8 Day Yoga and Adventure Retreat in the Sahara Desert, Morocco
Sahara Desert Morocco Yoga and Adventure Retreat
Enjoy a tour of Merzouga Sahara Desert and Morocco, daily yoga, and discover the high dunes of Erg Chebbi. Spend days of adventure, sleeping under the stars of the desert, sunrise and sunset yoga, excursions, connections, and many beautiful activities in the desert.
Meet the instructors
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Highlights
- 2 yoga classes per day
- Excursions and natural hikes
- Holistic workshops and sandboarding
- 7 nights accommodation (the night before the retreat start is included)
- 1 day in a luxury pool villa right in the middle of the desert
- Airport transfers
- Most meals are provided
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
Accommodation
Facilities
- Air-conditioned rooms
- Dining area
- Environmentally friendly
- Fireplace
- Luggage room / storage
- Restaurant
- Yoga deck
- Free Wi-Fi
Beautiful double occupancy tents are shared with your loved one, friend, family member, or another retreat guest if you do not mind sharing with a new friend. In that case, let Free The Soul Retreats know prior to booking so they can try to pair you with someone, if not possible pair you with someone it will be require to book the single occupancy. Or a spacious single tent all to yourself to relax and unwind in a beautiful space after a long day of yoga and adventure.
The accommodations are luxury tent in the middle of the desert, a rare pearl of the Sahara that offers the guests a calm and rejuvenating home away from home experience. The tents are very spacious, so even if shared, you will still have your privacy and be able to enjoy the silence of the desert and maybe who knows an occasion to make a new beautiful connection with a stranger if you decide to share. The best friendships started like that. This could be a good occasion to meet new friends or similarly mindful people.
All the tents are luxurious with beautiful Moroccan rugs and design and attention to detail. All of them have a private bathroom with a shower and very comfortable beds and all of them are situated in a beautiful Berber camp right in the middle of Sahara desert dunes. Just a few steps from your door, you will enjoy the most breathtaking sunrise, sunset, and sky full of stars of your whole life.
Program
Do you love yoga, big wild unique places in nature, and adventures? Are you inspired by an active and healthy lifestyle? Need a break from all this go-go life or willing to change something to feel more connected with yourself? Then this is what you need.
Follow Free The Soul Retreats to the desert for a unique experience you will remember for a lifetime. Come with them to practice yoga in the dunes, discover the Moroccan culture, have fun riding camels, sandboarding, and driving quads, make new beautiful connections, and sleep under the stars of the Sahara Desert. If you have an adventurous spirit, this retreat is for you.
Let them take you on a journey into yoga, adventures, magic, and happiness. The biggest goal is to impact and inspire people way beyond the experience of this one-week retreat of relaxation and rejuvenation. You combine invigorating morning yoga flows with relaxing restorative sessions and fresh plant-based meals made with local, organic ingredients based on holistic nutrition principles which will leave you feeling your best possible self.
This retreat combines invigorating sunrise yoga flows with relaxing Restorative or Hatha sunset flows in the middle of the dunes in the Sahara Desert, what a place to be to deepen your practice and explore yourself. They offer fresh plant-based meals made with local and organic ingredients based on holistic nutrition principles which will leave you feeling your best possible self. They encourage you to eat plant-based or vegetarian during this retreat, but they are also open and understand if you still need to make your own diet, just let them know.
All packed in a week full of yoga, fun, connections, adventures, Moroccan desert, and culture. Come and join them for a few magical days in the majestic Sahara Desert that will leave you inspired, empowered, and recharged.
This program includes day trips, many activities, nutrition and essential oil workshops, daily yoga and meditation, and much more. You will meet like-minded people, feel recharged, and fall in love with the beauty of the desert a unique experience.
In this adventurous retreat, you will do yoga daily at sunrise waking up your energies, higher self, and sunset restoring your body and purifying your soul as you travel through the Merzouga Desert, the best part of the Sahara. Yoga style will be Ashtanga Vinyasa and Hatha flow combined sequences, invigorating movements in the morning practice, and Vinyasa or Restorative style more of a static practice still flowing a little slow-paced in the evening.
Both practices are going to be influenced by the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air, and their healing sounds with movement connected to your ujjayi breath and repetitions so that it will help to be aware of your body, challenge your mind, and bring you in the present moment, the magic of the desert it will help even more. The goal is that you will go home to develop your own practice which will bring you always back to the peace of the desert.
There will also be some holistic talking where you can ask anything you are curious about, so you can learn and incorporate something healthy into your daily routine. always remember that this is an adventure and you are in the wild so be ready to adapt to some changes in the schedule or time if needed. Be flexible and relaxed as you are on vacation. Join them in one of the most unique locations on earth, the Sahara desert.
If you have read books such as The Alchemist or The Little Prince, you should know already why this retreat is so special. It is for sure something unique.
Deepen your practice
Retreat days are laid out in a way that you will have plenty of opportunities to take your yoga practice to the next level, develop your own personal practice that you can keep up at home, as well as learn key elements about holistic lifestyle principles and a healthy routine. You will see your yoga teacher doing or eating some curious things for her well-being. You can ask and grab her anytime for suggestions or explanations about healthy foods and habits. For sure not something that you have every day.
Have a great adventure
Spend seven days trekking and adventuring through Morocco and the Sahara desert, the biggest desert in the world. Two daily yoga practices, visiting high sand dunes, riding camels, catching sunrises and sets, visiting local villages, sand boarding, quads, and more. This is an adventure-filled retreat blended with yoga and holistic wellness.
Reconnect to self
Learn how to yourself on a deeper level and feel empowered moving forward in your life beyond your week together. The desert is such a unique place where to lose and find yourself again, you can not find something this special anywhere on this earth.
Itinerary
Day 0: Arrival
You need to come 1 day before so you can attend the full program on April 23. April 22 is the arrival day. There will be no yoga / food on arrival day. The accommodation on April 22 is included in the package.
Day 1: Marrakech - Tizi n’Tichka Atlas Mountain - Ait Benhaddou kasbah - Dades Valley/Gorges
Depart at 8:00 p.m. from Marrakech to Dades Valley via the High Atlas Mountains passing through Tizi n’Tichka in the high Atlas Mountains, you will stop in a women's cooperative of organic Argan oil. You will then stop and enjoy impressive landscapes and Berber hamlets and get the chance to visit the universal Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou Kasbah and have lunch here (not included). It has been named by Pateimiony of UNESCO. Since 1987, this Berber Kasbah has been used as a very important destination for international filmmakers for more than 20 films.
It was also one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory, salt, and silk from sub-Saharan countries to Marrakech and beyond. You will pass through Ouarzazate. After that, you will continue to Dades Valley through the Megoun Valley of the roses and stop in the roses organic shop, Skoura (Berber villages around the valley). You will spend the night in the Dades valley in a beautiful riad by the mountains. After sunset yoga, you will have dinner and sleep at the riad.
Day 2: Dades Gorges - Tenghir - Todra Gorges - Tinjdad - Erfoud - Merzouga (night in the desert)
After sunrise yoga and breakfast, you will go from Dades to the Erg Chebbi Sahara desert in Merzouga, your main destination. Berber villages are scattered along the way, you will pass through Tinjdad, Jorf, and Erfoud where you will feel the beginning of the Saharan oasis of Tafilalet. Then you continue to Merzouga, stop for lunch (not included) in some of the villages along the way, and go to a typical shop in the desert where you are free to try all the dresses, maybe the henna painting on your hands, and take beautiful photos of it.
After that, you will head to the desert and your luxury camp between the dunes. After the sunset yoga between the dunes, you will spend the night in Nomad Berber luxury tents with drumming Moroccan desert music in the middle of the Sahara. Here is a great opportunity to take lovely pictures of the sky full of stars, sunset, and sunrise, amazing.
Day 3: Explore the Sahara area
A day all around the desert area. After your yoga and breakfast, you leave the camp to visit the Gnaoua village where local musicians will play music with their authentic instruments. After spending a worthwhile moment with Gnaoua, you drive around the Sahara discovering what are its secrets. You will have lunch in some oasis (not included) and go back to camp for yoga, camel trekking, sand boarding, and taking amazing pictures of the beautiful Sahara landscape at sunset a true desert adventure through sand dunes. Dinner and live Berber music overnight in a camp.
Day 4: Merzouga Dunes - The Sahara Desert - Berber Nomad Family - Riassani Market
In the morning, after yoga and breakfast, you will have around one hour to reach your next destination: a small oasis with canalization, some trees, and typically cultivated vegetables of the area, you will learn about the canalization of the desert history. After that, you will go to the fresh market for local food and spices. Here you can buy something to bring to a real nomad camp where have a picnic lunch in town and tea, and see how a nomad family lives.
On the way to the market, you will stop also at an organic dates shop with 18 different quality dates the most local fruit you can find there, and a handmade rugs shop where you will learn about the craft of these rugs and their history. After that, you will head back to the camp for sunset yoga, delicious dinner, and music while you enjoy watching the stars.
Day 5: Free day
Stay at the camp and relax and enjoy the Sahara desert or quadruple or four-by-four in the dunes or paragliding over the dunes if you bring your own gear (not included). Sunrise yoga and after breakfast, you can decide how to spend the best way your free day. There will be no tours or excursions this day, but they have a few ideas for you in the morning: a one-hour quads ride in the dunes or a four-by-four ride in the dunes. Or if you are experienced, you can bring your gear to tell them in advance before you leave for this trip and they will set you up for amazing paragliding in the desert.
Also if you feel you need a rest, you can just chill at the camp, read, relax, or take photos. If any of these options do not suit you, you are responsible for organizing your own day and activities so just make sure you will be back for sunset yoga and dinner. During the free day, any activities are not included in the final price of your retreat, but if you have an interest in some of them, just hit yourself up and they will help you out with bookings and the best prices.
Day 6
Spend the day at an amazing five-star hotel with a swimming pool in front of the dunes. After the sunrise yoga and your breakfast, they will drive you to a stunning Moroccan-style hotel with a swimming pool just by the dunes. You will have lunch included here, a holistic workshop (usually essential oils), and your sunset yoga. Back to the camp for dinner and last night in the desert.
Day 7: Sahara Desert - Arfoud - Draa Valley - Ouarzazate - Marrakech
Early morning will wake you up to watch the sunrise from the dunes and then you will have your last yoga practice, breakfast, and get ready to return by four-by-four to the Marrakech. Last day, there will be no stop for tours or activities, but, of course, for any of your needs and for a nice lunch spot which will be an hour and a half stop (not included). You will arrive at around 8:00 p.m. in Marrakech and they will drop you at any place you need and end your adventure.
Included excursions
You will have seven days full of activities and excursions. Seeing from the window of your four-by-four, all the different, unique land beautiful landscapes of beautiful Morocco from Marrakech all the way to the desert will be something that will fill your heart. You will visit oasis and real nomads camp, learn their history, and visit the local market with the most incredible variety of spices as local as can be. And you will adventure in the dunes on the back of camels, sandboarding on the snowboard, riding a quad, and on the four-by-four.
Instructors
Gloria Giorgia Gaspari
Experienced yoga instructor, holistic nutritionist, vegan chef, and the founder of Free the Soul Retreats, Gloria was born in Italy and you can see her Italian passion in all she does - from teaching yoga to preparing beautiful and delicious vegan meals and helping people build a healthy lifestyle. Her teaching style is very versatile and unique. She teaches Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, and Restorative yoga. The way she flows is very connected with the breath, the movement of the body, dance, primal movements, the higher self, and alignments. She is well-prepared and you will learn a lot.
Retreat location
The holiday will take place in Merzouga, Sahara Desert, Morocco. You'll also stay in Marakesh and Dades Gorge as a part of the experience.
Food
You will be served one welcome drink, two daily delicious local meals, and two lunches, with a nomad family and at the villa included in the price. The others lunches will be always on the go as we will be in tours or excursions. The meals will be vegetarian and plant-based mainly.
Free The Soul Retreats encourages you to try this diet for a week, sometimes if you are not used to could be boring, but trust the nutritionist there is nothing better then a week of detox and purify the body to gain energies, strength, focus and health. Your yoga instructors are also holistic nutritionists and know how important is to detox the body for a week and value the importance to consume whole foods, but of course, if this does not suit you, just let the cook know and they will make sure you are happy because they value this too.
Let Free The Soul Retreats know if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies on time, please. The food will be made by local Berbers from the desert, very basic and simple, they also invite you to appreciate this, think that they are in a poor country far away from everything, it is amazing how beautiful and tasty could be a tajine. You will learn the typical Moroccan and Desert kitchen and traditions, like their famous healing mint tea. Some of the lunches will be not included as you will be on the move visiting the oasis or villages during the day.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Lacto-ovo Vegetarian
- Organic
- Fruitarian
- Lactose Free
- Yogic
- Other dietary requirements on request
Things to do (optional)
These are 3 activities not included that you can choose to do during the day off:
- 4x4 ride in the dunes
- Quads riding
- Paragliding - if you have your own gear let Free The Soul Retreats know and they will set you up with a guide
What's included
- Private tours
- Daily yoga classes
- Daily meditation and pranayama classes
- Camel trek
- Sunrise and sunset yoga plus holistic workshops
- Group excursions or activities
- Nature hikes with a trusted guide
- Sandboarding in the dunes
- Welcome drink
- 1 night accommodation with breakfast in Marrakech
- 1 night accommodation with dinner and breakfast in Dades Gorge
- 5 nights accommodation in Merzouga Desert in a luxury camp
- Breakfasts and dinners in Merzouga Desert luxury camp
- 1 lunch is included at the villa plus a pool day
- 1 lunch included at an oasis with nomads
- 4x4 comfortable car or van
- English-speaking driver or guide
- Car fuel
- Sunset and sunrise over the dunes
- Pick up and drop off from your riad or meeting point in Marrakech
- Airport transfer
- Luggage storage
- Drinks, water, coffee
- Pre and post-retreat support from the team
What's not included
- Travel insurance
- Flights
- Visa fee
- Additional activities not included in the itinerary
- Additional treatments
- Extra beverages
- Lunches when out in tours
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Marrakesh Menara Airport
4 km
Transfer included
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaRetreats.com. All major credit cards supported.