A private game reserve in the Greater Kruger area, South Africa
Sashwa River of Stars
Dates
7 – 11 March 202711 – 15 September 2027
Duration
5 days · 4 nights
Group
A small group of like-minded peers
Setting
A private game reserve on the banks of the Olifants River
Facilitators
Marc Rogatschnig, Nikki Wohlman & Sarah Campbell-Watts
The work
Five days with who you are beneath the role
Most senior leaders are fluent in what they do and far less practised at who they are while doing it. This retreat turns that around. Over five days you look honestly at how you are triggered to behave under pressure, at the patterns that have carried you and the ones that now cost you, and at the strength you do — or do not yet — have to pause and choose a better response.
The facilitation is held with care and long experience. We work with Heartstyles as our primary tool: a rigorous, character-led approach that makes those patterns visible on paper and then builds the maturity to work with them. It is personal work, done in the company of peers who are carrying similar weight, and it is what everything else on this page exists to serve. The retreat experience starts with an online one-hour call to meet each other. After the retreat, there is the option of a follow-up individual coaching session.
Nothing here is performative. There is no audience, no reporting line, no one to manage. Just time, attention and a small group of people willing to be honest — which, for most of the leaders who come, turns out to be the rarest thing on offer.
The place
A small lodge, held by a wide river
Sashwa River of Stars is a small, exclusive wilderness lodge perched on the banks of the Olifants River, in a private game reserve in the Greater Kruger area where wildlife moves freely across the landscape. Solar-powered, plant-forward and quietly luxurious, it is a place designed for presence — and the reason the work goes as deep as it does.
One hundred percent of Sashwa's profits go to Koru Camp, a community conservation initiative — staying here is itself an act of stewardship.
The experience
From dawn to firelight
The days have an arc. Movement and stillness. Together and alone. Dawn game drives and wilderness walks. Sound safari and stargazing. Sundowners on the river deck and fireside conversations. Move in the way you need - yoga, gym, pool or suana. Creative studio ready and waiting. And quiet spaces to discover for yourself — a lookout deck above the river, a river hide with daybeds, an indoor lounge and library.
Photograph to comeA photograph of Sashwa's plant-forward cuisine — to be added from the image library.
Photograph to comeA photograph of the suites at Sashwa — to be added from the image library.
Photograph to comeA photograph of the spa and wellness spaces — to be added from the image library.
The shape of the days
A five-day arc — a feeling, not a schedule
The days respond to the group, the season and the wild itself.
Day 1
Arrive and let go
Day 2
Begin to see
Day 3
Go deeper
Day 4
Carry it forward
Day 5
Depart changed
Partner spotlight
Koru Camp
Every profit Sashwa earns flows to Koru Camp, a community conservation initiative that welcomes local schoolchildren and communities into the reserve — many experiencing their own wilderness heritage for the first time. When you come on this retreat, your stay directly supports that work. It is a partnership we are proud of, and one of the reasons we chose Sashwa.
What your retreat experience includes
- —Four nights in a single suite of your choosing
- —The full programme, held by three experienced facilitators
- —Your Heartstyles profile and the work that follows from it
- —A pre-retreat online one-hour call to meet the group and facilitators
- —Road transfers from Hoedspruit to Sashwa
- —All meals — plant-forward, seasonal and lovingly prepared
- —Snacks, drinks and refreshments throughout
- —Guided game drives, wilderness walks and time with the field guides
- —Sashwa dedicated wellbeing support with yoga and meditation options
- —Use of the creative studio with materials provided
- —Access to the quiet places: the lookout deck, the river hide, the library
- —Laundry and wifi
Not included
A few things sit outside the retreat fee, so there are no surprises: flights; spa and wellness treatments; gratuities; nights before or after the retreat, should you extend; and follow-up individual coaching, if you choose it. Our travel partners are here to support with any travel bookings needed.
Practical details
Arriving and leaving
Daily flights run from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Hoedspruit (Eastgate) Airport — Airlink, FlySafair and CemAir — about an hour and fifteen minutes by road from the lodge. Our travel partners will organise the transfer and can also assist you with flight bookings if needed.
Self-driving from Johannesburg takes roughly five to six hours to Hoedspruit, plus the final stretch to the lodge.
The season and health
March is Green Season — warm days between 18 and 40°C and beyond. Pack light layers, a sunhat and a swimsuit, with long sleeves for the evenings. September brings cool, clear mornings and warm afternoons. Sashway is a low-risk malaria area - please consult your healthcare provider before travelling.
Extending
If you'd like to extend your time in the wilderness before or after the retreat, options are available. Our travel partners can help with recommendations and booking.
The investment
From R65,600 per person, single occupancy
All prices include four nights' accommodation and the full programme fee. The room type is the differentiator.
If something inside you has awoken, connect with us to find out more.
Register your interest