Sure vacations are essential for mental health, but they don’t have to be just about exploring a city or sitting on the sand. Wellness retreats — health for the whole body — are growing in popularity as work breaks, which is a testament not only to our growing fervor for fitness, but also a change in our travel interests.
So say goodbye to the traditional vacation! Here are five hotspots we’ve found for a way more holistic holiday:
Go Fishing and Photographing in Belize. Professional photographer and outdoor journalist, Jess McGlothlin is your guide for Belize Fly Fishing & Photography, an immersive cultural tour at El Pescador Resort, a world-class fly fishing lodge on Ambergris Cay. You’ll fish for bonefish, permit, and tarpon and explore Copal Tree Lodge, an organic farm and 12,000-acre nature reserve, where you’ll enjoy local food, culture and jungle adventures.
Discover Japan by Bike. Experience the cities of Kyoto and Nara on a before riding to Mount Yoshino, a renowned cherry blossom viewing spot, on a Japan Heritage Cycling Tour. On this Grasshopper Adventures trip, participants delight in seeing Mount Koya, a deeply sacred place central to the Shingon sect of Buddhism and World Heritage Site, as well as overnighting at a monastic center, and praying with monks.
Rope and Ride at a Wyoming Dude Ranch. Horseback riding, zip-lining, target shooting, ATVing, and roping cattle are just a few of the activities at Wyoming’s 27,000-acre Red Reflet Ranch. Farm-to-table cuisine, an extensive wine collection, and private chalets add a luxurious twist to the active cowboy retreat.
Yoga Soul Safari in Kenya. Enjoy sunrise and sunset meditation and yoga sessions with incredible views across the wildlife-filled plains to Mt Kilimanjaro’s snow-capped peak at this luxury yoga retreat in Kenya. The Frontiers International Travel package includes internal flights, the yoga program, and accommodations at ol Donyo Lodge, plus meals, drinks and additional activities.
Trek the End of the Americas. Journey to the end of South America, where you’ll explore Chile’s majestic Dientes de Navarino massif on the world’s southernmost trekking circuit with Adventure Life. Hike among jagged peaks, through forests and valleys, and alongside lakes and rivers, then catch your breath — or have it taken away again — with stunning views across the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn.
