Backstory
I knew when I got to Australia that I wanted to slow down and be in one place for a few weeks to reset and recharge after an action-packed five months of backpacking Africa.
But when I started searching on Airbnb for an affordable place to stay, I quickly realized that such a place did not exist, at least, not one that would keep me within my $100/day budget. Not to mention, most of the places would require me to rent a car, increasing the daily cost.
While searching, I noticed that one of the hosts of a cabin was listed as a retreat center. I did a Google search to find their website, in the hope that booking direct was cheaper. Then I found a page that said they are in need of volunteers, and they can offer free accommodation in exchange for a bit of work each day. Immediately I knew that this was where I was supposed to go – and it wasn't just because of the volunteer exhange.
A few months before I left the U.S. for Africa, I was gifted a meditation class to learn how to meditate. The teacher encouraged us to build a daily habit, which I had not done. When I found the retreat center – a Buddhist meditation retreat center – I saw the opportunity to actually build a daily meditation habit in a supportive environment.
Finding this place wound up being an inflection point in my trip, the moment my travel shifted from seeing the world to healing.
If you've had the chance to check out my free resource, the Solo Retreat Guide, inside I recommend finding a retreat center where you can do your own retreat, just like I did. Airbnb is definitely one way to find one, but it's not the only way. Before I get into how to find a place to volunteer, and what you need to know before you do, here's a few places where you can look to find retreat centers, which often offer low-cost accommodation outside of official retreats.
Clara Ritger
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How To Find Retreat Centers
- Retreat directories: RetreatGuru, BookRetreats, RetreatFinder. These index meditation, yoga, and wellness retreats worldwide and let you filter by date, price, and focus.
- Meditation networks: Vipassana (Dhamma.org / Vipassana sites) lists donation-based 10-day courses worldwide; Insight Meditation communities and local Buddhist centers often list retreats and long-stay opportunities.
- Yoga & wellbeing platforms: YogaTrail, YogaRetreats and similar sites list studio-run retreats and silent retreats that sometimes accept short-term guests or offer discounted stays.
- Airbnb (search “retreat” or “retreat center”): Useful for finding small centers and cabins; host profiles sometimes link to a center website with volunteer info.
- Local retreat center websites: Once you find a center by name (from a directory or an Airbnb listing), go to their official site — many list volunteer or work-exchange opportunities on their own pages.
- Facebook Groups & Meetup: Search for regional meditation, yoga, or retreat groups. Hosts sometimes post volunteer needs or upcoming retreats there.
- University or church retreat programs: Some local colleges, theological schools, or churches run retreat houses that accept volunteers or offer low-cost stays.
- Local tourism boards / visitor centers: Especially in smaller regions, visitor sites may have a list of retreat centers or farm stays.
- Instagram / Threads / X: Search location tags + “retreat” or “meditation” — smaller retreat centers often use social media to post volunteer calls.
- Word of mouth & local notice boards: When you arrive somewhere, check community notice boards or ask at cafes and local studios.
If you want the step-by-step on how to actually volunteer in exchange for accommodation — the expectations, how to vet hosts, visas, hidden costs, and more — read on. Below, I share exactly how to make this happen: what volunteering at a retreat center is really like, how to find legitimate hosts, and what I wish I’d known before I arrived.
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