Top South African wellness destinations

Now more than ever, travelling with wellness in mind is here to stay. Whether it’s for your mental, physical or overall wellness, here are some South African wellness destinations that might tickle your fancy.

Fordoun Hotel & Spa  

KwaZulu-Natal

Ndlovu products at Fordoun Spa. 

Located just off the N3 in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Fordoun Hotel and Spa has been a wellness destination for many years. The building in which the spa is located today was initially a dairy when Fordoun was still a working farm and the silo where the cows’ maize was kept was transformed into what is now Fordoun’s flotation pool.

The spa boasts many treatments combining international ranges and uniquely African products made from Zulu traditional healing plants in the indigenous garden. You can even make an appointment and be inspired by Dr Elliot Ndlovu, a traditional African healer and inyanga.

Fordoun’s spa has recently undergone some refurbishments, which means you get to experience its facelift first-hand!

Read more about Fordoun Hotel and Spa here.

Soul Rainbows End

Western Cape

There’s nothing like the ocean to calm your soul. If you’re looking for a place to clear your head, this is it. Located on the West Head of the Knysna Heads, this isolated villa can be booked exclusively for six for a minimum of two nights.

Recharge your soul while watching dolphins frolicking in the waves, walk among fynbos and view humpback whales and their calves from the villa.

It has an intriguing winter warmer package running until September.

Steenberg Hotel and Spa

Western Cape

Who said family time doesn’t qualify as self care? It’s the perfect and probably the cheapest way to maintain your mental health and therefore a visit to Steenberg Hotel and Spa is the perfect fit.

The idyllic 5-star Steenberg Hotel and Spa, rooted in history as South Africa’s oldest registered farm, is ideal for the whole family – a wellness destination offering an array of activities for young and old. The Steenberg Spa boasts the perfect treatments to revitalise and de-stress with carefully curated treatments to suit all ages. It also offers spa menus for tweens and teens. During the month of July it has a Mom & Me option for mothers and children aged 6 to 12.

In addition to the spa, families can also reconnect while having fun on the farm’s bikes, trikes and walking trails through the vineyards.

Steenberg Hotel and Spa.

Vivari Hotel and Spa by Mantis

Gauteng

Set to open in August, the brand-new wellness-focused Vivari Hotel and Spa by Mantis boasts a full-service aesthetic clinic with a five-bed aesthetic surgery, as well as spa, yoga and dining facilities.

Medicine meets wellness at Vivari, with a spa that focuses on taking care of not only your body, but also your mind. It offers services like non-surgical facial rejuvenation, facial plastic surgery, liposuction and more, as well as signature rituals centred around meditation. It also offers Bellabaci massages – a tailor-made experience of hand and cupping massage to relax mind, body and soul.

While you’re there, be sure to visit a couple of the tourist attractions in the area like the Sterkfontein Caves, Maropeng and the Cradle of Humankind.

Tulbagh Adventure Hub

Western Cape

If you have a thirst for adventure, need a break or if there’s a mom-cation in the making, Tulbagh Adventure Hub might just be right up your alley.

Opt for Tulbagh Adventure Hub’s Girls Day which includes a mountain climb that promises to enhance both your mental and physical game. Boasting breathtaking scenery of the Witzenberg, this girls-only climb is the perfect opportunity to get some fresh air and seven hours’ worth of exercise (including meditation and swimming).

This venture was launched just after the first national lockdown kicked off and since then this wellness destination has meant a lot to many mentally. If you’re keen on regrouping and refocusing your energy, this is a good place to start.

Dogs are welcome on Tulbagh Adventure Hub’s Girls Day mountain climb.

Herbal Healing Retreat

Western Cape

With owner Trish Taylor’s passion for health and healing, Life Retreat Healing Hub’s Herbal Healing Retreat in August and November brings a unique experience. It includes herbal walking and foraging, herbal medicine making, herbal cosmetic making and cooking with herbs.

Trish teaches people how to deal with stress at work and at home, how to do yoga at work, move the body and stay calm, how to meditate and live a calm, balanced and mindful life.

Based at Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West, this weekend retreat’s itinerary will also include yoga and meditation.

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