Guided Forest Bathing & Nature Therapy

Price
From$55
Price
From$55

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Build your own weekend getaway or mini-retreat

  • Get in touch for a free consultation and let the locals with all the insider tips and tricks help you plan the perfect custom wellness retreat.

  • 2-3 Hrs
  • Group Size: 1-30(contact us for larger groups)
  • Year Round
  • Location: Various

Experience the healing power of nature therapy

Escape to Asheville’s Blue Ridge Mountains for a truly relaxing and rejuvenating experience: a guided forest bathing retreat!

Led by a certified nature therapy guide, this 3-hour experience weaves together mindfulness, breathwork, forest bathing (Shinrin Yoku) and embodied nature connection, providing a unique way to explore the wonders of the great outdoors. Through a series of invitations, you’ll have the opportunity to quiet your mind, awaken your senses, and deepen your connection with nature, community and Self.

Meander through the tranquil forest, witnessing the awe-inspiring beauty of these ancient mountains. You’ll be guided along peaceful, gentle trails, truly immersing yourself in the present moment. But wait, there is more! Every forest bathing retreat ends with a wild-foraged tea ceremony and snacks.

Whether you’re seeking solace in nature or simply looking to unwind after a hectic week, this relaxing and restorative experience is just what you need. Give yourself the gift of tranquility and let the healing powers of nature wash over you. Book your experience now and begin your journey of connection and renewal.

Regularly scheduled community retreats are available on select Saturday afternoons in the fall/winter (Nov – April) and Saturday mornings the rest of the year (May-Sept). Reserve a private retreat any day of the week, set aside exclusively for you and your group… even if you’re a solo adventurer!

Regularly scheduled retreats:

Enjoy the peaceful practice of Forest Bathing on the stunning grounds of the North Carolina Arboretum on select dates each month year-round.

  • Join other like-minded participants.
  • Great for solo travelers and small groups.
  • Price = $55/person
  • Includes parking and property access fees
  • Location = The North Carolina Arboretum

Register Here 

**these walks are offered in collaboration with Adult & Continuing Education Programs at The North Carolina Arboretum

Make it private!

Reserve a mini-retreat exclusively for you and your crew any day of the week year round!

  • Base price = $390 (includes up to 6 guests)
  • Additional guests = $65/person
  • Location is customized based on your group but may include:
    • Asheville Botanical Gardens
    • Pisgah National Forest
    • The North Carolina Arboretum (+ additional access fee)

Register Here

Special Forest Bathing Events:
special versions of our classic walks, themed in alignment with nature and seasons

Full Moon Forest Bathing:

Immerse yourself in the magic of twilight and experience the wonders of nighttime in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Enjoy a mindful, integrative experience along the French Broad River as the sun sets and the full moon rises. Experience the golden hour and the beauty of dusk and moonlight like never before. During this guided nature immersion, explore a series of invitations to quiet your mind and awaken your senses while deepening your connection with nature, community, and Self.

This gentle and restorative experience is suitable for most ages and activity levels and will not exceed one-mile round trip. We’ll end with a candle-lit wild-foraged tea ceremony!

These retreats take place on peaceful private property.

Cost = $45/person

Register Here!

Blue Ghost Firefly Retreats:

Discover the wonders of the forest during our region’s exciting Blue Ghost Firefly season! Quiet your mind and awaken your senses as the sun sets and marvel at Mother Nature’s light show as
sparkling fireflies emerge. We hope to witness the elusive Blue Ghost Fireflies and will surely enjoy the wild-foraged tea ceremony under the stars. This special offering is only offered on select evenings in late May and early June each year with group sizes limited to 10 for a more intimate experience.

Cost = $125/person

Learn More & Register Here!

We also offer Virtual Forest Bathing!

Not coming to Asheville? No problem! Join us for virtual forest bathing to experience the therapeutic power of nature wherever you are in the world!

Pairs well with...

Mobile Massage: Relax, we’ll come to you! Unwind at your vacation rental.

Tarot Reading: Connect through the cards and cultivate deeper bonds.

Private Yoga Class: Add a bit of balance and rejuvenating movement to your Asheville adventure with a class customized just for you.

Combine multiple experiences to craft your perfect mini-retreat weekend in Asheville! Contact Us to get started.

FAQ

What will I do on a Forest Bathing mini-retreat?

With the help of a certified guide, guests are led through a series of nature invitations during a leisurely walk on a gentle trail or pathway. The focus will be on mindfulness practices and opportunities to slow down, unplug, and soak up the magic of our wild places. The experience typically lasts 2.5 hours and culminates in a tea ceremony with snacks.

What on earth is Forest Bathing?

Forest Bathing is simply a guided, immersive experience in nature. Your guide will share mindfulness practices and invitations designed to connect you more deeply to your inner landscapes, as well as the world around you. Inspired by Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese art of immersing oneself in a forest environment, forest bathing retreats invite guests to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for ourselves, our fraught ecosystems, and our community. It is true nature therapy!

This is essentially a mindful, rejuvenating experience in the forest…no actual “bathing” required. For more information, visit our blog: All Things Forest Bathing.

What is the trail like?

The trails visited on a Forest Bathing retreat are gentle and rated easy, though you should expect uneven terrain (like roots and rocks) and may encounter slight inclines along the way. We walk less than a mile. This is a mindful, gentle journey through the forest. 

What should I bring?

Bring sun protection, bug repellent, water, an open heart and mind and anything else you need to be comfortable on this short, gentle stroll. We recommend close-toed shoes and long pants. Be sure to wear weather-appropriate clothing and remember that layers are your key to comfort. Rain protection is essential. Please remember that temperatures in higher elevations can be significantly lower than in town and rain is always a possibility.

Do I need a bathing suit to participate in Forest Bathing?

Nope! We’ll be immersing ourselves in the restorative forest atmosphere and aren’t bathing in the traditional rubber-ducky-in-the-bathtub sense. On warm days, we might have the opportunity to dip our feet in a mountain stream and a rain shower is always possible but you can otherwise expect not to get wet.

Who is my guide?

Your guide is certified as a forest therapy guide by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and holds current certifications in Wilderness First Aid and CPR. They look forward to sharing the practice of forest bathing with you! For our current roster of guides, visit our team page.

What is the cancellation policy?

For regularly schedule, community retreats (ex: full moon forest bathing and retreats at the NC Arboretum):

Due to the special nature of these events, your registration is non-refundable. You may reschedule for a different date if notice is given at least 3 days in advance. Out of respect for all involved in crafting this special experience, the rescheduling option does not apply to cancellations within 3-0 days.

We plan to hold these walks rain or shine. If AWT cancels for any reason, you will be offered a back up tour date or a full refund.

For private groups and custom departures:

Full group cancellations more than 7 days prior to your scheduled experience are refundable minus a $10/person admin fee or your non-refundable deposit (whichever is greater). Alternatively, you may choose a store credit for 100% of your purchase price. Out of respect for your guide’s time, full group cancellations between 7-0 days prior to your experience are non-refundable and no store credits will be issued within that window.

Group size decreases will be accepted up to 72hrs prior to your scheduled experience without penalty as long as minimum group size thresholds are met. Out of respect for your guide’s time, group size decreases between 72-0 hours prior to your scheduled experience are non-refundable and no store credits will be issued within that window.

These minimums and policies ensure all experience providers, guides, instructors, etc are paid a living wage for their work. Thank you for your understanding as we strive to remain as flexible as possible in uncertain times!

Your Role: If you feel ill, are experiencing Covid-related symptoms, or have been in contact with a person with a confirmed case of Covid 19 in the past two weeks, please stay home and let us know as soon as possible. Our stated cancellation policy will still apply. If you are concerned about the risks of last minute cancellation, please consider taking out travel insurance.

Where are the Forest Bathing retreats located?

Community Retreats (join in with other guests on specific dates) are held at the North Carolina Arboretum on select Saturdays year round.

Private Experiences: Due to the customized nature of private retreats, we’ll tailor the trail selection to your group! An Asheville Wellness Tours concierge will reach out to you to ask:

  • What part of town you’ll be traveling from
  • Age range of your group
  • Any needs/preferences (time constraints, transportation limitations, etc)

With that information, your guide will select the best trail for your group. All of the areas we visit for Forest Bathing are within approximately 50mins (an hour or less drive time) of downtown Asheville and are chosen based on the gentleness of the terrain, proximity to town, and your guide’s geographic area of expertise.

One of our favorite forests is accessed by driving along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway while another is located in a peaceful private Preserve. We can even meet you in the Botanical Gardens or North Carolina Arboretum just outside of downtown Asheville if you need a more convenient option.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. 

Full Moon Forest Bathing Retreats take place on private land just 30 mins from downtown Asheville. Detailed arrival instructions will be provided upon booking.

Blue Ghost Firefly Forest Bathing Experiences: Due to the fragility of the environment we’re visiting and the elusive nature of the Blue Ghosts, the secret location will be shared a few days prior to the event – for now, we can alert guests that it’s about 1hr from downtown Asheville w/ the option to take the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way for a scenic ride. If planning an overnight stay, we suggest looking in the Brevard area for the closest options to the meeting point.

Can you help with transportation?

If you are reserving a private Forest Bathing session, the trail location will be tailored to your group. If you would like to add transportation to your private booking, let us know! With advance notice, we can arrange your transportation for an additional fee.

If you are joining a public Forest Bathing session, you are responsible for getting yourself to/from the trailhead. You can generally plan on the trail head being about an hour from Asheville and will receive detailed driving instructions in your confirmation email. It is important to note that, while an Uber/Lyft may bring you to the trail, they will NOT pick you up from the trail head.

If you do not have transportation, we recommend reaching out to AVL Ride several days in advance of your arrival. The team there is familiar with the trailhead and will pre-arrange round trip transportation for some of the most reasonable rates in town.

Capture the magic of your own adventure with personalized photography and videography services! Contact us for details.

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