Sashwa River of Stars

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Sashwa River of Stars

All profits support our nonprofit partner Koru Camp.

Sashwa River of Stars is a safari and wellness retreat offering soulful, slow safaris, transformative yoga and delicious plant-based cuisine in the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa.

13/04/2026

At Sashwa, what happens here doesn’t end with your stay 🌿

Every visit contributes to something beyond the lodge itself - supporting the work of our non-profit partner, Koru Camp.

Through immersive experiences in the Greater Kruger, Koru Camp creates opportunities for local communities to reconnect with the natural heritage on their doorstep, often for the very first time. For us, this vital work is not something separate, but the core reason that Sashwa exists.

We believe that travel has the power to do genuine good in the places we visit. Your time spent in nature can help both to protect it and enrich the lives of the communities that surround it. Let's change travel, and our world, for the better 🦋

10/04/2026

Some skills are older than words....

👣 We’re excited to bring back one of our most unique Sashwa Signature Retreats - The Bushmen Retreat.

Guided by indigenous trackers from Namibia, this immersive experience invites you to step into a different way of seeing - learning to read the land as a living story, to notice what is often missed, and to move through the bush with greater awareness and presence.

Days are spent on foot in the Greater Kruger, identifying and following tracks, observing subtle signs, and connecting more deeply with the natural world. In between, there is space to rest, reflect, and learn traditional bush skills passed down through generations in the Ju/'hoansi community 🌿

With just 8 participants, this is an intimate and rare opportunity to learn from one of the oldest tracking cultures in the world. Choose between a shorter introduction (3 nights) or a deeper, more extended journey into the art of tracking (5 nights).

📍 29 Oct – 1 Nov 2026 | 12–17 Nov 2026
🎁 Riverfront Suite upgrade for the first 3 confirmed bookings

A retreat that invites you to slow down, look closer, and experience the wild in a whole new way.

09/04/2026

At Sashwa, food is central to our guest experience, becoming its own quiet form of art 🫐

Each dish is carefully composed - balancing flavour, texture, colour, and nourishment in a way that feels both thoughtful and deeply satisfying. It’s where sustainability meets creativity, and where science-backed nourishment is brought to life through ingredients that are vibrant, seasonal, and full of intention.

What arrives at the table is more than a meal. It’s something considered and crafted - an expression of care for both people and the land, served in a way that invites you to slow down and truly experience it.

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07/04/2026

The Welcome Centre is where your time at Sashwa begins 🌿

After our signature hand-washing ritual, guests step into a space that invites you to pause and settle in. Our Welcome Centre is spacious, calming, and filled with local art pieces that bring a sense of place and intrigue.

More than just an arrival point, it’s where first impressions soften into ease, where conversations begin, and where the outside world starts to fall away.

Join us to relax into the rhythm of being truly present 🪷

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02/04/2026

A fallen giant becomes a feast for hyenas and vultures...

This fascinating sighting - captured by recent guest, Hayley - is a window into nature's endless capacity for renewal. Mortally wounded by another bull, this elephant was sadly discovered already deceased.

However, what followed was a powerful reminder of the bush’s intricate balance, as vultures and hyenas gathered in numbers. For a week, the air filled with the unmistakable sounds of feeding - the whoops and giggles of hyenas, the sharp hisses and squawks of vultures - each playing their role in recycling nutrients and preventing disease.

Though maligned by some, these under-appreciated caretakers are vital in maintaining the health of the ecosystem 💚

📸 Hayley Kelsing Photography

31/03/2026

Do you ever find yourself sitting with people you care about, only to realise you’re not fully there?

In our latest journal, we reflect on how modern life has changed the way we spend time together - and what begins to shift when we slow down, step into nature, and return to shared, uninterrupted moments.

From the rhythm of the bush to long, unhurried meals around the table, it’s a gentle exploration of how presence finds its way back - not through effort, but through experience 🌿

Read the full piece on our website.

https://sashwa.org/are-we-losing-our-connection/

30/03/2026

At Sashwa, no two days feel quite the same - yet they unfold with a rhythm that feels both natural and grounding 🌿

Mornings might begin in stillness, with breath and movement in the yoga studio, before heading out into the bush as it wakes. Time on safari brings you close to the wild - not just the sightings, but the space, the sounds, the quiet in between.

Afternoons soften into rest, a swim overlooking the river, or a moment to pause and take it all in. And as the day draws to a close, there’s a sense of coming together - shared meals, conversation, and the simple comfort of being present.

It’s a way of being that feels unhurried, connected, and deeply restorative - shaped by nature, and carried by the people who bring it to life 🌿

27/03/2026

Three generations. One shared experience in the wild 🌿

We loved hosting this family - from grandparents in their 80s to a daughter in her 20s - each finding their own connection to the bush, yet sharing it as one.

Here's what they had to say about their stay:

"We had such a special experience staying at Sashwa as a family - three generations together in the most breathtaking setting. My parents in their early 80s, myself in my late forties, and my 26-year-old daughter all shared in something truly memorable.

Experiencing the magic and mystery of the African wilderness, guided by Sashwa’s incredible team, is something we’ll always treasure. There’s a saying that happiness shared is happiness doubled - and that’s exactly how it felt for us during our time there.

The staff were so attentive and genuinely caring, always there when needed and making each of us feel completely comfortable and looked after. The incredible plant-based meals were another highlight - so nourishing, delicious, and wonderfully health-protective for our family.

The memories we made at Sashwa will stay with us forever. Moments like these are truly priceless. From our very grateful hearts, thank you to every member of the Sashwa family for taking such loving care of us - we feel deeply connected, inkomu swinene!"

Thank you for choosing Sashwa and entrusting us with your precious family memories 🥰

25/03/2026

The wilderness of Mvuu has a quiet way of drawing you in 🌿

Out on a game drive, moments unfold around every corner - a leopard slipping through the trees, an elephant noisily chomping on some branches, or baboons watching from high ground as the landscape stretches endlessly beyond them.

Even the smaller connections - an impala standing calmly as oxpeckers go about their work, collecting ticks to feed and even fur to line their nests. These all remind you how intricately everything here is woven together.

Time spent in places like this shifts something. You begin to see not just individual sightings, but the relationships that hold the whole system in balance.

And with that understanding comes a sense that this wild space is not just to be admired, but to be respected, protected, and carried forward. And that is why we exist 💚

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24/03/2026

EAT TO THRIVE Retreat ✨

Do you want to understand how to intuitively listen to your body and improve your relationship with food?

Our Eat to Thrive Retreat from 2-6 July is an exclusive opportunity to learn about holistic nutrition, gaining practical tools and new recipes whilst working alongside renowned chef Arabella Parkinson.

Backed by science and her 12 years of expertise, this is a must for anyone interested in nutrition, plant-based cooking, and power of using food to help our bodies thrive 🌿

All this to the backdrop of the magnificent Greater Kruger!

Hear more about it from .thrive Chef Arabella herself - and don't forget the first three to book get a complementary upgrade!

Contact [email protected] to book or enquire today.

23/03/2026

Wellness doesn’t look the same for everyone.

For some, it’s quiet moments in meditation or a slow yoga flow. For others, it’s movement, time in the gym, or stepping out into the wild. It might be a restorative massage, a walk in nature, or simply sharing a nourishing meal around the table with good company.

At Sashwa, we create space for all of it - gently, without expectation.

Come and experience wellness in a way that feels natural to you, held by the rhythm of the bush 🌿

16/03/2026

Do you dream of exploring new places, but hold yourself back from fear of travelling alone?

Recent guest Nicole was in the same boat. But, after lots of research, she took the plunge and headed on a two-week safari and yoga self-retreat at Sashwa.

For those of you worried about solo safaris, this is for you!

Here's the latest guest post from our Reflections from the River series - Nicole's story ✨

https://sashwa.org/my-solo-safari-in-south-africa/

📸 and words by .nietmann

Address

Sashwa River Of Stars
Hoedspruit
1380

Website

http://www.sashwa.org/

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