakdown is on the Experience page.
The walk begins in Ponte de Lima, in northern Portugal. Most pilgrims fly into Porto and travel on to Ponte de Lima from there. Once you book, Rob advises you on where we will gather the evening before we begin, and when we set out on the Camino.
Ultreia is not a dormitory pilgrimage. Each night you rest in a small hotel, guesthouse, or traditional Galician inn, in a private room with a private bathroom. The classic pilgrim albergues are part of the Camino's communal spirit, and that spirit lives in our shared walking and our evening conversations. But after days that ask a great deal of you, your room is your own: a quiet place to wash, write, and let the day settle.
A private room at every stop is a firm standard for an Ultreia walk. You arrange your lodging directly with a ground operator, and the ones I recommend know this route well and book to that standard, so a comfortable, quiet room is waiting for you each night without effort on your part. Pilgrims traveling together may share if they wish.
October is shoulder season on the Camino. The weather is mild, the trail is calmer, and the heavy crowds of summer have thinned. 2027 is also a Holy Year, which draws more pilgrims than usual, so the quieter autumn window was a deliberate choice to protect the unhurried, reflective experience Ultreia is built around.
A small group of six to eight people, each navigating a threshold of their own. Senior leaders, academics, healthcare professionals, and others stepping through a major career or life change. The group is kept deliberately small so it stays personal and the evening conversations stay honest.
Yes. Meals along the route are your own to choose, so you buy and manage food in a way that fits your needs and preferences. Breakfast is usually included in your accommodation package, so if you have dietary restrictions, raise those directly with your ground operator when you book, since that meal is theirs to arrange. The rest of the day's eating is yours, and it is generally simple to work around most needs on this route. If you have broader questions about what to expect, bring them to your Threshold Conversation.
You should be comfortable walking 15-20km a day for 8 days. Most people who prepare steadily for three to four months complete the route without difficulty. Rob provides a training guide and packing list during the pre-trip coaching sessions.
Many people who have already walked it find the experience of walking with structure and coaching profoundly different from the solo experience. If you walked the Camino and came back wondering how to integrate it, Ultreia may be exactly right for you.
No. The Camino has deep religious roots but the majority of modern pilgrims are not walking for religious reasons. What matters is openness to reflection, not any particular belief.
Partners are welcome if both meet the intake criteria and both are genuinely in transition. This is discussed during the Threshold Conversation.
Ultreia runs 1-2 pilgrimages per year. Joining the mailing list is the best way to be notified of future dates.