Guided Forest Bathing & Nature Therapy

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

For retreats at the NC Arboretum:

Due to the special nature of events at the NC Arboretum, your registration is non-refundable. You may reschedule for a different date if notice is given at least 7 days in advance. Out of respect for all involved in crafting this special experience, the rescheduling option does not apply to cancellations within 7-0 days.

For regularly scheduled, public walks:

Cancellations more than 72 hrs prior to your scheduled experience are refundable minus a $10/person admin fee or you may choose a store credit for 100% of your purchase price. Out of respect for your guide’s time, cancellations between 0-72 hrs prior to your scheduled experience are non-refundable and store credits will not be offered within that window of time. No refunds will be issued for no-shows.

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 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.

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.

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.