Fifteen or twenty years ago, the word “wellness” wasn’t on most people’s lexicon. Today, it has become ubiquitous, impossible to not use, as it simply means “to take care of oneself”—whatever that entails for you. Exercising, mindfulness (another newer word), nutrition, spirituality, sleep tracking, and relaxation are all different limbs of the same tree.
Problem is, our lives hither and thither over impossibly demanding workloads, never-ending zoom calls, and Twitter’s doom-scrolling—the latter, news of a seemingly ever-present pandemic, which, to be fair, we can all collectively nod as we say we’re done with. We all are yearning for an escapade: A leisurely getaway to counteract the white-knuckled routine we have imposed over our bodies and minds (and souls).
Here, at Terra Explorer Peru, we have taken it upon ourselves to roll out a series of wellness destinations to assuage this shared cri de coeur. But before you go digging on our website, let’s answer some not-so-obvious questions about wellness travel.
In short: Wellness tourism is the kind of travel that pursuits wellbeing. What it involves depends on you (we’re all about tailor-made itineraries, though we make excellent suggestions). Besides the expected massage and tranquil picnics; we tend to consider healthy eating powered by Andean superfoods, yoga sessions overlooking the splendid Sacred Valley of the Incas, ancient rituals teaching us gratitude, hassle-free glamping, and intertwining with remote communities whose populace appreciate a slower and kinder way of living—much of which we should learn.
You might be interested in: Why visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas?
Much has been made out of Machu Picchu, rightfully so. But beyond the scenic citadel, Peru is home to a bunch of paradisiacal landscapes tucked away in the Sacred Valley—forty-five minutes away from Cusco. There, the removed terrain itself seems to be otherworldly, ethereal, and mystical. No surprise, then, to learn that for centuries the peoples inhabiting the area venerated the natural features as gods.
Peru is that one rare thing: A country where both the storied lands and the peoples inhabiting them (community tourism, anyone?) create a healing atmosphere to soothe those who resolve on paying a visit.
People often describe this country as the gastronomic epicenter of Latin America. Peruvian cuisine is infused with Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, African, and Indigenous culinary customs. This eclectic mix built over local ingredients gives way to a unique set of flavors. And so, although we know pampering the palate is also a very valid way towards self-care, the goal of our food for these wellness vacations is to create the perfect balance between healthy and tasty.
You might be interested in: Food Tour in Peru
Just one of many crowd-pleasing plates: Ceviche, the most Peruvian of all dishes, features raw fish soaked in citric juices and spices accompanied by bits of corn, onions, and sweet potatoes. Nothing fried. Nothing processed. Nothing but pure deliciousness.
Among the hundreds —if not thousands— of infamous Goop recommendations, there is one sane thing popularized by the site: Meditation. The likes of Headspace have taken over everyone’s phone —well, okay, everyone who cares about mental health, at least—and, although it surely is a tool doing wonders for the hectic urbanites, nothing comes close to a yoga and meditation session along the shores of Huaypo Lake in the Sacred Valley.
Snow-capped mountains on the back, hills covered in greenery, and feathery fields surrounding the lake make this the perfect locale for rekindling our relationship with a healthy psyche.
Spirituality is not for everyone. Let us rephrase, spirituality is not the same for everyone. To some it means donning a freshly ironed suit and heading to church on Sundays to sing along a frolicking choir, to others it means —heaven forfend!— doing shrooms. Whatever gets the horse to the water, right?. Well, yeah.
From civilization to civilization the path towards spiritual development has always been there—it isn’t always the same path but there is, undeniably, a path. There is, also, one thing we can all say for sure is universal: the shared need for expressing gratitude for whatever has been received.
Gratitude has this mind-expanding thing about it. One could argue that our souls are programmed to evince this. It’s human nature. Still and all, when one gets lost in the commotion of the nine to five, it is hard to even feel it.
Luckily for us, Andean civilizations have managed to thread an impossible needle: to incorporate gratitude into their everyday lives. For centuries and to this day, they have forged a profound relationship with Mother Earth; she is the ultimate provider after all, isn’t she? Indigenous shamans become spiritual guides to us, passersby, in a ritual they call “Pago a la Tierra”, which somewhat translates as “gratitude to Mother Earth.”
Relaxation when traveling with us? That goes without saying. Still, we make sure this wellness trip is not only easy-peasy but especially filled with gilded experiences. We turn camping into glamping. We take massages out of the spa and into almost-too-beautiful landscapes. We set incredible picnics overlooking the Andean scenery. Pampering is our specialty.
If you’re looking for a luxurious getaway in Peru with wellness in mind. Look no further. We’re the ones to go with. Tailor-made vacations are encouraged at Terra Explorer, so get on our website, start exploring, and let’s set a date.
To ensure the well-being and safety of our travelers and staff throughout our operational chain, Terra Explorer will comply with the health and safety measures and protocols established by the Peruvian Association of Adventure Tourism and Ecotourism (APTAE), and implement the Covid-19 health and safety guidelines for adventure tourism developed by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
Our experiences are designed considering the least possible exposure, where the final destinations are usually remote places. By their very nature, our adventure activities are considered to be low risk, mainly because they are performed outdoors where ventilation is constant and making it easy to achieve social distancing.
During these times we are working together with a small staff of honorable people who have been part of the Terra Explorer family for many years. They and their families are aligned with the established health and safety measures. Employing these staff members also seeks to reactivate the local economy.
We guarantee a safe, soul-fulfilling trip to all our travelers for whom we make these adventures possible.
Terra Explorer will strictly comply with the safety, cleaning, and hygiene protocols during our internal processes, third parties, and throughout your trip. This involves:
Follow the instructions related to health and safety given by the Terra Explorer team and your guide, before and during your trip.
Stay home if:
With the intention of delivering the most flexibility at the time of confirming your trip, we will determine the amount of the initial deposit individually and according to your itinerary characteristics.
Secure your trip with a deposit and pay the rest in one or more payments, at a time that suits you best. Please make sure you adhere to our policy and pay in full at least 31 days prior to your trip date.
If you need to cancel your trip, we will apply the following flexible policies.
For more detailed information on our terms and conditions and Covid-19 policies, please contact us at [email protected]
