Kenya Yoga & Safari Retreat: Seven Days Rewilding in the Savannah

Emily Gilchrist hosts this retreat, returning to a country she first visited years ago while living in neighbouring Ethiopia. The trip is built around her own experience of the place — long drives with the horizon glowing ahead, nights with no light pollution and a sky full of stars, and a daily rhythm set by wildlife rather than a clock. That's the week she's trying to share, and the schedule is loose enough to let it happen.

Each day starts with sunrise yoga, typically before the heat builds. From there you head out on a mindful walk into the savannah, which in practice means moving slowly and quietly through the bush and paying attention — to birds, to tracks, to whatever's around. Afternoon hours are yours: rest, read, swim if there's a pool, or join an optional excursion. Evening sessions bring the group back together for meditation, pranayama, mantra or restorative asana, depending on the day.

The teaching draws on the full range of yoga practice rather than just postures — asana, meditation, breathwork and mantra all get time, along with reflection and guided group connection. The setting does a lot of the work here. Practising outdoors in that landscape, with that much space and quiet, is genuinely different from a studio, and the retreat leans into that rather than trying to recreate a studio in the bush.

What separates this from a standard yoga holiday is the Africa Yoga Project involvement. Guest teachers from the organisation join during the week to teach and talk about their work, and retreat proceeds go toward funding their initiatives. It means the week has a concrete relationship with the communities whose land you're practising on, rather than just passing through.

The retreat runs seven days and suits solo travellers, couples and friends alike. It's a long-haul trip — flights to Kenya, then onward travel to the retreat location, details of which are sent once you inquire. Emily asks that you contact her directly by email to reserve a spot or ask questions, and she'll walk you through registration.

What's included

- 7-day Yoga & Safari retreat programme - Daily sunrise yoga sessions - Evening meditation, pranayama and mantra practice - Guided mindful walks in the savannah - Sessions with Africa Yoga Project guest teachers - Accommodation for the duration of the retreat - Meals throughout the retreat - Group sessions and community engagement - Support for the Africa Yoga Project through retreat proceeds

What's not included

- International flights to Kenya - Domestic transfers and travel to the retreat location - Travel insurance - Visa fees and entry requirements - Optional excursions - Optional wellness treatments - Personal expenses - Gratuities