Marrakesh Fitness & Yoga Week: Atlas Mountain Runs and Desert Strength Training

The villa sits in the palm groves on the edge of Marrakesh, roughly a 20-minute drive from Jemaa el-Fnaa and the medina. It has an outdoor pool, a shaded yoga deck on the roof, a small weights area under an awning in the garden, and six ensuite bedrooms. Meals are cooked by a local chef and eaten together at one long table on the terrace, usually outside unless it's cold.

The training is split across the week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings are strength and conditioning sessions in the garden — kettlebells, bodyweight circuits, sandbag carries and sled pushes, scaled so a complete beginner and a regular gym-goer can train side by side. Tuesday and Thursday mornings are trail runs in the Atlas foothills, between 5km and 10km depending on how you're feeling, with a shorter walking option for anyone who'd rather not run. Every evening at around 18:30 there's a 75-minute yoga class on the roof deck — mostly vinyasa, with a yin or restorative session on the last night.

What separates this from the many Marrakesh yoga weeks is that the fitness side is genuinely coached rather than bolted on. Each guest gets a short movement screen on arrival, and the strength sessions are then adjusted for things like old knee injuries or dodgy shoulders. There's also an optional 1-on-1 session available during the week (extra cost) if you want to work on something specific — a squat that doesn't feel right, or a race you're training for.

The villa is quiet at night, which is worth mentioning because a lot of Marrakesh accommodation isn't. You'll hear frogs and the call to prayer and not much else. Four of the six rooms face the garden and the pool; the other two look out towards the olive grove at the back.

Midweek there's a free afternoon with a group trip into the medina — a guided walk through the souks, a stop at a spice market, and mint tea on a rooftop. It's optional; several people each week skip it and stay by the pool instead. On the last evening the chef cooks a proper tagine feast and there's a hammam trip organised for anyone who wants one (around €30, paid locally).

What's included

- 5 nights accommodation in an ensuite room, single occupancy as standard - Airport transfers from and to Marrakesh Menara Airport - Three meals a day, cooked at the villa by a local chef - Morning strength and conditioning sessions (3 per week) - Morning trail runs in the Atlas foothills (2 per week) - Evening yoga classes every day (75 minutes) - Movement screening and personalised session scaling on arrival - Guided group trip into the medina with mint tea - Use of the pool, garden, yoga deck, weights area and all villa facilities - Free wifi throughout the property - Honesty bar with soft drinks, beer and wine (charged per item)

What's not included

- Flights to and from Marrakesh - Travel insurance (required) - Optional 1-on-1 personal training sessions (around €40/hour) - Optional hammam and massage trip (around €30) - Alcoholic drinks from the honesty bar - Meals eaten outside the villa on the free afternoon - Personal expenses, souvenirs and tips - Airport transfers outside the scheduled arrival and departure days