Experience

Yoga Retreat, Atlas Kasbah Morocco

We are delighted to be hosting our second EVER yoga retreat 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, as well as holistic yoga twice per day, meditation, other complimentary experiences and all taking place while embracing Morocco’s rich and diverse traditional Berber culture.

Our break is well suited for solo travelers, friends and couples who are looking for an escape from it all and authentic stay.

16th November 2024: The Details

The Itinerary

Departure date: 16th November 2024, 7 nights

Trip includes: Flights from London Gatwick with BA (Includes 23 KG baggage allowance, return airport transfers from Agadir to Atlas Kasbah, 2 Classes of Yoga per day ( 90 mins AM and 75 mins PM), 1 Meditation Class, meals included as per the itinerary, an afternoon in the Fisherman’s village of Taghazout Bay, Moroccan Cookery Class, a visit from the women’s Argan Oil cooperative, traditional Berber folk band and BBQ night and optional additional excursions and treks with Berber guides available with a supplement.

Saturday 16 November- Saturday 23 November 2024
London Gatwick- Agadir/ Agadir- London Gatwick
14:15-19:00/ 19:50- 22:40
British Airways
Includes 23 KG baggage allowance

Other flight options available, supplements may apply.

** Special launch offer price, book now to avoid disappointment.

Prices from: £1,490 per person (single person occupancy, Standard Room) There are also many other rooms types and options should you wish to share with a friend. Enquire now for more information.

Please find below a drafted itinerary of what to expect while in situ. Kindly note timings and so on will be confirmed in your pre-departure travel pack, The Discerning Collection reserve the right to make some alternations to the days of activities for logistical and operational reasons.

Saturday 16^th November

Arrive Agadir International at 19:00
Transfer to Atlas Kasbah
Late light supper for those who would like at approx. 20:30

Sunday 17th November

Yoga 08:45-10:15
Brunch from 10:15
Afternoon Tea to be served from 14:30
Yoga 17:00-18:15
Dinner to be served at 19:30

Monday 18^th November

Meditation 08:00
Yoga 08:45-10:15
Brunch from 10:15
Afternoon Tea to be served from 14:30
Yoga 17:00-18:15
Dinner to be served at 19:30

Tuesday 19^th November

Yoga 08:45-10:15
Brunch from 10:15
Afternoon Tea to be served from 14:30
Yoga 17:00-18:15
Dinner to be served at 19:30

Wednesday 20^th November

Yoga 08:45-10:15
Brunch from 10:15
Depart to Taghazout 11:30 -15:00
Return to Kasbah approx. 15:30
Afternoon Tea to be served from 16:00
Yoga 17:00-18:15
Dinner to be served at 19:30

Thursday 21^st November

Yoga 08:45-10:15
Brunch from 10:15
Moroccan Cookery Class 11:45- 13:45-14:00
Afternoon Tea to be served from 14:30
Yoga 17:00-18:15
Dinner to be served at 19:30

Friday 22^nd November

Yoga 08:45-10:15
Brunch from 10:15
Visit from the Women’s Cooperative 11:00
Afternoon Tea to be served from 14:00
Yoga 16:00-17:15
Folk Band 18:00- 19:00
BBQ Dinner to be served at 19:00

Saturday 23^rd November

Breakfast 09:00
Check out to be completed by 11am
Depart Rooms by 12 noon
OPTIONAL Lunch ( payable locally)
Depart Kasbah at 17:00
Flight at 19:50

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:

Saturday, day of arrival: supper

Sunday: Brunch, afternoon tea and dinner

Monday: Brunch, afternoon tea and dinner

Tuesday: Brunch, afternoon tea and dinner

Wednesday: Brunch, afternoon tea and dinner

Thursday: Brunch, afternoon tea and dinner

Friday: Brunch, afternoon tea and BBQ dinner

Saturday: Breakfast

LUNCH ON SATURDAY IS OPTIONAL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE THIS IT IS PAYABLE LOCALLY.

VIEW GALLERY

Following an extremely successful November 2023 yoga retreat, we are utterly delighted to be working once again with Johanna Nye. 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.

6-days of Yoga (7 night stay)

2 hrs 45 minutes of yoga each day – 90 min AM session and 75min PM session

Hatha Yoga: warm up, pranayama (breath work), asanas (postures), vinyasa (flowing sequence) and relaxation

Other offerings:

One-to-one yoga session, tailored to each guests needs, 1 hour – £30.00

Benefits those who have specific requirements, be it physically or emotionally

Meditation session, learn the art of meditation – £15.00

Benefits those who would like a deeper knowledge and understanding of the practice. Increases self-awareness and improves concentration.

Self-havening, affirmations and journaling workshop – £20.00

For self-care and self-love

Mini manicures – £15.00

Includes file, hand massage and polish

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. 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.

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). All dishes have been prepared using locally sourced or Kasbah reared meats and fish 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 feast of 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. If there are any special snacks or home comforts you like to enjoy such as an English breakfast tea we recommend bringing this with you. We will also offer an honesty bar during our retreat holidays.

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.