Immersive Cultural Conference
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Why a Cultural Immersion Conference/Retreat?
In today’s interconnected world, businesses that actively embrace diversity and inclusion consistently outperform their competitors. But inclusion isn’t just a tick-box, it’s a lived experience, and many organisations struggle to build culturally intelligent teams that truly thrive.
Cultural intelligence (CQ) is critical to:
- Attracting and retaining diverse talent
- Navigating cross-cultural and generational dynamics
- Managing conflict with empathy and awareness
- Driving innovation, trust, and collaboration
- Enhancing team performance and organisational growth
Is this you?
- Struggling to manage conflict in culturally diverse teams?
- Unsure what’s driving certain team behaviours?
- Curious how to turn cultural and generational differences into strengths?
- Want to uncover your organisation’s CQ strengths and areas for growth?
Why an Immersive Experience?
There’s no better way to grow your cultural intelligence than through lived, hands-on experience. In 2026, RedHead Communications is heading to South Africa — and we’re inviting a select group to join us for an unforgettable professional development journey of a lifetime.
Led by global cultural strategist Dr Tanya Finnie, this immersive experience will take you beyond theory, into the heart of diverse African cultures helping you:
- Expand your worldview
- Strengthen your leadership skills
- Build deeper human-to-human connection
- Translate insight into action
Who should apply?
Are you someone who:
- Leads or supports a multicultural or multigenerational team and wants to manage conflict with more clarity and confidence?
- Often wonder what motivates your team members—across cultures and generations—and want deeper insight into their behaviours?
- Believe diversity is a strength, but need guidance in turning that into real innovation, collaboration and performance?
- Are ready to uncover your own as well as organisation’s Cultural Intelligence (CQ) strengths and use them to improve creativity, profitability and team engagement?
This experience is ideal if you’re an HR manager, CEO, Director, D&I advisor, People & Culture lead or business owner who is committed to cultural change. If you want to better understand values, decoding communication patterns, and build more inclusive workplaces—this conference is made with you in mind.
Who are we?
This isn’t just another cultural workshop it’s a transformative journey led by Dr Tanya Finnie, global cultural strategist, renowned speaker, and engaging storyteller.
Tanya brings decades of lived and learned experience from across the world into an unforgettable setting. While immersed in the South African wild, you’ll have rare, casual access to Tanya — not just as a facilitator, but as a cultural guide and fellow explorer. You’ll laugh, learn, reflect, and grow under the guidance of someone who’s helped individuals and organisations unlock their full potential through Cultural Intelligence (CQ). Di you know she was instrumental in setting up the National South African tour guiding system and used to work as a tour guide and game ranger many moons ago? You’ll also have a professional registered local tour operator with you.
This retreat is intentionally curated with immersive, hands-on experiences designed to stretch your thinking, spark authentic connection, and build inclusive leadership that lasts long after the trip ends.
Immersive Experience overview
April/October 2026
Beginning in Johannesburg, you’ll then travel to Marakele National Park, in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains. A 5-day business retreat for leaders who want to create thriving, culturally aware organisations.
Included
- Four nights of luxury 5-star accommodation
- Luxury vehicles and transport
- Full board (meals)
- All trip and entrance fees
- Mentorship
- Surprise experiences
- Service Fees
- Game Drives
Excluded
- Flights
- Visa costs (not required for most passport holders)
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Personal Travel/Health Insurance
- Personal costs (souvenirs, laundry, etc)
- Tips, Gratuities
- Expenses as telephone calls
- Excursion not detailed above
Programme
Join us for an immersive cultural experience that blends group training, mentoring, and deep-dive discussions designed to transform how you lead, collaborate, and navigate across cultures.
This is a highly curated experience with limited places available to ensure personalised impact and connection.
Investment per person
$9,999 AUD (ex GST)
Eligible as a professional development or business expense.
Early bird rates available – enquire now to secure your place.
Outcomes
By the end of the programme, you will:
- Measure and unpack your own Cultural Intelligence (CQ) — includes a personalised 24-page report (Valued at $650)
- Discover the latest trends and challenges in diversity, equity, and inclusion across global and local contexts
- Learn practical inclusion strategies you can take back to your workplace and apply immediately
- Experience a variety of African cultures first-hand through thoughtfully curated immersion activities
- Discover how to build and lead a culturally intelligent workforce, capable of navigating complexity with confidence
- Walk away with an unforgettable, luxurious African experience and memories that last a lifetime
Bonuses
Included as part of your programme package
- Follow-up online coaching session with Dr Tanya Finnie (Valued at $550)
- One month of unlimited online support after your return — helping you keep momentum, refine your action plan, and embed the learning into your day-to-day leadership
Optional Additions
Available for purchase within 30 days of returning from the programme
Choose to continue your growth journey with deeper support:
- One-Year Group Deep Dive Coaching Package - 6 group sessions over 12 months with your team Just $2800 (usually $3500 — SAVE $700)
- One-Year Private Coaching Package - Up to 15 personalised 1:1 sessions over 12 months Just $350/month (usually $525) — SAVE $1,750
Itinerary & Program
Arrival Day – Day 0
This day is dedicated to your arrival in Johannesburg and a chance to rest and recharge before the immersive programme begins. We intentionally start the experience with a buffer day so you can settle in, get a good night’s sleep, and arrive feeling grounded and ready. We recommend flying in by mid-afternoon if possible.
To make things easy, we’ve curated a list of recommended hotels close to the airport, offering a range of comfort levels. Airport transfers can be arranged on request, and our team will be on standby should you need assistance with anything.
This is your time to relax, acclimatise, and prepare for the journey ahead.
Day 1 – Lesedi Cultural Village & Safari
Your guide will collect you from your accommodation and take you to Soweto, a cultural hub that highlights diversity in Johannesburg.
Johannesburg has a deep history of racial division. Apartheid policies have been abolished, but the socio-economic legacy remains, as each suburb differs from the next. In the central city, these divides merge into an incredible cultural melting pot.
Among several stops in the city, we will visit Soweto and the Mandela House Museum. Lunch will be a traditional meal at the local Shebeen (previously an illegal bar) in Soweto. After this, we will proceed to Lesedi Cultural Village.
In visiting five traditional homesteads inhabited by Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Basotho, and Ndebele tribes, we will immerse you into the fascinating cultures and traditions of the people of Africa. We will then round off the evening with a song and dance show from the different tribes living in Lesedi, sleeping in one of the traditional villages.
Day 2 – Marakele National Park & Marataba Lodge
Rise and shine, day two will be an early breakfast for an early start. After breakfast, we will tour to The Marakele National Park in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains. Its Tswana name translates to “place of sanctuary”. To say it has an abundance of wildlife would be an understatement.
Our halfway stop will entail comprehensive interactions with the gentle intellectual giants of Africa: the elephants.
Our experienced and friendly elephant handlers will introduce you to several elephants and show you remarkable aspects of each individual and the species as a whole. As the sun sets, you will experience the beautiful sights and scents of the bush with the nearby Waterberg mountains keeping watch.
This will be your home for the next three nights at the Marataba Lodge.
Day 3 & Day 4 – Game Drive & Sunset Dinners
Day 4 and 5, it will be an early rise as Tanya will lead an early game drive (safari viewing drive), which will then lead to breakfast. After breakfast
Tanya will provide lectures and discussions, and feel free to approach Tanya anytime throughout the day for more questions. The days will wind down with a sunset game drive and end with a relaxing dinner.
Day 5 – Waterval Boven (from here choose to extend or not)
Enjoy the last safari drive and breakfast, before we drive back to Johannesburg via Pretoria. Those who have not chosen the add-on will be dropped off in Johannesburg, whilst the rest of us will continue on to the town of Waterval Boven. We will spend the night at the Shamrock Arms, a 4-star Victorian guesthouse, listening to trains being shunted in the yard and enjoying a glass of wine around the fire.
Optional Day 6 – Stone Circles
Today, we will explore the Stone Circles, the largest concentration of ancient ruins found anywhere on Earth. We will be entertained by Michael Tellinger, the scientist and explorer who discovered the mysterious civilisation, who will provide us with new and exciting cultural knowledge. We will also have the opportunity to dine with him around the African fire.
Optional Day 7– Stone Alter
In the morning, we will tour Adam’s Calendar, a series of stones believed to be the oldest man-made structure on Earth. You will have the opportunity to view Stone Altar, a valley created by a meteor and the ‘workshop’, a scattering of loose dolomite stones said to be the remains of where the stones were worked. After lunch, we will bid Michael goodbye and travel to Kruger National Park for 2 nights in this great piece of nature. The main Lukimibi Safari Lodge building welcomes you with its sweeping staircase and artistic fireplace with creatively engraved animals. Our lounge overlooks the Lwakhale River, where animals often come to drink, and the bar nearby has an award-winning wine list and cellar.
Optional Day 8 – Kruger National Park
Take the opportunity to explore Kruger National Park, with an early morning game drive and a bushwalk. Tanya will also be on hand should you want some one on one coaching time.
Optional Day 9 – Matsamo Cultural Villiage & Farewell Dinner
Today, you drive back to Johannesburg but not before you enjoy some exciting activities on the way. Visit the Swazi people at the Matsamo Cultural Village and learn about their vibrant and colourful culture. Considered one of the best cultural experiences in South Africa, they seamlessly mix education with entertainment. You’ll even have the opportunity to join in the singing and dancing. Say farewell to the bush with a pedicure at Fish Spa. They provide a fun and unusual way for you to clean and exfoliate your skin, with customers placing their feet in warm, fresh water tanks containing dozens of toothless Garra rufa fish. You will end your night at the African Rock hotel, where a farewell dinner will be waiting. Say goodbye to your fellow travellers and commemorate your once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience.
Departure Day
Depending on flight times, there is some shopping time or just relaxing before departing to the airport for your journey home. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email info@redheadcommunications.com