If you missed out on sending a Christmas present to loved ones far from home, consider booking them a therapeutic stay for their return to South Africa in the New Year. Blessed with abundant beauty in the lush landscapes, coastal areas, and mountainous inland, South Africa is becoming quite popular with overseas visitors looking to find spiritual peace. As such, there are numerous places which have opened their doors to people of all religions, focusing on alternative healings, meditations, spending time in nature, and well-being workshops.
All these treatments and therapies focus on bringing each person back to their true selves, to let go of the frantic, hurried 21st century lifestyle, and embrace a slower, more mindful approach to things. As such, it doesn’t matter which faith or denomination you belong to, you’ll find a healing sanctuary at each of the following spiritual spaces:
1. Kurisa Moya Nature Lodge, Limpopo
Set in the tranquil Limpopo Province, within the northern Drakensberg escarpment, is an eco-lodge which offers unsurpassed comfort and heavenly experiences. The name Kurisa Moya is Xitsonga for “tranquil spirit”, and you’re certain to feel it when enjoying hiking, bird watching, or a meditation class or three here. They overlook Kudu Valley, and offer a variety of comfortable accommodations which you will call home for the duration of your stay. They are pet friendly, but you should enquire beforehand to ensure your furry friend will be as happy here as you will be.
Guided nature walks and tours into the local village can be arranged, and for those interested, you could even have a unique village stay. Their sunset tour is recommended, where you’re taken high into the mountains, and can picnic in the fading orange glow while enjoying outstanding views of the area. To find out more information or to book, click here.
2. Temenos Accommodation, McGregor
The beautiful McGregor countryside is the perfect setting for this accommodation, which is surrounded by a colourful indigenous garden, a rose garden, and a reflective pond. Here, visitors arrive to revive overworked minds, and can choose to book their accommodation for a meditation weekend, wellness week, or silent retreat; they’re also a popular wedding venue in the summer time. Body therapies such as aromatherapy, massage, jin shin jyutsu, and reiki are employed to ease tight muscles.
They offer a variety of retreat options throughout the year, and have an annual advent retreat which starts 30 November – 2 December. Accommodation is provided in quaint cottages and chalets, and yoga lessons are also available. The lap swimming pool is refreshing first thing in the morning, and Tebaldi restaurant provides scrumptious cuisine. To find out more information, click here.
3. Boondocks Mountain Lodge and Labyrinth, Kaapmuiden
Found within secluded scenery, and boasting a beautiful classical labyrinth, Boondocks Mountain Lodge offers a quiet sanctuary to allow you to find your inner self again. Morning mists and evening fogs give this mountain lodge an ethereal feel, and with the variety of indigenous birds around, they are a prime accommodation for bird watchers.
The accommodation consists of cottages, which blend harmoniously into the natural surroundings, as well as a main lodge with private bedrooms, and a mountain lodge suitable for groups. Stroll through their beautiful gardens, taking time to enjoy the scented flora, or take a trip into town and buy some local produce. They are less than a half-hour away from the Kruger National Park, and are well located to do day-trips out to cultural and historical sites. Click here to find out more.
Let us know where your favourite spot in South Africa is, to unwind and refresh.
