1 Best for a new way of thinking: Azura Retreats ‘Sounds of Africa’ wellness programme, Mozambique
Taking place on Azura Benguerra Private Island in Mozambique, the ‘Sounds of Africa’ wellness programme aims to promote the benefits of hyperconsciousness, incorporating a range of activities that acutely direct attention, encourage non-attachment to distractions and cultivate a new way of thinking to care for mind and body.
The wellness expedition focuses on the sight, smells, sounds and tastes of Africa and willfeature African drumming therapy, mindful walking meditation accompanied by the sounds of Black Sunbirds and Dark-capped bulbuls and silent mornings on untouched beaches with the sounds of the waves.
Guests will feel compelled to pay attention to their environment and disregard distractions, learning a unique set of skills renowned for various benefits including reducing anxiety and improving cognition.
On departure, guests will also receive a complimentary Africology Sleep Gel, infused with chamomile and lavender, to help them continue the relaxation upon returning home.
Need to know
Where: Azura Benguerra Private Island, Mozambique
Wallet: Prices start from: $695 per person sharing per night. Find out more and make a booking by clicking here.
2 Best for countryside chic: Daylesford’s Cottages Restorative Wellness Retreat, Gloucestershire
Found just 90 minutes from London, Daylesford’s cottages are beautifully converted farmhouses, restored to retain their original features.
Four of the self-catered cottages are just a few steps away from the organic farmshop and one is in the village of Daylesford – and even better, you can even take the pooch.
Just in time for summer, they’ve launched an exciting new Restorative Wellness retreat, available for midweek stay only, which includes several Bamford treatments/classes and healthy welcome pack.
Designed to nurture your body and ground your mind, the dedicated wellness retreats are your chance to seek that restorative break amid the peaceful surrounds of our Cotswolds farm.
The retreats include:
• 4 night stay in the Wood Store
• 1 hour Bamford treatment per adult with an added treatment B Silent treatment (B Silent is a new added treatment)
• Bamford Sound healing or meditation class
• Bamford yoga class
• Welcome Botanical Drink in the Old Spot or newly opened The Legbar
• Welcome pack – Different to the original welcome pack, it includes healthy snacks and a Bamford botanical pillow mist which is not included in the normal booking:
• Freshly cut flowers
• Bamford Botanic Pillow Mist
• Daylesford organic eggs, milk, butter, toasted nut 3 grain muesli, bread and kefir
• A selection of nuts and Eat to Be Healthy crackers
• Daylesford Organic chicken bone broth
• Leoube rosé
• A selection of Daylesford teas, still and sparkling water
• Lily’s kitchen dog treats for four-legged guests
Need to know:
Where: Gloucestershire GL56 0YG
Wallet: £2,200 – £2,900 for the whole group package, depending on the time of year, for a 4 night stay at the Wood Store sleeping up to 6 people.
3 Best for better sleep: Cap Maison’s Sleep Retreat, St. Lucia
Located on the northernmost tip of St. Lucia in Cap Estate, Cap Maison’s 49 beautifully-appointed suites are the perfect place for catching up on a few ‘zzz’s.’
Improving sleep is the biggest health ambition for a quarter of UK adults, with nearly a third of adults suffering from insomnia, following results from a recent Aviva ‘Wellbeing Report’.
With the problem becoming so widespread, Cap Maison, has introduced a new ‘Sleep Retreat’ designed for guests to unwind and learn the art of a perfect night’s sleep.
Firstly, guests are accommodated in rooms where the only sounds are of the waves, tropical birds and the gentle call of the indigenous tree frogs.
Key to any sleep retreat is a good bed, and the hotel’s US King-sized beds get rave reviews from guests. Participants in the programme are also encouraged to switch off their phones and devices for a true digital detox and to help the sleep process.
The ‘dreamy’ package includes:
1 One-to-one session with a ‘sleep expert’ – guests are coached by a sleep expert and can get personalised tips on how to get a better night’s sleep. They then have their sleep monitored and analysed during their stay with a Fitbit that is provided.
2 Breathing Workshop – in the morning or at sunset, guests can learn to use their breathing to exfoliate the toxins from the body and improve relaxation.
3 Sleep-Friendly Pillow Scents – guests are given a choice of fragrance on their pillow.
4 Meditation – led by an expert with breathing techniques to calm the mind.
5 Personalised Menu – a personalised menu full of healthy choices based around ingredients known to help sleep is devised, and if required, intermittent fasting may be recommended.
6 Reiki Healing – a Japanese technique said to cure insomnia and used for stress reduction to help sleep and encourage ‘natural healing’ of the body.
7 Aromatherapy Massage – a treatment based around essential oils that naturally promote sleep, such as lavender or camomile.
8 Evening Reflexology Session – a non-invasive treatment, this involves working on certain acupressure points to encourage a deeper state of relaxation and sleep.
Need to know:
Where: Cap Maison, St. Lucia
Wallet: Elegant Resorts offer seven nights at Cap Maison, St Lucia from £2,575.00 per person based on two persons sharing a garden view room. To find out more and make a booking, please click here.
4 Best for a soulcation: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita
Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, a five-star luxury resort set amid 1,500 acres of coastal peninsula in the Riviera Nayarit region, has launched a dreamy Soulcations escape – transformative three and four-day mind, body and soul retreats inspired by the destination.
Guests can enjoy everything from a chakra balancing ritual and native Huichol Indian blessing to an intention burning ceremony and yoga atop a rock with ocean views, with their soulmate, soul sister/brother or soul companion.
Choose between a three-day Premium Soulcation, which includes three-days of spiritual, spa/wellness, culinary and art activities and luxury accommodations in an oceanfront suite, or a four-day Ultimate Soulcation in a presidential suite or villa with additional incredible experiences such as sea foraging with a chef.
Each soulful journey begins with the Resort’s chef meeting guests upon arrival to create personalised menus for their entire stay that are tailored to guests’ individual desires – ensuring a getaway that’s just as gourmet as it is relaxing.
Need to know:
Where: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico
Wallet: Prices from $895. Phone +52 (329) 291-6000 to find out more or make a booking.
5 Best for giving back: Souljourn Yoga Foundation’s ‘A Tribe Called Tibet’ trip
Souljourn Yoga Foundation, a non-profit organisation created in the US, is hosting a retreat that not only aims to relax its guests but helps to raise awareness and funds for girls’ education and empowerment.
Inspired by seva, the Sanskrit word and yogic principle of selfless service, Souljourn, will live out its mission this year by hosting retreats in the beautiful countries of Morocco, Peru, China and Rwanda.
One of these includes a special adventure in the far East. Taking place from May 25 – June 1, the retreat will start in Lanzhou China and will continue through the province of Ganzu, arriving at your home for the week at Norden Camp.
Surrounded by the majestic natural beauty of the Tibetan Plateau and immersed in profound culture, Norden will take you deep in to the nomad experience with luxurious comfort and authentic Tibetan hospitality.
A week will consist of morning vinyasa practices, evening gentle flow, restorative and meditation, a guide hike to Labrang Monastery, a visit to a local Tibetan village and Norlha Textiles.
Expect moments in between the journal for soaking up the sauna, spa, cocktails and cuisines and will end with a transformative day with the girls of Educating Girls of Rural China, a non-profit dedicated to providing high school and university educations to impoverished young women from rural regions of Western China. National Geographic has named Norden Camp one of the best eco-lodges in the world.
Need to know:
When: May 25 – June 1.
Wallet: To find out more and make a booking, please click here.