Phinda Private Game Reserve
A Journey of Inspiration
Personal renewal and a deeper connection with life on a journey into the heart of nature and wellbeing
JOIN A MINIMUM OF 10 LIKE-MINDED GUESTS ON THIS TRANSFORMATIVE SET DEPARTURE JOURNEY
STAY IN TWO MAGNIFICENT LODGES, EACH WITH THEIR OWN CHARM AND CHARACTER
Daily safaris with expert guides in search of Big Five and other rare iconic wildlife
ENJOY AN INCREDIBLE SCHEDULED RHINO AND PANGOLIN CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE
Hosted by NONE OTHER THAN SPIRITUAL healer and facilitator, Dr. Jonathan Ellerby
Engage in daily practical applications, group interactions and reflections
Dr. Jonathan Ellerby
A deeply experienced senior leader, keynote speaker, healer, and facilitator, with an extraordinary understanding of the transformative process and the human return to wholeness Jonathan is a two-time bestselling author. With a PhD in comparative religion focusing on Indigenous healing traditions and cross-cultural research, Jonathan has experienced countless trainings in a wide range of complementary and alternative fields of healing, integrative medicine, and spiritual growth. Drawing from travels to meet and study with healers and teachers from more than forty cultures around the world, he has been featured in film, radio, print, and in multiple event forms as an expert on mastering change, integrative wellness and resilience, mindfulness, and holistic approaches to spiritual growth.
He has spoken at events along with Wayne Dyer PhD, Deepak Chopra MD, Don Miguel Ruiz, Gregg Braden, Alberto Villoldo PhD, Carolyn Myss, Brian Weiss MD, Andrew Weil MD, and many other international icons. From his work with Grammy award-winning and Academy award-nominated celebrities and multinational millionaire and billionaire CEOs, to his wellness travel groups in remote villages of southern Africa, workshops for Indigenous communities, presentations in the board rooms of corporations he has a heart-centred commitment to meet and surpass the expectations of those he surrounds himself with.
Your journey at a glance
A true "journey of inspiration", this transformational 11-day itinerary takes you to the heart of wellbeing, conservation, mindfulness, and beyond.
This expedition offers an extraordinary itinerary designed and hosted by best-selling author, Dr. Jonathan Ellerby to restore your passion for life and ignite a profound sense of connection to your innermost self and the wild world around you. While offering experiences that invite the discovery of greater meaning and peace in your daily life, this safari is unlike any other fully engaging with incredible wildlife encounters, daily game drives, hands-on conservation work, small group processes, cultural experiences, and the magic of &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve.
Created with integrative wellness and spiritual health in mind, you will be safely and skilfully guided on an intimate personal and collective quest in a way that will enrich your heart and mind, sending you home with new energy and a new view of life. Guests will meet virtually with the host in advance of the trip and will be supported with any additional materials or meetings as necessary. People in leadership roles, animal lovers, safari fans, spiritual seekers, ecologists, and those looking for a deep life renewal will find this an ideal pilgrimage of discovery and connection.
Seasoned yoga therapist and teacher Uxia Ellerby RYT-500 will also be joining the trip and will offer optional daily yoga classes and meditation sessions for guests who’d like to enrich their wellness journey even further.
02 – 12 October 2025 | 10 nights Phinda Private Game Reserve
“It’s easy to forget that wilderness was the first home of humanity.
Not only was wilderness our home, but at some core level it also reflects and nourishes our most essential nature. To return mindfully guided with an open heart and mind to the awe inspiring embrace of nature is one of the surest ways to reclaim a profound sense of self, connection and wholeness."
– Dr. Jonathan Ellerby
A taste of what to expect
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Spend 10 nights on &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve as you embark on this immersive long-stay journey, hosted by Dr. Jonathan Ellerby. Each day includes interpretive game drives in open 4×4 safari vehicles, led by professionally trained &BEYOND rangers and Zulu trackers, as well as a wide range of planned surprises, and optional adventures in the bush and on the beach. Additionally, two incredible life-changing experiences, including up-close and personal rhino and pangolin conservation experiences are planned to make this the trip of a lifetime. Daily practical applications, group interactions, and meditations unpack the experiences of wildlife, culture, and the powerful reflections that follow from each of these experiences. This unique journey unfolds like a symphony of elements that grow stronger and build on each other day by day. You will leave with a fuller sense of self and relationships that may last a lifetime.
Phinda Private Game Reserve encompasses an impressive 28 555 hectares (70 560 acres) of protected wildlife land in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Showcasing one of the continent’s finest game viewing experiences, the reserve is home to Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), as well as 436 bird species. The reserve is particularly well known for close-up sightings of the elegant yet elusive cheetah, as well as the rare black rhino. With its seven distinct habitats, &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve is often described as ‘Seven Worlds of Wonder’, a magnificent tapestry of woodland, grassland, wetland and forest, interspersed with mountain ranges, rivers, marshes and pans. Home to 1 000 hectares (2471 acres) of Africa’s remaining rare dry sand forest, the reserve is situated in close proximity to the unspoiled beaches and spectacular coral reefs of the Indian Ocean, offering an unmatched combination of bush and beach adventures.
5 nights Phinda Mountain Lodge | 5 nights Phinda Forest Lodge
Small Group Discussions
Most days will include a small group session in which travelers will explore, discuss and discover ways to reconsider what it means to be successful, connected, and whole. Through the lense of African wildlife, traditional culture, spiritual psychology and our daily travel experience, we will support each traveler to find the meaning and tools most important to their own life goals.
Practical applications, group interaction, and a light-hearted yet reverential facilitative style ensures a significant profound look at life, meaning, and our common future. Feel the energy empowerment as you deeply explore your authentic self. Inspiring a love of life and wellbeing for all, an ecological and social ethic runs through everything discussed and how it positively affects the planet and each one of us in our relationships, work, and wellness.
Wellness
This adventure is a journey into wholeness and wellbeing. Through the power of our carefully planned and curated experiences, you will naturally feel a sense of reconnection with life and self-renewal. Whether motivated by a sense of adventure, a passion for growth, a willingness to learn, or a need to heal and release cycles of stress and imbalance, this trip is the medicine you may be dreaming of.
In our small group sessions, we will explore practices and perspectives that will reveal how emotional health, spirituality, nature, and community are all essential aspects of a fully engaged life. Our approach is very casual, safe, welcoming, and engaging. You will likely leave this trip with insights, changes, and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Included in your itinerary
The following experiences are included in your 11-day journey
Enjoy daily game drives and walks, as well as a once-in-a-lifetime rhino notching and pangolin research experience. Additionally, enjoy a morning with the Zulu community that surrounds the reserve, as well as a morning photographic experience.
HOSTED BY DR. JONATHAN ELLERBY
A deeply experienced senior leader, keynote speaker, healer, and facilitator, with an extraordinary understanding of the transformative process and the human return to wholeness Jonathan is a two-time bestselling author. With a PhD in comparative religion focusing on Indigenous healing traditions and cross-cultural research, Jonathan has experienced countless trainings in a wide range of complementary and alternative fields of healing, integrative medicine, and spiritual growth. Drawing from travels to meet and study with healers and teachers from more than forty cultures around the world, he has been featured in film, radio, print, and in multiple event forms as an expert on mastering change, integrative wellness and resilience, mindfulness, and holistic approaches to spiritual growth.
He has spoken at events along with Wayne Dyer PhD, Deepak Chopra MD, Don Miguel Ruiz, Gregg Braden, Alberto Villoldo PhD, Carolyn Myss, Brian Weiss MD, Andrew Weil MD, and many other international icons. From his work with Grammy award-winning and Academy award-nominated celebrities and multinational millionaire and billionaire CEOs, to his wellness travel groups in remote villages of southern Africa, workshops for Indigenous communities, presentations in the board rooms of corporations he has a heart-centred commitment to meet and surpass the expectations of those he surrounds himself with.
Rates
Per person sharing for 10 nights and 11 days
What's included
- Welcome and assistance service at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg
- All scheduled flights:
- OR Tambo International Airport to &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve and vice versa
- All road transfers: Phinda airstrip to lodge Lodge to Phinda airstrip
- Twin / single accommodation
- Meals as specified above
- Soft drinks, house wine, local brand spirits, local beer, teas and coffees (premium brands to own account)
- Laundry
- Game viewing activities as offered by the lodges
- Munywana Conservation fee
- Airport taxes and fuel surcharge
- Emergency medical evacuation cover
- Gratuities are included
What's not included
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Meals, drinks and laundry not specified in the itinerary
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Premium brand drinks, champagne, cognacs, cellar wines, cigars and cigarettes
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Any items of a personal nature
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Sightseeing and excursions not specified in the itinerary
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Flights and transfers not specified in the itinerary
- Travel Insurance - should you be interested we can introduce you to our recommended partners
Conditions
- Rates are quoted on a per person sharing basis, based on a minimum 10 guests travelling.
- Single Supplement: A single supplement of 50% is only charged from the third single room per booking.
- Only valid for full-paying adult guests and may not be combined with other offers. However, additional nights may be added by using our applicable long-stay rates.
- Flight rates are subject to change.
- All flights route through Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
- &Beyond may need to pass on cancellation/amendment costs once bookings including the flight offer have been confirmed
- Validity periods are as specified above
- The rates quoted are subject to change without warning if there are any increases in bed levies, park fees, fuel, sales tax or VAT, third-party services or any other circumstances beyond our control in South Africa. &Beyond trading terms apply.
More experiences
There are a wide variety of incredible experiences you can enjoy at an additional cost:
LEAVING OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE
It was at Phinda that &Beyond’s Care of the Land, Wildlife and People impact vision
was tested and shaped. Here, 28 622 hectares of farming land was reclaimed for wildlife, including
790 hectares of critically endangered ancient sand forest. Cheetah, rhino and pangolin are actively
protected, with more than 30 years of pioneering wildlife victories behind us.
Along with Africa Foundation, the reserve works closely with neighbouring communities,
employing locally and investing in community education and welfare.
Sustainability practices are a daily priority and include the elimination of plastic bottles
and a focus on energy-saving initiatives.
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