Lately, it seems as though you can’t go five minutes without hearing about “self-care”. It's one trend that we hope never goes away. Thanks to all these self-care reminders, we have been called to look more closely at our mental health, our relationships, our physical health, and so much more. The self-care trend reminds us to put ourselves first and say, “no” to anything holding us back from living our very best lives.
We want to help you find ways to keep self-care at the top of your to-do list. We have scoured the internet to find wellness retreats around the globe that can help you focus on your physical, mental, and spiritual health, and - bonus - these are all created and led by Black women! So get into this list and pack your bags for your wellness getaway!
1. OMNoire
Founded by Christina Rice, OMNoire is dedicated to attracting positive energy, emphasizing three core principles: breath, experience, and life. This Black-owned wellness retreat seeks to create a supportive community and a sacred environment where Black women and Women of Color can flourish and embrace life's journey.
Since 2017, OMNoire has organized retreats that attract Black women from across the globe, offering them an opportunity to reset, recharge, and redesign their lives. These luxurious and immersive retreat experiences focus on bringing the transformative power of OM to life, with locations ranging from a wine and wellness retreat in California's wine country to a mindful goddess expedition in Colombia. Visit OMNoire to book an upcoming retreat or take the retreat quiz to determine which retreat is best for you.
2. Breathe: An Adventure and Wellness Retreat - Guatapé, Colombia
The Breath Adventure & Wellness Retreat is curated with love by Registered Dietician and Exercise Physiologist, Leisan Echols. After leaving the U.S. and traveling the world, founder Leisan Echols brought her vision to share her passion for world travel and wellness with the masses.
In 2018, she launched her first Breathe retreat in Guatapé, Colombia where an intimate group of travelers enjoyed the unmatched views of Gautapé, and tried their hands at activities like water skiing, salsa dancing, and more, while of course being served up nutritious meals by a private chef.
To top it all off, Echols offers every guest personalized nutritional counseling after they leave the retreat so they can keep the good vibes and healthy habits going strong. Check out the beautiful accommodations and views on the Leisano Living website and join the next retreat in August 2024.
3. Black Women Healing Retreats
Satya, the owner, exchanged her heels for sandals and found that she was happiest going barefoot. This discovery led her to establish the first wellness and healing sanctuary focused on Black women.
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Black Women Healing Retreats is dedicated to creating luxurious experiences for Black women travelers, taking luxury beyond fashion to encompass feeling good mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
At this Black-owned wellness retreat, you can choose your path to personal wellness, whether it's through healing, yoga and meditation, or self-care, all while immersing yourself in lush greenery in locations like Jamaica and Costa Rica. With retreats coming up in November and December, now is the perfect time to book your trip.
4. The Whole Experience
When a personal trainer and a yogi put their heads together to create a getaway, you can be certain that you will get your mind and body right! That’s just the mission behind The Whole Experience, founded by trainer TameikaG and Yogi Whitney Gee.
The Whole Experience holds multiple retreats all over the world each year, with an aim to help you build sisterhood with like-minded women, and teach you how to incorporate yoga, mindfulness, nutrition, and exercise into your daily routine. On top of workouts, yoga, and meditation, the retreats include cultural experiences to explore your destination of choice and immerse yourself in a new location.
The next retreat takes place in Thailand July 28- August 4. The retreat is sold out, but you can still join the waitlist. Visit The Whole Experience online to get access to the waitlist.
5. Althea Retreats
Althea Lawton-Thompson is an international fitness and wellness sensation and author who launched her career after a layoff from the financial industry. That layoff led Lawton-Thompson to kick off her own business and become certified in personal training, yoga, and aquatic fitness.
She has used her multiple certifications to help hospitals and companies establish wellness programs for patients and employees, respectively, and she teaches other trainers how to lead effective fitness classes for their clients.
Switching gears just slightly, over the last ten years, Lawton-Thompson has helped women find healing through her yoga retreats in various destinations around the globe.
Although her retreats are aimed at healing, they are more than just yoga and meditation. Retreatgoers can enjoy plenty of adventure from repelling waterfalls to touring ancient temples and so much more. Previous retreat destinations have included Bali, Costa Rica, Montreal, and Thailand, to name just a few. Check out Althea’s site to learn about the upcoming 2024 retreats.
6. Africa With Us
Are you seeking active retreats guided by local experts? Africa With Us offers a unique experience centered around Kukuwa Fitness, blending African dance, fitness, cultural immersion, and community service.
At this Black-owned wellness retreat, you'll move to the rhythm of African music, dancing and dining in locations such as Senegal, The Gambia, Botswana, and South Africa.
Moreover, you'll taste a variety of cuisines to nourish your body, engage in community service to feed your soul, and immerse yourself in incredible cultural experiences to stimulate your mind.
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
