The Inner Balance retreat is a short, focused week of mindfulness practice set in one of the wildest corners of southern Africa. The stated aim is simple: learn mindfulness practices that help you be present, go easier on yourself and get your energy back. Expect guided meditation and mindfulness sessions as the backbone of each day, with the rest of the time shaped around the bush.

Days here follow the rhythm of the park. Early mornings and late afternoons are when the animals move, so that's when the lodge's activities usually run: three-hour game drives looking for lions, elephants, buffalo and leopards, boat cruises on waterways that resemble the Okavango Delta, and two-to-three-hour guided bush walks. Midday is hot and quiet, which suits sitting practice, journalling or resting in your tent.

What sets this apart from a mindfulness retreat at a city studio or beach resort is that the wildlife is genuinely close. The treetop suites at Nambwa Tented Lodge are raised up so elephants can pass underneath, and evenings can end with sundowners over Horseshoe Lagoon, a well-known spot for watching elephants come down to drink. You're practising stillness somewhere that actually is still, with no phone signal culture or city noise to compete with.

The page does not name the facilitator for this retreat, so check with the operator who will be leading the sessions before you book.

The lodges are run by African Monarch Journeys, who operate Nambwa Tented Lodge, Kazile Island Lodge and Nambwa Campsite. Getting there takes some planning: the nearest airports are Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), Livingstone (Zambia), Kasane (Botswana), Katima Mulilo (Namibia), or the Immelman Airstrip inside the park. Inside Bwabwata you need a 4x4 to reach the lodge, but road transfers can be arranged from those airports. If you're driving from Windhoek, the operator suggests an overnight stop in Rundu (440 km away) or Bagani on the Okavango River (200 km away).

What's included

- Accommodation at the operator's lodge in Bwabwata National Park (confirm which lodge) - Daily mindfulness and meditation sessions - Self-compassion and presence practices - Meals during the retreat - Lodge activities as scheduled (e.g. game drives, boat cruises, bush walks) - Visit to the Sijwa Project

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport road transfers (can be arranged on request) - Travel insurance - Visas - Purchases from the Sijwa Project shop - Personal expenses - Gratuities