8-Day Yoga & Safari Retreat with Saskia Farr

This yoga and safari retreat brings together daily yoga, meditation and wildlife encounters across seven nights in Zimbabwe and Botswana. It is led by Saskia Farr, a certified Hatha and Vinyasa yoga instructor, and centres on Munga Plains, a camp on the edge of Chobe National Park near Kavimba in the Chobe District. It suits practitioners who want to move, rest and spend real time in the bush, with the practice and the landscape given equal weight.

What to Expect

The week begins in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, with a visit to the falls and the surrounding rainforest, known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, "The Smoke that Thunders." On the second day the group crosses the border into Botswana, a drive of about an hour to Kasane. A boat cruise on the Chobe River follows, with elephants, hippos and crocodiles along the banks, before the drive to Munga Plains. You arrive at sunset, and the first evening opens with a grounding meditation and a welcome circle.

From there the days settle into a rhythm of yoga and time outdoors. Mornings are for practice in the open-air shala, and the rest of the day is given to the land: a guided nature walk to track animals and learn about local plants, a dawn game drive by 4x4 through Chobe National Park, and a mokoro trip on a traditional dugout canoe. One evening closes with a slow flow, meditation and a sound bath. Wellness workshops fill other days at camp, and a bush dinner by the fire brings local flavours, stars and traditional stories.

On the seventh day the group visits the Basubiya community. The village tour includes the local school and museum and a cultural workshop such as basket weaving or drumming. The last night is a boma dinner with traditional dances around the fire pit. After a final sunrise, the group is driven back to Victoria Falls Airport through the park, about three hours. An optional mobile safari of four or six nights can continue from camp.

About Saskia Farr

Saskia Farr was born in Botswana and spent most of her childhood in Southern Africa. She now lives in the Netherlands. She has practised for seven years and taught for six, and she began teaching to share what had been shared with her. Her classes combine contemporary anatomical research with ancient yogic teaching, with room for expression and creativity. The approach is evidence based and attentive to alignment, mental clarity and long-term wellbeing, with an emphasis on body, breath, mind, the heart and presence. She demonstrates the practices and offers individual modifications so each person can progress safely. For Saskia, yoga happens on the mat and off it.

The Setting

Munga Plains is a family-run retreat centre on the edge of Chobe National Park, built by hand with local timber and local skills. Guests sleep in eco-friendly glamping tents overlooking the savannah and practise in a shala open to the bush. Meals are prepared by the camp's chef, and the guides grew up in the area. The camp hosts up to 24 guests. The first night or so is spent in a lodge in Victoria Falls, with partner lodges used on the outbound and return legs.

You can fly into Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe or Kasane Airport in Botswana. Transfers are handled for you, and the road to camp takes roughly two and a half hours from Kasane and three and a half from Victoria Falls.

Before You Go

The retreat is taught in English. Accommodation, all meals, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, airport transfers, the crossing between Zimbabwe and Botswana, all yoga and wellness sessions, boat safaris, game drives, walks, the mokoro trip and the village visit are included. A shared twin or double room and a private room are both offered.

International flights, alcohol, bottled water, specialty coffee, optional extras such as massages or helicopter flights, visas and gratuities for guides and staff are not included. Travel, cancellation and medical insurance is mandatory and arranged separately.

Botswana is visa-free for most passports, while Zimbabwe requires a visa on arrival. A double-entry Zimbabwe visa or two single entries is recommended for this route. Chobe is a high-risk malaria area, so speak with your doctor about anti-malarials. Pack neutral colours for game drives, warm layers for sunrise and sunset, and a yoga outfit you like. Small US dollar notes are useful for tips and the village visit.