Restoring Your True Nature
Lessons from the Wild Elephant Herds of Botswana
September 5th – 10
5 nights, 6 day retreat
with Koelle Simpson & Alan McSmith
4 Rivers Camp at the Okavango Delta in Botswana
Re-membering Ourselves
Over the last fifteen years of traveling to the bushveld, I never tire of the long, international journey that eventually leads me to stepping off a small plane onto the African sun-baked earth. When I breathe in the grounding aroma of dry grass, wild sage, the potato bush, and even animal dung, the earthy, sweet scents create an instant feeling of calm. My whole body feels at home when I look over the wide open landscape and realize the land is humming with more wild animals than there are humans. This is truly Mother Nature’s domain.
While every wild creature large and small reawakens my senses and stirs up a feeling of endless curiosity, there are few who evoke such a strong sense of awe like the African elephant. Several years ago I met an incredible wilderness guide named Alan McSmith who not only shared my love for elephants, he’s spent the last 30 years as a passionate elephant conservationist leading groups on safari throughout the African continent. Alan is well known for his remarkable relationship and understanding of our ancient pachyderm kin.
It turns out that if we’re willing to become curious and listen, elephants have an incredible ability to model a nourishing sense of community, family, and kinship. While it’s not a perfect utopia, elephants can help us experience the transformation that takes place when we settle our attention on a sense of safety and the quality of our connection with others.
For me, spending time observing wild animals— especially elephants— is an incredible way to witness the patterns we’ve adopted from our cultural, social, and familial systems that are no longer serving us. I’ve discovered that Mother Nature has an uncanny and playful way of providing us with a road map back to our essential wisdom.
I want to invite you to join me and Alan McSmith for a special retreat at the 4 Rivers Camp in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. We will come together for a 6-day, 5-night retreat to learn from the elephants and Mother Nature how to heal the places where we feel disconnected from one another and begin to chart a course towards a new way of life.
We welcome you to join us on September 5th – 10th, 2023, for a unique and unforgettable adventure. This retreat is limited to only six people.
During our time together, you will…
- Rest and restore your mind, body, and spirit.
- Experience the power of a small gathering of kindred spirits.
- Unplug from the endless distractions of our modern fast paced world and submerge yourself into the frequency of our essential nature.
- Learn directly from the wisdom of the elephant herds.
- Delight in morning and evening game drives, as well as walking and tracking on foot in order to get up close and personal with the land and its animals.
- Luxuriate in the beauty of the environment and your accommodations.
- Partner with the land and animals to both awaken and re-wild your spirit.
- Treat yourself to incredible culinary delights, fine wines, belly laughs, camp fires under the stars, animal tracking, and soulful connections with one another.
I hope you will join me.
Retreat Agenda

Day 1: The Call to Gather Together
- 12:00 pm Airlink flight from Johannesburg International Airport to Maun. Then an air charter to Kwara Private Reserve strip and road transfer – arriving at camp late afternoon.
- 4:00 pm | Retreat introductions and the sharing of personal intentions
- 5:00 pm | Afternoon game drive. Get into the Land Rover, out into the wilderness, and allow the animals to help us begin noticing our inner landscape
- 7:00 pm | Dinner, laughter, and the sharing of stories

Day 2: Listening to Your Essential Wisdom
- 6:30 am | Breakfast and dawn departure for the morning game drive to greet the elephants
- 12:00 pm | Lunch and group coaching,
- 1:00 pm | Rest, and/or private coaching sessions upon request
- 3:00 pm | Afternoon game drive or walk to be with elephants. Invite gentle curiosity to observe the coping strategies we use in relationships with one another
- 7:00 pm | Dinner, campfire, and connecting

Day 3: Reading the Tracks of Our Relationships
- 6:30 am | Breakfast and dawn departure for the morning game drive to greet the elephants
- 12:00 pm | Lunch and group coaching,
- 1:00 pm | Rest, and/or private coaching sessions upon request
- 3:00 pm | Afternoon tracking session and evening game drive
- 7:00 pm | Dinner, campfire, and connecting

Day 4: Self Care as the Key to Living an Intimate Life
- 6:30 am | Breakfast and dawn departure for the morning game drive to greet the elephants
- 12:00 pm | Lunch and group coaching,
- 1:00 pm | Rest, and/or private coaching sessions upon request
- 3:00 pm | Afternoon tracking session and evening game drive
- 7:00 pm | Dinner, campfire, and connecting

Day 5: The Forming of Your Herd
- 6:30 am | Breakfast and dawn departure for the morning game drive to greet the elephants
- 12:00 pm | Lunch and group coaching,
- 1:00 pm | Rest, and/or private coaching sessions upon request
- 3:00 pm | Afternoon tracking session and evening game drive
- 7:00 pm | Dinner, campfire, and connecting

Day 6: Celebration & Departure
- 6:30 am | Dawn departure for morning game drive
- 10:00 am | Breakfast and closing discussion
- 12:00 pm | Departure
Program Details & Registration
Retreat Dates: Sept. 5th – 10th, 2023
INCLUDES:
- 5 nights accommodation in personal private tents with in en-suite bathroom
- All meals, all local drinks and laundry.
- All activities on a private basis with Alan McSmith
- Private game viewing vehicle
- All park and entry fees included
- Personal facilitation and coaching support from Koelle Simpson
- Charter flight transfer from Maun to Kwara Private Reserve strip
EXCLUDES:
- International flights
- Premium brand beverages
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- Accommodation either side of the safari
- Gratuities
Retreat Pricing
- Single Occupancy: $14,700
Pay-in-full
- Pay-in-full: $14,700
Deposit Payment Plan
- Three payment plan =
- 1st payment of $4,851 deposit at sign up,
- 2nd payment of $4,851 – charged 2 months following sign up
- 3rd payment of $4,998- charged 2 months after 2nd payment
- Payments must be completed by retreat date
Interested in this Retreat?
Please complete the form below…
Given the nature of the depth of coaching facilitation that takes place during retreats, it is advised that you have worked with Koelle Simpson for a minimum of 3 virtual one on one coaching sessions prior to attending an in person retreat.
Cancellation Policy
Due to the costly, non-refundable nature of reserving venues for various events, and the limited spaces available in workshops and retreats, a cancellation made 60 days or less from the dates of an event is non-refundable. Fifty percent of the event fee will be refunded for a cancellation made between 90 to 61 days prior to a scheduled event. Any cancellation made 91 days prior to a scheduled event is fully refundable minus an administrative processing fee.
We want to encourage everyone to be well covered in case of some unforeseen circumstance that would require the trip to be canceled. You will be required to purchase comprehensive travel and medical insurance for your trip. This may be a helpful site to get your started www.travelinsurance.com
What We Can Learn From Elephants
Listen to This New, Informational Call with Koelle To Learn More About Elephants & This Retreat
Whether you feel pulled to attend this powerful retreat or are just curious what it is elephants can teach each of us about connection, community, our emotions, building trust–listen to this new, free, call with renown horse whisperer and life coach, Koelle Simpson to learn more.
Have questions about the Return to the Heart Retreat? Email us at support@koellesimpson.com. We’d love to hear from you!
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