We’ve had the joy of welcoming a number of yoga retreat groups to The Safari Cottages over the years and we adore them all. Many of them return, year after year, to share the magic of Ol Pejeta with more of their guests and many of their guests have returned a number of times too.
Yoga For The Wild joined us for their first yoga retreat in 2021 and since then they have run five successful retreats with us, with another two coming up! They are sharing a little of their story with us today, and what it is that they love about their Kenya yoga retreat home-away-from-home, The Safari Cottages.
In the beginning
Laura and Kat met when Kat planned and booked Laura’s anniversary safari to Kenya for herself and her husband. They discovered a mutual love of yoga and of wildlife conservation and kept in touch over the years that followed. During Covid, when tourism collapsed in Kenya and funding for Ol Pejeta became dire they teamed up to host online yoga classes and events that raised funds for Ol Pejeta to help them through that tricky time. And when borders reopened they led two groups of like-minded yoga and wildlife loving guests on the first of what was to become many yoga retreats for the wild at Ol Pejeta Safari Cottages. To date, Laura and Kat have raised over $17,000 for Ol Pejeta and their in-person retreats have made a further positive impact over $21,000.
Laura, as you prepare to return to us for the fifth time, what is it about The Safari Cottages that you love that 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 prioritize 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.”
“The wildlife seems to thrive in Ol Pejeta. It's a perfect location and habitat for so many animals, and being protected by the conservancy allows them to naturally flourish. This is so encouraging given that many places in Kenya and throughout Africa are losing their wilderness and wildlife due to the ever growing human population. I'm so grateful to find a place where I can see wildlife being truly wild.
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 that keeps me going even when I can't be there.”
Kat, what are some of your favourite moments and experiences 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 practice 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 bird song. 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 too. 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 too. 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 car 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.“
What is your vision for Yoga For The Wild?
“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 have a huge impact on all who visit and a way of changing people for the better by prioritizing 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, but also creates a global community of people making a difference.”
