In March of 2022, I experienced Willka T’ika’s “Essential Wellness Retreat” for 7 days. The group retreat consisted of 8 other solo travelers, with none of us fully understanding what we signed up for (albeit, there are plenty of pre-read materials available on the WT website). Now that I’ve return from Willka T’ika, I’m taking great care to not speak about my experience at every available opportunity. I want to share it with everyone. I want everyone to experience the mental and physical rebirth that I’ve had.

I chose this retreat because the itinerary seemed intentional and carefully crafted, which stood out from other options in my research. Now that I’ve had a chance to reflect on my trip, it’s clear that Terry, Tristen, and the entire staff, have infused intentionality into every aspect of the hotel property and the retreat experience.

From the moment I paid for this trip, Vidya was extremely helpful, accommodating, and communicative in pre-planning necessities. Things like airport transportation and extra activities were easy to schedule. They were also easy to schedule onsite (e.g., Machu Picchu if tickets are available) so don’t worry too much about doing all the planning before you get to Urubamba.

Once I arrived at Willka T’ika, the staff took care of our *every* need. Breakfast will haunt my dreams for years to come because it was so good. Prepare for the best fruit and coffee of your life. None of us missed meat–the vegetarian food fills you up.

Though there are many, many moments that standout from my 7 day experience, a lasting impression for me is how much Terry, Verena, and the whole team truly care. After the sweat lodge experience, I wasn’t feeling physically/mentally well. I wanted to be alone, in a quiet space, and ride out an intense headache/fatigue. Verena coordinated my lunch in a quiet area and kept checking on me throughout the day. When I skipped group dinner, Terry (who is the Director of the resort) brought dinner to my room, checked in on me, and assured that my water jug was refilled. I already felt cared for during my time at Willka T’ika, but the familial treatment I received when feeling ill will stay with me forever.

There are so many reasons to choose Willka T’ika: the grounds, the energy, the DOGS, the likeminded people, the helpful staff, proximity to town (Urubamba), and the fact that all the logistical planning is done for you. It’s hard to explain until you experience it yourself, and your experience will be different than mine based on the people you share it with. But if there’s any hesitation, any voice that’s trying to tell you not to do it, shut that voice up immediately. The Willka T’ika Essential Wellness Retreat will enrich your life in ways that you’ll want to share with everyone else. What you’ll bring back is far more valuable than anything you’ll “give up” going into this retreat. It’s worth the money, worth the travel time, worth the time away from loved ones, and worth the PTO. This is the best gift I ever gave myself.

~ Maureen Kornienko March ’22