The wellness benefits of being in nature

In an immense study conducted by Dr Mathew White, now a senior scientist in Environmental Psychology at the University of Vienna, it has been proven that people who spend at least two hours in nature a week are significantly more likely to report good health and higher psychological wellbeing than those who don’t visit nature at all. The study involved 20,000 individuals and according to Dr White is the largest of its kind. Importantly its benefits were not limited by gender, age, occupation, ethnicity, socio-economic background or long-term illnesses or disabilities. In short, being in nature helps heal all, and the more time you spend outside the better it is for your wellness.

This is particularly true of stargazing, with one study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology proving that looking at the stars significantly reduces cortisol levels (a hormone associated with stress), which in turn helps reduce anxiety levels. Simply put being out in nature and beneath the stars is not just beneficial, but it is essential for your health. 

It is important to note that although a modern and technologically dominated world shapes our minds, its underlying structure is a product of nature. After all, hundreds of thousands of years of our evolution as a species were spent in natural environments where we lived as hunter-gatherers. It is only relatively recently that we have come out of the wild, so to speak, and hence there is still a strong synchronicity between our mental health and being in the natural world. With that in mind, there’s an argument against charging into a technological-filled future, but instead retreating into nature.

At Wilderness, we intuitively understand this. We see the effects that nature has on you, our guest, from the time you arrive until you leave, and we try and maximise its wellness benefits. Our camps are designed to be as immersive as possible, allowing the natural world to be inside. For us, it is somewhat a case of getting out of the way (minimising manmade structures) and letting you experience the wild as safely as possible.

Take a look at how we do this at some of our Wilderness camps.

Situated on the Jao Reserve’s pristine Hunda Island, these newly rebuilt camps are unlike any other in the Okavango Delta. Immersed on a wild island bristling with wildlife in palm-dotted floodplains and lush riverine forest, Tubu Tree and Little Tubu offer what can only be described as a true retreat into the wild. With breathtaking land and water features by day and milky skies by night, nature in all its forms is present here. With the option of a hide that can convert into a Star Bed, these camps maximise all that can be offered to your senses. It is truly the perfect destination to immerse yourself in nature’s healing.

Located in Namibia’s immense Palmwag Concession, a unique and exhilarating opportunity awaits you; the ability to see and track on foot the Critically Endangered black rhino with monitors from Wilderness’ on-site conservation partner, Save the Rhino Trust. In these vast and open areas, you must engage your senses, watch your footing, and study the wind or risk giving your position away to these highly attuned animals. It immediately brings you into the present moment and aligns both the physical and the mental. And when the day is done, your energy spent, you can return to camp – a sheltered sanctuary that never feels out of place in the beautiful but harsh desert landscape. As darkness descends and the stars come out, you will be reminded how insignificant your everyday worries and stresses really are in the face of nature's grandeur. Perhaps then you will feel like you truly belong.

Sited in the 27,000-hectare Kulala Wilderness Reserve in the Namib Desert, which is also home to a designated Dark Sky Reserve, Little Kulala offers outstanding stargazing options. Each of the camp's 11 suites has a rooftop deck where you can lose yourself in the cosmos. Alternatively, do so from the comfort of a roll-out Star Bed on your suite’s lower deck. With stargazing apps on tablets provided in your suite, and your guide’s assistance, whether on astrophotography or guiding you through the night sky using a laser pointer, you’ll be well-equipped to experience the stars and all their healing benefits.

Located in Tanzania’s famed Serengeti National Park, Wilderness Usawa is the perfect choice to experience the vastness nature has to offer. Usawa, meaning ‘balance’ in Swahili, provides exactly that; being a mobile-tented camp you can follow the Great Migration at different stages of its natural cycle while also appreciating the diversity of the Serengeti away from the spectacle. Additionally, Usawa offers walking safaris which allow you to truly get outside and feel the earth beneath your feet. And after you return, you’ll still have nature around you due to the immersive design of your tent, which includes see-through mesh walls, allowing for spectacular views from the comfort of your bed.