Mountain Trek: All-Inclusive Wellness & Fitness Retreat in British Columbia

Each morning starts with gentle yoga to wake the body up, followed by breakfast and a shuttle to the trailhead. The group of no more than 16 is divided into four hiking groups by pace and fitness level, each led by a guide, and each hiking 2.5–4 hours. You're given a backpack and trekking poles; the poles take load off your knees on descents. Lunch is eaten on the trail at a scenic stop — a waterfall, an alpine lake, a meadow or a glacier-fed river. Afternoons back at the lodge include functional fitness classes focused on strength, stability, flexibility and posture, with modifications for any fitness level or mobility issue. Evenings are for spa time, one of your three included therapeutic massages, and a guided relaxation session before bed.

What separates Mountain Trek from a typical fitness retreat is the staff-to-guest ratio and the level of structure. With over 40 staff for a maximum of 16 guests, someone is fitting your hiking boots, adjusting your meal plan, driving you to and from the local airport, or doing your laundry. The programme is deliberately caffeine-, alcohol- and sugar-free, and the food is designed by nutritionists and cooked by chefs, much of it from the chef's own garden. This is a health reset, not a holiday with workouts attached, and the schedule reflects that.

The lodge sits in the mountains near Nelson, British Columbia — a health-focused mountain town in the Selkirk range, with trails, lakes and hot springs in every direction. Hiking routes change with the season and the group's ability, but regularly take in alpine ridges, old-growth forest and glacier-fed waterways. Optional extras include pre-arrival coaching, on-site health seminars, and post-retreat integration coaching to help you keep the habits once you're home.

Instructors and guides are professionals based in Nelson, and all classes offer modifications so beginners and experienced athletes can train side by side. The programme has been running for more than three decades and is best known for its guided hiking programme, its spa, and the fact that guests leave leaner, stronger and with a plan for keeping it that way.

A week here typically runs Saturday to Saturday, with arrival transfers from the local airport, a full daily schedule, and a departure transfer at the end. If you've never hiked before, you're still welcome — the four-group split means there's a pace for you.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in a private sleep sanctuary room - All nutritionist-designed, chef-prepared meals - Daily guided hiking in small groups (2.5–4 hours) - Hiking backpack and trekking poles - Daily gentle yoga - Daily functional fitness classes - Three 50-minute therapeutic massages - Access to the Health Spa (infrared sauna, steam room, outdoor hot tub, cold plunge pool) - Evening guided relaxation sessions - Airport shuttle transfers - Laundry service - On-site health seminars

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Additional spa treatments beyond the three included massages - Optional pre-arrival coaching - Optional post-retreat integration coaching - Personal expenses