Luxury wellness retreat Sensei Porcupine Creek will host the property’s inaugural hiking retreat to kick off the new year January 16-20, 2025 in Rancho Mirage, California. Following the success of previous hiking retreats at the sister property on Lanai - Sensei Lānaʻi, a Four Seasons Resort - hiking enthusiasts at the five-day, four-night retreat will enjoy intermediate to advanced guided hikes that combine breathtaking views of the Coachella Valley’s vast desert landscapes, from Joshua Tree National Park to Indian Canyons, under the direction of Sensei’s team of expert Guides and cultural insights from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. These experiences are coupled with Sensei’s signature wellness programming, restorative spa treatments, luxury accommodations and world-class culinary offerings from Sensei by Nobu.
“The desert holds a perennial allure for wellness seekers. Since the Coachella Valley is home to some of the most diverse landscapes and bucket-list-worthy trails in the country, we wanted to start the new year by bringing the incredibly successful hiking retreats we’ve been hosting at our Lanai property to Rancho Mirage,” said Alexandra Walterspiel, Sensei’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “We’re thrilled to partner with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to offer a one-of-a-kind cultural immersion tour showcasing their beautiful ancestral lands in the Indian Canyons. This collaboration pairs so effortlessly with our team of Sensei Guides and expert practitioners to help guests along their wellbeing journeys.”
Facilitated by expert Sensei Guides and experienced adventure leads, the program delivers enriching wellness guidance within the desert’s most inspiring settings. Open to couples, solo travelers and small travel groups alike, the hiking retreat at Sensei Porcupine Creek includes:
For the first hikes of the trip, guests will explore two trails in Indian Canyons, the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, with Cultural Ambassador Anthony Purnel. With his exceptional knowledge, he will lead the group through the phenomenal natural oasis while giving a firsthand glimpse into the area’s indigenous history and culture. To begin, a scenic 1-mile foot trail leads guests through Andreas Canyon for an interpretative hike, passing through a grove of California fan palms, spectacular rock formations, and ancient rock mortars. Next, guests will be transported to nearby Palm Canyon for a roughly 3-mile, moderately graded hike featuring the world’s largest California fan palm oasis as well as breathtaking views and close-up encounters with Indigenous flora and fauna.
On day two, guests will head out with local experts Big Wheel Tours to explore Joshua Tree National Park, one of the most iconic national parks in the country, where the group will head to Ryan Mountain for a 2.9-mile out-and-back trail. This hike will feature a 1,000-foot climb to the summit, complete with sweeping views of the entire national park from boulder piles to the towering San Jacinto mountains in the distance. The retreat will culminate with a challenging 4.4-mile hike at Ladder Canyon in the Painted Canyons with Big Wheel Tours. There, guests will navigate twists and turns in narrow canyon pathways, arrive at a gradual desert trail and walk along a panoramic ridgeline on this one-of-a-kind hike. While moving across the canyon floor, hikers will climb a series of ladders up slot canyons, then gain expansive lookouts towards the San Andreas Mountain range as well as the nearby Salton Sea.
“The Coachella Valley is home to some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in the country and we are excited to share our beautiful ancestral homelands with guests of Sensei,” said Reid D. Milanovich, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Tribal Chairman. “While our Indian Canyons offer travelers access to world-class hiking trails and landscapes, during this retreat, we will have the opportunity to provide guests with a deeper cultural experience and understanding of our history, culture, and insights into the land with the hikers who join us for this journey.”
In addition to the hikes, guests will have access to Sensei Porcupine Creek’s wide range of amenities and wellness offerings including intimate group wellness classes, private 1:1 sessions with Sensei Guides, rejuvenating spa treatments, a lagoon-style swimming pool, self-guided tours through the property’s museum-worthy art, pro-level golf course and tennis courts, state-of-the-art fitness pavilion and more.
The hiking retreat begins at $13,200 (single occupancy in an estate house standard room) and $9,200 each (double occupancy in an estate house standard room). For more information about the program inclusions or to book your stay, please visit: sensei.com/retreats/porcupine-creek/packages/coachella-hiking-retreat/.
Prior to the hiking retreat at Sensei Porcupine Creek, interested guests can still book a spot at Sensei Lānaʻi, a Four Seasons Resort’s second hiking retreat Nov. 7-12, to enjoy easy-to-moderate trails that combine panoramic views of Lānaʻi’s lush landscapes with a deep dive into the Hawaiian island’s history and culture, while also participating in the property’s wellness programming.
