5-Night Mindfulness Safari on the Zambezi, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The retreat runs for six days including arrival and departure, with five nights at Matetsi Victoria Falls. Gerry Rickard guides every day, combining morning meditation with mindful walking, sensory awareness exercises and periods of reflection. The bush is treated as part of the practice rather than a backdrop — dawn birdsong, animals moving across the plain and the sound of the Falls are all used as prompts to pay attention.

Safari activities are woven into the schedule rather than sold separately. Two visits to Victoria Falls are included with park entrance fees, along with guided game drives, a walking safari and an afternoon boat trip on the Zambezi. That means the week alternates between sitting practice and being out in the reserve, which suits people who find an entire day of meditation too much.

The group is capped at eight participants, so the teaching stays personal and there is room for questions. Gerry's background is unusual: originally from Ireland, he left the American corporate world in 2009, spent 10 years in Portugal and moved to Mozambique in 2021, where he runs MindWise Mozambique from Vilanculos. He holds a four-year MA in Mindfulness-Based Teaching from the Center for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University in Wales, is a practising Zen Buddhist and is qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). He is known for bringing humour and a down-to-earth manner to his sessions.

Matetsi Victoria Falls is a family-owned lodge on the banks of the Zambezi within the Matetsi Private Game Reserve. Guest areas include indoor and outdoor living spaces, a copper bar, an interactive kitchen, covered and open-air dining and a boma, with fire bowls and lanterns lit in the evenings. It is a short distance from Victoria Falls itself.

What separates this from a standard safari lodge stay is the structure: a qualified mindfulness teacher running daily sessions, a post-retreat workbook with the theory and practices so you can keep going at home, and a hard cap of eight people. What separates it from a standard meditation retreat is that you spend much of the week outdoors in a big-five reserve rather than in a hall.

What's included

- 5 nights in a single or shared luxury Matetsi River Lodge suite - All meals at the Matetsi restaurant - House beverages: non-alcoholic drinks, local beers and South African wines - Fully guided meditation retreat with a qualified teacher - Post-retreat workbook with theory and practices - 2 visits to Victoria Falls including park entrances - All guided game drives, including a walking safari - Afternoon boat trip on the Zambezi - Victoria Falls Airport meet and greet and return transfers - In-room WiFi - Air-conditioned suite with private plunge pool and deck

What's not included

- International return airfare to Victoria Falls - Visas and fees - Conservation contribution of $55 per person per night - Travel insurance - All other drinks not listed under house beverages - Personal expenses