Into the Wild: The Squamish Spa Redefining the Off-Grid Wellness Experience

There’s no shortage of hot-cold spas in and around Vancouver. But few embrace the wilderness quite like Aika Spa, dialing the Nordic ritual all the way back to its roots: raw, remote, and real. Pronounced “eye-kuh,” this outdoor spa is secreted away in a thicket of dense woods near Brackendale, about a 90-minute drive from Vancouver. There’s no cell service, no Wi-Fi, no traffic noise, and as it’s a private spa, no crowds to contend with—just the Squamish Valley rainforest and everything it has to offer.

Which, according to co-founder Tristan Jenkin, is so much more than meets the eye. “There’s a powerful, cathartic energy that’s always moving through the Squamish Valley. Aika was created to help people tap into that natural energy, to reconnect with themselves, with each other, and with the earth. People have come into this valley for years to extract from the land. We’re here to connect with it, to charge up from it in a more intentional, respectful way. Like tapping into a maple tree—gently, with reverence.”

Inspired by time spent living in Sweden—where he met his now-wife and Aika co-founder, Emily—Jenkin set out to design a spa that felt as authentic and nature-rooted as the Scandinavian retreats they frequented together as young travellers. Back then, they’d sauna in groups on a remote island in the Swedish archipelago, plunge into the icy sea, and reconnect with friends over firelight and fika.

Drawing from the Squamish Valley’s raw terrain, Jenkin sought to recreate that same sense of connection—not by replicating the coastlines of Sweden but by harnessing a different kind of wild magic, grounded in the rainforest.

Upon arrival, guests pass through a Wall of Intention: a log wall built from cedar, maple, and fir, located where the groves of these trees meet. It’s meant to act as a gentle threshold between the everyday world and the one within, a place where guests can leave behind what no longer serves them. There’s no formal lobby, no crowded parking lot—just a quiet transition into the experience, as natural as the surroundings themselves.

The journey continues at a stone circle, where six massive, flat-topped boulders—each weighing more than 500 kilograms—are arranged around a roaring fire. This is Aika’s central gathering point, a place for warmth and conversation. Tucked beneath a rare break in the rainforest canopy, the clearing allows beams of sunlight to filter through, casting shifting patterns across the rocks throughout the day.

Nearby, two wood-fired saunas—designed and hand-built by Jenkin himself using locally sourced British Columbian cedar—anchor the spa experience. The firewood that fuels them is from the property, something Jenkin says is key to the energy of the space. “A human being harvested that wood by hand. That fire heats the sauna. It’s a full-circle exchange, and you can really feel it.”

Inside the sauna, large picture windows frame the rainforest, offering a quiet, ever-changing view of the land through the seasons: the forest breathing to life in spring, stretching tall in summer, exhaling in autumn, and resting under snow. In the rain, droplets tap the roof in rhythmic percussion, adding yet another sensorial layer.

A raised platform nearby holds two cold plunge tubs beneath a broadleaf maple canopy, completing the thermal cycle. Between rounds, guests retreat to a cosy yurt strung with fairy lights, a quiet space for rest and reflection, stocked with herbal tea, water, and meditation aids.

“Guests often say it feels like nature is holding them when they’re here,” Jenkin says.

Since opening, Aika has become a touchstone for Squamish’s wellness community. Though the spa is private by design—bookable in advance for groups of up to 10 in 90-minute, three-hour, or six-hour sessions—it also hosts occasional Self-Care Socials and Wellness Wednesdays, offering something of an introduction to sauna culture for newcomers.

Aika also offers overnight stays, with bespoke private packages that invite guests to sleep in an off-grid cabin just steps from the sauna.

Looking ahead, Jenkin says the spa plans to introduce seasonal wellness packages, small-scale retreats, and ceremony-led experiences in collaboration with trusted facilitators. But there’s no rush.

“At Aika, everything starts with intention,” he says. “We want to grow, but only in ways that align with our values. There’s no pretension here: just cedar, cold water, fire, and breath.”

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