Kenya Yoga Safari Retreat: Yoga for the Wild at Ol Pejeta Conservancy
There is something about practising yoga in the African bush that is unlike any studio, any retreat centre, any wellness destination on earth. The air is different. The silence is different. And when an elephant moves through the treeline during your morning practice, or a lion roars from somewhere close in the dark, the feeling of being entirely present — which yoga is always reaching for — arrives without effort.
It's this quality of place that has made The Safari Cottages one of Kenya's most sought-after venues for yoga safari retreats. We've welcomed retreat groups to Ol Pejeta Conservancy since 2017, and among them, one has returned again and again — Yoga for the Wild, founded by Laura Messer and Kat MacLeod, whose annual Kenya yoga retreat has become one of the most distinctive conservation-focused wellness experiences in Africa.
This is their story.
What is Yoga for the Wild?
Yoga for the Wild is a conservation-led yoga retreat organisation that takes groups of like-minded travellers to some of the world's most extraordinary wild places, combining daily yoga with immersive wildlife experiences and direct fundraising for the conservation projects they visit.
Laura and Kat first came to The Safari Cottages on Ol Pejeta Conservancy in 2021, leading their first Kenya yoga safari retreat. Since then they have run six retreats with us, and they continue to return annually. To date, their work has raised over $17,000 directly for Ol Pejeta Conservancy, with a further $21,000 in positive conservation impact generated through their in-person retreats.
Their model is simple and compelling: go where the wildlife needs you, share the magic of wild places with as many people as possible, and send guests home changed — and committed to protecting what they've seen.
How Laura and Kat Found Each Other, and Found Ol Pejeta
Laura and Kat's partnership began when Kat planned Laura's anniversary safari to Kenya. They discovered a shared passion for yoga and wildlife conservation and stayed in touch. When Covid collapsed tourism in Kenya and funding for Ol Pejeta became critical, they joined forces — running online yoga classes and fundraising events to support the conservancy through that difficult period. When borders reopened, they brought their first group to Ol Pejeta. It was the beginning of something that has grown every year since.
Why They Keep Coming Back: Laura on The Safari Cottages
Laura, as you prepared to return for another retreat here, what keeps you coming back?
"There are quite a few reasons I continue to return to Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages. Each time I visit feels like the first time — there are always new sightings and experiences. Even so, it is the wonderful people at The Cottages that keep me wanting to return time after time. It's very much a family atmosphere and everyone is there to help and make sure you're having the time of your life. They also value and prioritise the environment with a high set of standards and ethos to protect and care for our planet.
The guides are the best. They are so knowledgeable about every inch of the land. They are accommodating and I always feel safe with them.
It is just the most beautiful place. Mount Kenya's backdrop provides a picturesque view to the flat plateau of Laikipia. Even when it's not totally green, the landscape is still a stunning contrast — but when it has rained and the greenery is vibrant and lush, it is absolutely breathtaking. The cottages are surrounded with views in every direction and the potential for wild visitors is always thrilling.
I feel more alive here than anywhere else on Earth. I feel close to the natural world, surrounded by good people, and it really gives me hope."
What a Yoga Safari Retreat at Ol Pejeta Actually Feels Like: Kat's Story
Kat, what are some of your favourite moments during your stays with us?
"I'm not a morning person at all — but that changes when I'm at The Safari Cottages. I really love being up before sunrise and taking a cup of coffee down to the deck to practise yoga with our group at first light. There's something so magical about the breaking of dawn here that really cracks you open, in the best way. The light, the texture of the air, the birdsong. It's so easy to be a morning person here.
But really every moment is so filled with wonder. I adore being out in the bush. I grew up in the bush and spend as much time as I can here trying to share this wild place with my own kids. So of course this environment is really the secret sauce to my inner peace — there is no better feeling in the world than sitting quietly in the vehicle whilst elephants rumble around you, or watching giraffe saunter across the plains whilst you have breakfast under an acacia tree, or the incredible sensation of your bones rattling when a lion roars from only a few feet away."
The Vision: A Global Community Built Around Conservation
What is the vision for Yoga for the Wild going forward?
"We return to Ol Pejeta every year to lead our annual Kenya yoga retreat. The Safari Cottages feels like home to us and Ol Pejeta continues to be such an incredible force for good that we are very passionate about rallying behind their efforts to make the world a better place. We've recently expanded to additional locations in Zimbabwe and the Maldives and have plans for even more adventures on the horizon — but we will always return to Ol Pejeta, as it really represents the need for protecting our planet and all beings who call it home.
The story of the iconic northern white rhinos at Ol Pejeta has a huge impact on all who visit and a way of changing people for the better by prioritising the planet.
The heartbeat of our operation is to go where the wildlife needs us and to share the magic of the world's wildest places with as many people as we can. Not only does this empower them with the understanding of why it's so important that we continue to fight for the protection of endangered and critically endangered animals and their environments — it also creates a global community of people making a difference."
Why Ol Pejeta is One of Africa's Best Yoga Retreat Venues
For guests considering a wellness safari in Kenya, Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers something that purpose-built retreat centres cannot: genuine wilderness. The conservancy covers 90,000 hectares of protected land in Kenya's Laikipia region, home to the Big Five, over 300 bird species, and the last two northern white rhinos on Earth.
At The Safari Cottages, yoga retreat groups have the property exclusively to themselves — no other guests, no shared spaces. Morning sessions take place on the open deck as the sun rises over the conservancy. Game drives, bush picnics and night drives are woven into the programme alongside daily practice. Meals are prepared by a private chef and tailored entirely to the group.
It is, as Kat describes it, the secret sauce. A yoga safari retreat at Ol Pejeta doesn't just rest the body. It reminds you why the natural world is worth protecting — and sends you home knowing what you've contributed to keeping it that way.
Interested in Hosting a Yoga or Wellness Retreat at The Safari Cottages?
The Safari Cottages regularly welcomes yoga retreat groups, wellness retreat leaders and conservation-focused travel companies to Ol Pejeta. Our exclusive-use setup — private property, private guide, private chef — makes it one of the most flexible and intimate group retreat venues in Kenya.
If you're a retreat leader looking for a Kenya safari yoga retreat venue unlike any other, we'd love to hear from you.
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