Avalon van Leent Appointed as Victoria Falls Safari Spa’s New Manager

Victoria Falls Safari Spa manager Avalon van Leent is excited to be bringing a new standard to spas in Victoria Falls and putting Zimbabwe’s leading tourist attraction on the map as a wellness destination.

“It’s exciting because it’s the first purpose-built spa in Victoria Falls and marks a new milestone in the wellness industry in Zimbabwe, with Victoria Falls now catching up with the rest of the world,” Avalon said.

Victoria Falls Safari Spa, nestled in peaceful indigenous woodland, rich in birdlife, with the occasional bushbuck or warthog passing by, will feature three stand-alone treatment rooms, and a main area with a hair and make-up studio, a polish bar, a splash pool and café.

The African tented safari camp style spa will offer massages, facials, manicure and pedicures, as well as many other treatments, with mini options available for children. Its offerings will include half day and full day packages and wellness weekends.

“People are very much about creating memories when they travel, so spa treatments, which can be enjoyed with friends or your partner, will be a wonderful way to do this,” Avalon, 36, said.

She believes Victoria Falls Safari Spa could potentially extend stays in Victoria Falls, as it adds another element to the destination.

Born in Masvingo, Avalon studied Holistic and Spa Therapies with Camelot International in Johannesburg, where she gained a CIDESCO qualification, the world’s most prestigious qualification for Aesthetics and Beauty Therapy.

After her studies, Avalon joined a 5-star cruise ship called The Quest, part of the Yachts of Seabourn, to gain international experience and travel the world as a spa therapist, before moving to Australia and gaining further experience in the wellness industry.

But it was always her dream to return home, bringing her knowledge and experience to Zimbabwe, and after she and her husband Martijn’s travel plans were disrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic they moved to Victoria Falls.

Avalon will head up a team of four therapists when Victoria Falls Safari Spa, which will use all natural, plant-based Africology and Cashmere & Co. products, opens on November 1.