Mountain Trek: Award-Winning All-Inclusive Health & Fitness Retreat in British Columbia

A typical day at Mountain Trek starts early with a guided hike in small groups, led by former Park Rangers who know the terrain around the lodge. Hikes are matched to your fitness level, so you're not thrown in with people who move at a completely different pace. Back at the lodge, meals are nutritionist-designed and chef-prepared — clean, anti-inflammatory food aimed at gut health and balanced blood sugar, and portioned so you're eating well without feeling deprived.

Afternoons and evenings are a mix of functional fitness and strength and stability classes in the glass-front gym overlooking Kootenay Lake, gentle mobility and release yoga, and mindfulness-based guided relaxation sessions. There are also educational seminars covering nutrition, sleep, stress management and work-life balance, run by psychologists and coaches on the team. The spa has an infrared sauna, steam room, outdoor jacuzzi, hydrotherapy cold plunge and six treatment rooms, and therapeutic massages are part of the programme.

What separates Mountain Trek from a lot of health retreats is the staffing. Over 40 people look after a maximum of 15 guests, and the team includes world-class chefs, nutritionists, kinesiologists, yoga instructors, massage therapists and former Park Rangers. That means the hiking, the fitness work, the food and the emotional support are all run by specialists rather than generalists.

The setting does a lot of the work too. The lodge sits in the lush forests of British Columbia, about 45 minutes north of the US border, with the Purcell Mountains and Kootenay Lake right there. It's remote enough that unplugging happens naturally, and the 15 private guest rooms all have ensuite bathrooms. Even laundry is handled for you during the week.

Most guests come for one week; many wish they'd booked two, and the programme supports stays of a week or more. It's a hands-on, structured week with enough comfort built in — hot tub, sauna, massages, fireside lounge — that it doesn't feel like punishment. Reviews consistently mention the staff, the food and the sense of accomplishment at the end.

What's included

- 7 nights in a private guest room with ensuite bathroom - All nutritionist-designed, chef-prepared meals - Daily guided hikes in small groups with former Park Rangers - Functional fitness and strength & stability classes - Gentle mobility and release yoga sessions - Mindfulness-based guided relaxation sessions - Educational seminars on nutrition, sleep and stress management - Therapeutic massages - Access to the health spa: infrared sauna, steam room, outdoor jacuzzi, hydrotherapy cold plunge - Laundry service during your stay - One-on-one review and personal health plan for going home

What's not included

- Flights to and from Canada - Travel insurance - Transport to the lodge (arranged separately) - Personal expenses and incidentals - Additional spa treatments beyond those included in the programme - Alcohol