Experience
21st-26th November, Yoga Retreat at Atlas Kasbah
The retreat is due to take place in the foothills of the high Atlas Mountains at the glorious Atlas Kasbah, ecolodge, which is situated in a UNESCO Argan biosphere reserve nestled in the heart of the countryside, yet only a short distance from the windswept beaches of Agadir.
Our break here provides guests with the opportunity for rest and rejuvenation in utterly serene environs while embracing Morocco’s rich and diverse traditional Berber culture.
21st November 2023: The Details
The Itinerary
Departure date: 21st November for 5 nights with meals included as per the itinerary at Atlas Kasbah
Trip includes: Flights from Gatwick with 15 Kgs luggage, return airport transfers, two hours of yoga per day for four days, an afternoon in the Fisherman’s village of Taghazout Bay (at own cost, transfers included), an evening in Agadir (at own cost, transfers included), traditional Moroccan Berber evening and a visit from the women’s Argan Oil cooperative.
- Tuesday 21 November- Sunday 26 November
- London Gatwick- Agadir/ Agadir- London Gatwick
- 16:20-21:10/ 13:30- 16:20
- Wizz Air/ easyJet
- Includes 20 KG baggage allowance outbound and 15KG bag for the hold inbound, together with small under the seat cabin bag
Other flight options available, supplements may apply.
** Special launch offer price, book now to avoid disappointment.
Prices from: £1,100 per person (single person occupancy, Standard Room)
Prices from: £975 (sharing a twin/ double, Traditional Room)
Please find below a drafted itinerary of what to expect while in situ. Kindly note timings and so on will be confirmed locally.
Tuesday 21st November
- Depart UK fly to Morocco
- Transfer from Agadir to Atlas Kasbah
- Late supper
Wednesday 22nd November
- 08:45 (approx.) Yoga
- Brunch
- A visit from the Argan co-operative laides
- 16:00 Yoga
- 18:30 Special Berber Dinner (calligraphy, music, costumes, beauty, tea ceremony)
Thursday 23rd November
- Yoga
- Brunch
- 12 noon Transfer to the fishermans village of Taghazout Bay explore the area, go to the beach (lunch not included)
- 16:00 approx. return to Kasbah
- 17:00 yoga
- Dinner
Friday 24th November
- 09:00- 11:00 Yoga (or an hour in the AM and an hour early afternoon TBA)
- Brunch
- 17:00 Transfer to Agadir for an evening under your own steam (dinner excluded) return transfer @22:00
Saturday 25th November
- 09:00 Yoga
- Brunch
- 17:00 Yoga
- Farewell dinner and live berber folk band
Sunday 26th November
- Berber Breakfast
- Transfer back to Agadir
- Fly back to the UK
Good to know:
**While the Kasbah does not hold an alcohol license you are invited to bring your own duty free should you wish to enjoy a glass of wine or two over meals.
Meals:
The following meals are included, dinner on Friday is excluded see brackets.
Tuesday, day of arrival: supper
Wednesday: brunch and Berber dinner
Thursday: brunch and dinner
Friday: brunch (evening in Agadir, dinner your own arrangements not included)
Saturday: brunch and dinner
Sunday: Berber breakfast
We are delighted to be working with Johanna Nye for our first Moroccan Yoga retreat. Johanna is an experienced and passionate Hatha yoga teacher, who strives to inspire others to improve their physical health and mental wellbeing through asana, breathing, meditating, and chanting. Johanna has been living in Morocco now for over a year teaching in Agadir and Marrakesh. From the age of 17 Johanna attended yoga classes but in 2006 she enrolled on her teacher training course with the Traditional Yoga Association the 500 hour course provided her with a solid grounding in all aspects of yoga from postures and mindfulness to relaxation and meditation. More recently, Johanna has taught many classes in local centres in Reading and at the Reading Hindu Temple, in addition to this she had led many yoga sessions on retreats such as this and taken part in the world yoga festival. Johanna enjoys bringing lightness, energy and fun to each class, and finds it most rewarding to see the positive improvement that yoga brings to students’ health, wellbeing and lives overall. All sessions are tailored to the requirements of everyone in the class.
An exclusive-use eco-kasbah, bursting with unique experiences and opportunities for adventure together with majestic views over the UNESCO Argan Biosphere Reserve.
We are delighted to introduce Atlas Kasbah Ecolodge to our portfolio. The property has been welcoming guests since 2009 and is a new favourite of ours, due to its strong sense of place and responsibility to the environment. Atlas Kasbah will knock- your- socks off when it comes to their commitment and approach to sustainable tourism, it is in fact the first ecolodge in Morocco and North Africa and was awarded the gold winner of the world for Responsible Tourism in London during 2015.
Atlas Kasbah enjoys a magnificent position enveloped by glorious undulating terrain in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. The region is known as the Argan Biosphere Reserve and while having the feel of being wonderfully immersive and away from it all it is still close enough to reach the windswept beaches of Agadir for a completely contrasting coastal experience. And you simply cannot leave without taking a visit to the charming Fisherman’s village of Taghazout, a stroll along the narrow promenade followed by a refreshing drink at one of the cosy restaurants while watching the surfers at sea is simply glorious.
There is an otherworldly quality to Atlas Kasbah, this is largely due to the expertly preserved architecture, colourful soft furnishings and original artefacts. Interesting craftsmanship has been carried out by expert local artisans with ancestral knowledge in rammed earth, tadelakt, stone and wood, providing a distinct sense of place and allowing guests the opportunity to connect to the surrounds. Throughout, the property exudes and promotes the Moroccan value of humanity, traditions and heritage with the complete preservation of nature in mind.
The commitment to the environment is evident in abundance from carbon neutral menus, organic food production, to renewable energy resources and earth construction. Furthermore as part of this sustainable approach, Atlas Kasbah is eager to promote the local community. To this end, they employ workers from the Agadir Souss Massa region who are an utter delight and so keen to welcome, they make an effort to introduce guests to local customs and their fascinating way of life. The team consists of locals from the Berber villages near Agadir who have never received formal training. They are also eager to employ women with no education, this social initiative encourages local women to participate in economic activity providing new opportunities for themselves and their families. This wonderfully human approach gives way to a more sincere experience and leaves you feeling wonderfully refreshed from the moment you arrive. We’re pretty certain you’ll enter as a guest and leave as a friend. Atlas Kasbah has just 12 guest rooms all of which are individually styled and arranged using noble local furnishings and fittings as well as green materials such as earth and wood. The wonderfully soothing combination of colours blends seamlessly with the Moroccan sunlight evoking a strong sense of relaxation and place. Each of the rooms have individual features and amenities.
Mealtimes are a genuine treat, we offer our retreats on a half or full board option (please refer to each individual retreat to find out what is included: see prices) with all dishes being prepared using locally sourced meats and just-picked produce from the organic vegetable gardens. While it has few frills, the simple flavours of genuine Moroccan home-cooking speaks volumes for its authenticity. There really is no better place to refuel and enjoy a generous feast of sumptuous local delicacies, each of which has been carefully prepared to order by the ladies who share their own family recipes lovingly and in a custom that you would enjoy if you were a guest dining in their own home. While the Kasbah does not hold an alcohol license you are invited to bring your own duty free should you wish to enjoy a glass of wine or two over meals.
The most difficult decisions you will make while resident is what to see and do once you are here. The majority of guests visiting with the Discerning Collection will be visiting on one of our exclusive-use retreats. In addition to wonderfully relaxed yoga, there is an enormous choice of activities to engage in. While some guests may be happy, kicking back with a good book by the enormous salt-water swimming pool or rejuvenating in the spa. There are plenty of activities on offer; including traditional Moroccan cookery classes, honey and date tasting, gentle trekking, pottery classes, an introduction to Arabic, star gazing in the wilderness, as well as many opportunities to explore the local flora and fauna and places of interest.
Popular with sun seekers due to its warm year round climate, a stay at Atlas Kasbah is the perfect choice for those who love vast open spaces, nature, serenity and the opportunity for immersion into the local ambience. A truly wonderful space to disconnect and reconnect.
VIEW GALLERY
The Itinerary
Departure date: 21st November for 5 nights with meals included as per the itinerary at Atlas Kasbah
Trip includes: Flights from Gatwick with 15 Kgs luggage, return airport transfers, two hours of yoga per day for four days, an afternoon in the Fisherman’s village of Taghazout Bay (at own cost, transfers included), an evening in Agadir (at own cost, transfers included), traditional Moroccan Berber evening and a visit from the women’s Argan Oil cooperative.
- Tuesday 21 November- Sunday 26 November
- London Gatwick- Agadir/ Agadir- London Gatwick
- 16:20-21:10/ 13:30- 16:20
- Wizz Air/ easyJet
- Includes 20 KG baggage allowance outbound and 15KG bag for the hold inbound, together with small under the seat cabin bag
Other flight options available, supplements may apply.
** Special launch offer price, book now to avoid disappointment.
Prices from: £1,100 per person (single person occupancy, Standard Room)
Prices from: £975 (sharing a twin/ double, Traditional Room)