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Health & Wellness
therapy, metabolism testing, yoga sessions, health food bars and more.
Many health resorts have a holistic approach that caters not only for
physical wellness, but includes programs such as daily meditation, or
isolating guests from television and cell phones, spiritual health exercises,
among other things. The focus is on the entire being, not just the physical
body.
In others the focus is on physical rejuvenation and beauty, or on physical
fitness and getting office-weary bodies back into shape.
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The World Travel Market Global Trends Report 2016 identified “wellness
in the wilderness” as one of the most significant new travel trends to
emerge in African tourism. This concept, favoured by older, well-heeled
international travellers, combines the traditional safari with activities such
as exercise, yoga, meditation and spa treatments.
In South Africa one of the first wellness-focused travel companies, Satori
Africa, based in Cape Town, opened its doors a year ago. The company
founded by Mark Bland, a qualified chef, marketer and hospitality industry
expert, says the name Satori Africa is inspired by the beautiful restorative
power and healing nature of the African continent.
“This land lends itself to a vacation and safari experience of sheer
relaxation, indulgence and restoration. In short, the perfect wellness
destination!”
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Its custom-made itineraries combine luxury accommodation, good food
and sightseeing with a host of different wellness experiences, including
yoga, life-coaching, Ayurveda, Reiki, Pilates and meditation — all guided
by experts. A typical itinerary may include a sunrise walk on Cape Towns’
Table Mountain; a full day yoga immersion with the company’s Wellness
Endorser Sharni Quinn; the starlit sky and sounds of the African night; a
seaside fish braai and a chilled glass of Chenin Blanc; yoga and meditation
in some of the most breath-taking of venues; all combined with the
restorative power of nature.
There are also a large number of weight-loss and detox clinics, spas, and
resorts in South Africa.
In another development Budapest has come to Johannesburg. For many
years the city of Budapest has been offering wellness to travellers with
their thermal baths. In the 1800s, the Omorovicza family built the famous
Racz Bath on the site of the medieval healing spring. Now, a descendent
of the this family, Stephen de Heinrich de Omoroviczamet and his wife
Margaret, have decided to launch their beauty and spa products in South
Africa, which they recently did at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westcliff,
Johannesburg. Instead of having to travel to Hungary for these famous
spa treatments with natural spring thermal waters which are known for
healing all sorts of ailments, you can now do so right here in Johannesburg.
South Africa is, of course, also home to a large number of thermal hot
springs, all claiming healing properties, and to which many people stream
each year. Among them are the well-known The Baths, a hot spring
72 |ISSUE 6|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL
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