BC's Best Wellness Retreats

BC’S BEST WELLNESS RETREATS

Change Your Life One Step At A Time At A Wellness Retreat In The Woods

by Claudia Laroye

People travel from all over the world to reboot, detox, and reconnect with nature and themselves at Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat & Health Spa, found in Ainsworth Hot Springs, BC. Recognized as one of the top health retreats in the world by Travel + Leisure, it has become a bucket-list destination for many. But as I stepped my way up the mountain trail at the pace of a Roman legionnaire (i.e. sweaty quick march), I couldn’t have cared less about their awards and accolades. I was too busy getting my butt kicked and handed back to me on a platter by the four-hour hike up and down a mountain in the beautiful Selkirk range of the Kootenays.

The fitness regime at Mountain Trek Retreat is designed to improve cardio and get a heart rate up to its healthy maximum for a good oldfashioned fat flushing. Yes, that’s a thing. This retreat is all about rebooting your body, mind, and emotional state through a combination of diet, exercise and sessions on improving life stress, sleep patterns, and establishing healthy daily habits. In other words, this is a wellness retreat with a life-changing twist.

When I’d signed on for a week of hiking, yoga, and calorie-reduced, yet remarkably delicious meals, I wasn’t thinking about the need for self-examination and life change. I was just keen to hike and be outdoors in beautiful BC. My life was good, and I believed myself to be pretty happy with everything. But my week in the wilderness, albeit one complete with luxurious touches and daily massages, would reveal that not everything was as it seemed.

The daily regime at Mountain Trek is built upon schedules and routine. As Retreat Director Kirkland Shave instructs guests during the welcome orientation, “You are here to care for and about yourselves.” Food, hiking, hydrotherapy, massages, and even laundry is arranged and provided, so all we had to worry about was showing up at the appointed place at the appointed hour. As a busy mom whose job it is to manage, care for, and do everything for everyone else, these instructions seemed almost too good to be true.

A soft knock at 5:45am awakens us for a sunrise yoga session in a room overlooking the mountains and Kootenay Lake. A healthy organic breakfast of protein, vegetables, and fruit provides fuel for the day’s hikes, which are discussed over herbal tea (no caffeine or alcohol products allowed). We dress and prepare for our hike up mountains, and along rivers and waterfalls, divided into groups of speed and ability that are measurements of our own health and pace.

Despite thinking I was in pretty good shape, the punishing quick marches uphill quickly dissolved my delusions. I accepted nature’s, and my body’s, message and refocused on doing the best job I could do to achieve my desired heart rate (it’s about health after all) and catch glimpses of the stunning alpine beauty and valley views all around me.

On the shores of Kootenay Lake, I enjoyed a moment of reflection on the changes I’d already noted during my short stay here. I was sleeping deeply, feeling healthy, and had begun a nightly gratitude exercise that focused my mind on good things in my day.

Afternoons at the retreat were spent in informal chat sessions about healthy living, eating, and sleeping, and how to continue the good habits we’d started to form. It takes about three months for a practice to become a habit, so it’s all about repetition, and rewarding yourself weekly with things that make you feel good but maintain your commitment to your new, healthier you.

Post-dinner gym sessions are followed by massage and hydrotherapy in the retreat’s sauna, hot tub, and cold plunge pool. The physical elements of wellness are well attended to, but in the spirit of holistic wellness, many retreats liks this also offer guests the option of working on their emotional state as well.

I was intrigued by this and signed up for a counseling session with a trained therapist. I’d never done therapy before and had no idea what to expect. Minutes after sitting down in my chair (no stereotypical couch in sight), I was pouring my heart out to therapist Millie with pent up frustrations about relationships, responsibilities and perceived injustices. She calmly listened to me through my tears and helped me find a way to focus on action rather than emotion. It felt as if a burden had been lifted from my slightly more defined shoulders.

As I packed up to leave for home, I was exhilarated and happy. I was leaving old resentments behind - along with the 6lbs I’d lost from the hiking, yoga and gym workouts - and was heading home with a new perspective on my own health and wellness.

So, can a fitness retreat change your life? Yes, it can. Whether you’re seeking that change or that change finds you.

More Of BC’s Best Wellness Retreats

Wellness retreats offer the perfect escape, whether you’re looking for a getaway with your girlfriends, a way to reconnect as a couple, or a sweet solo sojourn. From breathtaking views, to soothing spa offerings, to outdoor explorations, these wellness retreats will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated - and they can all be found right here in BC.

Rivendell Retreat Centre on Bowen Island offers a quiet retreat experience that will bring guests closer to a higher power. Located on the top of Cates Hill with stunning views of Howe Sound and Vancouver’s Coastal Mountains, guests can enjoy spiritual renewal through internal and natural exploration and individual or group reflection. www.rivendellretreat.org

Hollyhock Retreat - Cortes Island, BC Hollyhock Lifelong Learning Centre is dedicated to individual and cultural transformation through an extensive menu of wellness and educational programs. Enjoy meditation, yoga, massages, guided walks in nature, as well as quiet time exploring beautiful Cortes Island in the Salish Sea. www.hollyhock.ca

Sparkling Hill Resort - Vernon, BC Overlooking Lake Okanagan, Sparkling Hill Resort near Vernon features full service accommodations and spa facilities. Glittering with 3.5 million Swarovski crystals (the resort’s founder is patriarch of the Swarovski family), the resort offers whole body wellness at its 40,000 sq ft European KurSpa, naturopathic treatments, a CryoCold Chamber, as well as healthy farm-to-table meals. www.sparklinghill.com

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