Waves, Wellness & Wildlife: A Women's Mindfulness Safari Adventure

The retreat is split between two very different landscapes. Days one to four in Vilanculos are slow and coastal. The schedule includes a morning meditation on the beach at sunrise, a morning practice session after breakfast, and free afternoons. One day is a boat trip out to the Bazaruto Archipelago on a traditional dhow, landing on Bazaruto Island to hike sand dunes with a meditation at the top, then snorkeling around Two Mile Reef, and finishing with a fresh seafood lunch on Benguerira Island. There's also an aerial yoga session at nearby Bahia Mar hotel, where you can also book a massage, plus time to wander the local markets or sit by the pool at the beachside guesthouses.

The second half of the week is the safari leg. An early breakfast precedes a roughly six-hour drive overland to Zinave National Park. The base is a permanent riverside camp with comfortable safari tents (real beds, ensuite bathrooms) overlooking the Save River. Mornings begin early, often with a 5:30 am game drive. After a substantial breakfast, there's quiet time, maybe a siesta, then an afternoon game drive, sundowners, and dinner around the fire. Game drives in Zinave cover both savannah and riverine forest, with elephants, lion, and the critically endangered black rhino. One morning is set aside for qigong by the river, and there is a final evening practice at sunset on the plains.

Gerry Rickard, who holds a four-year MA-in-Mindfulness from Bangor University, leads the meditation sessions. He's a practicing Zen Buddhist, and his teaching blends Buddhist psychology with secular methods like MBSR. The real texture of the retreat comes from the people and place: Chrisna, his Dutch partner, runs Unique Mozambique and arranges the local logistics; the guide staff at Zinave are Mozambicans. For a retreat, it has an unusually strong focus on the place itself — connecting with local culture, eating local seafood, spending days in an African wilderness that gets very few visitors.

What's included

- Airport Pickup & Drop-off - 7 nights accommodation (3 nights beachside, 4 nights safari camp) - 3 daily delicious and nutritious meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Welcome drink & snacks - 1 x Aerial Yoga class at the Bahia Mar Boutique Hotel - Daily meditation practices and guidance by an MA-qualified teacher - Qigong practice by the Save River - Fully guided game drives in Zinave National Park (Big Five area) - Full day boat tour to the Bazaruto Archipelago including lunch & snorkeling on the Two Mile Reef - All transport during the retreat & airport transfers - Wifi connection - Course Manual

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Additional treatments (e.g. massages) - Additional activities not included in the itinerary