SPICERS SANGOMA RETREAT, BLUE MOUNTAINS

It’s hard to believe that Spicers Sangoma is just an hours’ drive away from Sydney. Surrounded on all sides by the native bushland of the heritage-listed Blue Mountains, this tranquil, all-inclusive property feels fully immersed in nature.

Named after the Zulu word for ‘healer’, Spicers Sangoma Retreat is a place to reset, recharge your batteries and reconnect with nature. Set in the foothills of Australia’s Blue Mountains, the property offers a medley of outdoor experiences that range from professionally-guided rock climbing to rainforest hikes, as well as more leisurely pursuits such as watercolour painting classes, private yoga sessions and wine tastings. There’s even an on-site spa where treatments ‘embody the essence of the Australian bushland’. Delicious gourmet meals are prepared from only the best local produce.

Framed by native forest, the lavish guest suites are spacious and open-plan, with natural furnishings and full-width, floor-to-ceiling windows that invite the outside world in. Heated floors, custom-made king beds and sleek ensuite bathrooms with rain showers are just a few of the amenities you can expect. The two-storey Chief Suite is the star attraction, complete with a private heated plunge pool, kitchenette and views that stretch, on a clear day, all the way out to the twinkling Sydney skyline.