Yoga In An Unlikely Paradise

Pooja Khatri
August 02, 2024

Taking care of our staff is a top priority for us here at Natural Selection so we asked yoga instructor Pooja Khatri to spend a month introducing our Hoanib Valley Camp team to the art of yoga.

Here she recounts the experience…

Deep in Namibia’s Kaokoveld desert lies the Hoanib Valley. A realm where silence and stillness reign supreme and desert elephants roam free. The days are scorching hot, and the Atlantic winds are relentless. It’s September—months since the last rains, and the earth is parched. This time of year, lions can go for weeks without food, and elephant matriarchs lead their herds for more than 70 kilometres in search of precious seed pods of the Ana trees that grow in the Hoanib Valley. An unlikely backdrop for a health and wellness experience but, as I was to discover, this ageless, remote and wild landscape was an idyllic environment in which to balance body, mind & spirit. I’d just been offered the opportunity to host an introductory yoga training workshop for Natural Selection’s staff in Namibia and though I’ve been teaching for over 6 years, my month with Natural Selection was unparalleled.

It’s day 1, and I’ve dutifully arranged the yoga mats in our open-air studio with spectacular views of the Hoanib River—currently bone dry and flanked by jagged peaks. While the baking heat is something I was expecting, the wind throws me. Flying yoga mats are not a problem I’ve had to deal with before—but fear not! I tell myself. I rush down the stairs, hurriedly gathering armfuls of rocks—all shapes, sizes and colours—that I plan to use as “yoga weights” to hold the mats down. Just in time too, as I see the first of my students arriving.

Winnie is a fourth-generation Damara, who—together with the San people—are believed to be the territory’s oldest inhabitants. She proudly tells me that she is the first in her family to leave the farm and pursue an alternate future. She’s been based at the Hoanib Valley Camp from its inception—witnessing this majestic valley transition between flood and drought over the years. She’s been looking forward to this yoga class. Though she’s never practised before, she loves to dance and is keen to find ways to centre her mind and body.

Ashanti and Denise rock up next. Like Winnie, they’re also from Sesfontein—the closest major human settlement to the Hoanib Valley—a 4-hour journey by 4×4. As the mats start filling up, I desperately hope the gale-force winds won’t make a resurgence! Last to arrive is Ed, the camp’s official Rhino Tracker. Lean and muscular, he’s keen to develop his range of motion and flexibility—skills that will be invaluable as he strives to keep one step ahead of the rhinos that drift through the Hoanib.

We begin with the basics. Tadasana: Mountain pose as we refine our posture, Marjaryasana: Cat-Cow to stretch out our spines, Saaras Pakshi Asana: Stork pose, as we test our balance—and the quintessential yoga move that you either love or hate, Downward Facing Dog: Adho Mukha Svanasana, the single pose that promises to work all your bodily muscles at once. There’s always a degree of nervousness about attending your first yoga class, but the Natural Selection staff are doing incredibly.

While the benefits of yoga for mental and physical well-being are undisputed, it’s remarkable to see a group of people who have never practised so readily incorporate yoga into their everyday routines. I begin to see Denise practising her Mountain pose as she waits on guests, while Winnie busts out an impressive-looking Stork pose every time I see her. Before long, Ashanti and Ed’s Downward Facing Dogs are comparable to those of seasoned yogis, and Melisha—one of the camp Chefs—joins in as a regular practitioner.

My fascination with yoga began in my early 20s. I’d just started working my first desk job and woke up one morning to discover I couldn’t get out of bed. My lower back was in complete agony. I tried everything—physios, chiropractors, and even some good old-fashioned rest. Though I would find momentary relief after my sessions with the chiropractor, days later I’d be shrivelled in pain again. I started to wonder if I’d ever be able to run and trek again. And that’s when a friend suggested I try yoga. I decided I had nothing to lose—but what I didn’t expect was that this new habit of mine would lead to a lifetime of love and respect for a practice that allowed me to wave goodbye to my lower back pain!

In his New York Times bestseller, Built to Move, Dr. Kelly Starrett talks about the magic of movement and how maintaining flexibility throughout your life—through practices like yoga—can help you, not only live longer but more fully. And—to be clear—we’re not talking about having to master Flying Crows or Handstands but simply maintaining consistency with the basics like reaching for your toes in Uttanasana, sitting up straight in Dandasana, and maintaining a Tadasana posture throughout your day.

And here we are, in the middle of the Namibian Kaokoveld, gathered together amidst the towering mountains, dunes and desserts to explore these very skills and practices. Will it make the difference? I certainly hope so! And when Patricia—the Hoanib Valley Camp manager—joins us for our final hip opening class, I’m both encouraged and inspired. I’ve never spent time with a group of people quite as dedicated to promoting ecotourism, and here they are making time to connect, balance and grow.

After two weeks in the Hoanib Valley, it’s time to move on. My next stop is Etosha where I’ll be splitting my time between Natural Selections’ Etosha Mountain Lodge and Safarihoek. From the outset, it’s evident that life in Etosha is abundant. It’s not uncommon to see giraffes, oryx, zebras, wildebeest, lions, ostrich, springbok and elephants—gathered around a single watering hole. But Etosha’s claim to fame is its rhinos. It’s believed that Etosha is home to the world’s largest black rhino population but—as my guide and friend Sydney tells me—poaching remains a serious threat, and Natural Selection continues to work with local rangers to protect the rhinos within the Etosha Heights private reserve.

That afternoon, the staff and I meet under a shaded pavilion overlooking a nearby waterhole where a dazzle of thirsty zebras have gathered. It’s time for our yoga practice, and right off the bat, Queen—one of the camp managers—tells me her team is eager to develop their meditation practice. I’m surprised. Meditation isn’t everyone’s top pick. The idea of sitting passively observing your breath doesn’t exactly seem productive. But, as it turns out, observing a regular meditation practice can, not only stave off stress, anxiety and the onset of depression, but it can tangibly improve the quality of your life.

The very act of meditating stimulates the ventral vagus nerve—key in activating the body’s relaxation response. Sceptical? Try it out for yourself! Find a place where you can sit quietly for a few moments. Plant your feet on the ground and feel your sitting bones rooting down. From this base, feel your spine lengthening. Relax your shoulders and close your eyes. When you feel ready, take a deep breath in—beginning the inhale from the base of your belly button—and follow this with a long, slow breath out. With every inhale, feel a sense of opening and expansiveness, and with every exhale allow yourself to let go of something which no longer serves you. As you continue to breathe in this way, try extending your exhales, making them slightly longer than your inhales. Repeat this slow, conscious breath twice more. When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes. Take a moment to check-in. Ask yourself: do you notice any differences? Perhaps a slight slowing down and tuning into the present moment? Or maybe a greater awareness of the breath? And there you go, you’ve just completed a simple—yet seductive—meditation practice!

Over the next two weeks, the Natural Selection staff and I explore techniques to balance our mind and body. Chefs Tina and Thando are proud to report that they’ve started meditating to calm their minds before they go to sleep, and Queen is keen to incorporate yoga and meditation into the staff’s weekly routine. As word spreads, participation grows, and by the time our final class rolls around, we have a full house. I realise we don’t have enough yoga mats but we quickly make a plan—working together to carefully set up blankets and towels as makeshift mats. Today, we’re honing our balance, and we begin class with the crowd favourite—Vrksasana: Tree pose.

It’s a memory that I will forever hold dear. A team of dedicated Natural Selection yogis practising under an acacia tree, as a lone giraffe ambles gracefully in the background—his body beautifully silhouetted under the setting sun. Truly a yoga experience unlike any other. Thank you Namibia, thank you yogis, and thank you Natural Selection for this unforgettable experience!