We'll try and spot the king of the savanna.
We're sure to see many giraffes, even some outside of our tents!
Cheetahs on Safari
We'll try and spot the king of the savanna.
Yoga Safari in Kenya
November 8 - 16, 2018
About this Retreat
Pack your yoga mat right beside your safari gear. That’s right! Our next bucket list adventure is in the East African safari destination of Kenya. We’ll start off with 3 nights in the bustling capital of Nairobi, visiting the inspiring Africa Yoga Project, taking a hike in Karura Forest, and make time for some shopping. Also, as part of your registration fee, you will be sponsoring 1 year’s worth of fees to support an elephant orphan and we will visit these elephants one afternoon in Nairobi. Next, we’ll head out to Naivasha for two nights of luxury camping on a reserve where you literally have giraffes, zebras and wildebeest roaming outside of your luxury tent. We’ll take a boat ride in Lake Naivasha for hippo watching and a morning hike into Hells Gate National Park, where movies such as Tomb Raider have been filmed. From Naivasha, we will head south to the famed Maasai Mara. We’ll spend 3 nights here in the heart of safari land. Twice daily safari game drives to hopefully spot the Big 5 (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino). Throughout this 8-night adventure, we’ll cultivate our yoga practice in memorable places. By the time we return to Nairobi, you’ll know the true meaning of “hakuna matata!”
Kenya's territory lies on the equator and its largest city is Nairobi, which is also a regional commercial hub. The country has extended wildlife reserves, the Serengeti Migration of the wildebeest is a curious spectacle listed among the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. There are also white sand beaches in the coast and world heritage sites along the country. There are about nine ethnic groups living in Kenya and parts of the country has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period. The highlands of Kenya are one of most important agricultural areas of Africa, where tea, coffee and flowers are the most important exports. It won its independence from England in 1965 but remained part of the commonwealth.
About the teachers
Join us for an unforgettable vacation, guided by two passionate yoga masters, Victor Varana, founder of YogaMultimedia Yoga School and creator of Kalam Balam Yoga, and our dear friend and partner, Katie Ribsam the founder of Yoga Bohemia and director of Honor Yoga Retreats.
More details and map below. Keep reading!
What’s Included:
• 3 nights accommodation in Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya (in hotel room)
• 2 nights accommodation at Sanctuary Farm in Naivasha, Kenya (in luxury tents)
• 3 nights accommodation at Mara Engai Wilderness Lodge in Masai Mara (in luxury tents)
• All meals except for 3 dinners and 1 lunch on your own.
• Daily yoga classes (including a class at the Africa Yoga Project's Shine Center)
• Elephant orphan sponsorship fee for 1 year
• 5 safari game drives in the Maasai Mara
• 1 safari walk
• 1 boat ride to see hippos and bird watching
• Entrance and guide in Hells Gate National Park
• Airport transfer
• Ground transport during retreat
What’s not included:
• Airfare
• Visa
• Vaccinations, malaria preventative
• Travel Insurance
• Souvenirs
• Gratuity for guides / accommodations
Watch a video from one of our previous retreats in Mexico
Accommodations:
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Double occupancy is $3714
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SIngle Occupancy is $4300 (we can try to match you with a roommate if needed)
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Also, payment plans are available. We ask for 20% down and then monthly payments.
Contact us for payment plan options!!
Payment:
Please contact us at ytt@yogamultimedia.com and CC to retreats@honoryoga.com to confirm availability of accommodations and/or to make your deposit payment.
FAQ
• What health precautions should I take? It is recommended to visit a Travel Medicine clinic or your doctor before traveling to discuss any precautions or necessary vaccines. It is recommended to take malaria preventative pills for travel outside of Nairobi. We recommend that you take the malaria preventative, which is to be taken each day called Malarone, not Larium, which can be taken once a week, due to common side effects.
• What safety precautions should I take? It is recommended to purchase personal travel insurance, which can cover medical emergencies, as well as inconveniences such as delayed flights or lost luggage. More than a million tourists visit Kenya every year, and most visits are trouble-free. We will be avoiding areas in travel alerts (such as borders with Somalia).
• What can I expect in Nairobi? Note that Nairobi is a huge city and petty crime is common. It is not a city to go walking in. If you want to go out and explore, you should be prepared to take a taxi. The hotel we will be staying in while in Nairobi is part of a complex called Village Market, which does have restaurants, coffee shops, pharmacies, and souvenir shops in walking distance. These are perfectly safe to visit. This being said, Nairobi is also a very modern city, with many nice restaurants, great malls for shopping, museums, and more. Note that Nairobi is at high altitude, so if you are sensitive at higher altitudes, keep this in mind.
• How will we travel in Kenya? We are going to be visiting 3 different parts of Kenya and we will be traveling in professional vans with professional drivers. If you have tendencies to get car sick, it is recommended to bring some over the counter medication, as the trips will be several hours in length. The condition of Kenyan highways and roads have improved greatly, so the ride should be mostly smooth. We will only be traveling during the day and not at night.
• Can I speak English? English is spoken by almost all Kenyans in Nairobi and most of the Kenyans we will meet. Swahili is also spoken throughout the country, followed by local languages, depending on the region.
• How can I stay in contact with my family/loved ones? It is recommended to look into your cell phone plan and see what the cost is for an international package. For example, T-Mobile’s One plan gives free texts from Kenya to the U.S. as well as free data (2G speeds). There is a charge for phone calls, but this is a reduced per minute fee. All of the hotels will have wifi and many restaurants will too.
• How should I dress? In November, Kenya’s summer is just beginning, so expect day time temperatures in the upper 70s, lower 80s. However, nights tend to be cool year around in Kenya, especially Nairobi, due to the altitude. We will also be in the short rain season, so it is advisable to pack a rain coat; rains during this time of year, however, tend to be in the afternoon, so should not impact safari game drive times. Kenyan women dress less conservatively than other parts of Africa. See the packing list below for more detail, but in general, tank tops are fine for women but it is better to cover your knees.
• How do I get there? You’ll want to fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi. Currently, there are many round-trip flight options out of the Northeast U.S. for around $800. You need to arrive on or before November 8th at any time. The retreat will end on November 16th, with transport back to the Nairobi airport, arriving by 3:30pm, so the earliest flight departure time should be 6:30pm (although most flights to the U.S. depart later, around 10pm). For flight recommendations, feel free to ask us.
Recommendations for your visit:
As we will be traveling to 3 different locations, please try and pack light! There will be laundry services available at each location if you’d like to wash your clothes.
• Lightweight, long-sleeved shirts: for layering and to wear at night
• Lightweight pants/capris
• Rain jacket
• Hat (to protect from the sun)
• Yoga pants and tops
• Sneakers or hiking shoes (but avoiding anything too bulky)
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Hand sanitizer
• Antidiarrheals (such as Imodium or pepto-bismol just in case)
• Any other medications
• Plug converter
• Daypack for safari or hikes
• Binoculars
• Yoga mat
• Camera
• Your adventurer spirit!
About the teachers
Victor Varana ERYT500
If you value learning from a seasoned and skilled teacher with a background in a diversity of yoga, meditation, martial art styles and a strong personal practice, then this is the trip for you! Victor has been a practitioner since his early childhood, and he has thousands of hours of teaching experience in Tulum, one of the most important yoga destinations in the world. Victor will bring to this retreat his experience of teaching to yogis from all ages, body conditions and practice levels in the same classroom, while still being able to give everyone the challenge they need. Come learn from him!
Learn and be inspired by an internationally reknown yoga teacher and creator of his own unique and acclaimed style of practice named Kalam-Balam.
Testimonial : “This is one of the most energizing, centering, blissful, strong, empowering classes I have ever taken, I’m serious, ever [...] You’ve got to take this class. If you can ever see or take anything with him, I highly, highly recommend it”
Sadie Nardini. Tulum, Mexico, Sept 2012.
Katie Ribsam
Katie is a runner, rock climber, snowboarder and lover of the outdoors who has spent well over half of her life as a practicing yogi. Through yoga, Katie has not only been able to deepen her own sense of self-awareness but has also been able to maintain the focus, discipline, flexibility and agility necessary to physically enjoy the outdoors through the sports she loves. Katie apprenticed under Michael Cremone in the Power Yoga discipline and has been teaching yoga all over New Jersey ever since. As a yoga instructor, Katie’s classes include creative flows, core strength and technical poses such as inversions and arm balances. Classes are designed for all levels offering variations for novice to experienced practitioners. Katie’s yoga practice and teaching style continues to evolve as she travels the world to train in diverse yogic disciplines.