Nurtured by Nature Yoga Retreat

Nurtured by Nature Yoga Retreat is an eight-day, seven-night all-inclusive yoga and safari retreat in South Africa, set along the Olifants River in the Greater Kruger. It is led by yoga teachers Taran and Cassandra and suits anyone who wants daily yoga, quiet time and wildlife in an intimate lodge, with the stated aim of easing the nervous system back toward homeostasis. The booking is arranged through Create Space Yoga in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

What to Expect

Days begin with yoga or meditation as the bush wakes, and most mornings continue with a sunrise game drive or a guided nature walk. Afternoons leave room to swim, rest, journal or book a massage, and evenings bring dinner, often around the fire. The yoga is varied: vinyasa, restorative and yin, with an extended practice outdoors one morning, surrounded by the sounds of the bush.

The first two nights are spent at a resort in the Mpumalanga highlands, with a gentle evening practice on arrival and a slower second day for walking the estate, using the spa and resting. On the third day the group travels the Panorama Route, stopping at Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels with lunch on the way, before reaching the safari lodge.

The days in the Greater Kruger include sunrise and sunset game drives, a sound safari, a story circle about the reserve and its conservation work, and a visit to Koru Camp to learn about the non-profit initiatives the resort supports. There is also a guided stargazing evening, a closing circle and a farewell dinner. The tone is relaxed. There is no pressure to be "zen" all the time, and plenty of room for laughter and conversation.

About Taran and Cassandra

Taran and Cassandra (Cass) are longtime friends and yoga buddies who share a belief that life is better with a little less stress and a little more nature. Taran teaches uplifting vinyasa and deeply nourishing restorative yoga. Cass leads grounding yin yoga sessions. Together they offer a well-rounded practice meant to leave you strong, restored and ready for what comes next.

The Setting

The lodge is small and intimate, on the Olifants River within the Greater Kruger National Park. Open savannah, ancient trees and roaming wildlife surround it, and elephants sometimes wander past. Guests stay in thoughtfully designed suites, with a pool, open-air lounges and viewing decks for slowing down. Some evenings offer an optional soak in an outdoor bathtub under the stars.

Meals are chef-prepared, plant-based and inspired by fresh local ingredients, with breakfast, lunch and dinner each day and all drinks included.

Arrival is at Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport by 12:00 PM, followed by a bus transfer to the first resort of roughly 3.5 to 4 hours through the Mpumalanga countryside. At the end of the retreat, a bus takes the group to Hoedspruit Airport.

Before You Go

The retreat price covers seven nights of accommodation, daily yoga, three plant-based meals a day, all drinks, daily use of the pool, gym and sauna, the sound safari, guided nature walks, vehicle safari tours with expert local guides, the Panorama Route with its stops, and both airport transfers. Massages are optional and booked separately.