About

Bansi has had a lifelong passion for nature that began during her childhood spent in the wilds of Kenya, leading her to co-found Wild Earth and Ocean (formerly Conservation Safaris). For over 17 years, she has dedicated herself to sharing the evocative experience of safari with guests in East & Southern Africa, Latin America and beyond. She has observed the transformative power of nature on people, and made it her mission to assist others in re-connecting, and remembering their deep interconnection with nature.

The tragic and unexpected loss of her mother and sister in quick succession left Bansi’s world shattered. It was in nature that she found solace, whether watching a new leaf unfurl in the garden, a beetle crawling along, a school of tiny damsel fish darting around, or the vast horizons of the desert. Her time in nature brought her a sense of peace, and a comforting sense of belonging to this vast and beautiful Universe. In nature she could rest and just be, just as she was, with no judgement. This experience led her to train to become a Forest Therapy Guide, and to co-found Shades of Nature to help others experience their own connection to nature.

Bansi is trained and certified as a Forest Therapy Guide by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides (ANFT) in the USA and Nadur Centre for Integrative Forest Therapy in Ireland. She also serves as an Assistant Trainer with the ANFT for new guides. She holds a degree in Wildlife Biology (Adv, Hon I) from the University of Sydney, is a trained and qualified Pilates and Yoga instructor, and a PADI Scuba Divemaster. She has a deep interest in with grief, sorrow and loss and the role nature plays. This lead her to complete Deathwalker training with Zenith Virago; taking death, dying and grief out of the closet and bringing it back into our lives. She has also completed a comprehensive five month Grief Ritual Leadership training with Francis Weller, highly respected psychotherapist and author of “The Wild Edge of Sorrow“.

Bansi’s happy place is in the great outdoors, and she has a particular passion for reptiles, hiking, scuba diving, and stand-up paddle boarding. Join her on a journey back to nature.

Mark’s journey began in the corporate world, where he worked for a large US-based company in both the UK and Kenya. As time passed, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be more to life. So, he made the bold decision to take a year off and sail the Pacific Ocean to ponder the meaning of life.

Although he didn’t find the answer (is there one?!), the experience sparked a passion for adventure in nature. He became an avid scuba diver and adventurer, spending much of his time out on safari in Kenya and Tanzania’s national parks.

Mark wanted others to also have the opportunity to experience the wonder and awe of these incredible places, so he left the corporate world behind and co-founded Wild Earth and Ocean (formerly Conservation Safaris). He now co-hosts ‘Special Edition’ safaris to East and Southern Africa, giving others the chance to have their own epiphanies.

Mark is also trained in Qi Gong and yoga, with a particular interest in pranayama (breath work). He is fascinated by indigenous ways of knowing, such as the Aboriginal Walk-about and Native American vision quest. He has trained in the Ways of Council, completing levels 1 & 2 as a facilitator. Mark spent a year studying and training in permaculture; a holistic design approach for creating sustainable human settlements and agricultural systems by mimicking patterns and relationships found in natural ecosystems. As a co-host of our retreats, Mark brings with him his varied experience and passion for nature, photography, astronomy and campfires.

In his free time, Mark can be found scuba diving in the tropics, playing his didgeridoo, or exploring the outback. He has an especially soft spot for hyenas.

Meet Martine, a highly regarded, degree-qualified Psychotherapist, Yoga Therapist and Trainer. She has 30 years of experience working with some of the world’s top trauma researchers and trainers.

After realising that traditional talk therapy alone wasn’t effectively treating traumatic stress, Martine studied with renowned Psychiatrist, clinical researcher and author, Dr Bessel van der Kolk. She became a Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator, understanding the importance of treating the whole person – mind and body. This led her to create The Yoga Clinic, Thera Foundation, and Thera Yoga, a style of yoga specifically designed by Martine for treating trauma. Through these, she aims to make her highly effective trauma therapy and training more accessible to a wider community.

Martine has also trained in and incorporates elements of Medical Qi Gong and sound therapy, such as gong and crystal bowl sound baths, in her offerings. Additionally, she is trained in and offers Yoga Nidra, a form of non-sleep deep rest.

Martine is dedicated to helping others heal through the power of movement and the mind-body connection.