Satopia Travel has confirmed details of Elkemist 2026, its annual gathering of philanthropists and charity foundations in glamorous overseas settings. Jenny Southan reports

Satopia Travel has announced the next edition of Elkemist, a "force for good" summit that seeks to create long-term relationships between donors and foundations working directly on social and environmental challenges.

Delivered by experts in "cinematic travel experiences that make you feel alive", Satopia Travel's Elkemist 2026 will take place at Mas de Chabran in Provence at the end of the summer (August 31-September 4). A maximum of 40 guests will attend.

The 2026 edition will host about 28 members of the philanthropic community alongside representatives from ten foundations. Each foundation will attend on a full scholarship, with all costs covered, while philanthropists will join with a personal commitment to contribute through funding, resources or future collaboration.

This year, foundation partners will include: Nadia Murad of Nadia's Initiative; Rosemary Nenini of Twala-Tenebo Cultural Manyatta; and Bijoux Shrestha of Springdale School.

Emma Ponsonby, co-founder and CEO of Satopia, says, “Over time, we’d love for it to become a kind of Davos for philanthropy – a place centred on contribution, optimism and possibility.”

Pricing for Elkemist 2026 is tiered, with the core Day Experience starting from €18,600 per person, rising to €31,200 for the Private Villa Experience and €67,550 for the Patron Experience, all based on double occupancy.

In addition, participants are invited to contribute to the Elkemist Impact Fund, with suggested donations starting from €10,000 per person, which are distributed to the participating foundations. Booking is invitation-only and currently in pre-launch phase.

The Elkemist programme draws on Satopia’s background in experiential travel, with a focus on shared time rather than formal presentations. Planned elements include communal meals inspired by local culture, sound baths, intention setting, small group discussions with foundation leaders, one-to-one meetings and coaching workshops led by an advisor who works with Fortune 500 companies. Informal evening gatherings are designed to allow relationships to develop naturally over the course of the week.

The format builds on lessons from earlier editions. Elkemist 2025 took place at Italy's prestigious Passalacqua hotel. Satopia says the extended time spent together was central to building trust and understanding between participants.

At the heart of the concept is a belief that philanthropy should feel human and connected. “Elkemist is about hope. About reminding people that doing good can feel good, and that they’re not alone in wanting to create something positive in the world,” Ponsonby says.

Satopia’s wider business has evolved over the past decade alongside these ideas. Founded ten years ago, the company grew rapidly during the Covid period, a time Ponsonby describes as "formative". She says the business was built around the question of how to thrive in difficult conditions, a mindset that continues to shape its approach today. Listening closely to its community has been central to that evolution.

Satopia’s experiences have always included an element of community giving, whether through private trips or hosted group journeys with the likes of chef Francis Mallman and entrepreneur Richard Branson. The company says it consistently observed how strongly these moments resonated with guests, often creating deeper connections between participants than more conventional travel experiences.

Elkemist is positioned as a response to changing attitudes within Satopia’s global community. Ponsonby says travellers are no longer focused purely on leisure. “More recently, though, we’ve noticed a shift in our community. People aren’t moving away from travel, but they’re increasingly looking for travel that helps them learn, grow and understand the world more deeply,” she says.

Ponsonby adds that some of the most meaningful experiences Satopia creates are not always the easiest to define. “Some of the most powerful experiences we create are ones that are a bit challenging – or involve a philanthropic angle – and those can sometimes cause initial hesitation. People ask, ‘Is this a holiday? What kind of experience is this?’ But those are always the experiences people remember most,” she says.

Satopia has worked with more than 25 foundations to date, including Virgin Unite, supporting organisations across areas such as human rights, wildlife conservation, education, women’s empowerment and climate action.