Healing Safari - Dr. Tanya Pergola

Healing Safari
with
The African Embassy Safaris
People-to-People Safaris
Healing Safaris in Tanzania With Dr. Tanya Pergola And Lekoko Ole Sululu A lot of people talk about how nature heals, but what does that really mean? Take your mind-­‐body-­‐spirit practices on safari in Africa! We know that the most cutting-­‐edge strategies for inner peace and rejuvenation involve deep immersion into nature. There is no better place to experience true primordial nature than in East Africa, the cradle of humankind. During select times of the year, Healing Safaris are conducted by Deepak Chopra-­‐certified Vedic Educator and author Dr. Tanya Pergola, together with Maasai healer-­‐guide Lekoko Ole Sululu. These safaris include daily yoga and meditation sessions, lessons on indigenous Maasai healing practices, visits with a spiritual healer, traditional medicinal plant teas and soups, massages and walking meditations in un-­‐fenced wilderness areas. Guests have the opportunity to explore in-­‐depth the traditional Maasai practices for health and happiness as described in the book Time is Cows: Timeless Wisdom of the Maasai by Tanya Pergola, PhD. The primordial African bush is one of the most profound ways to re-­‐connect with nature in its purest form. A place where your mind, body and spirit finds grounding, and you can truly relax. Hatari Lodge and Shu’mata Camp are your bases, together with a luxury camp in Serengeti, for a one-­‐of-­‐a-­‐kind safari in Africa. Come and soak up nature and indigenous culture in pure and adventurous luxury on a Healing Safari in Tanzania. Your Guides Tanya Pergola, PhD, RYT is an internaLonally recognized author, inspiraLon speaker, safari guide, and yoga, meditaLon and healthy lifestyles instructor. Born in the United States, Tanya holds a PhD in Sociology and Social Psychology from the University of Washington in SeaOle. For over a decade, she lived and worked in Tanzania and South Africa running the non-­‐governmental development organizaLon Terrawatu; and teaching yoga and healthy lifestyles at spas and hotels. In 2012, Dr. Tanya returned to the States and became a Chopra CerLfied Vedic Educator. She is the author of Time is Cows: Timeless Wisdom of the Maasai and produced and is featured in the DVD Maasai Yoga & Medita6on filmed on locaLon in Tanzania. Dr. Tanya is based in Cocount Grove, Florida and teaches at spas and private retreats in South Florida and in Tanzania. Lekoko Ole Sululu was born in a Maasai village in Ngorongoro and has worked as a safari guide for more than 20 years for adventure travel companies: Wilderness Travel, Mountain Travel Sobek, and Mountain Madness, all through African Environments. He is the Founding Director of People-­‐to-­‐People Safaris company and co-­‐
Director of Terrawatu. Sululu is fluent in Maa, Swahili and English, and leads specialized indigenous culture and wildlife safaris as well as training guides in Tanzania. Now a Maasai elder and medicine man in his community, Sululu is oKen called upon to use his skills as a tradiLonal healer to assist both local and internaLonal clients. Tour Overview Day 1 Hatari Lodge – Arrival Day 2 Hatari Lodge – Momella Lakes Day 3 Chaka Camp – Serengeti National Park Day 4 Chaka Camp – Serengeti National Park Day 5 Chaka Camp – Serengeti National Park Day 6 Chaka Camp – Serengeti National Park Day 7 Shu’mata Camp – Maasai Experience Day 8 Shu’mata Camp– Maasai Experience Day 9 Shu’mata Camp– Maasai Experience Day 10 Shu’mata Camp– Departure Recommended and optional extensions for additional charges: • An additional day at the Hatari Lodge with the Ngurdoto Crater Tour • An additional day at the Shu’mata Camp with the Kili for all Tour, a picnic on Mt. Kilimanjaro! • An additional day at the Plantation Lodge with a half day game drive in Manyara National Park • Additional days at the Adventure Fly Camp in the Serengeti • A fly-­‐in safari to Pangani at the Indian Ocean • A fly-­‐in safari to Zanzibar • A fly-­‐in safari to Saadani National Park on the Indian Ocean in combination with the old Town of Zanzibar WELCOME TO THE HATARI LODGE
Days 1-2
Day 1 – Karibu, Hatari Lodge welcomes you! Hatari Lodge The drive and approach to Hatari Lodge is remarkable. You leave the tarmac road and the frenetic town behind and slowly enter the trees, bush and even the jungle. Colobus monkeys jump around in the trees above you and giraffes greet you upon entrance to the lodge. You feel your energy calming down, connecting to the earth. You sense you are immediately at your new home, in Africa. Personal friendly staff show you to your room, which is beautiful and cozy. The bathrooms are very large and the walk-­‐in shower with stone walls is luxuriously natural. All meals are made with local, fresh ingredients and the chef caters to all food sensitivities. During the warmer season, breakfast is served outdoors overlooking the meadow. There is nothing like having your morning coffee or tea overlooking the view of Mt. Kilimanjaro and eating your fruits and toast while the giraffes, just a few feet away, are eating their leaves. There are ample spots for both personal meditation and yoga practice as well as peaceful spots for group sessions and outdoor massage. The lodge is convenient to the main international airport yet very quickly, your long flight becomes a distant memory and you become present to East Africa. Activity: Arrive evening time at Kilimanjaro International Airport from Amsterdam. You will be met at the airport and driven in bush vehicles through Arusha National Park to Hatari Lodge. You enjoy a nourishing welcome dinner before retiring to sleep after the long flight. Day 2 –Yoga with giraffes and meditating with flamingos Description: The area around the Momella lakes, which is located at an altitude of 1400 m (4600 ft), extends over the north-­‐eastern part of Arusha National Park and is surrounded by green hills. Here you will find six lakes, surrounded by bush savanna and acacias. Several hollows were formed by the last eruption of Mount Meru, which have porous ground allowing enough water to the surface to form the lakes. The biggest and also most interesting ones are the Big and the Small Momella Lakes, together they cover an area of 4 km². Flamingos especially prefer the Small Momella Lake because of the high amount of alkali. Activity: Morning yoga practice, gentle and stretchy to work out the kinks from the long plane ride. Opening group meditation. We eat a healthy and delicious breakfast together overlooking the meadow and giraffes before gathering for a briefing for our journey ahead. We then depart for Momella Lakes so you can see hundreds of flamingos rising to the sky with their pink color and you may also see hippos and giraffes in their natural habitat. You will enjoy a picnic lunch at Majo waterfalls. Return to the lodge for a rest before heading out to Boma la Megi for a sundowner meditation and yoga practice with a magnificent view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Dinner at the lodge. Karibu Serengeti
Days 3–6
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Day 3 – Migrate to the migration Chaka Camp : Chaka Camp is a seasonal camp located in the Ndutu area from December till March, then relocates to Western Serengeti from May to June, and to Northern Serengeti from July through November. No trip to Africa, and Tanzania in particular, is complete without visiting the Serengeti. The word ‘camp’ is nothing like traditional camping, Western-­‐style. This is truly, Out-­‐of-­‐
Africa style luxury camp, meaning, you live in a full-­‐sized room, sleep in a regular comfortable bed with duvets and pillows, and even have a proper sink, toilet and shower! Yes, the walls are made of thick canvas and your warm water shower is prepared for you by camp staff, but this all adds to the fact that you are in the bush! There are no thick concrete walls and over-­‐the-­‐top modern technology to block you from the sights, smells and sounds of Mother nature. You wake to the sounds of a plethora of birds greeting you and look out at the sunrise on the African savannah either from bed, or from a meditation chair. The food is delicious and the chef caters to all food sensitivities. Wildlife viewing is some of the best in the world. This is where to see the migration when the time is right. After a couple of days here, your mind -­‐body gets truly in synch with the rhythms of nature and you feel at ease and in the flow. It is amazing. . Activity: Morning meditation and yoga practice followed by a delicious healthy brunch. We then depart Hatari Lodge for a scenic drive to West Kilimanjaro airstrip. From there we fly to the Serengeti. The Serengeti Ecosystem is home to one of the largest and diverse concentrations of wildlife. We will witness the famous migration of nearly two million wildebeests, zebras and antelopes. The drive from the airstrip to camp is through landscapes where you have a chance to see elephants, lions, cheetahs and leopards. We stay at the luxurious Chaka Camp nestled in the bush. In the afternoon we have time to relax and settle in before an evening yoga class followed by dinner. Day 4 – Walking medita=on and mind-­‐body wisdom Description: Its time to reflect on tradition! Whether during a walk with the Maasai warriors or a hunt with the Hadzabe Bushmen, you will learn from their traditions, that they have gathered over hundreds of years in the Serengeti. On your walk with our competent guides , you will discover how hard we are trying to conserve the natural ecosystem and why. You will come to experience a genuine bush experience with those who know and understand the nature of the Serengeti. For this experience, we will be using one hundred thousand hectares of Nature Reserve and also have access to another 600,000 hectares of beautiful land. You will instantly notice the difference between a walking safari and safari by car. Your senses in the car were more cumbersome, whereas on foot, they will all be activated and noticing so many more signs of the wild. Your entire perception of the bush will be changed, and you will feel a whole new intimate connection with the surrounding nature. Activity: In the morning, we meet for a walking meditation with a Bushman guide where we can feel the pulse of the earth. We enjoy a brunch after our walk. In the afternoon, Dr. Tanya will teach a workshop on understanding your own mind-­‐body constitution and how you can stay in balance using ancient wisdom traditions and practices. Late afternoon yoga practice is followed by time for relaxing and dinner. Day 5 -­‐ Medita=on amidst the migra=on Description: The Maasai – Mara / Serengeti Ecosystem is home to the largest diverse concentration of wildlife and famous for the migration of nearly two million Wildebeests, Zebras, and Antelopes. In addition to that, large elephant herds wander amidst the migrating herds as the hunters of the steppe, the lions, leopards and cheetahs, prepare for the next hunt. There is no other place in Africa where one can experience this safari spectacle! Between December and March, millions of Wildebeests arrive on the southern steppes after the fresh rains to enjoy the new grass. The landscapes north of the Mara River are a huge contrast to the steppes with their rocky hills, huge fig trees, small valley and winding rivers. It is here, when the migration crosses the Mara River between July and November, where one of the greatest spectacles occurs as crocodiles overeat and lions and leopards hunt amidst the large herds. Activity: Today we depart early morning for a game drive. We will have our group meditation on the Serengeti plains before our breakfast picnic. After a full day of wildlife viewing we return to camp for evening yoga class before dinner. Day 6 – Talking to your nature Description: By today, you will most likely begin to feel completely in-­‐synch with nature and her rhythms. It is now a great opportunity to really listen to your own internal rhythms and become aware of how they sound to you. While your own daily life back in your home village may look very different from the external landscape of the Serengeti, your inner landscape is the same. What daily practices can you begin to integrate into your lifestyle back home that will enhance your health and happiness? How do indigenous peoples resolve conflicts in their families and communities? What do the sights and sounds of primordial nature teach us? And, ultimately, how are we all intricately linked together with wildlife and ecosystems on this planet and how does it happen that when we transform ourselves, we help transform the world? Activity: In the morning, we meet for a walking meditation with a Bushman guide. We enjoy a brunch after our walk. Dr. Tanya will teach a workshop on knowing yourself, emotional freedom, and conflict resolution using ancient wisdom traditions and practices. You have a chance to meet with a laiboni, a Maasai spiritual healer. Late afternoon yoga and mediation practice is followed by time for relaxing and dinner. SOPAI SHU’MATA CAMP
Days 7-10
Day 7 – Transfer to the top of the world Shu’mata Camp: This is the best place to stay in the heart of Maasailand, the traditional homeland of the indigenous Maasai people of East Africa. You are nestled up on a hilltop overlooking the ‘old’ Africa landscape, before modern development. Your luxury tent gives you peace and comfort, while you are surrounded by the wildlife and Maasai communities. There is nothing like taking a hot outdoor shower while looking up at the spectacular star-­‐filled African sky! The meals are amazing and the inspiring. Shu’mata actually means ‘at the top of everything’ in Maa, the language of the Maasai, and finishing your journey in Tanzania at this camp truly does make you feel like you are on top of this world. Activity: We begin the day with meditation followed by our yoga practice. After breakfast we are transferred to the Maswa airstrip for our flight from the Serengeti back to West Kilimanjaro airstrip. We arrive at the chef caters to all food sensitivities. The Arabic-­‐inspired sitting lounge is luxurious Maasai Shu’mata Camp for lunch. In the afternoon we visit a a perfect spot for group meditations and there are a number of boma, a traditional Maasai village and then practice our meditation and amazing spots to practice yoga while feeling the spirit of the wildlife yoga on the natural salt pans on the savannah. In the evening, we enjoy and the Maasai infuse you. The land is full of plants traditionally used by a night game drive followed by dinner and rest. the Maasai for healing, and the views from the hilltops are beyond Maasai Boma Visit Description From our Shu’mata Camp, we organise a visit to a Maasai boma. Boma is the traditional homestead of the Maasai people, who are semi-­‐nomadic. The women build the traditional huts, made of a wooden structure, into which a mix of clay and cow dung is plastered as walls, this is then covered with natural roofing materials such as straw. These huts give into weather conditions and have to be rebuilt every six years on average. The Maasai are mainly cattle herders, but don’t usually eat meat on a daily basis. Instead, they drink milk and yogurt in large quantities and occasionally supplement their diet with grains and maize that they traditionally bartered for with other tribes. Activity An interesting excursion awaits you to a Maasai boma on the Sinya flats. Here you will get very good insight into the daily life and traditions of the Maasai, including arranging ceremonies that have meaning to you personally. Later in the afternoon you will enjoy a sundowner in the middle of the Maasai Steppe. Dinner and overnight will be at the camp.
Night Game Drive Descrip=on During the day the diversity of species is very high here in The Maasai Steppe. A lot of wild animals live here and you can see them outside in the bush. But when you get the chance to do a night game drive, you should take it, because •
at night different animals are on their way through the bush. Ac=vity AKer a sundowner on the plains at Shu'mata you will take a night game drive by jeep. You get the possibility to see wild animals and take amazing pictures at close range. Return to the camp for late dinner and enjoy a relaxing glass of wine if you choose. Day 8 – Yoga and a Maasai naturalist walk Description: Water is more precious than diamonds in an area as dry and arid as the Sinya Steppe. The Maasai living in this area are constantly threatened by drought and often have to carry water from distances of many kilometers. Most of the Maasai living in this steppe in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro do not have permanent access to drinking water, it is often difficult, sometimes even impossible, to find water for livestock or domestic use. Every day, Maasai women and girls have the daunting task of locating and transporting water to their homes and villages. “The Maasai have to return to being the guardian of nature. To us, the land came first, then came the animals, and in the end came man. Balance is the key word -­‐ balance with nature, but also a new balance for the Maasai people, between old and new. Let's protect the environment -­‐ man, land and beast.” (Ole Molloimet – Maasai Elder) Activity: Morning meditation overlooking Mt. Kilimanjaro followed by our yoga practice. After our morning yoga we will once again enjoy the knowledge and company of the Maasai on a naturalist walk through The Sinya area. In the afternoon, you have a chance to relax, journal and reflect and an opportunity to receive a massage from a trained therapist associated with Shu’mata Camp. Day 9 – Walking Medita=on in the Footsteps of the Elephants Description: This barren land, scattered with “islands” of old acacia forests and seasonal swamps flank the pans of the ‘embosel’ ecosystem which stretches to the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. It is this region, away from the busy tourism areas of northern Tanzania, where the elderly elephants retreat to spend their final years – in peace and harmony and away from the maddening crowds. On foot with Maasai warriors or in open-­‐top game-­‐drive vehicles we get within arms reach of Africa’s largest mammals. Timeless moments. Sensing the great peace and beauty of these magnificent creatures and calmly sharing the habitat with the Maasai and their cattle, a true original part of Africa. Activity: Early morning we leave for a scenic drive to Sinya community and are guided by a Maasai ranger ‘in the footsteps of elephants’, a walking meditation that will connect us in with the majestic elephants and bring healing to both ourselves and to the elephants, during this time of crisis in their community. We practice our yoga on the natural salt pans, enjoy a breakfast picnic and return to camp in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you have a chance to relax, journal and reflect and an opportunity to receive a massage from a trained therapist associated with Shu’mata Camp. Day 10 – Final Healing Session Today, our final day together, we will close our journey with group meditation, yoga practice and discussion. Our final meal together will be a celebration and closing ritual. We will then be transferred to the airport for our flights home. How Healing Safaris are Different from a traditional African Safari Healing Safaris integrate a traditional wildlife safari with a destination spa experience. Instead of spending all of your days driving in vehicles, on a Healing Safari we start our days with either a seated or walking meditation followed by yoga practice. While we include amazing game drives so you can witness the world famous African wildlife in their natural habitat, we combine these drives with lessons and discussion about the healing power of nature, and how we can communicate with the wildlife and landscapes to find healing in our mind-­‐body-­‐spirits. Different than a destination spa experience, Healing Safaris have us moving through nature, visiting three different luxury camps in different environments so you can learn how your own body-­‐mind operates in difference climatic zones and how to live optimally for your own constitution. Similar to a destination spa experience, our food is healthy, organic and prepared with love and attention. We strive to eat our biggest meal at lunchtime, following Ayurvedic principles. We follow a structured daily schedule, while remaining flexible to allow the rhythms of nature to lead us in her wise direction. You will return home feeling rejuvenated, happy and quite possibly, beautifully transformed. “I know it is bold to claim it is possible to harness the gems of indigenous wisdom – the stuff that has worked well in tradi6onal cultures over many centuries – and marry them with modern ways of thinking and being that work in today’s world. Because I have lived this integra6on of old and new, indigenous and contemporary, I know it is possible, in essence, to uncover the bushman or woman in all of us, that seed of indigenous consciousness that s6ll lies inside us all.” Time is Cows: Timeless Wisdom of the Maasai, Tanya Pergola Ph.D.