Ubuntu Karma Yoga Trip

The Ubuntu Karma Yoga Trip is a week-long yoga retreat in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, for people who want to take their practice beyond the mat and into service. Led by yoga teacher Marley Rae, it combines daily yoga and meditation with karma yoga, the yoga of action and selfless service, and with cultural exploration across the region. The group is capped at 23 guests.

The retreat draws on ubuntu, a South African idea often translated as "I am because we are." The thread running through the week is that wellbeing is shared, and that healing can be personal and communal at once.

What to Expect

Over seven nights, days are built around daily yoga classes, meditation sessions and workshops. Karma yoga here is practiced in a literal way: the group dedicates time to support the local community through visits to a children's home and an HIV/AIDS clinic.

Alongside the practice are excursions with private tour guides:

- A guided safari day, with lunch, focused on being present with animals in their habitat.
- A Cape Peninsula tour along the coastline, with landmarks and wide ocean views.
- A visit to Robben Island, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, offered as a place to reflect on resilience, justice and liberation.
- A day in the Cape Winelands, among vineyards, historic towns and mountains.
- An optional sunrise hike up Lion's Head, with panoramic views over the city, ocean and surrounding peaks.

A welcome dinner opens the week and a farewell dinner closes it.

About Marley Rae

Marley Rae is a 500-hour certified yoga instructor and wellness educator, and co-founder of WalkGood LA, a nonprofit rooted in healing, movement and social justice. She is pursuing a Master's in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University, deepening her study of yogic philosophy while advocating for health equity in Black and Brown communities. She is also a Nike Trainer. This is her eighth international retreat.

The trip has personal roots. Ten years ago she studied interpersonal communications and African literature at the University of Cape Town, and it was there that her yoga journey and her passion for community, social justice and cultural connection began. Returning for the anniversary, she describes it as coming full circle.

The Setting

The group stays at a peaceful mountain retreat just outside Cape Town, set among gardens and mountain views and designed for rest and reflection. Every room has a private bathroom, a writing desk, Wi-Fi, a fridge, a coffee station, a safe, fans or air conditioning, and a TV with Netflix.

Room types are shared twin rooms with two separate beds, shared king rooms for couples or close friends, and private single-occupancy king rooms. The shared king and private king rooms are listed as sold out, so twin rooms are what remain.

Before You Go

Included are seven nights of accommodation, airport transfers, transportation during excursions, private tour guides, entrance fees for included activities, the safari day trip with lunch, daily breakfast, the welcome and farewell dinners, daily yoga classes, meditation sessions, workshops and the karma yoga service activities.

Not included are international flights, travel insurance, visa fees, meals not listed in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal expenses and gratuities. Plan to cover other lunches and dinners yourself.