Yoga Holidays in Africa

My time with Namaste Yoga Safari was nothing short of magical from start to finish. Marcel had curated such a special, comfortable, and peaceful experience from accommodations and yoga, to food and of course multiple once in a lifetime experiences while on safari. Her experience in this industry and many others shows, and she’s such a lovely person to spend time with. Everyone in our group felt so lucky to be there, every single day. Can’t wait to come back again!

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Words can hardly describe how absolutely amazing the 10 day yoga and hiking combo with Marcel the founder of Namaste Yoga Safari has been. She picked me up at the airport and we immediately connected and found lots of similarities. It was supposed to be a small group tour, but it turned out to be a private road trip through Namibia just the two of us. Marcel loves to drive and she showed me the main sights of Namibia. You can feel and tell that she loves showing the beauty of Namibia and that she loves what she is doing. We had so much fun driving, getting to know each other. We did 2 absolutely amazing hiking trails in the Namib desert and Damaraland, the Etendeka trail. We slept under the stars, watched the most fascinating sunrises and sunsets. We sat at the fire and ate topical local food; potije Kos, telling stories…. with other groups and guides who explained and showed us the flora and fauna of the different areas. It was very informative and also Marcel has a lot of knowledge about the county and gave me a lot of insight in history and guided me through the living museum of Damara to understand how people used to live and how to protect their culture.She showed me her hometown Swakopmund, we attended a gong bath session with a friend of hers. I will continue to follow this path in Germany… I was absolutely blown away by it…. We managed to do yoga in the most extraordinary places such as iDeadvlei in front of the amazing dunes, as well as during sunset and sunrise in Spitzkoppe, a beautiful area with amazing views. Nothing was too much trouble for Marcel, she is very attentive and wherever we were, she brought me coffee and we ate beef jerky in different varieties! On our way back she even brought me to Windhoek again to stop at a shop to buy a painting I had seen my first day in Windhoek and fell in love with and couldn’t forget since…. On our last day we celebrated Marcels birthday in the most spectacular Lodge named Omaanda and had a blast sitting near the pool and drinking the best wine! I had the holiday of a life time with Marcel who became a new friend. She showed me the incredible beauty of Namibia and I recommend to attend any of her offered holidays as they are spectacular. Thank you Marcel for this experience and I am sure that there will be more to follow. I will join you soon again, lots of hugs Norma

I went on Marcel's Yoga and Safari trip across Namibia and it was phenomenal. I got off to a rocky start with a diverted plane and lost luggage but Marcel got me sorted with clean clothes and settled me in to my adventure with the care and good humour that are her hallmarks! I have dietary requirements and she worked with the lodges we stayed in to ensure I had a delicious menu. She put together a varied, well-paced itinerary, with daily yoga in some spectacular places, including standing in the dunes of Swakopmund, and on the plains in Damaraland. Marcel also accommodated my desire to find local fabric, and took me on an amazing shopping day (not something I think she'd been asked to sort out before!) One of the best trips I've ever done, I hope I can take another trip with her in the future.

This was the trip of a lifetime. Namibia is a country everyone should get to experience. The ever changing landscape is mesmerizing and climbing Big Daddy, words cannot describe. Marcel planned and executed a perfect retreat. Each lodge was unique, practicing Yoga outside in the ever-changing landscape was unforgettable. This trip was filled with laughter, tears of joy, and a few tears of sadness when it was time to leave. I have already booked another retreat with Marcel this time to South Africa and hopefully at least one more trip to Namibia.

Our experience with Namaste Yoga Safari, Marcel, and her guides (Jamie, Buzzy, and others at the lodges) was nothing short of AMAZING! We partnered with Marcel to offer our group of 12 crazy Americans a Yoga Retreat Vacation of a lifetime. We started with a tour of Cape Town and the stunning Cape Point, and then flew to Windhoek for the 10-day Namibia Highlights tour, witnessing all of the beautiful people, terrain, and wild animals of Namibia. Most of our group added on a 4-day trip to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Botswana, which Marcel graciously coordinated for us. We highly recommend this incredible experience of taking in the majestic Falls and seeing all of the water wildlife. Marcel went above and beyond in every way before and during our entire adventure to make sure everything was coordinated and set. She blessed each of us with her beautiful presence (and her welcome gift bag is so thoughtful and generous)! We love and appreciate you, Marcel! Our only regret is not staying longer at some of the glorious lodges. If you have the time and resources, spend a couple of days in each location to soak it all in. We loved our time in Southern Africa and have forever memories deep within our hearts.

My mom and I attended the 10 day Namibian yoga retreat and I can safely say the trip was one of the best 10 days of my life. We were able to see so many amazing things in Namibia and Marcel was such a knowledgable guide. Being able to experience Africa by being shown around by an expert, practicing yoga everyday, eating delicious meals, and staying at beautiful resorts was exactly what a dream vacation should be. My mom and I already figuring out how we can do it all again!

I was on the 10-day Yoga & Safari trip in November 2022 and had a wonderful time. I really liked the combination of yoga and getting to know the unique landscapes in Namibia - there is also enough time for my own me-time. Marcel is a very lovable person and has versatile yoga knowledge and techniques. I really enjoyed the time, it was amazing! Thank you Marcel!

What a wonderful retreat and experience, led by the attentive, passionate and knowledgeable Marcel! Traveling with Marcel, the founder of Namaste Yoga Safari, feels like meeting up with a local caring friend, it never feels you are part of a group or following a strict schedule as Marcel has a unique ability to feel the the vibe and constantly adjusts the planning and activities to fit the mood of the guests - never too much, never too little. Although she has traveled the world and seen countless wildlife, she is not blasé and is in much in awe of the wildlife as you are, reinforcing the sense of community and intimacy she creates so quickly with her guests. We saw amazing wildlife, lions were incredible, stayed with an incredible conservationist couple who gave us insights into the conservation challenges faced in SA, slept in very well equipped tents and had super good food and desserts. We laughed a lot too! It was my second trip with NYS and I am planning my third one for 2023. Thank you Marcel for hosting this wonderful retreat