7 Day Yoga and Safari in South Africa with Big Five Game Drives and Animal Encounters
South African Safari Experience and Yoga Tour
Feel the love for African soil in your heart. Spend seven days curated for you by a South African teacher to ensure that you have an authentic local experience. If you have never been to Africa before and don't know where to start, then this is what you need!
Key information
- Daily safaris
- Maximum of 10 participants
- Starts and ends in Johannesburg
- Fully guided and taken care off in every way with English speaking guides
- All park fees and transfers are included - no hidden costs!
- If you have children and want to join get in touch
Meet the guides
Read more
Highlights
- Sunrise and sunset Big Five safari game drives - see who spots the pride of lions first!
- Animal conservation activities to feel even closer to the heart of Africa
- Daily yoga practices to support your relaxation on a mental, emotional, and physical level
- Visit local communities as part of social outreach programs to give back in the spirit of yoga
- Private Indian head massage included
- Private yoga therapy consultation included
- 6 nights accommodation with vegetarian meals and airport transfers included
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Styles
Accommodation
Lodge in Malelane (first 3 nights)
Accommodation is either an option of a very spacious twin or double room, with a garden, pool, mountain views, private entrances, a tea and coffee maker, private bathrooms with a bathtub and shower, your own terrace or patio, fridge, kettle, towels, and hairdryer to make you feel at home.
The hosts run a very wholesome place that will make you feel at home and at ease, reflecting the African spirit of Ubuntu (humanity to others) and values of loving kindness.
The group will be staying in a bush lodge, bordering private game reserves, which is well-known for a culture of protecting and conserving nature. The lodge also provides a beautifully convenient and safe place to enjoy time in nature and explore the magnificent safari parks.
Luxury tented camp in Dinokeng (3 nights)
Participants will enjoy a change of scenery to a seldom seen accommodation - perfect for taking in nature before departing back to Johannesburg.
Program
Have seven days curated for you by a South African yoga teacher for an authentic local experience. This tour is a space for you to focus on your wellbeing, to pause, and to roam freely, leaving behind any stresses and stepping into bliss.
Let the animals and nature be your guide. Enjoy elephant encounters, Big Five sunrise and sunset game drives to see lions, buffalo, zebra, hyena, cheetah, leopard, hippo, rhino, and more, while also enjoying the transformational benefits of yoga classes, yoga therapy, and massage.
Do you love elephants? Share an incredibly touching ethical elephant interaction experience that you will remember forever. There will also be lots of other fun - cooking classes, local barbecue, as well as local delicacies and treats.
Activities
- Big Five safari game drives at sunrise, sunset, and in the evening
- A special night time game drive
- Community outreach
- Bush walks
- Yoga classes and yoga Nidra
- Complementary private Indian head massage
- Complementary private yoga therapy consultation
Day 1
If you have arrived a day earlier or are joining for the pre-retreat day trip in Johannesburg, then you and Sandhiya will agree on a meeting point in advance. If you will be arriving on the day of the tour, you will be picked up at the airport.
The group will drive to our accommodation into the African bush, staying at a beautiful lodge, taking a scenic road trip and making pit stops to breathe in the fresh air
- 09:00 Pick up at O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) / meeting point
- Retreat welcome ceremony
- Sharing circle
- Intention setting
- Getting to know each other for a wonderful week together
Day 2
At 06:00 rise and shine for the beginning of a day safari and elephant interaction wherein you will revel in the beauty of these majestic animals from a close encounter.
Then, there will be a bushwalk and a safari wherein you will spot many animals such as zebra, buck, deer, and the Small Five (elephant shrew, ant lion, rhinoceros beetle, buffalo weaver, leopard tortoise), all while taking in the beauty and freedom of being immersed in nature.
During the safari, the experienced local guides will help you get acquainted with the Small Five and other animals by sharing stories and personal tales of the wild. They will also share with you the medicinal and social importance of African trees (baobab, marula, knobthorn, and tamboti).
For dinner, the group will have a special cooking class with a local 'potjie' (three-legged cast iron pot). This fulfilling day will close around the fire with toasted marshmallows, learning about nocturnal animal sounds and a gentle chakra yoga meditation.
Day 3
After a sunrise yoga session and special tropical fruit breakfast, participants will visit a community social outreach project that runs programs in the local area. This will give you an opportunity to give back and be in service to humanity, remembering the gift of giving. The group will then spend time on a local safari.
On this day, participants will start having their one-on-one time for the complementary private Indian head massage, allowing them to release stored tension. Private sessions will continue with the complementary yoga therapy consultations, which will give you a specialized plan that you can take forward and beyond the retreat.
The group will then enjoy a delicious local dinner and sunset on deck with mountains interpretation of the geology, history and people.
Day 4
You will spend all day in safari game drives, animal spotting the Big Five (rhino, lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo) amongst many others including giraffes, warthogs, hyenas, and various types of birds. You will also have a very special opportunity to enjoy an evening safari and game drive which will give you a different viewpoint compared to the daytime safaris.
Afterwards, the group will have time to spend in a sharing circle, reconnecting to their intentions and sharing about their experiences. The evening will close with yoga Nidra, a relaxing meditation practice.
Day 5
Today, you will continue with yet another safari day and game drive, departing immediately after a nourishing breakfast and seeking out a pride of lions, herds of elephants, or vultures circling in the sky waiting to scavenge, or watching animals gather at the watering hole, to name a few possibilities. You will be observing nature at her best!
Then, the group will check in at the end of the day at the next accommodation, luxuriously nestled in between dense trees and forest. They will have their dinner under the stars with a stargazing interpretation from the host.
Day 6
You'll have a grand rising with a morning yoga session and time to reflect, journal and do a guided meditation.
Participants will continue with the complementary private Indian head massage, allowing you to release stored tension and yoga therapy consultations. This will be followed by a sunset safari drive, a beautiful time to see how animals gather at the end of day.
There will be a closing ceremony and sharing circle with the group, sharing the beneficial impact that this holistic retreat experience has had and tips for integrating back into life.
Day 7
Participants will take the vehicle transfer to O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). Please note that if you will be leaving on the same day, book flights that depart after 18:00. Get in touch with Sandhiya to discuss.
Included excursions
- Community outreach
- Culture trip
- Safaris
- Animal encounters
Guides
Sandhiya I
Sandhiya is a devoted Hindu Indian yoga teacher who weaves mantra and chakra sadhana, Hindu storytelling, yogic philosophy, and scriptural references into her offerings (classes and retreats), giving students a well-rounded journey into the self that is representative of the ancient and sacred Eastern tradition of the practice.
Ashley
Ashley is a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and yoga teacher trainer based in Portugal where she lives off-grid and in-nature. She spends her time teaching yoga, facilitating 200-hour yoga teacher trainings, and running her eco-retreat centre. Through her practices, you’ll connect with and accept all parts of yourself deeply - using asana, pranayama (breathing), meditation, and yoga therapy consults.
Location
You will be picked up at Johannesburg, and be accommodated in Malelane with a convenient and safe place for exploring Big 5 safari parks. You will get to enjoy views of the South African low-veld and mountains, relaxing while you take bush walks and talks into nature, returning to rest with the relaxing sounds of nocturnal animals.
Food
Nourishing vegetarian meals will be provided, making the most of what is available locally to support a healthy body and mind on your retreat. Please inform Sandhiya of any dietary preferences or allergies.
Participants will also enjoy all the succulent seasonal fruit grown in South Africa:
- Mangoes
- Litchis / lychees
- Avocados
- Papaya / pawpaw
- Grapes
- Mini bananas
...and, many more local delicacies that can only be found in South Africa - yum!
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Things to do (optional)
Pre-retreat daytrip on 1 December
You have the option to arrive on 14 March in readiness for a cultural and historical daytrip out in Johannesburg. For those who want to join, please let Sandhiya know.
Post-retreat trip
If you would like to extend your trip beyond the retreat, for example, to visit Cape Town or other beautiful parts of Africa, please let Sandhiya know and they can help you personally or refer you to local guides who can help make your extended stay amazing.
Spa treatments
Included bonus:
- Private yoga therapy consultation, receiving tailored holistic recommendations
- Private head massage at your leisure, included in your trip
What's included
- 7 days of African sunsets
- Bushwalks and talks
- Big Five safari game drives
- Experienced local guides animal spotting
- A special night time game drive
- Daily yoga asana, meditation, and relaxation
- Yoga Nidra
- Ethical conservation encounters
- African tree tales
- Community outreach
- Local “braai” (barbecue)
- Private yoga therapy consultation included
- Private Indian head massage included
- Mangos, litchis, avos, and papaya all in season
- Plus homemade desserts and delicacies to enjoy
- Transfers to/from the airport and back (see Arrival Information section)
- Maximum group size of 10
- Stay in comfort
- Fall asleep to nocturnal animal soundscapes
- 6 nights accommodation
- All meals
- Airport transfers
What's not included
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Anything personally required
- Optional day tour of Johannesburg pre-retreat
How to get there
Recommended Airports
O. R. Tambo International Airport
23 km
Transfer included
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). Transfers to and from this airport is included. Please ensure that you will arrive in time to depart together on the transfer which will leave at 11am on 15 March from the airport as a central pick up point.
Sandhiya will happily support all your travel and logistics queries. They will be there for you, just send them an inquiry or message. Also see below their suggested travel options, depending on your preferences and time availability.
Here are a few travel suggestions:
Book your flights to arrive in Johannesburg on 14 March (one day earlier) to ensure that you will arrive in time and are well-rested. On 14 March, spend a night at a local airport hotel which Sandhiya will recommend (at your own cost).
On 15 March December, the transfer to the retreat accommodation will depart at 11am from the airport (cost of transfer is included).
On 21 March, the transfer back to the airport in Johannesburg is included. We will depart the accommodation at 10am therefore please book your flights for 3pm onward. Please consult Sandhiya before booking your travel.
Alternatively, you can book your flights to arrive in Johannesburg on 13 March (two days earlier) if you want to join Sandhiya for an optional day trip in Johannesburg on 14 March.
On 13 and 14 March, you will stay at a local hotel or AirBnB that they will recommend (at your own cost). On 14 March , you will enjoy a wonderful day trip around Johannesburg which is being kindly organized by your hosts.
On 15 March, the transfer to the retreat accommodation will depart at 11am from the airport as a central pick up point (cost of transfer is included).
On 21 March, the transfer back to the airport in Johannesburg is included. We will depart the accommodation at 10am therefore please book your flights for 3pm onward. Please consult Sandhiya before booking your travel.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 35% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookAllSafaris.com. All major credit cards supported.