For those craving the ultimate relaxation on safari, an African spa experience is unlike anything you’ve ever encountered.
From traditional remedies and contemporary techniques to natural African ingredients with unique healing properties – this wellness journey melds nature and cultural wisdom offering holistic rejuvenation at its best.
Here are our top picks for the ultimate African relaxation experience:
Xigera Safari Lodge
Where: Overlooking the Okavango Delta’s sweeping floodplains at the western edge of the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana.
Unique Treatment: Xigera Safari Lodge’s award-winning spa uses a Rungu – a traditional wooden baton that symbolises leadership and protection among warriors in some East African tribal cultures, such as the Maasai people from Tanzania and Kenya. With the ‘Purifying Rungu Massage’, the Rungu is softly rolled and applied to the body enhancing circulation and deeply soothing the muscles to reduce tension.
Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma
Where: This luxurious lodge is nestled on the idyllic Zambezi River within the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia and is close to the natural wonder of Victoria Falls.
Unique Treatment: The ‘Ukuchina Zambian Massage’ is one of Africa’s oldest traditional massages. This treatment is the Zambian equivalent of a hot stone massage combining a deep tissue massage with gentle heat to remove all those toxins.
Anantara Bazaruto
Where: A tropical island off the coast of Vilankulo, Mozambique surrounded by sun-kissed beaches and breathtaking natural beauty.
Unique Treatment: The ‘Mozambique Sand Compress Massage’ combines heated sand with traditional massage oils, which not only stimulates your lymphatic system and energy levels but also eases stiffness and pain.
Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero
Where: An exclusive riverside retreat in Botswana located on a hill high above the Chobe River – home to the world’s largest remaining population of elephants.
Unique Treatment: With its unique tree-top treatment room, the spa creates a sensory experience for patrons with its ‘Signature Salutation’ treatment. The massage begins with a calming scalp-to-toe experience before antioxidant-soothing rooibos and lavender mud are used to revive those tired muscles and rejuvenate the mind. The therapy ends with a deeply soothing massage to loosen things up.
Ongava Game Reserve
Where: Known as the realm of the Rhino, Ongava is a private luxury reserve that lies on the edge of the Etosha Pan in Namibia.
Unique Treatment: The ‘Hot Oil Scalp Massage’ uses Namibian Ximenia extract which helps with skin hydration and hair growth. Heated oil is carefully massaged into the scalp, easing tension in your head and neck areas. This relaxing experience leaves you with lustrous locks and primed for restful sleep afterward.
Anantara MAIA Luxury Resort
Where: Porcelain sands, crystal clear waters, and 30 acres of forest await you at this tropical luxury resort in the Seychelles.
Unique Treatment: Two therapists are better than one with the ‘Four-Handed Massage’. Here, the therapists work together using smooth, flowing strokes and gentle stretches. Their synchronized movements and steady pressure pamper your entire body, giving it the tender care it deserves. It’s a real treat!
Shanti Maurice Resort & Spa
Where: Enjoy the calm, warm waters of the Indian Ocean, the soft sandy beaches, and uninterrupted views at this luxurious getaway in Mauritius.
Unique Treatment: The ‘Sugar/Salt Exfoliation’ uses local sugar or sea salt (your choice) combined with aroma-therapeutic oils to refresh your skin and boost circulation. It’ll leave your skin feeling clean and energized, plus ready to soak up some vitamin D from the sun.
Matetsi Victoria Falls
Where: Located on the Zimbabwe side of the Zambezi River with Victoria Falls only 40km upriver. This award-winning safari lodge and villa offers pristine wilderness and luxurious hospitality.
Unique Treatment: The spa offers unique Africology treatments that harness the power of native African plants like rooibos, aloe ferox, marula, and African potato. Their signature ‘African Potato Wrap’ uses a warm Hypoxis Body Wrap with marula oil and African potato that instantly relaxes you. This boosts skin hydration and fights off those pesky free radicals.
Sabi Sabi Game Reserve
Where: Hidden away in the Sabie Game Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa, lies a wild paradise. Here, you can get up close and personal with nature’s thrilling drama of predator and prey.
Unique Treatment: Find inner peace with the ‘Kurhula Body Ritual’. This holistic full-body therapy uses coconut massage balm to make your skin glow. You’ll also get a relaxing mini-facial thrown in to balance things out.
Babylonstoren
Where: Situated in the scenic Cape Winelands in South Africa, Babylonstoren is one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms in the Franschhoek wine valley. Expect fields of garden greenery, Dutch architecture, and mountainous backdrops.
Unique Treatment: The ‘Herbal Poultice Massage’ features herbs straight from their garden. This soothing treatment combines warm herb-filled poultices with heated massage oil. It’s a deeply calming experience that effectively eases a weary mind and tense muscles, offering a truly relaxing and comforting experience.
