10 Day Sahara Desert Yoga Retreat in Morocco
Sahara Desert and Marrakech Yoga Retreat
Imagine yoga overlooking the magical, ancient city of Marrakech! Imagine yoga in the middle of a huge palm grove of the Drâa-Valley! Imagine the tranquility and vastness of the Sahara desert! Imagine finding relaxation and a path to yourself in Morocco’s most beautiful and most inspiring sights. The ideal package for both the beginner and the advanced student of yoga wanting to experience something unique: Yoga overlooking Morocco’s famous imperial city Marrakech and yoga in the stunning surrounding of Morocco’s Sahara desert. You will spend 10 days traveling from the vibrant city of Marrakech, passing the Drâa-Valley, to the remote tranquility of Erg Chebbi in search of inspiration, inner peace and relaxation. You will get the chance to dive deep into asana and meditation whilst being immersed in the nature’s untouched forms to take advantage of its calming effects.
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- Unforgettable nights under the Sahara sky, sand dunes, and Berber culture
- 12 yoga sessions (morning energizing and evening relaxing practices)
- Guided tour around Marrakech and Sahara Desert
- 9 nights accommodation in partner riads or Berber tents
- Healthy traditional Moroccan cuisine
- Airport transfers and transportation throughout the country
- Desert hiking and traditional live music
- Immersive experience in nomadic life and culture
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
9 days with instruction in English
Accommodation
Marrakech
You are accommodated right in the middle of the Medina, Marrakech’s old part of the city, in a carefully chosen, familar Riad. Cool and comfortable, beautiful and absolutely quiet though right in the center, the chosen Partner Riad provides you with the fitting environment to dust off, relax, enjoy the sun and a glass of Moroccan tea any time of the day. And of course serves us comfortably for our daily yoga practice.
Agdz, Drâa Valley:
You will be accommodated in the beautiful Bab el Oued Ecolodge deep inside the heart of the Draa Valley. Right in the middle of a huge palm grove in a 5000 sqm wide oasis, where many species of flowers and fruits perfume the air day and night, Bab el Oued guarantees an enchanting surrounding during your stay. Bab el Oued Morocco Ecolodge proposes you 6 independant unique bedrooms. Each bedroom offers full comfort and a mixture of traditional materials for your senses delight.
Merzouga
You are accommodated in a traditional Kasbah (Hotel) on the only hill there overlooking the Sahara before we are heading inside the desert and once we returned from the desert. The Kasbah is family-run, welcoming and has exceptionally nice but practical rooms, some of them facing the great dunes.
Desert camp
Traditional Berber tents equipped with comfortable beds with mattresses will serve as our housing right in the middle of the desert. The camp furthermore holds a kitchen, a restaurant and a toilet. And for sure enough space for serving you comfortably for the daily yoga practice.
Program
This is what you can expect:
- 12 yoga sessions (energizing, all levels practices in the morning and a relaxing, gentle practice in the evenings) with Anica Alla, as well as morning meditations and breathwork.
- Shared room of one of the beautiful partner riads or Berber tents (single/double/twin accommodation is subject to surcharges).
- Lovely prepared, healthy traditional Moroccan cuisine (breakfast and dinner – meat as well as vegetarian or vegan options).
- Unforgettable nights under the stars of the Sahara sky, giant sand dunes, desert hiking, traditional live music, Berber culture & nomad life.
- 1 guided PIKALA bike tour to all the cultural must-sees in Marrakech.
- Stops on the way through the High Atlas, Aït Ben Haddou, Boumalne Dades, Draa Valley, and Erg Chebbi – the large sea of sand dunes.
Day 1: Arrival and introduction / no yoga
- Arrival in Marrakech throughout the day and transfer from the airport to the Riad
- Transfer will be arranged individually according to your arrival time
- 19:30 - Introduction and welcome dinner in the Riad
Day 2: Pikala city tour on bicycles / 2 yoga sessions
- 07:30 - 09:00 - Morning yoga, including pranayama and meditation, focus on root chakra
- 09:30 - Breakfast
- 11:00 - Pikala bike tour to all the must-sees of Marrakech
- 15:00 - 17:30 - Free time
- 17:30 - Sunset yoga, focus on root chakra
- 19:30 - Dinner in the Riad
Day 3: Off to Drâa Valley / 1 yoga session
- 06:30 - Early breakfast
- 07:30 - Departure from Marrakech to Agdz
- 16:30 - Arrival in Agdz
- 17:30 - Evening yoga, focus on sacral chakra
- 19:30 - Dinner in the eco lodge
Day 4: Off to Merzouga / 1 yoga session
- 07:30 - 09:00 - Morning yoga, including pranayama and meditation, focus on solar plexus chakra
- 09:30 - Breakfast and chill out at the pool
- 12:00 - Departure from Agdz to Merzouga
- (Departure depends on the season)
- 17:00 - Arrival in Merzouga
- 17:30 - Off to the desert with pack camels during the sunset
- 19:30 - Dinner in the Desert Camp
Day 5-6: Exploring the desert / 2 yoga sessions
- 07:30 - 09:00 - Morning yoga, including pranayama and meditation, focus on heart chakra (day 5) and throat chakra (day 6)
- 09:30 - Breakfast and optional desert hiking / visit a nomad family
- 14:00 - Lunch
- 17:30 - Evening yoga in the Desert Camp, focus on heart chakra (day 5)andd throat chakra (day 6)
- 19:30 - Dinner in the Desert Camp
Day 7: Back to Merzouga / 2 yoga sessions
- 07:30 - 09:00 - Morning yoga, including pranayama and meditation, focus on third eye chakra
- 09:30 - Breakfast
- 11:00 - Transport back to Merzouga with the jeep
- 13:00 - Optional family lunch
- 17:30 - Evening yoga in the Kasbah, focus on third eye chakra
- 19:30 - Dinner in the Kasbah
Day 8: Transfer back to Marrakech / no yoga
- 06:30 - Early breakfast
- 07:30 - Departure from Merzouga to Marrakech
- 13:00 - Lunch stop in Aït Ben Haddou
- 19:00 - Arrival in Marrakech
- 19:30 - Dinner in the Riad
Day 9: Free time to explore Marrakech / 2 yoga sessions
- 07:30 - 09:00 - Morning yoga, including pranayama and meditation, focus on crown chakra
- 09:30 - Breakfast and free time
- 17:30 - Sunset yoga, focus on crown chakra
- 18:30 - Breathwork and guided meditation
- 19:30 - Dinner outside in a nice restaurant
Day 10: Departure / no yoga
- Breakfast and departure
- Transfer will be arranged individually according to your departure time)
Yoga lessons are usually taught in English but translated into German where and if necessary.
Included excursions
- Stay in Merzouga village
- Visit Erg Chebbi - large seas of dunes formed by wind-blown sand
- See the traditional mud brick city at At Benhaddou
- Visit Marrakech's greatest sights: Jemaa el-Fnaa, Koutoubia Mosque, Majorelle Garden, Menara Gardens, Bahia Palace, the souks, all the narrow streets hiding all kinds of treasures and handicrafts
- Pass the High Atlas
Instructors
Anica Alla
Anica is the founder of Nosade. As a yoga teacher, Anica emphasizes particularly on bio-mechanical aspects of healthy movement and its value for both, the body, and the mind. She is trained in yoga Therapeutics and is teaching Anusara-inspired Hatha yoga.
Gaia Ceccarelli
Movement and body as an instrument to create harmony have always been an integral part of Gaia's life. Gaia studied classical, modern, and contemporary dance for 16 years. Inspired by Vinyasa yoga, her teaching style emphasizes body awareness and alignment, focusing the attention on cultivating sensibility, honesty, and concentration on the mat and in life. When teaching, Gaia’s focus is to guide students towards having the confidence and understanding to develop a self-practice and to personally experience the transformative power of yoga.
Katrin Witt
For over 10 years you can find nomad heart Katrin regularly on the mat. In the yoga practice, she found peace and strength from the very beginning—serenity and gratitude followed. The desire of being able to pass that to others has initiated her doing a yoga teacher training in 2013 in India at the Ashiyana Yoga Centre and aroused her interest in yoga and holistic life approaches. Additionally it is Katrin’s heartfelt concern to integrate yoga into a normal life, to practice with fun and joy and to submit no overlying strict dogmas.
Retreat location
This holiday adventure starts at Medina, Marrakech. On the way to Sahara desert, you will transit for a night at Merzouga village before heading to desert. You get to experience sleeping in traditional Berber tents for 5 nights and the vastness of the desert during the day. After that, you will transit at Merzouga for a night before heading back to Marrakech.
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Click to see more vegetarian-friendly Yoga Retreats
Food
You will be served Berber and Morrocan inspired meals. Vegan or vegetarian meals are upon request. Please email NOSADE on your preferred nutritional style and also about any food intolerance.
Nosade is offering vegetarian as well as vegan meal options. Please inform them upfront about your preferred nutritional style and also about any food intolerance.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Things to do (optional)
- Drinking a Berber whiskey
- Gazing at the beautiful traditional mud brick city at At Benhaddou
- Diving into the souks of Medina
- Explore Sahara Desert on the back of a dromedary or hiking
- Visit a nomad family
- Learn to cook couscous with a Berber woman
- Romantic candlelight dinner under the unforgettable desert sky
- Be amazed at the large seas of dunes formed by wind-blown sand at Erg Chebbi
Optional tours
Additional tours can be arranged upon request, on your own expense. Please email NOSADE for further information.
Spa treatments
Spa treatments can be arranged in Marrakech, individually and upon request.
What's included
- Berber cooking class
- 12 yoga sessions and morning meditations
- Guided tours to Marrakech, High Atlas, Aït Ben Haddou, Boumalne Dades, Draa Valley, and Erg Chebbi
- Ground transportation from Marrakech to Sahara Desert
- Traditional Moroccan breakfast and dinner cuisine(meat as well as vegetarian or vegan options)
- 9 nights accommodations in Riad or Berber tent
- Fresh fruits, tea and water available all day
- Airport transfers
What's not included
- Additional tour
- Entrance fees
- Flight ticket
- Travel insurance
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Transfer included
Marrakesh Menara Airport
4 km away from your destination
Arrival by airplane
You have to book flights to Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK). Transfer from and to Marrakech Menara (RAK) airport is included in your package. NOSADE will arrange for your airport transfer once you submitted your flight details via email.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 28 days before arrival.
Reviews
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