The trail is not the point.
The point is who you become on it.
The trail is not the point.
The point is who you become on it.
A ten day pilgrimage along Peru's Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, to walk through fear,
rediscover your purpose, and carry home a clear, personal plan.
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
It is just before dawn at the Sun Gate.
You are standing high above the clouds,
and the light is only beginning to break.
Below you, still half in shadow, is Machu Picchu.
The Lost City.
One of the wonders of the world. And you walked here.
One deliberate step at a time,
for days, to arrive at this exact moment.
This is what we are offering you.
Ten days on the ancient Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
The high Andes. The Sacred Valley.
The passes that ask everything of you, including Dead Woman's Pass.
The cloud forest and the ruins that rise out of the mist.
The fires at night, and the conversations around them that go somewhere real. The sunrise over the Lost City, on foot,
through the Sun Gate. And, in the final days,
the quiet and vital work of building a plan you carry home.
Held by Cobus Visser and Tinolla Rodgers. A pilgrimage with mental well being and the rediscovery of purpose at its very centre.
This is A Pilgrimage to Purpose.
This pilgrimage is for the part of you that has been quietly listening.
You may have felt it for years.
The sense that you are ready for something deeper than another holiday,
more honest than another conference, more lasting than another reset.
A journey that does not just take you somewhere new,
but returns you to yourself,
and to the God who made you.
You do not need to be an experienced hiker.
You do not need to have your faith or your future worked out.
You only need to be willing to walk,
to listen,
and to let this journey reveal itself.
Whether you are coming alone or with someone you love, whether you are deep in your inner work or newly awake to it, whether you are at a turning point or simply ready for the next layer, this circle has room for you.
And, in fairness, a word on who
this is not for.
This is not for someone looking only for a bucket list photograph and a comfortable tour.
It is not for someone who wants to stay exactly as they are.
The mountain asks something of everyone who climbs it,
and this pilgrimage is built for the ones who are ready to be asked.
Ten days. Cusco, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail,
Machu Picchu, and the integration that sends you home changed.
Days 1–2
Arrival and Acclimatisation
You fly into Lima and on to Cusco, high in the Andes. The team receives you, and the journey begins the moment you arrive.
A gentle day in Cusco to acclimatise, walking the ancient streets, Sacsayhuaman and the Temple of the Sun, letting the altitude and the wonder settle.
Days 3–4
The Sacred Valley and the Trail Begins
The Sacred Valley of the Incas. Chinchero, the salt terraces of Maras, the circular terraces of Moray, and the great fortress town of Ollantaytambo, the gateway to the trail.
The trail begins. From KM 82 we walk the left shore of the Urubamba River, past our first Inca ruins, to camp at Hatunchaca.
Days 5–6
The Ascent and the Cloud Forest
The hardest and holiest day. The long ascent to Dead Woman's Pass, the highest point of the trail, and the descent into the Pacaymayo valley. This is the day the mountain asks everything, and gives the most.
Across the Runcu Raccay pass, past the beautiful ruins of Sayacmarca, through the cloud forest to Phuyupatamarca, where we catch our first glimpse of Machu Picchu mountain and watch the sun set over the peaks.
Days 7–8
The Sun Gate and Sunrise at Machu Picchu
Down the ancient stone stairways to Wiñay Wayna, and then, on foot, to the Sun Gate, and the first sight of Machu Picchu without the crowds, as the light fades.
The most important day. We rise before dawn and enter Machu Picchu for sunrise. A guided journey through the Lost City, one of the wonders of the world, and then the return to Cusco.
Days 9–10
Integration
The integration. This is where the pilgrimage becomes permanent. Away from the trail, with time to rest, reflect and be still, Cobus and Tinolla walk each guest through gathering what the mountain gave them and shaping it into a clear, personal plan. You do not fly home with photographs alone. You fly home with a way forward.
Throughout, Cobus holds the inner journey,
the teaching,
the fireside conversations and the courage to challenge the beliefs that have held you back.
Tinolla holds the healing power of nature,
the reflection and gentle integration,
and the safe,
compassionate space in which transformation becomes possible.
You will not be the same when you come home.
Nobody is.
This circle is held by two.
MEET YOUR FACILITATORS
Cobus Visser
FACILITATOR
A Certified Speaking Professional, executive coach and certified master firewalking instructor, Cobus has facilitated transformational experiences for more than thirteen thousand people around the world.
His own turning point came on Kilimanjaro, a mountain he climbed believing he had no reason left to live, and came down having found one.
He is the author of Walking Through Fire and the Extraordinary You series, and has spent his life since that climb walking people through fire, through fear, and back to their God given purpose.
On this pilgrimage, Cobus holds the inner journey: the teaching, the fireside conversations, and the plan each guest carries home.
Tinolla Rodgers
FACILITATOR
Owner and Managing Director of African Monarch Journeys and the creator of Retreats in the Wild.
With more than three decades as a hotelier in some of Africa's leading luxury wilderness lodges and destinations across Southern and East Africa, Tinolla has built a career centred on exceptional hospitality, authentic guest experiences and a profound respect for the transformative power of the natural world.
When her husband Dusty was diagnosed with two cancers, she entered one of the most challenging seasons of her life — a journey marked by profound fear, uncertainty and an unwavering search for healing, hope and meaning.
As she spent more time immersed in nature, she discovered that the wilderness offered something medicine alone could not: the space to breathe, to reflect, to reconnect and, above all, to remember what mattered most.
It was from this deeply personal journey that Tinolla created Retreats in the Wild, and following Dusty's passing, that calling became her life's work.
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.
VOICES FROM THE CIRCLE
What the wild gives is hard to put into words.
So we will let those who have walked with us speak for themselves.
These are their voices, in their own time, in their own words.
The wife of one of the March guests wrote to Tinolla afterwards. She said simply,
"He came home different. Thank you."
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Ten days and nine nights of accommodation across carefully selected four star hotels: Costa del Sol in Cusco, Casa Andina in the Sacred Valley, El Mapi in Aguas Calientes, and full camping on the trail.
Airport pickup and drop off, and all private ground transport throughout.
Guided Cusco city tour and full Sacred Valley tour, with all site tickets.
All Inca Trail permits and Machu Picchu entrance tickets.
Professional English speaking guide throughout, professional trail chef, and porters carrying all group equipment.
All camping equipment, air mattresses, and a duffel bag for personal items on the trail.
Three breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners on the trail, plus lunch on the Sacred Valley day.
One way bus tickets down from Machu Picchu, and the train and private transfer back to Cusco.
All facilitation, teaching, fireside sessions and the full integration and planning process with Cobus and Tinolla.
Accommodation, meals, teachings, transfers
What's Excluded
International flights to and from Peru, and domestic flights between Lima and Cusco.
Travel insurance (mandatory for participation) and the optional Huayna Picchu mountain permit.
Lunch in Aguas Calientes, personal expenses and souvenirs, and tipping, which is customary in Peru.
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
INVESTMENT
"The trail is not the point. The point is who you become on it."
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.
A Pilgrimage to Purpose is not simply ten days on Peru's Inca Trail.
It is an invitation to walk through fear,
to rest more deeply than you have in years,
and to remember the purpose that has been within you all along.
If something in you has been longing for a turning point,
perhaps this is your moment to answer.
The full ten day pilgrimage, with everything set out in the inclusions above,
is offered at the following rates per guest.
This is not the kind of pilgrimage one books lightly.
It is the kind one books because something inside has already decided.
International Rates
Per person: USD 6,999
Standard rate
Per person: USD 6,500
Early bird rate
You have read this far for a reason.
The doors are open.
The mountain is waiting.
The circle is gathering.
If this is yours, you have probably known it for some time.
Trust that quiet voice.
Step across.
Come and walk with us.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? LET'S TALK
Not everyone is ready to book with just a few clicks.
If this pilgrimage 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 trail, the experience and the details that matter to you.
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