Desert lifestyle

Tides of Time

A New Year's Journey

For friends, by friends

Welcome to the Show

Hello, Adventurers of Time

Welcome back to the only New Years celebration you want to be at this year. Not in some random club surrounded by strangers spilling their drinks on you.

At Tides of Time, you will be embarking on an extraordinary journey of exploration and discovery through time, surrounded by your people, dancing to some phenomenally groovy beats in a canyon that is millions of years old... or up on a hill top oasis overlooking the Karoo desert...

On top of the sheer magnificence of Place of Dreams, the best part of Tides of Time is always the people. A beautiful mix of welcoming voyagers from all over that come together to achieve one common goal - having the best time possible with your friends, old and new!

For this reason, this event is invite-only and we limit the crowd to exactly 150 friends of friends. You are welcome to invite friends that you trust, but you will be responsible for their behaviour, so choose wisely.

All tickets include breakfast and dinner. There is no dietary requirement that our amazing chef can't handle! You will be prompted for your dietary requirements on the ticket form. Fun fact: Including food in your ticket has been a massive factor in reducing waste.

The Journey

Arrival

Tuesday 30 December 2026 before 16h00

Settle into your desert sanctuary

Departure

Saturday 2 January 2027 — any time

Depart renewed, carrying the magic with you

Location

Place of Dreams, Karoo

A desert sanctuary unlike any other

What to Bring

Here's everything you need for an amazing festival experience:

Food & Drink

✅ Breakfast & dinner are INCLUDED in your ticket!

  • Snacks for between meals – coffee, snacks & additional meals available for purchase
  • BYOB allowed – bring your own drinks to enjoy anywhere
  • Drinking water (tap water is drinkable but tastes like sulphur)
  • Ice – bring as much as you can for communal freezers

Essentials

  • Bin bags – leave no trace, take your trash with you
  • Head torch with spare batteries
  • Toilet paper – single ply only (delicate loo systems)
  • Bag of wood – minimum 1 bag per car for the braais
  • Towels – for showering and swimming
  • No wifi or signal – nearest wifi point 15 mins away for emergencies

Clothing & Gear

  • Closed shoes – for walking around safely at night
  • Party outfits & warm clothes for night and sunrise
  • Swimming stuff – pool at main area + afternoon at infinity dam
  • Sun protection – sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, rehydration sachets, sarongs
  • Yoga mat – if you like yoga
  • Hiking shoes & running shoes – for added enjoyment
  • Personal first aid – experienced medic on-site, but bring your own too

Personal Items

  • Cigarette butt holder – if you smoke
  • Games & party favours – for added fun

Daily Themes

Dress up and join the fun with our curated daily themes:

📅 30 DEC

💪

Acceptable in the 90s

90s / retro themed exercise clothing. Bright colours, tights, cut-off sleeves. Get ready for a workout!

POD 1

🍉

Fruitopia

Fruity swimwear, hats, inflatables, drinks & snacks.

Infinity Dam

📅 31 DEC

🦸

The Origin Story

Dress as a made-up superhero. No existing superheroes allowed.

Canyon

📅 1 JAN

🏜️

Just Deserts

Desert / burn outfits. Would be a shame if we didn't acknowledge we're in Tankwa at least once.

Rooftop & POD 1

The Many Gifts of T.O.T

This will give you an idea of what to expect at the festival. POD is home to so many luxuries that it's genuinely hard to believe you're in the desert.

One Dancefloor at a Time

There are 4 magnificent dancefloors that we only open one at a time to keep everyone together and to make the festival feel like a shape-shifting tour through paradise!

D-FLOOR 1 - POD 1

An enclosed but open-air living room in the desert, complete with rugs, vetsaks and treffers.

D-FLOOR 2 - INFINITY DAM

A fully outdoor desert space with 4 mega dancefloors, a beautiful swimming dam and plenty of shade.

D-FLOOR 3 - THE CANYON

A massive million-plus-year-old canyon with mesmerizing lighting, a powerful sound rig and homely furniture. One of the most unbelievable festival spaces Africa has to offer.

D-FLOOR 4 - THE ROOFTOP

An elevated space with beautiful desert views and built-in stone chill booths.

Meticulously Curated Music

The flow of music is carefully designed to match the energy of the crowd throughout the event. Expect a musical journey through: Downtempo • House • Disco • Indie Dance • Funk • Tech-House • Techno • Minimal • Psy-Tech — all without drifting into the more chaotic side of music.

Meticulously Curated Crowd

The event is limited to 150 people and is invite-only. There is also no social media for this event. Everyone attending was invited by someone who has been before, and each person takes responsibility for the people they invite. The result: a welcoming, trustworthy crowd and long-lasting connections heading into 2026.

Air-Conditioning

Mobile air-conditioning units are installed in the glamping pods and the main common area.

Comfy Furniture

Place of Dreams is filled with thoughtfully placed vetsaks, rugs and couches. Chilling is always an option.

Delicious Food

Gourmet breakfast and dinner will be prepared and served throughout the event. Additional snacks and meals will also be available for purchase.

Bar Services

You are welcome to bring and consume your own drinks at any time. There will also be cash bars at all dancefloors for when you want something colder and fresher.

Beautiful Showers & Toilets

Place of Dreams has running water and plumbing (a big deal in the desert). Shower and toilet facilities are spacious, plentiful and well spaced out. You cannot drink the tap water.

Electricity

Campsites and common areas all have plug points (another big desert luxury).

Full Kitchen Facilities

A fully functioning kitchen is available with fridge space for ice and food, plus cutlery and dishes. Just remember: cleaning them is your responsibility.

Stunning Desert Scenes

Experience incredible sunsets, sunrises and star-filled skies with minimal light pollution.

Medic on Duty

A professional medic will be present throughout the event and is experienced with the unique challenges of the desert.

Yoga Pavilion

A gorgeous dedicated yoga space complete with shade and desert views is available at all times - don't forget your mat!

Secret Treats

The Committee will bless everyone in fun and interesting ways throughout the event 😉

Sound & Soul

Lineup

DJs will be signing up soon and we'll be curating the lineup from there. Check back for the full announcement!

Coming Soon

Festival Schedule

30 Dec 2026 – 2 Jan 2027

Wednesday – 30 December 2026

19:00–22:00 Dinner served

POD 1

19:30–20:00 Welcoming speech

POD 1

20:00–Close Jol

POD 1

Thursday – 31 December 2026

10:00–12:00 Breakfast served

POD 1

From 11:00 Transport to Infinity Dam starts

Shuttles run back and forth as required

Departing from POD 1

12:30–19:00 Jol

Infinity Dam

19:00–21:00 Dinner served

POD 1

From 20:00 Transport to Canyon starts

Shuttles run back and forth as required

Departing from POD 1

21:00–05:00 Jol

Canyon

Friday – 1 January 2027

10:00–12:00 Breakfast served

POD 1

12:00–21:00 Jol

Rooftop

21:00–23:00 Dinner served

POD 1

23:00–Close Jol

POD 1

Saturday – 2 January 2027

10:00–12:00 Breakfast served

POD 1

Memories

Last Year's Magic

Glimpses from our previous desert gathering:

Festival lounge gathering
Fruitopia DJ
Desert venue view
The mighty pig art car
Festivalgoers relaxing by the water at Infinity Dam
Night party in the canyon with colorful lighting
Crowd gathered at the canyon entrance with glowing arch
Festival performers with LED lights and sunflower staff
Canyon at night with colorful lighting and fire sculptures
Relive the Magic

Last Year's Aftermovie