Established permaculture farm

Arrival Instructions

Thank you for joining a Keela Permaculture Farm experience! We are very excited to have you and appreciate your choice to spend your time with us. If you have booked a visit to Keela then you will receive al this info by email and further info nearer to your arrival time. 

Payments

Courses. Please pay the remaining amount at least one month before your arrival date, by bank transfer into our account. Otherwise cash on arrival

Volunteers. no payment needed

Farm Stay. Please pay in full to confirm your booking

Travel to Keela

Arriving by Car

  • Follow directions to Keela Permaculture Farm on google maps. Other maps take you the wrong way
  • For more info and directions on arriving, you can click here.
  • Please do not bring dogs as we have livestock and working dogs.
  • Please close any gates behind you due to the livestock.
  • For any issues, call us on 960188968.

Arriving by Bus or Train

You can drive to us (in Mata Da Rainha) directly, or take a bus or train to Fundão and then travel on to us by taxi. The nearest airports are Lisbon and Porto. For courses or volunteers, you should aim to arrive in Fundão before 5pm for a group taxi.

From Lisbon

By train: Ideally get the fast train at 13.32 from Oriente station (check other times online). It is easiest to take an Uber from airport arrivals, as it’s only a couple of euros more than the train. Otherwise follow signs for the metro, buy a ticket from the machines, and take the red (Vm) line 3 stops to Oriente. At Oriente, check the departures board on the top floor for your platform — trains to Fundão show as Entroncamento (change trains) or Covilhã (non-stop). Buy tickets online in advance to save time and money at cp.pt.

By bus: Buses go from Sete Rios or Oriente Station. Take an Uber or the metro to Sete Rios (closest metro stop: Jardim Zoológico, reached via the red line then the blue line). The bus station is about a 5 minute walk from the metro. Book in advance at rede-expressos.pt.

From Porto

There is no direct train from Porto to Fundão and the journey is long with changes, so we recommend the bus. Take an Uber or the subway from the airport to the coach station (Porto 24 de Agosto), then book your bus to Fundão in advance at rede-expressos.pt.

International Buses

International coaches arrive in Fundão, Covilhã, Castelo Branco or Penamacor — search for services from your departure city to these towns. From Madrid, take a bus to Covilhã (try flixbus.com or checkmybus.com), then a bus or train on to Fundão (bookable up to one month in advance).

Your Stay at Keela

Arrival Evening & Getting Here from Fundão

Getting to Keela from Fundão

On set start days we will send a taxi to collect you all from Fundão at 5pm (for PDCs we also have one at 2pm). Depending on when you all arrive, you will need to chip in for the 30 EUR taxi between the other arrivals. Otherwise, you can take your own taxi to us for 30 EUR, which we will happily order for you — just let us know your pick up time.

Leaving Keela

Departure time is any time from the morning until 12pm. A taxi to Fundão will cost 30 EUR; we usually try to club you together with other arrivals and departures to share costs.

Arrival Evening

  • 5.30pm – Welcome tea
  • 6pm – Go to your accommodation, where your bed will be made ready, or set up your tent
  • 7pm – Welcome dinner and talk

The following morning we will have a tour of the farm.

Please ensure you bring your emergency contact information with you, as we will be collecting emergency contacts at registration.

What to Bring

Everyone volunteers and Course participents

  • Towel
  • Slippers for inside the communal space
  • Swimwear for the lake or cold plunge pool
  • Shoes other than flip flops
  • Clothes you don’t mind getting torn or dirty – bring your worst clothes, we live on a farm!
  • A torch – ideally a head torch with spare batteries, or better, a USB rechargeable one
  • Yoga and workout clothing (we have mats, but feel free to bring your own)
  • Natural biodegradable soap, shampoo/conditioner, and sunscreen – we sell these at Keela, cheaper than in shops (mostly made locally)
  • A water bottle – we sell a Keela stainless steel one
  • Any medical supplies you need
  • Any special (out of season or non-local) food you like, e.g. nutritional yeast, nuts, gluten-free items etc. Please let us know your dietary requirements before arriving
  • Gardening/building gloves – we have used ones for you, or new ones you can buy
  • A musical instrument, if you can play one!

Winter Season (Nov – April)

  • Sleeping bag, for extra warmth
  • Waterproof trousers and jacket
  • Welly boots (rubber gumboots) – we have some spares
  • Warm clothes – it’s chilly here, especially at night. A good hoodie and hat are a great investment (useful Nov – June)

For a Permaculture Design or Food Forest Course

  • Laptop for studying (or tablet if you don’t have a laptop)
  • A notepad, ideally blank pages, for design drawing and note-taking
  • Pencils and pens for design
  • A ruler
  • Stationery for design work (coloured pencils, permanent markers)
  • Maps of your land or projects, if you have any

Daily Life at Keela

Food & Laundry

We provide 3 healthy vegetarian meals a day. We serve meat from the farm once a week. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know by email before you arrive, and remind us on the day too. We charge an extra 5 EUR per week for gluten-free to cover the cost of special bread, pasta etc. If you like to snack, bring your own snacks, and if you enjoy special teas or things to go with your porridge, bring these too.

There is a large washing machine available for guest use, along with a communal washing line. It costs 2 EUR per wash (including organic washing liquid), and you’re welcome to share this with other guests.

Portugal has a lovely cafe culture where locals meet for coffee, beer or wine. You’re free to walk or cycle to the village cafe, or join us when we go there some evenings. In our village there is Cafe Rolo, which has a shop and wifi, and some staff who speak English. It closes at 7pm in winter and 8pm in summer. Please be respectful when visiting, and try to dress a little smarter on Sundays if possible.

Emergencies & Health

As with any destination, it’s recommended that you have up-to-date vaccinations. Working on a farm can increase the risk of injury, so the most important ones are Tetanus and Hepatitis A & B.

If you’re from the EU, please make sure you have a health card (EHIC) – it doesn’t take long to get one online. You’ll need this and your passport for a doctor’s appointment; without it, a visit can cost over 35 EUR plus more for prescription medication, so it’s really worth getting. We also suggest taking out travel insurance.

If you’re not from the EU, please make sure you have travel insurance.

You are responsible for your own medical bills, and payment of 25 EUR for the return taxi fare to the hospital or doctor.

We now have unlimited wifi through a wifi SIM – please bring your own devices for using the internet.

Donations

Have you ever thought about how many trees have been cut down for the toilet paper, cardboard packaging and paper you use, or how much carbon you’re responsible for through food, cars and flights? If you’d like to offset your carbon footprint, you can help us by purchasing trees or seed trays for the nursery. Just ask us when you arrive and we can pick these up from the market – you can then plant them yourself and make your own sign to go with them, in your name or for a friend.

Contact Details

For any questions about your arrival, or if you need to arrange a pickup time, please get in touch with us.

 

Mobile: +351 960 188 968

Email: info@keelayogafarm.com