As seen in The Brussels Times
South Africa is featuring more on the journey towards recovery for many northern Europeans struggling with addiction and burnout.
Rehabilitation centres in the country at the southernmost tip of the African continent are a lot cheaper than in Europe or the US, but this doesn’t mean it forgoes treatment that is world-class, in fact, quite the opposite.
South Africa has become a pioneer in luxury rehab centres, boasting experienced teams of clinicians and counsellors, cheaper fares, but also a healing power that can’t be guaranteed everywhere: vitamin D.
South Africa is the place of slow watches and fast sunsets, the ideal solution of tranquillity for you or a loved one battling addiction and exhaustion.
Paired with extremely affordable rates following the South African Rand’s depreciation against the US dollar, Pound Sterling and the Euro in recent years, this destination is now very much on the radar of those who are on the lookout for a world-class luxury rehabilitation centre.
White River Manor encapsulates why South Africa is the perfect destination to fully disconnect and helps you realise why choosing to invest in wellness is never a bad idea. Nestled along a river and set within a beautiful 100-year-old garden, the recovery centre is surrounded by agricultural farmscape and rolling hills.
In addition to the sheer sunshine beating down, it’s a paradise that is bound to encourage a positive headspace upon arrival and the resilience you’ll need on your path to recovery. And all of this for a fraction of what it would cost in northern Europe or the US.
Here, we explore the top three reasons why people from the northernmost countries of Europe are flying south for treatment and turning to luxury rehabs in South Africa, like White River Manor, to find the quality care they need.
1. World-class treatment at affordable rates
South Africa has become a pioneer in medical research and boasts a plethora of world-class rehab centres, with English-speaking staff providing exceptional expertise in substance abuse and burnout.
White River Manor prides itself on its world-class team that includes clinical and counselling psychologists, a professor of psychiatry, a CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) expert, a behavioural specialist, and an on-site dietician and personal trainer who work in tandem with a dedicated team of nurses 24 hours a day.
Considering a one size doesn’t fit all, the centre also incorporates art and music classes, which are given by a registered art counsellor and music therapist. All of this for a slither of what it would cost in other parts of Europe or the US.
White River Manor currently offers an all-inclusive 28-day stay in its five-star South African lodge for just over $15,000 (around €14,000 or £12,000). Its most luxurious secluded open-plan villa with a private bathroom, private garden with plunge pool, flat-screen TV with satellite and outdoor shower costs a little over $32,000 (around €30,000 or £26,500) – significantly lower than comparable American and European luxury treatment centres.
2. Added benefits of constant sunshine
You don’t have to open your wallet for this bonus. It comes with the territory, and with it too comes a range of benefits that sunshine brings, including its best-known plus: a boost to the body’s vitamin D supply.
It’s well-documented that low levels of vitamin D may delay recovery and increase the risk of relapse, which is exactly why those living in gloomy northern Europe should consider sunshine when researching rehab centres.
In recent years, studies have suggested that adequate levels of vitamin D help regulate and protect dopamine and other chemicals that contribute to healthy brain function and well-being. South Africa has an average of 2,500 hours of sun every year.
To put it in perspective, when compared with a northern European city such as Brussels, the South African city of Johannesburg – about 350km away from White River Manor – gets 3182 hours of sunlight per year (of a possible 4383) with an average of eight hours and 42 minutes of sunlight per day. Meanwhile, the capital of Belgium records 1585 hours of sunlight per year (of a possible 4383), with an average of four hours and 20 minutes of sunlight per day.
3. The beautiful world beyond the rehab centre
South Africa is the perfect destination to forget city life and immerse yourself in nature, and that has been shown to have remarkable healing powers. The natural environment makes it easier to reconnect with yourself by reducing stress levels and clearing the mind.
White River Manor is nestled at the heart of natural beauty, surrounded by picturesque farmland, rolling hills, and the tropical African Lowveld forests in the distance. It’s also a stone’s throw away from the Kruger National Park – one of South Africa’s largest and most renowned game reserves.
It presents the perfect opportunity to exercise, which, in cooler and darker climates, is not possible. White River Manor encourages its guests to make the most of this and hike, mountain bike, practice yoga, go horse trail riding, and white-water rafting – or utilise the daily advantage of the facility’s swimming pool and spa.
