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People used to strive simply to live as long as possible, but in recent years, that goal has taken on a new dimension: How long can you live in good health? “The focus now is on health span, not life span,” said Dr. Frank Lipman, a co-author of the 2020 book “The New Rules of Aging Well.” “We generally talk about extending someone’s life, but what’s the use if they’re suffering and disabled and can’t enjoy what they have?”
With research showing that modifications to factors like exercise, nutrition and sleep can make a crucial difference between aging and aging well, a host of retreats offer a range of programs, some more expensive than others, catering to those who aim to prevent disease and expand their health spans.
Some of these destinations begin with high-tech medical assessments like genetic and cancer screenings, as well as cardiac and cognitive tests. Many provide “biohacking” treatments involving infrared saunas, cryotherapy chambers, IVs and blood work, while others focus on more holistic ways to nurture the body and mind.
Some experts have expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of biohacking treatments on life span and suggest setting your expectations before committing to a program. “The good part of the longevity trend is that people are more aware of optimal health and that they can influence the quality and quantity of their life,” said Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier, author of “Change Your Genes, Change Your Life.” “But taking supplements and having blood transfusions, for example, are not a promise of extended longevity.”
Here are six all-inclusive spas and retreats around the world that offer longevity-based programs and treatments.
Tecate, Mexico
Rancho La Puerta
When it comes to longevity, guests at Rancho La Puerta might be inspired by its 102-year-old co-founder, Deborah Szekely, who remains a featured speaker every Wednesday evening. The retreat, on a 4,000-acre organic farm and wilderness preserve in Tecate, Mexico, welcomes new guests every Saturday. They are encouraged to stay for a week, but shorter stays are possible.
Every day at Rancho La Puerta includes a full roster of activities like yoga, circuit training, hiking and sound healing, which uses instruments like musical bowls, drums, gongs and more to “produce deep relaxation.” Visiting experts present workshops like “Your DNA Is Not Your Destiny,” led by Dr. Lee Rice, a family practice and sports physician, which takes place the week of Dec. 7. In his lectures, Dr. Rice explains the growing field of epigenetics — how our health-related choices influence proteins that can alter the expression of our genes — and helps guests create wellness plans.
Saturday-to-Saturday stays start at $5,400.
Savery, Wyo.
The Three Forks Ranch
With its Mayo Clinic partnership, the Three Forks Ranch, on 280,000 acres about 40 miles north of Steamboat Springs, Colo., offers an extensive battery of medical assessments either on their own or as part of longevity retreats. Guided by the neurologist Dr. Mike Harper, the ranch’s medical director and a practicing Mayo Clinic physician, guests can get electrocardiograms that use A.I. for a more in-depth analysis and GRAIL Galleri multi-cancer blood screenings, among other tests. You can take your results to your own physician or use a doctor at a Mayo Clinic location.
Along with medical screenings and personalized nutrition and exercise sessions, Three Forks offers lectures on topics like sleep and happiness and a “kitchen academy” to learn how to prepare healthy meals. Wellness also means time in nature, and there’s no shortage here. This working cattle ranch offers activities such as hiking, biking, wildlife tours, fly fishing, horseback riding in summer and downhill skiing on a private mountain.
Lori Hiltz, 64, of Chicago, who attended a Three Forks longevity retreat last April, completing tests like a cancer early-detection screening, said the experience helped her “learn the major importance of nutrition and exercise for a woman of my age.”
Four-night stays with a longevity medical assessment start at $17,000 for one person and $26,780 for two.
Ibiza, Spain
Six Senses Ibiza
The five-day “Transform Your Life” longevity retreat from May 4 to 8, 2025, at Six Senses Ibiza, offers sessions with Dr. Ingrid Yang, a physician and author who specializes in holistic, lifestyle and integrative medicine, which refers to the combination of standard medical practices with such techniques as yoga and acupuncture. In her “learning labs,” Dr. Yang explains her five pillars of longevity — nutrition, movement, sleep, connection and stress management — and has guests try breath work, yoga, meditation and a cold plunge session.
“During our time together, I teach healthy habits that they can try out, which motivates people to consider making modifications in their daily lives,” Dr. Yang said.
The all-inclusive retreat includes a cryotherapy session, IV therapies, one session of photomodulation (infrared therapy) to target pain and inflammation, and access to the RoseBar Longevity Clinic, which offers a range of diagnostic services.
Four-night, five-day retreats start at 2,895 euros, or about $3,200.
Santa Fe, N.M., and El Pescadero, Mexico
Modern Elder Academy
Chip Conley, the founder of the Modern Elder Academy, also wrote the book “Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better With Age,” a good description of the academy’s approach to longevity.
“When we socialize, when we cultivate purpose in later life, we live longer,” said Mr. Conley. “There is not one biohacking activity that has proven to have as much of an effect on longevity as when you shift your mind-set from a negative one to a positive one — you gain 7.5 years of additional life.”
At an M.E.A. retreat, either in Santa Fe, N.M., or on the Baja Peninsula of Mexico, guests engage in five days and nights of expert-led workshops, meditation, movement activities and opportunities to cultivate connection.
Shared rooms start at $4,500, private rooms $6,000. Financial aid is available for some workshops.
Uttarakhand, India
Ananda in the Himalayas
The Ayurvedic Rejuvenation & Immunity Booster program at Ananda in the Himalayas, a spa in northern India, is based on Ayurveda — the ancient Indian system that aims to help people live long, healthy, balanced lives. Over seven, 14 or 21 days, guests consult regularly with Ayurvedic specialists to create a personalized health program aimed at improving longevity through immunity-boosting treatments, nutrition and yoga. The first phase involves treatments to detoxify, destress and revitalize the body. The second phase focuses on therapeutic treatments targeting specific medical and health issues. And finally, the immunity-boosting phase focuses on diet and lifestyle.
Consultations with a physiotherapist and personal sessions for yoga, breath work and meditation are included.
Single-occupancy rooms start at $1,090 per night.
Tucson, Ariz.
Canyon Ranch
The new Longevity8 program at Canyon Ranch, debuting on Nov. 10, will offer guests more than 15 medical assessments, testing over 200 biomarkers, along with 18 private coaching sessions. The “8” refers to the retreat’s eight guiding principles for longevity: integrative medicine, flexibility and fitness, nutrition, sleep, spiritual wellness, mental and emotional health, outdoor activity, and strength and endurance.
State-of-the-art diagnostic testing includes a Dexa scan, which measures body composition and bone density, and a VO2 max test, which tracks how much oxygen your body absorbs (to measure aerobic fitness), along with a comprehensive blood work-up, sleep screening and more. Coaches, specializing in the fields of nutrition, sports science, sleep, spiritual wellness, mental and behavioral health, and more, work with guests to devise a personalized plan, with six months of virtual follow-up after departure.
Four-night stays start at $20,000 per person, or $36,000 a couple. The second retreat starts on Dec. 8, with 10 additional sessions planned for 2025.
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