Hacienda Tres Rios is an eco-friendly resort in the Riviera Maya that is located on a 326-acre property with lots of nature paths and mangroves and a few cenotes. Prior to opening as a hotel in 2008, Hacienda Tres Rios was originally a nature park that was open to the public. One of their signature activities was called “Sense Adventure.” In this singular activity, participants are blindfolded and led down a jungle path and through various sensory experiences. The hotel still offers this activity to visitors, and it is an unusual and interesting thing to do during your stay.
I experienced Hacienda Tres Rios’ Sense Adventure activity with a group of fellow press and travel agents on a familiarization trip. I had read a few accounts of this experience, and they were very varied. It was clear to me that different people have very different reactions to the activity. I looked forward to living it myself to see what type of experience I would have. We did the Sense Adventure as a group, and if possible, that is how I recommend that you do it. I think it is more powerful to do it as a group activity, and even though there’s no interaction between participants during the activity, a bond is created from having lived the experience together.
First, we were told that we should leave our cameras, cell phones, and other items we were carrying with an attendant but that we didn’t have to worry about them – they would be completely safe and returned to us at the conclusion of the activity. Then it was explained to us that we would wear a blindfold, but that we should keep our eyes closed to get the maximum impact of the activity. The blindfold just serves as a reminder to keep your eyes closed, our guide explained.
She told us to put our hands on the shoulders of the person standing to our left, and as a group, we were led blindly down the path through the jungle. “Every step is trust,” she told us. There was some nervous giggling as the activity started, but everyone soon quieted down as we each went through the same dark world, side by side, but each living our own singular experience. I put one foot in front of the other, following the person ahead of me, someone else behind, their hands on my shoulders. At one point I had to duck down low as we entered what seemed like a tent-like structure where we were arranged in a circle. There was music and different ambient sounds playing, and the guides leading us through the activity chanted and led us to experience a variety of sensations. Some drops of essential oil were placed on my hands, they were rubbed together and brought to my face so I could smell, they blew scented air at us, sprayed water, and gave us different items to touch.
We experienced hot and cold, different scents and sensations. At one point I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff in a rainstorm: water falling gently on my face and head, the sound of thunder all around me. Near the end of the activity, the guide explained to us that the different elements that we experienced through our senses: air, water, fire, and earth, are all a part of who we are, and that we should look in nature for the reflection of ourselves. Then we were told to remove our blindfolds and we were standing in front of a lovely scene by a crystalline cenote, surrounded by trees.
Apparently, the Sense Adventure activity changes each time, so participants who would like to repeat the experience will get to live something new each time around. It felt similar to a spa experience – a time that stands separate from usual activities and events when you shut your thoughts off and just experience sensory stimulation.
For most people the opportunity to experience the world without the benefit of sight, even for just a short period of the day, allows you to open up your other senses and become aware of things you might not notice otherwise. As I walked back along the jungle path after the activity, I looked up at the leaves in the trees, everything seemed so crisp and clear and I felt grateful for having my sight restored with the removal of the blindfold and more aware of the natural world around me as I walked through it.
You can experience the Sense Adventure during a stay at Hacienda Tres Rios in the Riviera Maya.
