My favourite pictures from the 2023 Kenya Yoga Retreat

In May 2023 I set off to Kenya with Yoga For The Wild for our annual Kenya Safari and Conservation Yoga Retreat and, as per normal, it delivered! May in Kenya is usually the down season due to, historically, heavy rainfall, but as global weather patterns are changing more and more mid to late May is turning into a dry, green, quiet and incredible time of year to be on safari in Kenya.

**This blog post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through some of the links I provide I can earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

INTRODUCTION TO LIFEFORME

If you didn’t know about Lifeforme then oh boy I’m glad you landed on this blog post. If you have a serious, dedicated yoga practice then a quality yoga mat that will last a lifetime is a must, and there is no better mat than a Lifeforme mat! Follow the link below and don’t forget to sign up to their newsletter for 15% off!

The gang! Having a sundowner on the plains.

The Kenya Yoga Retreat schedule

Our days typically begin early; as the sun rises over Mt Kenya we’re on our mats saluting it and tuning in to the sweet smell of damp grass, the distant grumble of elephants and lions and the twitter of birdsong all around us. This is always my favourite part of these retreats; this is such a magical hour and even though it’s so hard to get yourself there it’s always so incredible and very very worth it.

Sunrise yoga at Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages

We usually have a picnic breakfast out in the bush, on safari and then our mornings are spent game driving the open plains of Ol Pejeta Conservancy to see what’s been happening in the night. Ol Pejeta is a haven for wildlife and, as far as I’m concerned (and I’ve travelled extensively in Kenya) the best place for wildlife in terms of density and variety in Kenya after the Masai Mara. We saw lions, cheetah, hyena, elephants, huge herds of giraffe, zebra, black and white rhino, buffalo and other plains game almost daily.

Out cheetah sightings this year were nothing short of exceptional and this gorgeous male, Zawadi hung around the same open plain for the duration of our stay and we were almost guaranteed to see him each time we went out. Isn’t he gorgeous!

After lunch at camp, an afternoon siesta or yoga class we’d head out again for a shorter drive and find a spot on the plains to drink a glass of wine, have a snack and watch the sun go down on our incredible day. After the morning yoga class, this is my second favourite moment of each day - I love to feel everyone’s energy and excitement as they share their favourite moments from the day and look forward to what’s to come. And when we drive back to camp in the evening we’d often pull out a spotlight and look for creatures roaming through the darkness on the way home.

The Northern White Rhinos

As part of every retreat to Ol Pejeta we make a point of stopping in to visit the Northern White Rhinos and get an update on how the conservancy is doing to save the last two of this species from the bring of extinction. It’s always a humbling experience and incredibly inspiring to see the lengths we’re willing to go through to stop this mass-extinction we’re living in; it leaves us hopeful for the future.

The wildlife was, as usual, incredible. It always is but one thing I really loved this year was seeing all the baby animals out and about. There were SO many babies!! This was ultimately what spurred us on the return in May each year - it really is the best time of year for a Kenya safari.

A KENYAN ENGAGEMENT

As if this retreat couldn’t get any more special, one of our guests decided the setting was romantic enough (it really is!!) to get down on one knee and pop the question! A HUGE congratulations to Pete and Rachel; this was their second time on our Kenya retreat and we adore them and are so excited for what the future holds for these two lovely people.

Our Kenya Yoga Retreat Extension to Sarara & RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY

This year, we wanted to share an entirely different and equally incredible part of the country with those who were interested in venturing further afield. Sarara Treehouses is an incredibly unique property in Northern Kenya; the rooms are elevated as wildlife passes below and the lodge itself is tucked up against a stunning mountain range overlooking the Namunyak Conservancy. This is a fantastic and interesting conservation model and I was eager to understand the unique community-focused conservation framework of Namunyak Conservancy.

The people here are central to the wildlife’s survival and its incredible to see and learn about how they co-exist. Most our group chose to travel with us and my main memories from this part of the trip are laughing until my stomach hurt, incredible scenery, the moving scenes of the rescued elephant orphans os Reteti Elephant Sanctuary and the fascinating stories recited to us around the campfire by our incredible Samburu guides. I’ll write a full post on our experience, for now here’s a litle sneak peak…

What an incredible ten days we had! And we are SO excited to do it all again. If you’d like to join us then head to Yoga For The Wild to learn more about our African Yoga Retreats and the work we’re doing and book your spot on the adventure of a lifetime!