The midlife women swapping wellness retreats for ‘purposeful adventure'

Telegraph

5 hours ago

A therapist once told me there are two types of women that emerge from the menopause: those who retreat, their confidence waning, choosing a smaller life; and those who lean in, craving reinvention and adventure after years of caregiving and routine.
So, which one was I?
I've always been comfortable with travel. I run a business, Night Nannies, which places maternity nurses and nannies with families overnight, and our children work in the US, so my husband and I regularly cross the Atlantic. But, if I'm honest, that kind of travel always felt functional, not adventurous.
So when a friend returned from trekking in Peru, aglow from camping under the stars and living out of a rucksack, I felt a pang. The last time I'd stepped that far out of my comfort zone was backpacking in the late Eighties. Could I still do it? Could I still be that woman?
The Peru trip had been organised by a specialist travel company called The Leap, founded by the magnetic Milly Whitehead – a woman who inspired a jolt of recognition upon meeting. Here was someone who understood what so many of us grapple with: the strange, in-between space that midlife can bring. The kids were grown and gone. The routines were set. The ambition that once drove me didn't quite resonate anymore, but neither did slowing down.
I didn't want a spa. I wanted substance.
Whitehead's message cut through the noise of hormone hacks and wellness fads: Midlife isn't a crisis. It's a catalyst. A moment to reassess and reawaken – not through therapy, but through action. When you challenge yourself, contribute to something meaningful, and laugh under the stars with people who see you, really see you, you remember who you are. That's what The Leap gives you: not a fix, but a return to self.
Something clicked. So, at 57, I signed up for a trip to Colombia with a group of 12 women, to immerse myself in a place I knew little about, with the hope that something meaningful might unfold.
Whitehead's Leap trips always mix a blend of culture, challenge, and contribution – a recipe she first rediscovered during a trip to Namibia with midlife friends. That experience reignited her sense of confidence and connection, and proved that this kind of purposeful adventure wasn't just for 18-year-olds.
Ours began in the highlands of Bucaramanga after a short flight from Bogotá and a white-knuckle bus ride to Barichara, which often referred to as Colombia's most beautiful town. With cobbled streets, whitewashed buildings and terracotta roofs, it felt timeless. Our guide, Josie Topp, a long-time resident, opened doors to experiences we'd never have found on our own.
We explored artisan markets full of handwoven textiles and pottery. That night, over a sunset dinner of local cuisine, including the infamous culonas (ants), I felt more present than I had in years.
The next morning began with yoga in a shaman's home – gong baths, breathwork, jungle sounds – to align our energy before the real adventure began. The following day, we joined a community reforestation project, planting saplings in a reserve supported by Leap. It was grounding, sweaty and satisfying.
Another day, we worked with a local women's cooperative, making leather purses, bottling preserves and patching a leaking roof. These weren't token gestures. They were genuine exchanges – skill for skill, woman to woman.
And somewhere in the doing, something shifted. No one cared what I did for a living or how put together I looked. I wasn't someone's mother, wife or boss. I was just Anastasia. Present, useful, connected. And that was enough.
The women I travelled with each one had a story. Some raw, some still unfolding. At the end of each day, boots off and wine poured, we shared. We talked about midlife invisibility, about ageing bodies, about starting over. We laughed, we cried. And in that circle, we found space to be ourselves.
From Barichara, we travelled north to Santa Marta and hiked into Tayrona National Park. Covered in sweat and mosquito bites but brimming with euphoria, I caught my reflection in a cracked jungle mirror. I looked real, alive, and I thought: 'She's still in there'. Later, we floated by canoe down a jungle river, then landed on the white sands of Buritaca Beach, where hammocks swung and cocktails waited. Our final stop was Cartagena, a vibrant, historic city full of colour, rhythm, and Afro-Caribbean flair. We wandered markets, danced in courtyards and dined under soft lighting. It was the perfect full-circle moment.
This wasn't just a holiday. It was a new kind of travel. Companies like Responsible Travel offer volunteering opportunities; Flash Pack curates escapes for solo adventurers. But this proves that there was still a gap to be filled – a need for purpose-led journeys blending community contribution, cultural immersion and the power of team connection.
It's part of a wider shift in how midlife women want to travel, too. According to recent reports from ABTA and Forbes, there's been a marked rise in women over 50 seeking transformative, values-driven experiences over traditional tourism. From solo walking retreats to eco-volunteering, the appetite is growing, but few providers beyond The Leap combine all three elements: challenge, culture and contribution.
'We're not trying to fix people,' says Whitehead. 'We just create the space, and give the nudge, to step out of the comfort zone.
'There's something magical that happens when women step away from the noise and into a space where they can contribute, connect and challenge themselves,' she adds. 'They stop shrinking. They expand. And suddenly, they're not just travelling – they're remembering who they are.'
Kirsty, who joined The Leap in Peru, put it perfectly: 'I wanted to test my own resilience and was chuffed to see I could dig even deeper when it got tough.'
Jo, another midlifer who travelled to Kenya, described it as 'a chance to shake myself awake again. I'd forgotten what it felt like to be brave and then, suddenly, there I was, knee-deep in a mangrove swamp, laughing and totally alive.'
In a world obsessed with mentally checking out or physically looking good, this is simply about showing up. Whole, wild, weathered, and ready: when you're planting trees beside a stranger-turned-friend, no one cares that your hair's thinning or your tummy's bloating. You talk, you share and you laugh – sometimes harder than you have in years.
I didn't come home with a tan or trinkets. I came home with clarity. About how I want to feel: curious, connected and brave. I want to say yes to things that scare me a little. I want to live from desire, not obligation.
And I want more women to know: this kind of reawakening is possible. Not through a diet. Not through a silent retreat. But through messy, meaningful, purpose-driven adventure.
Whitehead is right: purposeful travel is the missing piece in the midlife wellbeing conversation. We don't need to be hacked or fixed. We just need to live – fully, wildly, unapologetically. So, if you're feeling the itch, that low hum of longing, you don't have to ignore it. Sometimes, what you need is a plane ticket and a backpack – because, cliché though it sounds, remembering who you are often starts with getting a bit lost.
Essentials
Anastasia Baker, founder of Night Nannies, was a guest of The Leap, which offers the 10-day 'Midlife Leap to Colombia' trip from £3,250 per person, including accommodation, meals, guides, internal travel and project donations. International flights extra. Highlights include supporting community projects in Barichara, trekking through Tayrona National Park, and enjoying both beach time and cultural downtime in Cartagena. Departs November 9, 2025 and February 22, 2026.