South Africa 2027
Two weeks. Two ways to experience South Africa.
South Africa 2027Early mornings out in the bush. Wildlife that makes everyone fall quiet. Landscapes you’ll still be thinking about long after you get home.
Join Freedom for eight days of exploring, connecting and experiencing somewhere extraordinary. Choose yoga, safari and a deeper journey with our founder, Jax Heffer-Cooke, or wildlife, walking and adventure with Sarah, a former safari guide in South Africa.
Find your week ↓
WEEK 1
Wild Connection ↠
Yoga, safari & space to reconnect.
Eight days of yoga, safari and connection in the South African bush, led by Freedom founder Jax Heffer-Cooke. From practice at Hippo Dam and sunset meditation to exploring Kruger National Park and Blyde River Canyon, this week brings adventure together with a deeper, more reflective journey. There’s time to experience extraordinary landscapes, share meals and conversations, and find a little space for yourself.
WEEK 2
Into the Wild ↠
Safari, walking & a real sense of adventure.
An eight-day South African adventure with Sarah, a former safari guide, bringing together wildlife, walking and the excitement of exploring somewhere new. Head out on sunrise game drives, spend a day in Kruger National Park and discover Blyde River Canyon by trail and boat, with good company and time to unwind at the lodge between outings. There’s no yoga on this week - come ready to explore!
South Africa
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South Africa 〰️
Week 1 ↠
Wild Connection
There’s something about being somewhere so much bigger than yourself. Your attention shifts. You notice the sounds around you, the changing light, the feeling of having time to take it all in.
Join Jax, founder of Freedom Yoga & Retreats, for a week exploring the connection between the world around us and what’s happening within. Yoga, meditation and moments of reflection will weave through our days, alongside safari, remarkable landscapes and time spent together.
We’ll practise at Hippo Dam, head into Kruger National Park in search of wildlife and experience Blyde River Canyon by boat and on foot. There’ll be early starts worth getting out of bed for, conversations over dinner and afternoons when you can happily disappear with a book.
The spiritual side of this week has room to unfold through practice, nature and your own experience. You can arrive curious, tired, excited or unsure what you need. There’s space for all of it.
Highlights
Practise in nature
Yoga beside Hippo Dam, practice in the boma and on the garden lawn, sunset meditation and deeply restful Yoga Nidra. Different settings and practices to help you explore, settle and reconnect.
Experience the wild
A full day in Kruger National Park, sunrise and sunset game drives, a guided bush walk and a journey into Blyde River Canyon. Plenty of opportunity to look up, look out and be completely absorbed in where you are.
Have time to feel it
A deliberately gentler day, free afternoons, shared meals and space for your own company. Swim, read, rest or book an optional massage. You don’t need to fill every moment.
THE ITINERARY
Your week with Founder Jax
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Arrive at the lodge from 1:30pm, put down your bags and take a moment to look around. You’re here.
After settling in and meeting everyone, we’ll head straight out on our first game drive, watching the bush unfold around us as the afternoon light begins to soften.
Back at the lodge, we’ll share dinner and the first of many conversations around the table.
An extraordinary week is only just beginning!
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Our opening yoga practice takes us to Hippo Dam, with the water beside us and the sounds of the reserve all around.
It’s a special place to pause, breathe and begin to feel yourself arriving.
Afterwards, enjoy the lodge, rest or book an optional massage before we head out on a sunset game drive.
We’ll close with meditation at the dam, taking in the changing light and the feeling of being right here, in the heart of it all.
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We’ll be up before the sun for a full-day safari in Kruger National Park. This is a day to have your camera ready and your eyes on the landscape, searching for the Big Five while enjoying the anticipation of what might appear next.
There’s something absorbing about watching wildlife on its own terms; you can happily lose track of everything else.
Back at the lodge, settle into Yoga Nidra and let yourself be guided into deep rest before dinner together.
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Begin with yoga in the boma, our gathering space centred around the firepit, before breakfast and a day exploring more of the region’s culture and community.
It’s an opportunity to look beyond the reserve and get a fuller sense of the place we’re spending time in.
We’ll return during the afternoon, with space to unwind before evening meditation and another dinner shared together.
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A slower start, yoga on the garden lawn and a late breakfast. Then a lovely stretch of time with nothing you need to rush off to.
Swim, get lost in your book, book an optional massage or let an afternoon nap become the whole plan.
Later, we’ll head out on a guided bush walk, experiencing the reserve on foot and noticing the details that are so easy to miss from a vehicle. A different way to get to know the wild.
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Today we venture into the magnificent Blyde River Canyon, cruising beneath its towering walls before following a nature trail to the waterfall.
The scale, the water and the green of the landscape make this a remarkable contrast to our days in the bush. After time to relax back at the lodge, we’ll head out again for a bush drive and sunset yoga at Hippo Dam.
From the vastness of the canyon to the familiarity of our practice beside the water, there’s a lot to take in today.
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We’ll return to Hippo Dam for sunrise yoga, watching a new day arrive in a place that now holds a week of memories.
From there, we’ll continue straight into a morning bush drive before coming back for breakfast.
The afternoon is yours to enjoy the lodge and linger a little longer, before our closing ceremony brings everyone together.
Then it’s one last African sunset, a glass of wine or a G&T, and a closing dinner with the people who have shared it all with you
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A final morning at the lodge before checkout at 10am.
Time for goodbyes, swapping details and taking one more look around before the journey home.
We hope you leave with a head full of extraordinary moments, a deeper connection to yourself and a few friendships that travel home with you.
Week 2 ↠
Into The Wild
The alarm goes off early. You pull on a layer, pick up your camera and head out while the reserve is waking up. You don’t know what you’ll see this morning. That’s part of the excitement.
Join Sarah, a former safari guide in South Africa, for eight days built around wildlife, walking and getting out to explore. Her connection to the country and experience of life in the bush bring a personal perspective to a week of game drives, trails and time together.
We’ll spend a full day in Kruger National Park, experience the reserve on a guided bush walk and give two days to the Blyde River Canyon landscape, exploring its rim, waterways and waterfall trails.
There’s plenty of adventure, and plenty of holiday too. Between outings, you’ll have time to relax by the pool, enjoy the lodge, book an optional massage or compare photographs over dinner.
There’s no yoga on this week. Come for the wildlife, the walking, the company and the chance to do something you’ve wanted to do for years.
Highlights
Head out on safari
Welcome, sunset and sunrise game drives, plus a full day in Kruger National Park. Every outing is different, with time to watch, ask questions and enjoy whatever the day brings.
See more on foot
A guided bush walk, a day trekking through the Blyde River Canyon rim landscape and a separate boat-and-waterfall outing. Walking is a substantial part of this week, giving you time to experience the places between the viewpoints.
Share the adventure
Travel with a host who knows and loves South Africa, meet people with a similar appetite for exploring and enjoy the easy moments between the big experiences. Pool time, unhurried meals and one last sunset together.
THE ITINERARY
Your week with Guide Sarah
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Arrive at the lodge from 1:30pm, settle in and meet your fellow adventurers.
By late afternoon, we’ll be heading out on our first game drive, cameras ready and eyes on the bush. There’s no waiting until tomorrow to get started- your first South African safari happens today.
Afterwards, it’s back to the lodge for dinner and a chance to get to know everyone over stories from our first outing.
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Start the day with a guided bush walk, exploring the reserve on foot and getting a closer look at the tracks, plants and smaller details of life in the bush.
With a guide leading the way, there’s plenty to discover and plenty of opportunity to ask questions.
Then enjoy a few hours by the pool, relax at the lodge or book an optional massage before we head out again for a sunset game drive.
Two different ways to experience the reserve in one day.
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An early start for a day you’ll want every minute of: a full-day safari in Kruger National Park.
We’ll head out in search of the Big Five, watching for wildlife as we explore and enjoying the anticipation of what might be around the next bend.
Keep your camera close — sightings are never guaranteed, and that’s what makes each encounter so exciting.
We’ll return to the lodge in the late afternoon, ready for dinner and a thorough look through everyone’s photographs.
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After breakfast, we’ll head beyond the reserve for a cultural day, discovering more of the people, traditions and everyday life of the region.
It’s a chance to experience another side of South Africa before returning to the lodge during the afternoon.
And the day doesn’t end there: we’ll be back out for another bush drive before dinner.
Every outing brings a fresh opportunity to spot something you haven’t seen yet.
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Today we head to Blyde River Canyon for a full day of trekking through its rim and surrounding landscape.
Expect dramatic views, enormous canyon walls and the pleasure of getting properly out on foot to explore.
This is one of our more active days, with plenty of scenery worth stopping for along the way. Back at the lodge that afternoon, you’ll have earned some time with your feet up before dinner.
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Yesterday we explored the canyon from above; today we’re heading onto the water. A morning boat cruise takes us beneath the towering canyon walls, giving us a completely different view of the landscape we’ve been walking through.
We’ll follow it with a trek to the waterfall before returning to the lodge.
That’s two days discovering Blyde by trail and boat, followed by an afternoon free for swimming, relaxing and enjoying a little holiday downtime.
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We’ll head out at 5:30am for our final sunrise game drive, making the most of our last morning in the reserve.
Another chance to watch for wildlife, enjoy the early light and see what the bush has in store before breakfast.
The rest of the day is yours: pool, book, nap or an optional massage. At 5pm, we’ll gather for one last African sunset with a glass of wine or a G&T, followed by our closing dinner.
Plenty to toast after a week like this.
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Time to pack up and say goodbye after a week that’s taken you from the bush to Kruger, along canyon trails and out onto the water.
Four reserve game drives, a full-day Kruger safari, a guided bush walk, a cultural day and two days exploring Blyde River Canyon- with time to enjoy the lodge in between.
Head home with photographs, stories and a few new people to start planning the next adventure with!
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Eight days in South Africa with Freedom founder Jax Heffer-Cooke.
Yoga at Hippo Dam, in the boma and on the garden lawn, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the bush.
Four reserve game drives, from your first afternoon safari to a final morning out in the wild.
A full-day safari in Kruger National Park, in search of the Big Five.
Sunset meditation and deeply restful Yoga Nidra.
A guided bush walk to experience the reserve on foot.
A boat cruise through Blyde River Canyon and a nature walk to the waterfall.
A cultural day exploring more of the region beyond the reserve.
Opening and closing ceremonies, with space for reflection and connection.
Free time to swim, read, rest and enjoy the lodge, with optional massages available to book.
Shared dinners, good company and one last African sunset with a glass of wine or a G&T.
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Eight days of safari, walking and adventure with Sarah, a former safari guide in South Africa.
Four reserve game drives, including sunset outings and a final sunrise safari.
A full-day safari in Kruger National Park, searching for the Big Five and other wildlife.
A guided bush walk, discovering the tracks, plants and smaller details of the reserve.
A full day trekking through the dramatic Blyde River Canyon rim and surrounding landscape.
A second canyon adventure, combining a boat cruise with a trek to the waterfall.
A cultural day discovering more of the people, traditions and everyday life of the region.
Poolside afternoons and time to relax at the lodge between adventures.
Optional massages available to book.
Shared meals, new company and a final sunset drink before our closing dinner.
No yoga — this week is all about wildlife, exploring and getting out on foot.
Meet Jax
Your host in South Africa is led by Jackie Heffer-Cooke, Jax, founder of Freedom Yoga & Retreats.
Jax Heffer-Cooke is the founder of Freedom Yoga & Retreats, bringing together her love of yoga, travel and the connections that happen when people experience somewhere new together. In South Africa, she’ll guide you through yoga, meditation and reflection alongside the excitement of safari, creating space to explore both the landscape and a little of yourself.
Meet Sarah
Your host in South Africa is led by Sarah, who used to be. asafari guide in Souith Africa
Sarah previously worked as a safari guide in South Africa, and she’s excited to share her love of the country with you. Her week brings together wildlife, walking and adventure, with the perspective of someone who knows life in the bush. From early game drives to canyon trails, she’ll be your host for eight days of exploring, discovering and enjoying it all together.
Where we’ll stay
Private rooms ✦ Breakfast ✦ Dinner included ✦ Beautiful grounds
So, why join us?
Who is Wild Connection for?
Wild Connection is for you if you want to see more of the world and make a little room for yourself along the way. You’re excited by safari and extraordinary landscapes, but equally drawn to morning yoga, meaningful conversations and time to reflect.
Perhaps life has felt busy, you’re moving through a change, or you simply want a holiday with a deeper connection to the place and people around you.
Come curious, with an appetite for adventure and a willingness to slow down and take it all in.
Who is Into The Wild for?
Into the Wild is for you if the thought of spotting wildlife, pulling on your walking boots and heading somewhere completely different makes you want to book a flight.
You enjoy being active, want to experience plenty while you’re away and like the idea of having the itinerary organised and good company to share it with. Expect early starts, full days out and time to relax by the pool between adventures.
There’s no yoga on this week, and walking is a substantial part of the experience- we’ll share distances and terrain before you book so you can make sure it’s right for you.
Your questions answered
Week 1 ↠ Wild Connection
September 2027
Week 2 ↠ Into The Wild
September 2027
£1,900 per person
Private rooms
20 spaces total
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Wild Connection with Jax brings together yoga, meditation, safari and time for reflection.
Into the Wild with Sarah is centred on wildlife, walking and adventure, with more time exploring on foot and no yoga.
Both include Kruger National Park, Blyde River Canyon, a cultural day and time to enjoy the lodge. It’s about choosing the rhythm that appeals to you.
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Both retreats are planned for September 2027, with each lasting eight days. Exact dates are being finalised.
Register your interest and opt into email updates to hear when they’re confirmed.
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You’re very welcome to come on your own. Shared outings and meals give you plenty of opportunities to get to know people throughout the week, while free time means you can enjoy your own company too. Room options will be shared when bookings open.
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You don’t need to arrive with an impressive practice or be able to fold yourself in half. An interest in yoga and a willingness to explore are a good starting point.
If you’re new to yoga or have particular needs, get in touch so we can talk through the planned sessions and help you decide whether the week suits you.
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No. Into the Wild is a safari and walking adventure. Your days will include game drives, exploring on foot, cultural experiences and time to relax at the lodge.
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Both involve early starts, days out and some walking. Jax’s week balances these with yoga, meditation and a deliberately gentler day.
Sarah’s week includes a guided bush walk, a full day trekking in the canyon landscape and a separate waterfall trek. We’ll share walking distances, terrain and fitness guidance before bookings open.
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We’ll spend a full day in Kruger National Park in search of them, alongside game drives in the reserve throughout the week.
Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed- these are wild animals, and every outing is different. There’s plenty to look out for beyond the Big Five too.
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Absolutely. Both itineraries leave room for swimming, reading, afternoon naps and enjoying the lodge. Jax’s week has a dedicated slower day, while Sarah’s includes free time between the more active outings.
Optional massages will also be available to book at an additional cost.
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You’ll stay in private, beautifully appointed villas at Phelwana Game Lodge, designed for deep rest between adventures. The spaces are tranquil and nature-rooted, with comfortable lounging areas and a private pool for moments of quiet reflection, reading, or post-practice relaxation.
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Yes. Payment plan options are available at cheakout.
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It costs £1900
Not included: Flights, travel insurance, lunch, alcoholic drinks, any other amenities.