Şifa Köyü ·
A Nature Day Trip Near Istanbul: A Day on the Farm in Şile
A nature day trip near Istanbul is possible at Şifa Köyü farm in Çengilli, Şile. The day generally starts outdoors, continues with the farm’s animals and is completed by a chosen workshop; on planned days a table is set as well. Visits are planned in advance by writing to the team. The workshops are not a treatment.
If you are looking for a nature day trip in the Istanbul area, you can spend a day at Şifa Köyü farm in Çengilli, Şile. The day generally includes nature, the animals and a workshop, and on days when a meal is planned a table is set as well. Visits are planned together in advance by writing to our team.
Where is Şifa Köyü?
Şifa Köyü is a farm in the Çengilli area of Şile, on the Asian side of Istanbul. Merve Tüfekçi holds her workshops and gatherings here, in the middle of nature.
This post does not give travel times or routes. For directions you can write to our team or read the travel post linked below.
What is a day at the farm like?
The flow of the day is set together according to the group and the season. The general order is this:
- Nature: the day starts outdoors. You walk through the garden and the greenhouse and touch the soil.
- Animals: you visit the farm’s animals and spend time with them.
- The table: on days when a meal is planned, a table is set. You can ask our team about the menu.
- A workshop: the day continues with the workshop you chose.
Between the stops there is also time to sit and look around.
This order may not be the same for every group. A part can be moved earlier or kept longer, and you can ask our team in your messages which part happens when. If the weather changes during the day, the order can change too.
Which workshops can you choose?
- Meditation and breath: guided meditation and breath work in nature.
- Candle making: everyone pours a candle and takes it home.
- Healing Art: no brushes are used and paint goes onto the canvas with the fingers. The painting stays with the participant.
- Sound bath and meditation: you lie down and listen to crystal bowls, Tibetan bowls and a gong.
- New moon and full moon gatherings: breath, meditation and soil together. Dates are given by our team.
- For groups of children: a visit to the greenhouse, sowing seeds and painting in the pergola.
The workshops are not a treatment and do not replace a doctor or a psychologist. What the day is like differs from person to person.
Can you eat at the farm?
On days planned with a meal, our team sets the table. In Merve Tüfekçi’s Healing Meal and Conversation gathering the group sits at one table and talks over the meal, with no presentation and no speaking order.
For the menu and details you can write to our team. You can also write to our team with questions about the farm’s products.
How is a farm visit arranged?
The first step is to write to our team. Including the following makes planning easier:
- How many people you are
- The ages of any children in the group
- The date or date range you have in mind
- The workshop that interests you
- Whether you would like a day with a meal
- Whether you prefer Turkish or English
Our team gets back to you, and the day, the flow and the price become clear in that exchange.
What can you ask when you write to our team?
- The general order of the day and which workshop suits that day
- The menu, if you are thinking of a day with a meal
- What else to bring depending on the season
- How the day is planned in rainy weather
- Directions
- Details about the fee and payment
Putting your questions into one message keeps the exchange short.
What should you bring to the farm?
- Shoes suited to soil and grass that you do not mind getting dirty
- A hat, a raincoat or a warm layer, depending on the season
- Comfortable clothes, and for painting or soil work something you do not mind staining
- Your water bottle
- A mat, if a sound bath or meditation is planned
- Spare clothes for groups with children
In groups with children, the children stay under the supervision of their own adults. Near the animals everyone follows our team’s guidance and washes their hands afterwards.
Part of the day is spent outdoors and with the soil. If you dress in layers, you can take one off or put one on as the weather changes. For workshops where you lie down or sit on the ground, choose clothes you can move in comfortably. A small bag is easier to carry during the day.
How do you prepare if you come as a group?
If you come as a group, it is easier when one person handles the messages. That person passes the information from our team on to the others.
- Share the list of what to bring with the group beforehand
- Remind everyone to come in clothes and shoes that can get dirty
- If you are thinking of a day with a meal, collect any allergies and dietary preferences and send them to our team
- In groups with children, decide which adult each child comes with
Who is a day at the farm for?
- Groups of friends, birthday and celebration tables
- School classes and groups of children
- Company teams who would like a day out of the office
- Individuals who would like to join a workshop with a set date
You do not need to know anything in advance. In the workshops the steps are practised together on the spot.
A day at Şifa Köyü generally starts with nature, continues with the animals and is completed by a workshop. A meal is added on days when it is planned. For the date, the flow and directions, the first step is to write to our team.
This post is for general information only; it is not medical or legal advice.
Healing Meal and Conversation with Merve →
How to get to Şifa Köyü from Istanbul →
Frequently asked questions
Where can you go for a nature day trip near Istanbul?
One option is Şifa Köyü farm in Çengilli, Şile. The day generally includes nature, the animals and a workshop, and on days when a meal is planned a table is set as well. Visits are planned in advance by writing to our team.
How do you get to Şifa Köyü?
This post does not give travel times or routes. You can ask our team for directions or read the travel post on the site.
Can you have a meal at the farm?
On days when a meal is planned, a table is set. You can ask our team about the menu. If you would like a meal, mention it together with the number of people.
Can I join the workshops at the farm alone?
You can join workshops with a set date as an individual. To learn the date of the next workshop it is enough to write to our team.
How much does a day at the farm cost?
Prices and durations are not given in this post. When you tell us how many people you are and which workshop you have in mind, our team shares the details with you.