Looking for a work exchange in Germany? Choose between two unusual experiences in northern Germany 🇩🇪🧘🥔
This work exchange in Germany gives international participants the choice between two quite different countryside hotels in the Lüneburger Heide region. Olaf S., an active member of our Facebook volunteering communities, recently shared both opportunities with our community.
Participants can choose between an Ayurveda and yoga retreat at Rundlingsdorf Sagasfeld or the 1. Deutsches Kartoffel-Hotel, a countryside hotel and restaurant dedicated to all things potato.
Both properties belong to the same family of countryside hotels and offer a similar arrangement. The host describes the experiences as unpaid internships focused on cultural exchange, hospitality and everyday life in rural Germany.
Work exchange in Germany: two locations to choose from
Rundlingsdorf Sagasfeld is an Ayurveda and yoga retreat in the Lüneburger Heide, near Hitzacker and Lüneburg. Guests come to the retreat for yoga, Ayurveda, wellness and time in the countryside.
1. Deutsches Kartoffel-Hotel is located in the village of Lübeln in the Wendland region. The hotel celebrates regional food and potato culture through its restaurant, accommodation and countryside activities.
Both properties belong to the Heidefarmen group of rural hotels.
What participants can help with
Tasks vary according to the location and what is needed during the stay, but may include:
- helping in the kitchen;
- breakfast and restaurant service;
- housekeeping and preparing guest rooms;
- gardening and outdoor work;
- helping around the property;
- seasonal activities and small practical projects.
At Sagasfeld, activities may also be connected with yoga, Ayurveda, art and the retreat environment.
At the Kartoffel-Hotel, participants may get involved with regional food, gardening, potato recipes, bread making, seasonal produce and activities connected with rural village life.
The host particularly welcomes people who enjoy sharing their own skills, such as cooking, music, yoga or other creative and practical interests.
Schedule and minimum stay
The host currently describes the same basic schedule for both locations:
- 5 working days per week;
- around 6 hours per working day;
- a minimum stay of 4 weeks.
Participants should have their own travel health insurance.
For anyone considering a work exchange in Germany, the two locations offer similar practical arrangements but very different environments and themes.
What is provided
According to the host, the exchange includes:
- accommodation in a guest room;
- breakfast, lunch and dinner;
- drinking water and other drinks;
- Wi-Fi;
- vegetarian food options;
- a weekly German language lesson;
- opportunities for cultural exchange with other international participants and local people.
Yoga and other activities may also be available depending on the location and current programme.
Rundlingsdorf Sagasfeld: Ayurveda, yoga and countryside life
Sagasfeld may particularly appeal to participants interested in yoga, Ayurveda, wellness, gardening and creative activities.
The host mentions opportunities to learn more about Ayurvedic-inspired food, take part in yoga, practise German, help in the garden and occasionally join activities involving art, music and cultural exchange.
The retreat usually welcomes several international participants, giving volunteers the opportunity to share the experience with people from different countries.
Kartoffel-Hotel: regional food and potato culture
The Kartoffel-Hotel offers a rather different experience.
Located in the small village of Lübeln, it is a countryside hotel and restaurant with a strong focus on potatoes, regional cuisine and rural traditions.
Participants may help with hotel and restaurant activities while learning about German countryside life. Depending on the season, the host also mentions gardening, harvesting apples, preparing homemade bread and preserves, cooking potato dishes and joining informal cultural and musical activities.
The hotel particularly encourages international participants to share recipes and traditions from their own countries.
Learning and cultural exchange
Cultural exchange is an important part of both programmes.
Participants may have opportunities to:
- practise German and attend a weekly language lesson;
- learn about hotel and restaurant life;
- cook and share food from different cultures;
- experience life in a small German village;
- meet international participants;
- learn about regional food, gardening and rural traditions.
At Sagasfeld, the experience can also include yoga, Ayurveda and art.
This type of work exchange in Germany may especially suit people interested in hospitality, rural life, food, yoga and international cultural exchange.
Visa and travel information
The host asks international participants, particularly those travelling from outside the European Union, to check the visa and entry requirements that apply to their own nationality and circumstances before travelling.
Applicants are responsible for arranging any required visa or travel authorisation themselves.
Travel arrangements differ between the two locations.
For the Kartoffel-Hotel, the host suggests travelling via Hamburg Airport, continuing by train to Uelzen and then taking local transport towards Lübeln.
For Sagasfeld, participants can travel towards Lüneburg or Hitzacker before continuing to the retreat.
Applicants should check the latest directions directly with the host before making travel arrangements.
Original messages from the host
The following excerpts come from messages shared by Olaf Stehr in our Facebook volunteering communities. Contact information has been omitted so that applicants can check current availability, conditions and application details directly through the official websites.
From the Sagasfeld post:
Do you like yoga and Ayurveda?
Who we are:
We are an Ayurveda and yoga retreat in Northern Germany, near Lüneburg. Many guests come to us to escape the hectic pace of daily life, practice yoga and Ayurveda, and learn more about Ayurvedic philosophy and yoga culture. We are located in Northern Germany, in the eastern part of the Lüneburg Heath; Berlin, Hamburg, and Hanover are easily accessible from here.
A few words about us and our work:
We offer an unpaid internship that gives you a perfect behind-the-scenes look at a yoga hotel with a restaurant.
What you get from us:
Free accommodation in beautiful, modern hotel rooms; daily breakfast buffet, lunch, and dinner (including vegan options), and free drinks. You can participate in yoga and meditation classes for free five days a week, attend a weekly German course, and become part of a truly great community.
We need assistance in the kitchen, service, housekeeping, and gardening, all straightforward tasks. The schedule involves 5 working days per week with a 6-hour workday.
You need travel health insurance and should stay for at least 4 weeks.
From the Kartoffel-Hotel post:
Do you love yoga and potatoes?
Who we are:
We are a community of yoga and potato enthusiasts in northern Germany. Our hotel is situated in a lush, green setting and is easily accessible from Berlin, Hamburg, and Hanover (approx. a two-hour drive).
We run Germany’s first and only potato-themed hotel and restaurant, and we are offering an unpaid internship.
What you get:
Free accommodation in lovely, modern hotel rooms; a complimentary daily buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner (vegan options included); and free drinks. Yoga and meditation sessions are available to you for free five days a week, and there is a weekly German language class.
A little about us and our work:
We offer an internship that gives you a perfect behind-the-scenes look at hotel and restaurant operations. You will assist us in the kitchen, with breakfast service, housekeeping, and gardening. The schedule involves 5 workdays per week, with 6 hours of work per day. You must have travel health insurance and should plan to stay for at least 4 weeks.
Contact details 📧🔍
For current availability, conditions and application information, please consult the host’s official pages:
- Rundlingsdorf Sagasfeld: official information
- Kartoffel-Hotel: official internship and exchange information
Both properties are part of the Heidefarmen group. You can explore the two locations and choose the experience that suits you best.