Wellness in the Wild
Spring and Fall Retreats in 2024 at Tutka Bay Lodge
Homer, Alaska (February 6, 2024): Tutka Bay Lodge is thrilled to announce their upcoming 'Wellness in the Wild' program retreats for 2024, scheduled in spring (May 24-27) and fall (Sept 20-23). Led by Hope Aguirre, the Wellness Director, guests are invited to immerse themselves in the healing power of nature, embracing the beauty of pristine waters and refreshing bay air. This transformative program encompasses eight core pillars: Connect, Grow, Heal, Create, Listen, Eat, Learn, and Move. At Tutka Bay Lodge, visitors will discover a sanctuary of balance, tranquility, and rejuvenation in the awe-inspiring Alaska wilderness, providing the perfect environment for focus and inner peace.
"Embark on an extraordinary retreat, where we immerse ourselves in the tranquility and serenity of the natural world. Discover the profound power of natural beauty, the invigorating wild air, the nourishment of wholesome cuisine, and the heartfelt connections we forge. Tutka Bay works its magic, leaving you refreshed and transformed," shares Hope Aguirre, Wellness Director. She further emphasizes, "Our focus on nature reminds us that we too are natural, untamed beings. The wilderness, glaciers, and bay, every bird, shell, and plant, each teaches us a unique lesson about feeling, flowing, and experiencing life as our most authentic and pure selves. Tutka Bay is an awe-inspiring sanctuary. Every moment here is genuine, unfiltered, and indelible. Witnessing the resilience and courage of the natural world is a profoundly moving experience. This wellness program immerses guests in an environment where they can reconnect with their source, find inspiration, and rediscover the incredible feeling of simply being."
Wellness offerings are centered around the enchanting and diverse maritime community of Kachemak Bay, embracing ancient healing methods, holistic well-being, and the practice of peace that Alaska offers. The goal is to leave the magic of Tutka Bay feeling refreshed and transformed. Discover the importance of wild meditation and connecting with nature as Wellness Director Hope Aguirre guides guests as they set out on a transformative journey to ground themselves and feel the essence of Mother Nature. Expect to unwind with glacial facial masks, immerse yourself in a symphony of sounds, and be transported to a heightened awareness through sound bathing. Soak in rhythmic undulations of the sea, the whispers of wind through the forest, and the harmonious melodies of birdsong. At Tutka Bay Lodge, food is life. Learn how to forage for wild edibles and craft-gathered treasures into delicious feasts. Gain skills such as plant identification, animal tracking, and fire starting. Overlooking the ocean, practice yoga or sea kayak for an up-close encounter with the calming ocean waves. Tranquility and peace in the natural world can offer the power of beauty in nature, in wild air, in wholesome cuisine, and heartfelt conviviality.
The spring (May 24-27) and fall (Sept 20-23) retreats embody eight fundamental pillars:
CONNECT | Facilitate connections with the land, local natives, fellow participants, and, most importantly, oneself. Amidst the enchantment of our magical old-growth forest, find a special tree, the sanctuary for this transformative journey.
GROW | Embrace hope for the future. Sustainability and regeneration are woven into every retreat aspect, from learning new skills to silent walks to joyful time shared at the table, encouraging reflective and purposeful living.
HEAL | Experience the healing power of the natural world. Connect with the land and sea living pulse through meditative walks, hikes along Grace Ridge, and discovering the curative properties of wild things. Feel the energy of trees and embrace them and create your salt scrub using sea salt harvested from the ocean, complemented by wild herbs and flowers.
CREATE | Liberate your mind, and inspiration will follow. Engage with talented hosts to make local spruce tip incense, experiment with natural pigment watercolors, and create fish prints. Unwind with glacial facial masks crafted from glacier ice, glacial mud, and seaweed freshly harvested from the ocean.
LISTEN | Immerse in a symphony of sounds, allowing them to envelop and transport you to heightened awareness through sound bathing. Experience the transformative power of sound and celebrate the rhythmic undulations of the sea, the whispers of wind through the forest, and the harmonious melodies of birdsong. Explore the enchanting harmonics created by singing bowls, bells, harps, and the human voice.
EAT | At Tutka Bay Lodge, food tells the story of who they are, who lived there in the distant past, and perhaps who will be here in the future. Learn about the cuisine, the cultural story of Alutiiq and Dena' Ina natives, the Russian occupation, and Scandinavian fishermen settlers. Learn how to forage for wild edibles and craft your gathered treasures into delicious works of art worthy of any Michelin-starred restaurant.
LEARN | Naturalist outdoor guides bring you deep into our old-growth Sitka Spruce Forest. Guides will share skills such as plant identification, animal tracking, and fire starting. The Spring retreat will marvel at being at near-full light at midnight and capturing the early morning dawn chorus. The Fall retreat will spend time looking at the stars and the bioluminescence in the bay.
MOVE | In the heart of the seaside sanctuary, discover solace and immerse in exhilarating pursuits. The expansive deck, overlooking the ocean, becomes a base for practicing yoga while absorbing the invigorating sea breeze. Enjoy evening music and dancing, bonfires on the nearby beach, and stories. Sea kayaking offers an up-close encounter with the rhythmic ocean waves – and a potential whale sighting. Water-based wellness activities, including aqua yoga and hot-cold therapy, provide a harmonious blend of relaxation and exercise, embraced by the soothing environment of Tutka Bay.
At Tutka Bay Lodge, wellness is woven skillfully into each day at the lodge. Within the Wild cuisine, cooking classes, adventure activities, and opportunities to explore in nature all add to the overall wellness culture at the lodge. To offer a deeper connection to nature and one’s self, Tutka Bay Lodge’s new regenerative wellness program offered all summer long includes daily outdoor yoga, as well as meditation, which can be practiced on a kayak or paddle board for a floating meditative treatment, and guided intentional breathing to find inner stillness, self-reflection, and grounding. Taking advantage of the lodge’s unique location, Forest Therapy incorporates guided hikes into an old-growth rainforest or deep into the nearby Kachemak Bay State Park and Reiki in the wild where an expert uses gentle hand movements to guide the flow of healthy energy through the body to reduce stress and promote healing. From this ideal setting, guests can immerse themselves in sound bathing, which incorporates a full-body listening experience that intentionally uses sound to invite gentle, yet powerful, therapeutic and restorative processes to nurture the mind and body. Back at the lodge, a Wilderness Tea Lounge invites guests to gather herbs and berries from the forest to create a healthy and healing tea, which can be enjoyed before or after a Reiki in the Wild session or Herb & Salt Scrub Treatment. In addition to these offerings, the lodge has two hot tubs, a wood-fired sauna, and a private beach. A yurt is located near the forest, which guests can access anytime to stretch and do some weight-training with dumbbells and kettlebells. Within the Wild cuisine, cooking classes, adventure activities, or on-site property engagements with nature all add to our overall wellness culture at the lodge.
To learn more and book a stay or retreat visit www.withinthewild.com.
About Within The Wild:
Within the Wild is an award-winning, family-owned adventure travel company in the wilds of Alaska offering transformative adventures, cuisine, and wellness within the natural world since 1982. Carl and Kirsten Dixon and their daughters Carly and Mandy Dixon operate Tutka Bay Lodge on the south side of Kachemak Bay, a new hospitality service operation in Anchorage, the La Baleine Cafe and Danish Daughter Flower Farm, a peony and vegetable farm located in the fishing town of Homer. They are proud to support their non-profit initiative Be The Wild. A Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice multi-award winner for 2018, 2020, and 2022, a member of Regenerative Travel and the Virtuoso Network, Tutka Bay Lodge boasts six cabins, offering comfort and luxury amidst a breathtaking coastal Alaska landscape. Drawing on the extensive culinary backgrounds of Kirsten and her daughter, Mandy, the lodge also offers a variety of culinary-focused experiences including onsite cooking classes showcasing locally sourced ingredients and Alaskan-inspired dishes.
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