Dive in whole-heartedly into West African rhythm, drumming & dance with two of the most passionate West African Drum Masters.
Plus, there will be all the usual Happy Buddha vibes, morning yoga, evening meditations and nourishing vego food to keep you energised!
This retreat is a little different.
It’s a choose your own adventure! ✨🪘🙌🧡
Stay with as for the entire 5 nights, including food and yoga
OR you can stay elsewhere and join us for your chosen sessions
OR book your sessions for a day-trip to the mountains!
✨✨✨ Just remember, workshops are additional to the accommodation packages and payable cash to your facilitator ✨✨✨
Staying with us? Book your accommodation component here 👇
(Remember, your sessions are additional.)
Flexible Option
Choose from 1 to 5 nightsIncludes vegetarian meals, your twin-share room and yoga.
This is a subsidised rate, conditional to purchasing at least two workshops daily. Upgrade to a solo room for an extra $50 per night. (Email the crew for this option.)
Stay 5 nights!
Festival vibes incomingSoak up a whole 5-nights. Includes vego meals, twin-share room and yoga.
This is a subsidised rate, conditional to purchasing at least two workshops daily. Upgrade to a solo room for an extra $50 per night. (Email the crew for this option.)
Now, for your tuition & workshop choices… 🪘💃✨
We’ve got a range of packages starting from single-class options up to unlimited weekly pass.
VIEW HERE
Learn from West African Drum Masters
Participate in our West African drum and dance classes and take your drumming to the next level!
Epizo and Sibo Bangoura were born in Guinea, West Africa and have a proud musical family lineage.
The brothers are good friends to Happy Buddha Retreats and we’re super excited for this opportunity to share their music & mastery with our fans, community and crew.
There are a variety of tuition packages for this drum and dance program. You can even drive up for the day and participate in a couple of sessions, or stay local or with us and curate your own program.
If you do want to stay with us and soak up the good vibes, we’re offering subsidised accommodation packages, per person in twin-share rooms, including meals. (This does not include your sessions.) We like to think of it as our way of giving back to the arts community and supporting amazing talent like Epizo and Sibo.
️️✩️✩️✩️✩️✩
‘The African Drum and Dance retreat at Happy Buddha Retreats is one of my favorite retreats so far. Beautiful volunteers , vegan food and amazing teachers , epizo and sibo. I come back every year since 2023. So good! The retreat is stunning with views of the forest around here.’
Shan Shine, November 2024
Choose your own adventure
Choose to stay with us and participate in the classes that pique your interest. Or, stay locally and come to a class or two. It’s totally up to you.
- Stay with us for 1 night or more and book your twin-share room, including food. (This does not include your sessions.)
- Take part in complimentary yoga sessions to stretch & zen out
- Get your groove on with your drum and dance packages
- Stay elsewhere or join us for the day
Sample 5-night retreat program
Sessions with a star* are complimentary from Happy Buddha Retreats.
If you’re staying with us please book below for your nightly accommodation.
DAY 1
Arrive 2pm for check-in and then it’s time for the fun!
2:00pm
~ Drum Workshop – Let’s get loud!
4:00pm
~ Dance – Move your feet!
6:45pm
~ Dinner Delights
7:30pm
~ Kora Workshop – Explore the sounds!
DAYS 2-5
7:00am – 8:00am
~ Yoga morning stretch*
8:00am
~ Break Your Fast
9.00am
~ Drum Workshop – Beat the morning blues!
10:30am
~ Dance Workshop – Sway to the rythm.
12.00pm
~ Dun Dun Workshop – The beat goes on.
1:30pm
~ Lunch
2:30pm
~ Drum Workshop – Drumming frenzy.
4:00pm
~ Dance – Get moving!
6:45pm
~ Dinner
7:30pm
~ Kora Workshop
FINAL DAY
7:00am
~ Yoga – Final Flow*.
8:00am
~ Break Your Fast & check out of your rooms
9.00am
~ Drum Workshop
10:00am
~ Dance Workshop
11.00am
~ Grand Finale
12:00pm
~ Check out and farewell!
Tuition Packages
Meet Epizo, your festival lead →
Epizo is just as excited to meet you 🙌
BOOK SESSIONS IN DIRECT WITH EPIZO
This year, we’re keeping things super simple:
Drop in class rate is $35
Unlimited Day pass $110
Unlimited Weekly $620
Kora & Dun Dun sessions are additional. Speak to Epizo for the rates.
BYO drums please. We do have some available to borrow but it will be first in, first served.
BOOK SESSIONS IN DIRECT WITH EPIZO
Email [email protected]
Staying with us?
Fantastic! Here’s a little more about what to expect!
You’ll be staying twin-share, nestled in the surroundings of Happy Buddha Retreats located at Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, NSW. You’ll have access to our pool, chill out zen den and local hikes during your stay.
We’re subsidising twin-share accomodation for this event so you’ll only pay
$90 per night, per person staying twin-share. You must also purchase at least 2 workshops. (If you’d prefer a solo room, please email the crew. This option is an extra $50 per night)
Yoga and meditation sessions are complimentary!
But remember, you’ll need to pay cash to The Bangoura Brothers for your classes or class packages.
****Parents – this retreat is open to children as long as they are supervised at all times. You can bring up to 2 kids (12 and under) to stay with you in your booked room. Please BYO camp beds and sheets. The cost is $10 per child per night – including food.
The kids can participate in sessions for free. For teenagers 13+ please book the subsidised nightly stay fee and book tuition packages. ****
Families with unsupervised children will be asked to leave the retreat centre.
Get your groove on with the Bangoura Brothers!
Join us for our African Drum and Dance Festival
September 27 – October 2, 2026!
Tuition is payable in cash direct to the Epizo, the facilitator. To pre-book your sessions please email him at [email protected]