Wild Within retreat:
South Africa
February 18-23rd, 2027
Wild Within is a 5-day women’s retreat for those moving through transition, identity shifts, and new beginnings.
This is a space to step away from the noise of your current life and practice something most transitions demand but few of us are ever taught: staying with yourself instead of rushing to figure it all out.
For five unforgettable days, you’ll step away from screens, schedules, and the roles you may be outgrowing, and into ancient land, slow sunrises, breathwork, movement, powerful coaching, and sisterhood.
Each experience becomes an invitation to meet what’s uncomfortable instead of managing around it, creating the space for greater self-trust, clarity, presence, and courage.
Hosted & facilitated by Elle Winsted, Founder of The Courageous Life & Guest Facilitator, Anelia UZUNOVA, Founder of the RISE INNER LEadership Method.
📍 Kruger National Park, South Africa
🗓️ February 18-23rd, 2027
optional 3-day Cape Town pre-trip (February 15-18th)
AFrica-
The place of all our beginnings.
“Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe the magic to someone who has never felt it? How can you explain the fascination of this vast, dusty continent? Could it be because Africa is the place of all our beginnings, the cradle of mankind, where our species first stood upright on the savannas of long ago?”
-Brian Jackman
I chose South Africa for this journey because ever since I stepped foot on African soil fifteen years ago, I felt home. A deep sense of kinship that I couldn’t articulate nor understand. How could I feel so connected to a place I’d never been?
Africa chose me as much as I chose it. Since 2011, I’ve camped with friends along her shorelines, driven 4x4’s across barren deserts covered in dust, hopped on dozens of safari drives and let myself be changed by the cultures and communities that hold so much heart, rhythm, resilience, and soul. It’s mysterious yet nurturing. Fierce yet forgiving. Harsh yet healing. It feels like one of the last places in the world that really feels WILD. And it was here that I grew into to the adventurous, courageous, bold, loving and fun woman who has always been within.
Africa transformed my heart and soul. It's the place that taught me how to stay with the discomfort, the unknown, myself.
I can't wait for you to join me, where it all began, as you meet who you're becoming in this next chapter.
Elle xx
For the woman craving a deeper way forward.
Maybe you're moving through a transition. Maybe you're standing at the edge of a new chapter. Or maybe nothing is necessarily wrong but you simply feel the pull to step away from the pace and noise of everyday life and reconnect with yourself.
You may have built a life you're genuinely proud of, and still find yourself wondering:
What do I want now? What would feel more alive? What's next for me?
Wild Within is for women navigating divorce, grief, burnout, career or relationship shifts, empty nest, retirement and reinvention. But you don't need to be in the middle of a major life change to belong here.
Sometimes the invitation is simply to create enough space to slow down and tune back into yourself.
In the South African wilderness, life moves differently. Your days open with slow sunrises and safari drives. There is space for breathwork, movement and meaningful conversation, but also time to swim, rest, journal, wander, laugh with other women or simply be.
Away from the usual screens, schedules and responsibilities, the noise and business of life begins to quiet. And in that space, it becomes easier to notice what you've been too busy to hear; what you need, what you're ready to release, what you're longing for, and what might be asking for more of your attention.
Breathwork, guided coaching, yoga & movement, wilderness immersion and honest connection become invitations to stay present with yourself rather than immediately needing to solve, manage or make sense of everything.
Because this retreat isn’t build to help you escape your life or return home as a completely different woman.
The intention is to give you enough space to reconnect with the woman who has always been there beneath the modern day masks, business or expectations. To return with greater clarity in your choices, deeper trust in yourself, more presence in your life, and the courage to move toward whatever comes next.
Come reconnect with what feels true to you. Your body, your desires, your aliveness, your courage, and the wildness that lives within you.
This is Wild Within.
Book a free Discovery Call to ask questions, connect with Elle, and feel into whether Wild Within is the right retreat for you.
Meet Your Guides
Elle Winsted is the Founder of The Courageous Life and Wild Within. She is a transition coach, breathwork facilitator, and retreat leader who helps women move through life’s turning points with clarity, courage, and self-trust - reconnecting them to the version of themselves that feels most alive, grounded, clear and free.
Elle is trained in both Conscious Connected Breathwork and 9D Breathwork, with over 300 hours of training in how to hold space safely for whatever arises. She guides women at their own pace, so that what surfaces can actually be stayed with, not rushed past, not overwhelming, and slowly builds the proof that they can meet discomfort instead of managing around it.
Having lived and traveled all over the world since 2011, Elle brings a depth of lived experience to the spaces she creates. Based in South Africa, her work is shaped by her own connection to this land: the same wildness and distance from everyday life that make it possible to actually stay with what a transition is asking of you. Wild Within was born from that relationship: a retreat designed to help women step away from the noise of everyday life and return home clearer, steadier, and more themselves.
Anelia Uzunova is a speaker and educator on inner leadership and personal transformation whose work helps people move through transition with more courage, authenticity and self-trust. After more than 14 years in global leadership roles, including the World Economic Forum, she now guides mission-driven leaders and changemakers to reconnect with themselves and live and lead from a place that feels deeply aligned, powerful and true.
Through her RISE Method, which stands for Root, Ignite, Surrender, and Embody, she supports people through burnout, reinvention, expansion, and the deeper shifts that ask them to return to their truth.
As featured in Apple News, Forbes, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance and CEO Weekly, Anelia brings both credibility and depth to Wild Within, offering women a powerful framework for navigating change from the inside out.
(Learn more about Anelia HERE).
THE RISE METHOD-
Your inner leadership Arc
with Anelia Uzunova
Root:
Leadership begins with awareness. We first ground into centre, reconnect with your truth, regulate the nervous system and create the stability that allows clarity instead of reactivity.
Ignite:
Step into your power by reclaiming your sovereignty from external authorities and your inner opponent.
Only then can we step into courage, take aligned action and reclaim agency.
Surrender:
Every genuine act of growth brings uncertainty. This is where we learn to release control, trust the process, and lead through ambiguity rather than force.
Embody:
Finally, we integrate all that came before. This is the state of sovereignty: where inner alignment becomes outer integrity, and leadership becomes who we are, not what we do.
The RISE sequence is intentional, reflecting the natural rhythm of inner transformation.
Each phase builds upon the one before it – from grounding in truth (Root), to acting with courage (Ignite), to leading through trust (Surrender), and finally embodying integrity (Embody). Together, they form a living cycle of inner leadership – the process of transforming awareness into embodied power.
The Luxury of the journey
YOUR HOME IN THE WILD
Sashwa River of Stars Luxury Wellness Lodge
You’ll stay at an intimate wellness lodge tucked along the Olifants River in the Greater Kruger wilderness, surrounded by nearly 2,000 hectares of private reserve. Designed specifically for retreats, Sashwa blends the wildness of safari with spaces created for deep rest and reconnection. From a riverfront yoga deck and meditation sanctuary to a saltwater pool, Himalayan crystal infrared sauna, wildlife viewing hide, and quiet corners overlooking the bush. Nourishing plant-based meals are prepared daily with fresh ingredients from the lodge’s organic permaculture garden.
Having lived in South Africa for nearly six years, I know how important it is to create an experience that feels both deeply adventurous and thoughtfully held. Every detail of this retreat has been intentionally planned with your comfort, care, and safety in mind from the trusted lodge and guided safari experiences to airport transfers, daily flow, and on-the-ground support.
So you can relax into the land, into yourself, and into the magic that is Africa.
Intimate group: Maximum 12 women
Luxury wellness accommodation nestled along the Olifants River in the Greater Kruger wilderness
All meals included: Nourishing, plant-based cuisine with fresh ingredients from Sashwa’s organic permaculture garden
Daily wilderness experiences: Guided safari drives, bush walks and immersive encounters with the wild
Beautiful practice spaces: Riverfront yoga deck, indoor yoga sanctuary, meditation room and outdoor spaces
Wholeness Center access: Saltwater pool, Himalayan crystal infrared sauna, river-view gym and spaces for deep rest
Plenty of integration time: Journal, swim, sauna, read, rest or simply watch the wildlife from the river
Expert facilitation: Elle & Anelia’s full attention and guidance
Cultural experiences: Local drummers & dancers
Professional safari guides: Safe, intimate wildlife experiences across Sashwa’s private reserve
Breathwork, yoga, coaching & ceremony: Intentional experiences designed to support your Wild Within journey
WhatsApp community + post-retreat integration breathwork Zooms: Stay connected with your soul sisters beyond the retreat
Book a free Discovery Call to ask questions, connect with Elle, and feel into whether Wild Within is the right retreat for you.
Your 5-Day Journey Arc
Day 1: Arrival & Opening: Crossing the Threshold
After your journey, you’ll arrive at the lodge, settle in, and begin to exhale into the pace of the bush.
On our first night together, we gather for our opening ceremony and African dinner. With a welcome dance and dinner under the stars, this first night marks a transition out of the noise of everyday life and into a space designed for tenacity, presence, clarity and transformation. Together, we open the retreat, set intentions, and begin the journey ahead.
Day 2: Root - Land Back in Yourself
Your first full day begins with breathwork led by Elle, helping your body catch up with the rest of you to clearthe residue of travel and giving you a reason to finally stay still.
After breakfast, Anelia leads the first RISE workshop: Root - grounding into your center and reconnecting with your truth. This is where the retreat begins: by slowing down enough to see clearly what has been driving you, draining you, or pulling you away from yourself.
The afternoon is yours for integration, rest, journaling, heading to the infrared sauna, gym or the pool before heading out on a sunset game drive inside Kruger National Park.
Day 3: Ignite - Reclaiming Your Power
This morning opens more slowly, giving your body time to rest and integrate.
Later, Anelia guides the next RISE workshop: Ignite - stepping back into your power by reclaiming your sovereignty, remembering your agency and reconnecting with the part of you that knows how to lead your life from within.
The rest of the day is spacious, with time for reflection, rest, and integration, plus the option for an evening breathwork session depending on the rhythm of the group.
Day 4: Surrender - Releasing Control & Building Trust
This morning begins with breathwork, movement, and voice activation led by Elle - a session designed to help you stay with whatever the week has stirred up, instead of packing it away before you're ready.
After breakfast, Anelia leads the next RISE workshop: Surrender - where you begin building the courage to stay present with uncertainty, trust what is unfolding, and make space for a new way of being to emerge.
With a candlelit dinner under the stars, this evening invites you to soften into the shifts that have taken place this week and enjoy sisterhood in the bush under the starts.
Day 5: Embody - Becoming the Leader of Your Life
At dawn, the bush awakens. The morning begins with a bush walk and meditation- a chance to meet the land on foot and sharpen your senses in a whole new way.
Later in the morning, Anelia leads the final RISE workshop: Embody - taking full responsibility as the leader of your life and committing to what it takes to live in alignment with what is true. This is where insight becomes action and change becomes something you can actually carry home.
That evening, we close with a sunset game drive, sundowners, and a final starlit Boma dinner and celebration.
Day 6: Closing & Departure: Taking It Home
On the final morning, Elle guides a closing breathwork session to help anchor the work and integrate all that has opened over the retreat.
After breakfast, we gather for a final gratitude circle and closing ritual before departures.
Book a free Discovery Call to ask questions, connect with Elle, and feel into whether Wild Within is the right retreat for you.
Your Investment in the Wild Within Retreat
SADC residents: Starting at R32,900
International guests: Starting at $3,500 USD / €3,150 EUR
Your investment includes five nights of accommodation and the complete Wild Within retreat experience.
Limited SADC Offer: Standard Shared Suite - R32,900
Only two places available. Enquire for details.
SHARED Garden Suite
Early Bird: $2,997 3 payments of $1,111)
International Investment
$3,500 USD | €3,150 EUR
SADC Investment
R39,900
An intimate, open-plan suite shared with one other woman.
Twin beds · Open-plan bathroom with shower
A beautiful, comfortable space to rest and integrate between retreat experiences.
Shared Luxury Suite
International Investment
$3,750 USD | €3,350 EUR
SADC Investment
R46,900
For those who'd love a little more space and privacy during the retreat.
Twin beds · More private bathroom layout · Shower + bathtub
A more spacious retreat sanctuary, with added bathroom privacy and a bath to soak and unwind after days in the bush.
Prefer Your Own Private Sanctuary?
A limited selection of private Garden and Riverfront Suites may be available for women who prefer their own space.
Reach out to explore availability and private accommodation pricing.
All prices are per person for the five-night retreat. Shared accommodation is subject to availability and suitable rooming arrangements.
Your Wild Within Experience Includes
✔️ 5 nights at Sashwa River of Stars, a 5 star luxury lodge focused on wellness
✔️ All nourishing, plant-based meals from arrival through breakfast on Day 6
✔️ Daily safari experiences with professional guides, including game drives in the private reserve
✔️ Breathwork, yoga, somatic practices & guided sessions with Elle
✔️ Coaching, workshops & integration sessions with Anelia
✔️ Access to Sashwa’s wellness spaces: yoga studio & river deck, meditation room, saltwater pool, tranquility garden, gym & creative studio
✔️ Space to actually slow down: built-in time for rest, reflection, nature and integration
✔️ Roundtrip group transfers from Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) to Sashwa
✔️ Staff & ranger gratuities
✔️ An intimate sisterhood: the same complete Wild Within experience, simply shared with one other woman
✔️ Private Wild Within community to stay connected after the retreat
✔️ Post-retreat integration support, including two group integration calls at 3 and 6 weeks
Not included: International and domestic flights to Hoedspruit, travel insurance, pre-/post-retreat accommodation or expenses, personal purchases, spa treatments and optional add-ons.
Flights are not included, but you won’t be navigating the logistics alone. I’ll provide clear travel guidance and can help you find the best international and domestic flight options so your journey to South Africa feels simple and supported.
Book a free Discovery Call above to ask questions, connect with Elle, and feel into whether Wild Within is the right retreat for you.
(Payment plans available after non-refundable deposit)
Questions Rising?
Good, that’s your soul recognizing possibility.
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If you keep waiting for a ‘clear’ week, it may never come. This week away can give you back months of mental bandwidth when you return. Therefore, the question isn't whether you can, it's whether you can afford not to.
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You’re right - it is far. And that’s exactly why it works. This isn’t meant to be convenient, it’s meant to be catalytic.
Africa is a different continent, rhythm with unfamiliar cues and vast nature that makes our problems shrink. The distance isn’t a drawback-its what creates enough disruption for real change.
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If unplugging seems impossible, that’s data. We’ll support you to set boundaries for one week and you’ll come home with a new relationship to your time.
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Absolutely. Sashwa River of Stars is a 5-star rated property with 24/7 security, professional guides, and full safety protocols. We handle all logistics. You just handle your transformation.
Elle has also lived in South Africa for the past six years. She has multiple partnerships on the ground and a deep sense of the area. You’re in great hands!! Let us hold you throughout the experience-you don’t need to worry about a thing!
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Most women come solo. This is designed for that. You won’t be ‘joining a friend group,’ you’ll be entering a container that creates belonging fast.
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Doubt doesn't mean you're not ready. It usually means the stakes are real. If you're still reading this far down the page, some part of you is already curious what's on the other side. That's worth listening to, even if you're not sure yet.
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We intentionally pair women based on preferences and energy to make sure your stay feels supportive, comfortable, and aligned.
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Not at all. All room options include the exact same retreat journey, activities, breathwork, and support.
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For the Early Bird option, we are only accepting full payments.
For the normal retreat packages, you can either pay in full at checkout or reserve your spot with a deposit. If you choose the deposit option, the remaining balance must be paid by January 4th, 2027.
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All payments, including deposits, are non-refundable. Because Wild Within requires advance financial commitments to accommodations, facilitators, and vendors, payments cannot be refunded if you choose to cancel.
For cancellations made on or before December 15, 2026, a partial credit toward a future Wild Within offering may be considered at our discretion, less any non-refundable costs already committed on your behalf. Any approved credit is non-transferable and must be used within 24 months.
After December 15, 2026, all payments are final and no refunds or credits will be issued.
We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation coverage.
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Yes—if you find a replacement participant and Wild Within approves them (and they complete required forms/agreements), your paid amount can be applied to their registration. Any price difference is their responsibility. A reasonable admin fee may apply (e.g., $150). Payment processing fees are non-refundable.
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Travel insurance is strongly recommended and should include trip cancellation/interruption, medical coverage, and travel delays—especially due to the non-refundable policy and the realities of international travel.
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No. Flights are not included. You are responsible for booking your own travel to South Africa and the inter-country flight from either Cape Town if you’re attending the optional pre-trip experience, or from Johannesburg if you’re flying in directly for the retreat. The retreat costs covers round trip transfer from Hoedspruit Airport. We can help you book that flight. Depending on how far out you book it, it will range from $250-$400 most likely.
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We recommend arriving at least one day early whenever possible so you can land, rest, and settle before the retreat begins.
If you fly into Johannesburg (and skip the pre-trip), we recommend you arrive one day before we start to be able to spend the night (we can work with you to help book safe and affordable accommodation) so that you can catch the flight to Sashwa to arrive on the first day of the retreat.
If you fly into Cape Town to catch the-pretrip, we recommend you land in Cape Town one day before to get a good’s night rest before we start. We can most certainly help you book a safe, affordable option.
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Yes. We offer two integration calls post-retreat: 3 weeks and 6 weeks after the retreat ends.
We will also offer more post-retreat integration (group sessions, private sessions, and/or VIP support) to help you embody what you unlocked once you’re back in real life.
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Yes. Breathwork and integration work translate beautifully online - and many women love being able to integrate from the comfort of home.
I have facilitated breathwork via Zoom for many clients. If you’re interested i their experience, check out the “Testimonials” page on the website.
This is your moment
This journey is a place where you can allow space between chapters, quiet amongst the noise and a place where you can intentionally create the next chapter for your life. Because the quality of your next chapter isn't only shaped by what changes when you leave the bush. It's shaped by how deeply you stayed connected to yourself while you were in it.
Space. Wilderness. Breath. Activation. Truth.
A new blueprint you can actually live.
February 18-23rd, 2027- come meet the wild within.
Limited spots.
Payment plans available.
Questions? Email us at elle@the-courageous-life or book a free, 30-minute discovery call with Elle.