Named as one of the best hotels in the world, you will find NIHI Sumba nestled within a hideaway in Sumba, Indonesia – a place twice the size of Bali and just an hour’s flight away, yet undiscovered by mass tourism.
Welcoming 2024, NIHI will elevate its iconic Spa Safari wellness offering by unveiling a brand-new series of innovative wellness retreats, treatments, and adventures in the wild. ‘Wild Wellness’, will be an extraordinary holistic immersion that fuses the rawness of nature with unregulated luxury and the best in science-led healing practices, aiming to disrupt the wellness world with pioneering new natural treatments.
NIHI Sumba is named as one of the best hotels in the world in the inaugural list of the World’s Best 50 Hotels and a twice consecutive winner of the best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure,
NIHI has consistently led the way in understanding the profound connection between humans and horses and recognises the growing belief of horses in the wellness world. Beginning in the spring of 2024, the renowned NIHI will proudly become the world’s first spa to offer equine wellness programs, with the unique feature of having horses on-site, enabling harmonious collaboration between these magnificent animals and humans, all under one roof.
Within the Wild Wellness program, four distinct Equine programs will be available starting in spring 2024.
Equi-Wellness Program, created by NIHI’S original horse whisperer, Carol Sharpe.
The “NIHI Equi-Wellness” program, conducted with the horses from the new Equine Spa by Carol Sharpe, provides guests with a unique opportunity to forge a meaningful connection with Nihi’s “Wildly Free” Sumba horses. This is achieved by exploring the fundamental elements of the equine language. The program consists of four progressively informative and interactive sessions, spread over five days, each concentrating on a specific aspect of the horse and human sensory system.
Equi-Essence offers insights into the NIHI herd and a horse’s sensory world, fostering a deeper connection with these magnificent animals. Eqi-Seen provides a distinctive perspective, promoting vulnerability and trust while heightening awareness of the human nervous system. Equi-Tuned combines the use of horses, sound, and meditation to amplify well-being and healing and lastly Equi-Feel centres on effective communication through physical and emotional elements, enhancing self-awareness in areas such as trust, leadership, and self-confidence, all contributing to a profound connection between humans and horses.
Retreat & Conquer: Where Wild Horses Bring Revelation and Renewal with Prof Andreas Liefooghe
For more than twenty years, pioneering work in equine therapy has empowered numerous individuals to overcome life’s challenges and lead more fulfilling lives. Now, in one of the world’s most breath-taking settings, Professor Andreas Liefooghe, the UK’s premier horse therapy centre, extends an invitation to guests to embark on a transformative journey.
Spanning five days and four nights, this unique Equine Therapy Retreat offers a proven program of change in the powerful presence of wild horses. As guests interact with these magnificent creatures, they will learn to build trust, assert boundaries, and embrace vulnerability, discovering a unique language of feedback from their equine companions.
“Connecting with horses uncovers something deep inside ourselves – something that might take many years of talking therapy to unlock. They hold a mirror up and show us what is really going on,” says Professor Andreas Liefooghe.
Ride & Recharge: Uniting Horses and Wellness in a life-changing Five-Day Program
This program seamlessly combines horse riding with wellness for all ages and skill levels. Participants explore picturesque villages, hills, and mountains, with options for longer rides to neighbouring islands for those wanting longer in the saddle. The 5-day experience concludes with an equine spa day featuring liberty work, a sunrise ride, and a cliff-top breakfast at NIHI Spa Safari. Tailored massages for riders act as a perfect end to the five-day adventure, providing relaxation and mental clarity.
The new spa also offers other retreats, including “Wellness FX,” a 7-day program focusing on hiking, exercise, personal training, brain-body techniques, and spa treatments to enhance strength, flexibility, and overall well-being. “The Sumba-7 Detox” is a deep purification journey in the Indonesian rainforest combining yoga, detox diets, meditations, and treatments for weight loss, mental clarity, and glowing skin. “Yoga Immersive” is a 5-day program for yogis of all levels, featuring advanced postures, meditation, and spa adventures. Lastly, the “Butterfly Meditation Lounge” provides a tranquil space where indigenous butterflies flutter, promoting inner peace and mindfulness alongside our wellness offerings.
More adrenaline-seeking guests are invited to participate in Underwater Wellness, which includes key sessions from Underwater Seabed Rock Running – an off-piste workout and strength staple for Navy SEALs and surfers, requiring razor-sharp focus and strength – to Aqua Lungs – a dynamic combination of gentle yogic stretching and breathwork under the sea, known to give an immediate physiological survival response to lowering blood pressure and anxiety.
NIHI’s spectacular hikes span over 150 kilometres, showcasing the local landscape’s heart. Here guests can explore timeless villages and wander alongside buffalo herds and traverse serene rice fields, stretching to panoramic vistas and captivating waterfalls.
NIHI’s spa ethos revolves around soul-stirring rejuvenation through an intimate connection with nature. Amidst Sumba Island’s unspoiled beauty, untamed experiences awaken dormant instincts. From the award-winning Spa Safari to healing with wild horses, underwater meditation, and a unique Detox program utilizing rare jungle plants, NIHI Sumba inspires a sensory journey that reconnects with the primal self.
It’s not just a wellness escape; it’s a testament to embracing the wild within, with horses at the core, guiding us back to our true, vibrant nature in the depths of the NIHI wilderness.
HOW: Rates at NIHI Sumba start from USD $1,075 / approx. £872 per villa per night on a full board basis excluding alcohol. Sumba is a one-hour flight from Bali. nihi.com
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.