One of my favorite holidays was a stay at Bushman’s Kloof, one of the world’s best luxury nature retreats. On my last trip to South Africa, we drove over from Cape Town to the Cederberg Mountains, where it is located, for a few days of wellness and safari.

WELLNESS AT THE BEST LUXURY NATURE RETREAT IN AFRICA

For our stay, we’d created a full itinerary of safari drives, yoga lessons, meditation sessions and spa treatments. So we were booked from early morning to midnight with activities most people only dream about.

Bushman’s Kloof really is the perfect wellness destination. And the team at Bushman’s Kloof topped our holiday with some truly magical dining experiences that I’ll remember forever.

WELLNESS RETREAT AT BUSHMAN’S KLOOF

Our wellness retreat involved a lot of yoga, of course. And at Bushman’s Kloof, guests can arrange for private yoga lessons in the most amazing locations on the reserve.

So each day at 630 AM, our ranger Martin waited at the gate of the beautiful Cederberg House, with two yoga mats in hand. He would then drive us to some beautiful clearing for our private yoga lessons with Stephanie.

Martin always met us on time with a cheerful countenance. He was always unfazed by the task of executing three or four events everyday as we basked in the good energy of the Cederberg Mountains and eagerly awaited the next surprise.

“Good morning!” He boomed as we trudged out half asleep. “Are you ready for yoga?”

For our private yoga and meditation lessons each morning, Martin always drove us to a perfect spot with shade and a view of the Cederberg mountain range. Here yoga instructor Stephanie guided us through the motions. At my request she even performed a therapy treatment with her Tibetan singing bowls while I marveled at the blue skies. 

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HOW TO ACHIEVE TRANQUILITY

Cool winds blew, trees shuddered with a comforting sound, and chirping birds flew overhead as I advanced towards inner tranquility in 90 minutes. By the end of each session, I was ready to make peace with myself and with anything that breathed.

Then, when my personal reverie was over, we had fresh juices and eggs cooked-to-order in a garden next to a river bed where monkeys played. These are simply semantics, though. In reality, the chefs at Bushman’s Kloof are actually willing to create anything guests fancy on a best effort basis. Yes, it’s the kind of place that seriously likes to make its guests happy.

THAT INDIVIDUAL STYLE

After breakfast, I had some time to read a book back at Cederberg House before our scheduled massage. Our villa, set amidst spacious gardens within a fenced enclosure, was straight out of a design magazine. Decorated in the classic country style, it was elegant and inviting, with decorative items and artworks chosen by the owner.

Beatrice Tollman, a self-made travel magnate who reportedly selects Christmas presents for every employee in her vast empire, also reportedly chose many decorative items in our villa. Her taste is literally evident everywhere on the estate as well. For example, guests can try her favorite lemon pie for dessert at lunch. 

Because it was so comfortable, Cederberg House was difficult to leave even for a moment. We loved the stacked bar, the sketchbooks and paintboxes in the bedrooms, and the interesting books on every table so that one always caught my eye. I’d picked up a book on South African writers as soon as I entered, and it almost never left my side. 

Every afternoon, I did a couple of sketches by the pool too. This was one of my absolute favorite things to do just at sunset. The Cederberg mountains are mesmerising and I tried to capture the colors around me.

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ABOUT CEDERBERG HOUSE

Bushman’s Kloof sleeps only 34 guests and each lodging offers luxurious comfort in the bush. Cederberg House, where we stayed, is built in the traditional Cape Dutch style on the banks of the Boontjies River.

It has two spacious master suites and a large living area with whitewashed walls and a vaulted ceiling. It leads out onto an expansive terrace with a swimming pool and a grand view.

AFRICAN ART IN BUSHMAN’S KLOOF

The house also showcases excellent South African art including works by Esias Bosch, Gabriel de Jongh, and Walter Battiss. We loved stargazing by the private pool every night and listening to music in the living room before dinner. 

The villa can accommodate four people. Bookings include meals and activities including the services of a dedicated ranger, nature drives, rock art excursions, spa treatments, mountain hikes and cooking classes, among others.

Read more stories about beautiful nature and wellness retreats in South Africa in Travelife Magazine.

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The quiet of Koh Samui might have been unnerving to visitors intent on getting a tan by day and painting the town red by night. But it was all well and good for me, as I’d come here mainly for rest and relaxation. And to experience one of the most serious detox programs in the world.

HOW TO DETOX

The multi-awarded Absolute Sanctuary has become a by-word among fervent believers in detox therapy for its no-nonsense cleansing programs. It’s also well-known for its effective cocktail of juices and raw foods, and its variety of Pilates classes and yoga classes to complement the food and treatments.

RESORT WITH A MISSION

In fact, the Absolute Sanctuary is so focused on its cleansing experiences that you won’t even see the beach on your stay unless you actually make a point of doing so. You’ve got to be up early for the 7 AM power walk by the beach with a guide who accompanies you there and back on foot.

Or else you take the shuttle to a designated area for a day in the sand. As for the sea – you are in one of Asia’s top beach destinations, after all – the resort is inland so you will only see a sliver of it from the top suites.

LIFE AT ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY IN KOH SAMUI

Otherwise, life at this spa is confined to a modest property – modest, as far as luxury Thai resorts go, that is – with a busy treatment center and a Moroccan-inspired restaurant where most diners will probably be feasting on fruits and leaves, if they are eating at all.

DIETS FOR DETOX AND LOSING WEIGHT

The hub of activity is a large swimming pool with an adjacent bar that serves raw juices all day from 7 AM to 9 PM. This pool is really lovely especially at the end of the day. 

Meanwhile, the juice bar is Absolute Sanctuary’s main lifeline as most guests are on restricted diets. So only coconut juice, raw juices and shots of wheatgrass mixed with enzymes and nutrients are allowed. So this is where everyone congregates to make small talk and to compare notes on kilos lost – because many do lose weight here.

A SERIOUS DETOX CENTER

This resort is not a pampering spa nor an especially luxurious haven. But it’s succeeded in making its guests happy. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with positively palatial bathrooms. And the service is warm and friendly. Moreover, the entire resort is designed with enough pretty and exotic touches. You’ll see shades of Northern Africa and the Middle East, and these will make you think of anywhere else but Thailand.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

But few guests have booked a stay here to holiday in a typical Thai beach resort. Most are intent on getting on the fast track to good health. They have done their due diligence, including searching online for phrases like “best detox” via Google. 

So almost everyone here has arrived with a mission: to detox, to lose weight, or to get a physical makeover. For these, this spa perhaps offers the most effective and best value detox packages.

Read more articles on yoga, Pilates and detox retreats in Travelife Magazine.

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