Retreat and recharge

Have you ever felt like disconnecting from the world? Wellness Retreats, whether a luxury lodge or glamorous camping, aka glamping, have become increasingly popular. In our busy lives, slowing down and having the chance to revive, refresh, rest and relax sounds appealing.
If you prefer to stretch your brain as well as your body, retreats can offer the chance to learn new skills. A Yoga retreat may give classes in Pranayama, the yogic practice of focusing upon the breath. A writer’s retreat could help you to finally finish that novel. Or you might learn how to fly fish, paddleboard or sail.

Go glamping!
Glamping is camping without roughing it. It’s camping with amenities and some sites have luxurious resort-style services. It can still offer escapism; accommodation ranges from cabins, treehouses, pods and yurts to geodesic dome tents (structures that look like half spheres made up of many triangular supports).

In 2005, the word glamping first appeared in the UK. Glamorous camping is not new, however. In the 16th century, Scotland’s John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atholl, had tents erected in the Scottish Highlands for the visiting King James V and his mother. He filled them with luxurious furnishings and provisions from his own palace.

Disconnect
Taking a break from technology can be beneficial for our mind and wellbeing. Time in nature, slowing down and stepping back from the daily routine can help us to recharge and be more present in the moment.

Go to Glenorchy
The beautiful drive alongside Lake Wakatipu - Whakatipu Wai Māori - takes you to Camp Glenorchy, a camping ground for tents and campervans, and their Headwaters Eco Lodge. Here you will find ‘elegantly appointed, supremely quiet, premium luxury eco chalets.’ Headwaters is also an idyllic wedding venue or is available for corporate events. Four-day women’s wellness retreats are offered in the Eco Lodge with workshops, massages and mindfulness sessions.

Glenorchy also boasts a multi-award-winning health retreat called Aro Ha. As their website states, ‘...every experience at Aro Ha embodies mindfulness – including the place. Our purpose-built, luxury space draws on the energy of the vast surrounding landscape. When standing on the whenua (land) here at Aro Ha you can’t help but harness the power and beauty of the mountains.’ Going on a retreat may help you to reflect more clearly on life’s challenges and gain some perspective and clarity.

A Southern retreat
Another beautiful retreat for a wedding is the RiverRidge Retreat in Southland, beside the Catlins river. This is a peaceful and picturesque place, claiming to be the Southernmost retreat in the world. Apart from its modern function centre, RiverRidge has eco-friendly accommodation units and glamping tents, all on 15 acres of grounds surrounded by native bush.
Retreating for a weekend or longer may be the perfect way to recharge and return home refreshed and with renewed energy. -Gill Towle