May 27, 2026by mvhuyssteen

In search of stillness: A softer way to experience the wild

Finding stillness in the untamed

There’s a quiet shift happening in the way we travel. For years, travel has been about early mornings, busy itineraries and the pressure to see and do as much as possible – making sure you tick all the boxes. Then returning home with great memories, full camera rolls but often feeling exhausted.

What if, instead of chasing the moments and experiences, we allowed them to come to us: Focussing less on what we ‘do’ and more on how we feel? This is what a softer kind of safari offers. It’s a journey that unfolds gently, where the expansive landscapes, wilderness and quiet is something to settle into. And across the Mantis Collection portfolio, this way of travelling is not only encouraged but instinctive.

A different rhythm in the wild

Time moves differently when you’re on safari.

At Founders Lodge by Mantis, mornings begin quietly, coffee warming your hands as the sun rises and the landscape slowly comes to life. There’s no urgency, no rush to be anywhere. You are exactly where you have chosen to be – away from the hustle, bustle and noise of daily life – so you are able to linger and simply take it all in.

Not far away, offering a completely different perspective, is Mantis Hiddn in Addo, a secluded, luxury eco-lodge perched high in the Zuurberg Mountains of South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Tucked into nature, it’s an off-grid refuge where privacy and stillness are paramount.

Further afield in Botswana, Feline Fields offers expansive open desert landscapes that stretch beyond the horizon and serene moroko moments as you glide down the waterways. At night it’s clear skies showing off the Milky Way, your lullaby the rustling bush and calls of the nocturnal shift.

Each property offers a unique serenity. Even game drives shift. It’s less about counting the number of animals you see and more about the experience of being outdoors and discovering something extraordinary. The quiet awe of seeing wild animals in their natural habitat, perhaps even some of the most endangered species – African Wild Dog, Black Rhino, Pangolin. Hearing the fascinating stories behind each animal track, behaviour pattern and the role of the bushes, trees and grassland in the environment.

You begin to see and hear more. The rhythm of movement through the grass. The stillness between the sounds – from roars to bird calls. All reaffirming the delicate balance and fragility of the ecosystem and the need to protect it.

It’s a time to sit, to breathe, to simply observe and be.

‘Holidays do not change who we are, they reveal what we have been too busy to feel’

The quiet luxury of doing less

There is a kind of luxury in slowing down. In unhurried mornings and long, golden sunsets. In afternoons without an agenda and evenings spent around a fire. The absence of any plans, work pressures, decision-making, social media and noise. The quiet takes adjusting to but eventually you embrace the change.

On a softer safari, nothing feels forced. Experiences unfold naturally, whether it’s a spontaneous conversation with a guide proud to share his local knowledge with you or time spent immersed in the stories of nearby communities.

In the absence of pressure, there’s freedom. There’s vibrancy too: In culture, in connection, in shared moments.

The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even touched –
they must be felt with the heart ~ Helen Keller

Where stillness becomes restorative

There’s a reason the wilderness has such a profound effect on us.

As Francisco Caceres, wellness expert with Mantis, explains, this isn’t just about slowing down physically, it’s about creating space for your mind and emotions to settle. “When we step into vast, open spaces, something shifts internally. The mind is no longer overstimulated and the body begins to follow. It’s in that quieting that true rest – and restoration – can begin.”

It’s not always immediate. At first, the stillness can feel unfamiliar. Even a little uncomfortable. But slowly, almost without noticing, you begin to embrace it.

Your thoughts slow. Your senses sharpen. Your breathing deepens.

And somewhere along the way you realise this is what it feels like to truly rest. What you take home are not just memories but a sense of calm, connection and contentment that remain long after the journey ends.

‘Rest is not an escape from life, it is how you return to it’

The balance of wild and human

A safari is never only about wildlife. It’s about people, too.

The stories, traditions and cultural experiences that give a place its soul. Whether in the Eastern Cape, Rwanda, Botswana or Namibia, time spent engaging with local communities adds a different kind of warmth and richness to the journey.

Returning, differently
You may not leave having seen everything. But you will leave having felt something.

A sense of calm, a quieter mind. Sometimes, the most memorable journeys are the ones that allow you to simply slow down and take in the surroundings.

And in the spaces carefully curated by Mantis Collection, that kind of journey comes naturally.

‘A true holiday gives your soul time to catch up with your body’