Self-Care and Skincare Saturday - Kananaskis Nordic Spa Hydrotherapy

Happy Self-care Saturday everyone! I have been dreaming of going to the Kananaskis Nordic Spa since it opened a few years ago, and I'm so happy I finally got to go there on Thursday! 

I purchased my entry - all photos of the Spa are from the KNS instagram, as cameras are not allowed

The Kananaskis Nordic Spa follows the traditional Nordic Hydrotherapy cycling, which includes cycling through hot, warm and cold baths, followed by periods of rest. This specific sequence is meant to stimulate blood flow, eliminate toxins, reduce stress, allow the mind to unwind and gently increase the heart rate for an instant feeling of well-being. For full benefits, they recommend you get in 3 to 4 full cycles for your day at the spa! 

Right now, the Spa is fully open with the Alberta Covid restrictions being lifted, but they are doing a few things differently for health and safety measures. They are currently offering two time slots per day: 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., so there is an hour break between sessions. When you check in you will get a locker wristband and that will give you access to your locker that has a robe, sandals, towels, and an exfoliating scrub for the exfoliation cabin! The locker rooms also have basically everything you could possibly need - shower needs, lotions, hairdryers, straighteners, q-tips, razors, tampons, you name it, they are stocked. Each session is $119 + gst Monday to Thursday, and $129 + gst per person. (Right now, for santization purposes, you cannot leave and then come back during your time - there is no reentry allowed!)

The spa is nice and spread out, tucked away with a few of the mountains from a few spots! It has two different hot pools, two warm pools, one cold plunge pool, and a variety of relaxation spots - fire pits, hammocks, multiple different saunas and an exfoliation cabin, so there is plenty of spots to unwind! 

There is also Two Trees Bistro on-site and you are invited to dine while in your plushy robe! We had a glass of wine, dinner and dessert - they offer a menu of lighter fare to match with the spa environment! 

Here's a little more about each of the pools and amenities:

Hot Pools: To take your body and heart beat up a notch - the two hot pools range from 35-40 ºC, and they were 38 and 40 when we were there. 

Relaxation/Warm Pools: These are meant to be a peaceful place to indulge in pleasant warmth while resting for a while. The pools range from 32-38 ºC and I think it was 32 while were there! 

Cold Plunge Pool: The cold yin to the heat yang of the hot pools, brave it, breathe deeply and feel an all-body tingle along with clarity of mind. The pool is usually 5-10 ºC, I think it was 15 while were there and it's cold - go in quick! 

Banyan & Barrel Saunas: Enclose yourself in the traditional Russian-style banyan sauna - retreat in to cedar scented warmth and take your preference of dry or wet heat. There are big and little saunas all over the place, so there is lots of options. 

Steam Cabin: As part of the hot element, you can jump in the steam cabin and breathe in the essential oil infused steam - sit back a relax. There is also an overhead cold plunge bucket if you want a little refresh. I will be honest, I can't believe I missed the steam cabin - we ran out of time, and will have to try it on the next visit! 

Exfoliation Cabin: Use your tub of exfoliation salts in the exfoliation cabin - this is a nice steamy room where you can apply the scrub, we let it soak in to our skin for 15 minutes, and then rinsed off in the shower in there. They recommend you finish here, so you leave with nice smooth skin! 

And, there is fire pits, hammocks, and the bistro to relax in. 

So, we tried to follow the recommended order and each cycle took us just over an hour to complete - 20 minutes in the hot pool, 20 minutes in the warm pool, a quick 2 minute plunge in the cold pool and then about 20 minutes relaxing before starting all over. 

We certainly didn't get to all the saunas or relaxation spots, so I'm certainly thinking about my next visit already so I can try everything else I missed! 

So, we went for the evening time of 3:30 to 9:00 p.m. and we got there just after it opened, so by the time we got changed and organized, we were able to get in 3 full rotations of the hot, warm, cold, relax and repeat. Plus, we had dinner and dessert in the Bistro, and left a little early so we could shower and get ourselves together before we left, and we left just before closing time. It was the perfect amount of time. We are already talking about going back, and we want to stay next time so we don't have to drive home after a lovely spa night!