The Inner Balance Retreat:
Coming Home to Yourself in the Wild
The Inner Balance Retreat:
Coming Home to Yourself in the Wild
A five day mindfulness retreat in the heart of Namibia's Bwabwata National Park,
to restore calm, clarity, energy and a lasting sense of ease.
A 5-night men's retreat in the wilds of Namibia, where modern warriors shed their armor, awaken their untamed strength and return home transformed.
14-19 August 2026
Nambwa Tented Lodge, Bwabwata National Park
R64,500 per person sharing +30% single supplement
€4,300 available for international guests
• Only 15 spots available
Coming Home to Yourself
We gather in the wild from 8 to 13 November 2026, five unhurried days of practice and rest in the heart of Bwabwata National Park.
If you are experiencing overwhelm, fatigue and helplessness in your daily life, or in coping with the constant weight of worldwide negative news, you may find yourself wondering how to stay grounded, how to stay hopeful, and how to find a sense of ease in your own life again.
This retreat, in the heart of Namibia's majestic Bwabwata National Park, offers both the space and the tools to find a haven of peace within yourself, and the techniques you need to recover and restore your inner balance.
Guided by Hella Göbel
You'll explore mindfulness, the simple yet powerful science backed practice of being fully present, as a way to meet the ever growing challenges of modern life. Through group sessions, gentle movement, guided meditations and Deep Rest, held in the serene wilderness that surrounds Nambwa Tented Lodge, you'll learn practical techniques to bring your mind, body and soul back into balance, to find a source of calm within yourself, and to reconnect with your natural being.
Between sessions, you'll have time to rest deeply, enjoy long siestas, reflect, and soak in the sights and sounds of the bush. Every skill you learn here can be woven into your daily routine when you return home, so the balance you find stays with you well beyond the retreat, supporting your energy, focus and overall wellbeing.
This is not a retreat about escaping your life.
It is a gentle return to yourself.
The Teaching Journey
Guided by Hella Göbel,
The Inner Balance Retreat is built on the foundation of mindfulness,
the practice of non judgemental awareness that lies at the heart of lasting wellbeing.
Across five unhurried days,
Hella draws out the principles of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction,
the clinically researched programme developed by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn,
alongside four supporting pillars that deepen the work.
Through Deep Rest,
a gentle lying down practice,
we let go of the boundaries and the stories we carry,
and reach the purest, most restful state of simply being.
Through Shinrin Yoku,
forest bathing and immersive nature connection,
we reconnect with the wild that is our source, feeling the soil,
the trees and the four elements, and becoming,
for a while, like children in awe again.
Through self compassion,
drawn from the work of Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer,
we learn to meet ourselves with more kindness and softness,
and to lay down the blame and the striving so many of us carry.
And through nature connection, we let the wisdom of the bush,
the wildlife and the trees become our teacher,
discovering how nature heals,
communicates and liberates itself,
and how we might do the same.
Awareness, acceptance and compassion. These three form the
foundation of your own lasting wellbeing, drawn out
gently, day by day, as the wild holds us.
The Shape of Your Five Days
The daily rhythm is held gently by Hella, moving between practice, rest and time in the wild.
What follows is the shape of the experience rather than a fixed timetable.
Arrival and Opening
We gather as the light softens for a quiet opening circle, setting down the weight of the journey here and stepping into the stillness of the days ahead.
Deepening
Across the middle of the retreat, the practices of mindfulness, Deep Rest, forest bathing and self compassion are woven with the rhythms of the bush, morning and afternoon game drives, a soulful boat cruise on the Kwando, gentle bush walks, and long siestas in the heat of the day.
Immersion
Barefoot sundowners in the sand at Horseshoe Lagoon, a bush dinner on a private island beneath a symphony of night sounds, the expressive art experience at The Sijwa Project, and stretches of shared silence in which the wild becomes the teacher.
Closing and Integration
We gather one last time to gently gather the whole journey into a closing ceremony, and to carry home the tools and the balance we have found.
Highlights of the Retreat
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction through non judgemental awareness of body, mind and soul, and the practice of presence as a way back to a healthier way of living.
Deep Rest as a gentle mindfulness modality, using guided meditations and lying down practices to support deep relaxation, letting go and reconnection with yourself.Bullet List 3
Shinrin Yoku, forest bathing and immersive nature connection, drawing on the wisdom of the bush, the trees, the wildlife and the four elements.
The cultivation of self compassion, self acceptance and resilience, learning to meet yourself with more kindness while navigating the waves of life.
Practical tools, reflections and mindful practices to carry home, supporting calm, clarity, nervous system regulation and long term wellbeing.
Opening and closing ceremonies that gently hold the beginning and completion of your five days.
Long, spacious siestas and unhurried time to rest, reflect and simply be.
WHERE YOU WILL STAY
Where the Rhythm of the Ocean Meets the Rhythm of Your Soul
Located on the tropical, palm-fringed shore of the Indian Ocean, Salt Rock Hotel's prime beachfront position ensures every suite enjoys spectacular sea views. In the early morning or evening, you might spot dolphins from your room. At night, the sound of the surf will sing you to sleep.
There is something about the ocean. The way the rhythm of waves breaking and retreating mimics the rhythm of your breathing. Part of your transformation will be powered by this place.
On The Beach
Walk directly onto golden sand at the tidal pool with views of marine life below.
Unbeatable Coastline Views
Doze or do some serious dolphin spotting. You might even spy whales in season.
Sunrise & Sunsets with Palm Trees
Palm-fringed shores and skies that turn gold at the end of each day. This is the backdrop to your three days of transformation.
Coco's Buffet
Full-board dining to nourish body and soulacross your three-day stay.
MEET YOUR FACILITATOR
Hella Göbel
Mindfulness & Deep Rest Teacher
“The wound is the place where the light enters you.” — Rumi
Namibian born Hella Göbel's connection to Namibia, Nambwa and the African wilderness runs deeply through both her personal and professional life. After a repeated cancer diagnosis in her fifties, she returned to Nambwa for a healing retreat that became a turning point in her life, not simply a return to her home country, but a return to herself.
Guided by the belief that crisis can also become an invitation, Hella began listening more deeply to her inner voice. What started as a personal journey of healing opened the way into mindfulness based stress reduction, Deep Rest, self compassion, Shinrin Yoku and nature connection.
Today, Hella facilitates from both professional training and lived experience. Her work invites guests to pause, reconnect, and discover the inner space where clarity, acceptance and peace can begin to emerge.
Hella's qualifications include:
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher as taught by Prof. Jon Kabat-Zinn
Forest Bathing Instructor, German Forest Bathing Academy
Deep Rest meditation teacher as taught by Nicole Stern, renowned Deep Rest meditation teacher in Germany
Self compassion as per the teachings of Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer
Jack Kornfield course on Forgiveness
Trauma Informed Yoga as taught by Dr Arielle Schwartz
Tinolla Rodgers
Founder, Retreats in the Wild
Founder of Retreats in the Wild and Founder and Managing Director of African Monarch Journeys, Tinolla holds the vision and the ceremonial thread of this retreat, and welcomes you to Nambwa alongside Hella. A certified ThetaHealing practitioner, she brings to every journey her belief that nature remembers what humanity has forgotten.
Rupali Mahendra
Your Retreats in the Wild Angel
Rupali walks beside you long before you arrive at Nambwa. From your first enquiry to the moment you step into the wild, she lovingly holds every stage of your preparation, ensuring that you feel informed, supported and cared for.
ALL RETREATS INCLUDE
ALL RETREATS INCLUDE
Accommodation at Nambwa Tented Lodge — luxurious suites nestled in the tree canopies, offering privacy and serenity.
Morning or afternoon game drives through Bwabwata National Park, Africa's largest conservation area.
Morning or afternoon boat cruise along the Kwando River, past papyrus islands, hippos, crocodiles, and rich birdlife.
Bush walks with local guides sharing ancestral knowledge of medicinal plants and stories of the wild.
Sundowner setup at Horseshoe Lagoon with fresh fruit snacks, sitting barefoot alongside hippos and elephants.
Bush dinner on a private island, under the stars with the sounds of the bush.
Expressive art experience at The Sijwa Project.
Bullet List 1Bwabwata National Park fees and sustainability levies.
Bullet List 2Full onboarding and seamless support from the Retreats in the Wild team from the moment you book to the day of your departure.
A comprehensive workbook and manifestation diary to document your transformation.
A meaningful Gratitude Bracelet to anchor your journey, lovingly made from recycled glass at The Sijwa Project, with your personal written intention embedded inside one of the molten glass beads.
Opening and closing ceremonies, plus a completion certificate.
Integration into a supportive community of like minded souls.
What's Excluded
Your flights to and from Namibia, and transfers to Nambwa from nearby airports.
Comprehensive travel insurance.
Personal expenses, gratuities and optional activities
outside the official retreat programme.
What Past Guests Have Said
WHAT MAKES NAMBWA EXTRAORDINARY?
You won't feel like a guest in nature. You'll become part of it.
The wide layout and elevated design ensures privacy, stillness and peaceful nights.
The juxtaposition of luxury + wilderness nurtures trust: you know you're safe, yet untamed.
Waking to silence, starlight and nature primes your nervous system for deep inner work.
This accommodation is more than “where you sleep”. It's a vessel for your transformation.
Exclusive & Secluded
With only 10 spacious tented suites, your retreat won't feel crowded. It will feel sacred.
Treetop Living Among Wildlife
Elevated wooden walkways ensure you tread lightly on the land. Below and around you: elephants, buffalo and plains game roam freely.
Generous Space & Comfort
Each suite spans 110 square metres with a private lounge, en-suite bathroom and full opening walls to bring the outdoors in.
Private Decks & Views
Step out onto your deck each morning. Watch the floodplain awaken. Sip coffee or tea delivered to your tent as dawn breaks.
Design that Honors the Land
Natural, calming decor, mosquito nets, biodegradable amenities and safe storage strike the balance between comfort and ecological respect.
Gathering Spaces with Presence
The lodge's heart is its majestic deck, open airy dining, panoramic views and the chance to spot wildlife right from the lodge grounds.
Wildlife at Your Doorstep
Some days, you won't need to go on a game drive. Animals often drift under your deck or through camp, offering powerful encounters from safety and quiet presence.
Curated Dining Experiences
Imagine a bush dinner on a private island with a symphony of night sounds meeting the crackling of a warming fire. Imagine sundowners with no fences between you and the hippos.
MEET YOUR FACILITATORS
This retreat isn't just held by a place.
It's held by men who've walked through the fire themselves, and returned with the tools to guide others through it too.
Brett Shuttleworth
The Visionary Guide
Former rugby player, international model, Hollywood actor and founder of Smiling Souls Retreats, Brett has spent over a decade helping men rediscover the strength and clarity they thought they'd lost.
His facilitation blends ancient wisdom and embodied practice; breath, sweat, stillness and wild honesty. Brett's gift lies in creating spaces where walls fall away and truth has room to breathe.
Joe van Niekerk
The Warrior Healer
Once a celebrated Springbok rugby player, Joe walked away from the spotlight to follow a deeper calling.
Today, he leads men through transformational experiences that bridge strength with softness, fire with presence and performance with purpose. His own journey from global sports fame to spiritual leadership gives him a rare ability to hold space with power, humility and heart.
Together, Brett and Joe bring deep experience, grounded leadership and embodied truth.
They don't just teach the work, they live it. And they'll hold the fire beside you every step of the way.
INVESTMENT
“Mindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love, it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
There are journeys we remember for the places we visited.
And there are journeys we remember for the person we came home to while we were there.
The Inner Balance Retreat is not simply five days in a beautiful place. It is an invitation to lay down the weight you have been carrying, to rest more deeply than you have in years, and to remember the still, steady centre that has been within you all along.
If something in you has been longing to pause, perhaps this is your moment to answer.
We would be honoured to welcome you as one of only fifteen guests who will share this gentle journey together.
The full five day retreat, with everything set out in the inclusions
above, is offered at the following rates per guest.
Local SADC Rates
Per person sharing: R67,777
Single: R85,000
International Rates
Per person sharing: Euro €4,000
Single: Euro €5,200
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? LET'S TALK
Not everyone is ready to book with just a few clicks.
If this retreat stirs something in you, but you want clarity, reassurance or personal guidance before committing - let’s talk.
Schedule a 30-minute call with our team and we’ll walk you through the travel, the experience and the details that matter to you.
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