November 22

Why Africa is Wellness Travel’s Rising Star

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By Amy Knight-Dawson on November 22, 2024

Stressors can be overt or covert. Financial pressure, heavy workload, relationship issues and health concerns can all play a part. Stress is a "silent killer" due to its effects not necessarily presenting apparent symptoms. Instead, effects such as poor diet, lack of motivation to exercise, poor work-life balance, cardiovascular failure and type 2 diabetes. The pervasive threat of the digital era of being "always on" compounds these triggers. While some people tread water in the murky depths of denial, addicted to burnout, others are awakening to the importance of striking balance in life, elusive as it may seem. Travel can help.

Woman meditating at sunset overlooking Lake Kariba

Escape your stress in Africa, Image Credit: Changa Safari Camp

From Worriers to Wellness Warriors

In the "decade of action", we look to the WHO's purposeful global framework that aims to integrate wellness into modern society through health promotion. Travel fulfils vital aspects of physical, mental, and social health by reducing stress, enhancing emotional resilience, and fostering social connectedness through new experiences.

Effective as a path to combating any adverse effects of globalisation and the always-on culture of the digital age, travel and tourism stimulate an appreciation of diversity in those open to it. Africa offers many options for a traveller's immersion into foreign culture. Making time to escape to untamed settings nurtures mental health by encouraging self-awareness, adaptability, and creativity, essential components of holistic wellbeing.

Wellness Travel in Africa

Wellness travel is becoming increasingly popular in Africa, Image Credit: Africa House

Cape Town: Africa's Wellness Hub

Cape Town, consistently lauded as one of the world's best cities, is a natural choice for those craving its restorative qualities. Affectionately known as the Mother City, Cape Town's nurturing attributes position the city as Africa's true wellness hub. Allow me to disabuse you of the notion that wellness equals spa treatments only – although Cape Town has many exceptional options – true vigour is a multifaceted, holistic concept wholeheartedly embraced by Capetonians.

Set apart by unique geographic features – the city literally hugs Table Mountain, it offers countless opportunities to fortify body, mind and soul. One of the many apparent drawcards is the CBD's proximity to mountain trails, watersports and airborne adventures such as paragliding or hang gliding within Table Mountain National Park.

Sunset in Sea Point

The Sea Point Promenade is perfect for a relaxing stroll, Image Credit: Mark Wijsman

Nearby, discover exquisite beaches like giant granite boulder-studded Clifton and sundowner central Camps Bay. See and be seen along the beautiful Sea Point and Green Point promenade. Unearth the secrets of the Shambala-esque Cape South peninsula, beyond the "muesli curtain" to Noordhoek and commune with folk whose wellness values feed their community spirit.

The Mother City’s Taste for Wellbeing

Recently listed as one of the world's best culinary cities to visit in this year's Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards, Mother City's manifold options for conscious culinary astounds.

Vibrant restaurants serving plant-based plat du jour menus with inventive ingredients in gorgeous settings will send you and your tastebuds into stratospheric delight. Here's a tantalising tally of the city's top 25 new restaurants to whet your appetite.

A set table at Melfort

Long lunches with beautiful views are food for the soul, Image Credit: Melfort

Sober-Curious in the Cape

The Cape's heritage, rooted in wine culture, sees the rise of an intoxicating zero-alcohol trend capturing the imagination of the food and drink industry: the sober curious movement.

South Africa's vintners are an enterprising, forward-looking lot crafting robust, flavoursome de-alcoholised adult beverages. Jordan Wines offers alcohol-free menu pairings. Spier's ZeroWines range embodies de-alcoholised wine options serving this brave new market with gusto.
Spier picnics

A Spier picnic is food for the soul, Image Credit: Spier

Spilling the Tea on Wellness

Suppose you seek an alternative to de-alcoholised wine tastings? Consider visiting Carmién Tea for a caffeine-free crop-to-cup rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) experience. Citrusdal, located approximately 175 kilometres from Cape Town, near the majestic Cederberg area, is best known for its incredible rock formations, dark sky and untamed wilderness. The tea, made by harvesting leaves from the hardy bush part of the fynbos family, holds many restorative qualities.

Pouring rooibos tea with views on the Cederberg

The perfect spot to unwind with a pot of rooibos tea, Image Credit: Cederberg Ridge

Good, Better, Travel

Africa is best placed to offer the health-conscious wayfarer a transformative holiday where each destination provides unique opportunities to commune with the wilderness. Reset your body clock to nature's rhythm, allowing stress to slip away in untouched rainforests, biodiverse wetlands teeming with wildlife, pristine beaches, awe-inspiring mountain ranges and timeless deserts. While visiting, take life at a blissfully unhurried pace, allowing for meaningful connections with yourself and others.

Bushmanskloof outdoor setting and pool

Welcome to your wellness sanctuary, Image Credit: Bushmanskloof

Explore Wellness Travel in Africa 

Take your wellness retreat to the next level with our Travel Experts, who'll craft a personalised journey just for you. Sit back, relax, and let your African wellness adventure start here.

Featured Image Credit: Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge

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About the author 

Amy Knight-Dawson

Amy is a highly experienced figure in the tourism industry with a career spanning 25 years. She is a well-known and respected voice in the field and has authored several travel articles. Amy is passionate about sustainability and prefers to explore the less-travelled paths to seek out unique and unscripted experiences. Her love for nature draws her to coastal destinations, where she finds the raw power of the ocean most invigorating. She was born and raised in South Africa and now lives in the cosmopolitan city of Edinburgh, Scotland. As a member of the African diaspora and guest blogger for Rhino Africa, Amy shares her international insights and travel experiences, showcasing the beauty of the world and inspiring others to explore it.

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