Desert Yoga & Camel Trek: 8 Days with Sahara Nomads

The trip begins in Marrakech, where you spend the first night in a traditional riad and have time to explore the medina. The next morning, you cross the High Atlas Mountains by private vehicle, passing over the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres — the highest road in Morocco — and stopping at the UNESCO-listed Kasbah Ait Benhaddou before continuing through the Draa Valley to M'hamid, the last town before the desert.

From there, you join the nomadic team and their camels. Over five days, you walk south into increasingly remote terrain: first leaving the palm trees behind, then crossing stone desert and climbing mountains, and finally reaching the great dunes of Erg Zahar. Each day follows a similar rhythm: yoga practice at sunrise (Hatha and Vinyasa styles, suitable for all levels), then walking until midday, lunch in the shade of a tree or tent, rest during the hottest hours, more walking in the late afternoon, and camp set up at dusk.

The nomads do all the logistics — pitching tents, cooking, loading camels, navigating — so you can focus on the practice and the landscape. Meals are vegetarian, cooked over fire, and include bread baked in hot sand. Tea is constant. There's no electricity, no Wi-Fi, and no schedule beyond the sun and the walking.

Along the way, you pass sites of ancient dwellings with pottery shards on the ground, visit the mausoleum of the marabout Sidi Naji, and climb to viewpoints overlooking the entire Draa Valley. One evening you summit the highest dune in the area. Another day you stop at a well where you might meet camel herders, and you can take a 'nomad-style shower' — water from the well, poured from a bucket.

The final day is a return through the Draa Valley to M'hamid, then a drive back to Marrakech for one more night before your flight home. The whole thing is led by Massimo, an Italian yoga teacher and shiatsu therapist who has been running retreats for over 20 years.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation (2 nights in riad in Marrakech, 1 night at fixed desert bivouac, 4 nights in traditional Berber tents) - 3 daily meals (vegetarian, vegan options available) - Daily yoga, pranayama, and meditation classes - All transportation during the retreat (airport transfers, private vehicle to/from desert, camel caravan) - Nomadic guides and camel support team - Nature hikes with trusted local guide - Group excursions and activities - Welcome drink - Water, tea, and coffee throughout the day

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Visa fees (if applicable) - Additional treatments or services - Personal expenses - Tips for guides and nomads