In early March last winter, on the first day of the Seefeld & Engadin trip, a photo of a guest swimming in Seefeld popped up on the group WhatsApp thread on my phone. I was trailside at the World Championships in Planica, Slovenia with the New Moon crew and was surprised to see a guest swimming in the pond in front of Seefeld’s iconic Seekirchl church. Sure, there wasn’t ice on the pond, but it was still winter. Brrr.
A few days later, I met up with the Seefeld & Engadin guests in Switzerland. We took a scenic cog railway to the top of my favorite mountain overlooking the Engadin Valley. From this vantage point, you can see the chain of villages along the Inn River that run along the length of the Engadin Ski Marathon course. This is what skiing in the Engadin Valley is all about: skiing between towns, having the option to take the train back to your hotel and even a Swiss fondue.
At dinner that night, I sat next to Eric, who was swimming on the first day of the trip in Seefeld. He shared that he takes an ice bath daily, inspired by the Dutch “Iceman” Wim Hof. Hof is known for his practice of special breathing and daily cold exposure for improved health.
It turns out that Eric, who has an infectiously charismatic personality, had inspired others during the trip to join him in his daily ice bath ritual. By the end of the trip, many of the guests on the trip were joining Eric. The village is known for its thermal, indoor wellness baths. But no one would ever take a dip outside, right? Well, the Lumi group gained the attention of the village’s Mayor who posted a photo of the Lumi group in one of the village’s outdoor fountains. The caption read: “New village bath open for wellness 24/7, year-round.”
This winter’s guests enjoyed lots of snow in the Engadin Valley and “snowglobe” conditions for the Engadin Worldloppet ski marathon earlier this month, but no outdoor swimming. Of course, taking a cold plunge in the village fountain remains an option for guests on the 2025 Seefeld & Engadin trip, although most guests prefer the 5-story Samedan mineral baths and spa just a short walk from our hotel in town. It’s a great way to reward yourself after skiing the Engadin, which is exactly two weeks after the Birkie.
For any cold-weather swimming enthusiasts, we just launched a new Lumi trip to Estonia & Finland in February 2025. Lahti, Finland is especially known for its winter swimming… and Finnish saunas of course! The trip is already full (waitlist-only), but there is space on other 2025 Lumi trips like the Tour de Ski in Italy, Marcialonga & King Ludwig, Norwegian Birkebeiner and Holmenkollen World Cup. We’re currently offering a $300 / person early booking discount on any 2025 trip when you book by this Sunday, March 31.
I hope to hear from you soon and see you on the trail next winter!
Garrott
garrott@lumiexperiences.com
