Set among the trees on the banks of the Zambezi, Tsowa River Spa is described by Paige Gehren, co-founder of Tsowa Safari Island, as “a place of energy and healing”.
The launch comes as slow, restorative travel continues to grow, and as World Mental Health Day brings stress and burnout back into the headlines. Travel data shows how many people now go away simply to recover. In Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report, 56% of travellers named rest and recharging as their main reason for a leisure trip this year, and 57% of US respondents said they were interested in a quiet or silent retreat. The Global Wellness Summit’s 2026 forecast called nervous-system regulation “the next frontier” of wellness, alongside a growing backlash against tracking and optimising every hour of the day.
With just nine tents and a maximum of 18 guests, Tsowa Safari Island is made for quiet. Guests enjoy a game drive through the Zambezi National Park, then cross to the private island by boat, the only way to reach it.
The tents sit roughly 20 metres apart among the riverside trees (no mature trees were removed during construction), so each feels as though it has the river to itself. The camp runs on solar power, with no generators humming in the background; the only sounds are the flow of the river and the calls of wildlife.
There is no fixed schedule. Each guest shapes their own day, doing as much or as little as they like. Days might include canoeing along quiet channels, walking across the island in search of Pel’s fishing owl and African finfoot, sunset cruises and evenings on the fire deck overlooking the river. Victoria Falls and Botswana’s Chobe National Park are both within reach for those who want a bigger day out. Or guests can simply book a treatment, then spend the afternoon on their private deck with a front-row seat to the river.
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The spa
Every treatment at Tsowa River Spa begins with a foot-cleansing ritual, using cool stones on hot days and warm stones when the weather turns. The menu draws on two South African brands. Healing Earth, made with minerals and botanicals and free from synthetic fragrances, parabens and petrochemicals, is used for body, hand and foot treatments. Esse, a certified organic, vegan skincare line built around the skin’s microbiome, is used for facials.
For more information, visit Isibindi.co.za or contact the reservations team at [email protected] / +27 (0)35 474 1473.
