A FRESH APPROACH
The benefits of breath work, icy dips, and conscious reflection come together on a revitalizing multiday hike through the Tasmanian wilderness.
STANDING at the top of one of Tasmania’s highest sea cliffs, on the Australian island’s southeastern coast, gave me a breathtaking sensation. A thousand feet above the surging Southern Ocean, there’s nothing, except perhaps the odd albatross or migratory humpback whale, between you and Antarctica. Anything seems possible, which might be why this spot is home to a new holistic health offering.
Wild Wellness, a guided four-day program, leads hikers on journeys that incorporate coldwater ocean plunges; rhythmic, meditative Wim Hof Method breath work; and journaling to tap into their inner selves. Yoga and meditation can be included, too. The trip is centered around Three Capes Track, one of Australia’s newest “great walks,” which follows 29 miles of pathways via eucalyptus forests, coastal heaths, and stunning capes and bays.
Humans come to this wild place to reconnect with nature’s beauty and, often, themselves. “When you’re out in that incredible environment, nature adds another layer of healing,” Wild Wellness founder Alice Hansen said. “In their busy lives, people don’t often get the time to look a little deeper and reflect.”
Hansen partnered with the Tasmanian Walking Co., which runs guided hikes on the island, to offer an outdoor experience with a few key comforts thrown in. Guides cook restorative meals like roast chicken or coconut-braised beef cheeks, and each night participants sleep in strikingly designed modern lodges, many times accompanied by ocean views. wildwellnessmethod. com; four-day hikes from $2,605.