Safari Yoga Escape in Kenya's Lewa Downs: Wildlife, Conservation, and Daily Practice

The trip runs 11–12 days. You fly into Nairobi, where the first two nights are spent before heading north to the Lewa Downs Conservancy. In Nairobi the group visits the giraffe education centre, the Karen Blixen Museum and an artists' co-operative. Then a short charter flight takes you to the private property in Lewa, where you spend six nights.

In Lewa the days follow a rhythm: yoga in the morning, breakfast, then a game drive or a walk with Maasai guides, lunch and a rest through the heat of the day, more yoga, and an afternoon or evening drive with sundowners. Because the group stays on a private property inside the conservancy, you are not restricted to the vehicle the way you are at the larger camps in the south — you can walk out into the landscape. Optional horse and camel rides are available on some days.

Wildlife in the conservancy includes the endangered black and white rhino, lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and Grevy's zebra, along with over 400 migratory elephants during the season. The guiding is done by Maasai trackers and guides who know the conservancy well.

The Kenya operation is run through partners who work directly with the owners of the property and handle flights, visas, private drivers, guides and the internal charter flights. One past guest described the guiding, accommodation and food as exceeding expectations, and several repeat the trip.

What separates this from a standard safari-and-yoga package is the access: it is a private property with an exclusive arrangement, so game viewing happens without a crowd of other vehicles, and walking is permitted. The yoga teacher changes by departure, so the teaching style varies — Donna Farhi, for example, is a long-established yoga teacher and author, while other departures are led by teachers with their own followings.

What's included

- 2 nights' accommodation in Nairobi - 6 nights on a private property in the Lewa Downs Conservancy - Daily yoga sessions with your teacher - Private drivers and guides from arrival in Nairobi to return flight check-in - Internal charter flights between Nairobi and Lewa Downs - Daily game drives with Maasai guides - Farm-to-table meals at the property - Sundowners in the bush - Guided walks in the conservancy - Optional horse or camel riding - Visits to the giraffe education centre, Karen Blixen Museum and artists' co-operative in Nairobi - Help managing flights and visas

What's not included

- International flights to and from Nairobi - Travel insurance - Kenya visa fees - A couple of meals in Nairobi - Drinks and personal expenses - Tips for guides and drivers - Optional treatments, souvenirs and items of a personal nature