Atlas Mountains Yoga & Toubkal Trek: Morocco Wellness Adventure

The trip is run by Rachel Bonkink, who has lived in Morocco for four years and has organised more than 40 retreats in the country over the past decade. This will be the fifth time she has taken a group up Mount Toubkal, working with local guides who know the Atlas terrain and the Berber villages along the way.

The hiking is spread over the first half of the week. You begin with gentle walks to acclimatise and get used to the ground underfoot, then over two days climb to the refuge at 3,100 metres. The terrain alternates between steep rocky paths and quieter meadows. From the refuge, the route continues toward the summit of Toubkal, where the reward is a panorama across the Atlas range — a view you'll remember long after you're home. Your guide talks about the Berber people, their customs and how they live in these valleys.

Yoga slots around the walking rather than competing with it. Sessions are gentle — stretches, mobility, guided meditation and breathwork — designed to loosen up legs and backs after a day on the trail and to settle you before sleep. On the coast at Essaouira, classes move to the beach, which is a very different experience from rolling out a mat on a mountain lodge floor.

Accommodation is split between a genuine mountain lodge in the Atlas and a comfortable villa on the beach at Essaouira. Both are chosen for character as much as comfort — you get traditional Moroccan details, good beds and hot showers without losing the sense of where you are. Transfers between Marrakech, the mountains and the coast are arranged as part of the trip.

Essaouira itself is a relaxed, bohemian town. The medina is a grid of narrow streets lined with whitewashed buildings with blue shutters, and the markets are full of handmade crafts, textiles and fresh seafood. It's a soft landing after the mountain days, and a good place to eat well, walk on the beach and do very little if that's what you want. The retreat finishes with a return to Marrakech.

What's included

- 7 nights' accommodation (mountain lodge, mountain refuge and beach villa in Essaouira) - All meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 8 - Daily yoga, meditation and breathwork sessions - Qualified local mountain guide for the Atlas trek and Toubkal summit - Mule support for luggage on the mountain section - All ground transfers between Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains and Essaouira - Guided walk through the medina of Essaouira

What's not included

- International flights to and from Morocco - Travel insurance (mandatory for this trip) - Visa fees if applicable - Drinks outside of meals - Personal hiking gear and clothing - Optional activities such as hammam, cooking class or extra excursions - Tips for guides and lodge staff