The Spirit of Ancient Scandinavia awaits you

Escape the modern world with Alvi Gunilla and Primal Nordic in Älvdalen, the heart of Viking culture

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☼ Everything that is, sprung from what was

We need to reconnect with our ancestors and to strengthen our bond with the natural world. It is now more important than ever. I will be honored to guide you on this path, through a set of timeless skills that I share with you on this retreat.- @PrimalNordic

A man with long blonde hair, a beard, and mustache stands with arms crossed in a forest at sunset, wearing a black sweater and cargo pants.

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This retreat is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, for me also. Even by Swedens standards, Älvdalen is enchanting. Let us take you there! - @AlviGunilla

A woman in a white dress standing outdoors among moss-covered rocks and trees.

Out of the world, into the wild

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Our retreat aims to reawaken something Ancient within you. Alvi Gunilla and Primal Nordic have worked together to offer you a chance to enter an unknown world hidden in the secluded mountains of Älvdalen, Dalarna. The place where the runes survived and was used as late as the 20th century. For five nights and six days, a limited group will join us to learn and uncover the secrets of the runes, discovering the magic within them and learning how to use them.

We will also embark on expeditions into the wild with Primal Nordic. Within the silent, ancient mountains and crystal clear lakes we will learn how to survive on what nature offers us. We will be fishing in the wild waters and make fires and shelters in the towering primeval forest untouched by human civilisation.

Navardalen lake, the location of the retreat

10 - 15th November 2026

See the Elfdalian runes on barns and houses on the way to the retreat
Opening ceremony with live music and mead
Feast with wild Swedish meat such as bear and moose

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Aerial view of a forested lake surrounded by trees with fall foliage, with a boat on the calm water.

Day 1 - Arrival

Primitive fire building in the forest with Primal Nordic
Wild grilled lunch over fire
Learn to understand and use the power of the runes with Alvi & Joar
Dinner and Sauna

A group of people sitting around a campfire beside a lake with trees and mountains in the background, during dusk or dawn.

Day 2 - Runes and Fire

Using the power of the breath for deep morning meditation
Expedition into the untouched Swedish wilderness
David (PrimalNordic) will take you on a “Flora and Fauna” tour in the mystical forests, showing you how to survive.

A woman in outdoor clothing holding a small pine tree in a forest with tall pine trees and fallen logs in the background.

Day 3 - Into the Wild

Rewild yourself. Wild swim, use the sauna, canoe and explore solo to reconnect with the earth and yourself.
Arrive back to a hearty lunch in the warmth of the hearth
Work together on making a wood-burned rune stone that will remain here and immortalize our time together.
Use clay from Scandinavian soil to create a runic memory to join you home

Day 4 - Creation

Close-up of a carved stone with a rune or symbol on it, set outdoors with green trees and a trunk in the background.

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Catch wild trout with a fishing rod made by you
Grill and enjoy the trout over the fire with hot mead or your beverage of choice
Push yourself to swim in the cold november waters and relax in the sauna after to reward yourself
Arrive back to a hearty feast and a live theatrical retelling of a saga from Norse Mythology

Day 5 - From the Depths

A forested lakeside scene with tall green pine trees and a small wooden boathouse, reflected in the calm water, with a small boat on the shore.

Enjoy a final breakfast by the lake
Closing ceremony to integrate the journey we have been on
Departures home

A rustic dining room with wooden walls and ceiling, large windows, and several tables with chairs. There are candelabras with lit candles and greenery on the tables, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Day 6 - Integration

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Authentic Viking-age Meals

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We believe that most retreats and experiences lack the joy of good food and drink in abundance.
Therefore we want to be able to offer you the best traditionally Nordic food and drinks throughout the week.

Fish being grilled on a barbecue, with the fish laid on metal grilling racks over a heat source.

Right next to us is Navardalen lake, brimming with trout. Trout is a salmon fish and is considered a delicacy in many restaurants.

Meat and herbs cooking on a cast iron griddle over an open campfire outdoors.

We will eat moose, bear and wild boar during the week, hunted from the wild forests around

People roasting marshmallows over a campfire in a forest.

Many meals will be cooked over the fire where we will also spend a lot of time talking and maybe enjoy some mead while leaning in to the stillness around

A vintage table setting featuring two carved clay cups filled with a yellow beverage, an amber glass bottle, an oil lamp, a small brass ring, honeycomb, and a potted plant, with soft warm lighting.

We will also have the opportunity to drink mead made from a Nordic heritage breed of bees, historically accurate to the bees used in the Viking Age

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Where the runes survived

Close-up of carved numbers and runes on a wooden surface, with some cracks and uneven textures.

The retreat takes place in Navardalen, a valley deep within the Ancient mountains of the Scandinavian mountain chain. The Scandinavian mountain chain is the oldest in Europe.
Navardalen is the western part of Älvdalen, a mysterious place were runes where used as late as in the 1930’s. Älvdalen has been exceptionally isolated as part of the inaccessible highlands of western Sweden. The mountains and rough terrain along with it’s distance from major towns like Stockholm and the borders of the country led to an usual level of preservation of customs and traditions.

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Älvdalen is not only a region where runes were recently used but also home to the now protected language of Elfdalian. It is the closest language to Old Norse, even closer than Icelandic. Here’s how it sounds like:

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Secure your spot

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