Cape Town Fitness & Adventure Retreat with Grown Strong

Grown Strong runs this retreat in Cape Town for around 20 people, and the week is planned down to the detail. You fly into Cape Town International (CPT) and get picked up; from there the team handles transport, meals and activities until they drop you back at the airport on 3 April. The base is the Head South Lodge Boutique Hotel, booked out entirely for the group, a short walk from the waterfront's restaurants and shopping.

Training sessions run most days and take place across four different CrossFit gyms in the city, plus outdoor workouts on beaches and trails. Expect a mix of HIIT and strength training with equipment like barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells and pull-up racks in the gyms, and bodyweight-focused sessions in the open air. Every session has scaling options, so beginners and experienced lifters train side by side. Guest coaches Dani Speegle, Sam Dancer and Jenn Dancer are with the group all week, not just in the gym — they join the hikes, the safari and the dinners.

What sets this retreat apart is how much of Cape Town you actually see between workouts. On day three you drive Chapman's Peak, swim at Boulders Beach with the penguins, then ride the cable car up Table Mountain for sunset. Day four is a guided game drive at Aquila Game Reserve with a shot at the Big Five. Day six starts with a sunrise hike up Lion's Head, then moves to Stellenbosch for wine tasting, a vineyard tour, a wine-blending experience and a long lunch. There's also a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour and a 14-spice dinner, a cold plunge in the Camps Bay tidal pool, and an intro rugby session — the national sport — on the last full day.

For context on the group: most participants are between 30 and 60, though the oldest guest so far was 74. You can come solo, with a partner or with friends — solo travellers get matched with a same-gender roommate if they pick a shared room. About a month out, the team sets up a WhatsApp group so everyone can meet before flying.

Accommodation is at Head South Lodge in one of three room tiers — Standard, Luxury or Deluxe — and three occupancy types: single (private room, king bed), double (share with a partner or friend, king bed or two separate mattresses), or shared (matched with another guest). Prices run from around $3,495 per person for double occupancy and shared rooms up to $4,645 for a Deluxe single.

Practically, you need to be 18 or over, arrive before 2pm on 27 March for the 4pm welcome workout and 6pm welcome braai, and book a return flight departing after 11am on 3 April. Flights and travel insurance aren't included; everything else — meals, snacks, water, all workouts, all activities, all transport and a custom shirt — is.

What's included

- 7 nights at Head South Lodge Boutique Hotel - 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Snacks and water - All workouts (CrossFit gyms and outdoor sessions) - All activities and excursions - All transportation, including airport pickup and drop-off - Custom Grown Strong T-shirt - Guest coaching from Dani Speegle, Sam Dancer and Jenn Dancer - 14-spice dinner with kitchen tour, live music and drum experience - Aquila Game Reserve safari with guided game drive - Stellenbosch wine tasting, vineyard tour, wine blending and gourmet lunch - Table Mountain cable car sunset visit - Boulders Beach penguin swim - Chapman's Peak Drive - Lion's Head sunrise hike - Beginner rugby session - Cold plunge at Camps Bay tidal pool

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Alcohol and drinks - Personal expenses and souvenirs - Optional extra nights before or after the retreat - Meals outside the planned itinerary during free time - Airport transfers outside the scheduled arrival and departure days