Winter Swimming, Skiing and Saunas

Lumi guest Eric swimming by the iconic Seekirchl church in Seefeld

This time last year 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 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.

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.

The 2023 Seefeld & Engadin group at the top of Switzerland’s Engadin Valley

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.”

The Mayor of Samedan’s Instagram post about year-round bathing in the village fountain

This winter’s guests just arrived to lots of snow in the Engadin Valley and are looking forward to skiing the Engadin ski marathon this weekend. Of course taking a cold plunge in the village fountain remains an option for guests on the Seefeld & Engadin trip, although most guests prefer the 5-story Samedan mineral baths and spa just a short walk from our hotel in town.

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! We’re offering $300 off any 2025 trip when you book before the end of this month – only 3 weeks left to save and the trips are filling quickly.

See you on the trail soon,
Garrott
garrott@lumiexperiences.com