“I have been lucky to receive teachings from more living beings than I can count – from the fragile butterfly to the great, ponderous elephant.”
Join us for a rare and meaningful opportunity to spend an afternoon walking in the Surrey Hills with Sicelo Mbatha — South African wilderness guide, founder of Umkhiwane Healing Pathways, and author of the celebrated memoir Black Lion: Alive in the Wilderness.
Drawing on his Zulu heritage and decades of guiding in some of Africa’s wildest places, Sicelo offers a unique approach to being with nature that he calls “medicine walking”. This is a gentle, mindful way of connecting with the land — through slowing down, listening deeply, and walking with reverence.
This guided walk, stretching from mid-afternoon to early evening, will offer quiet moments, gentle movement, and space for stillness and deep noticing — held in the wisdom of a guide whose work is deeply rooted in living tradition and lifelong dedication.
About your guide:
Sicelo Mbatha, or ‘Black Lion’, is a Wilderness Guide, founder of Umkhiwane Sacred Pathways and author of the acclaimed memoir, Black Lion: alive in the Wilderness. Born into the Zulu tradition, Sicelo has dedicated his life to fostering deep connections between humans and nature, guiding people on healing pathways through some of the most spectacular wild areas of South Africa, including the iMfolozi wilderness, Simangaliso wetlands and towering Drakensberg mountains. He believes that this medicine is transformative and needed to heal the world from wounds of environmental destruction and social injustice. He invites connection with landscape, nature and soul and shares generously the indigenous wisdom of his people. His work brings people into contact with the spirit of our collective humanness, or ‘Ubuntu’.
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