Luxury New Year yoga retreat at Tigmi, near Marrakesh, Morocco
27 December - 2 January 2020
Cost from £740
Teacher Raquel Alves
Holiday ExpiredAbout Tigmi
Tigmi, situated 24km south of Marrakesh is set within a magical desert landscape. On the brow of the Berber hamlet of Tagadert, its labyrinth of narrow alleyways and flat-roofed village houses has a timeless, biblical feel to it.
'Tigmi', meaning 'my house' in the local Berber dialect, was built in 1840 for the local judge. As with many North African dwellings, the interior is all: a step inside, and the peaceful beauty of Tigmi is revealed. The first impression is of a lovely garden laid to lawns and paths, with banana palms, citrus and olive trees and a swimming pool with soft, jade-coloured water. The scents and colours of orange blossom and roses assail the senses. Fifteen tortoises live in this garden, adding to the unhurried feel of this tranquil oasis.
There are two swimming pools, one of which is heated to 26 degrees throughout the year. There are sun-loungers around the pool and shaded areas in the gardens, furnished with comfortable divans for those of you who prefer to laze around out of the sun.
Daily programme
There will be two yoga classes daily with one yoga-free day. Each day will begin with a morning yoga class of of pranayama, meditation and asanas, opening the body and attuning the mind to the breath. The evening class will be more gentle and restorative. For New Year there will also be a special craft session where you will make something which represents what you desire to let go of, so you can make space for new intentions in 2019. Crafts will be thrown into the fire just before the clock strikes midnight, letting go of the old and creating space to welcome new intentions into our lives. All classes will be suitable for all levels.
A breakfast of delicious home-made juices, honey, yogurts, pancakes, cheeses, locally made breads, fresh fruit and cereals will be served after class. There will be a salad buffet lunch. All evening meals are traditionally North African dishes, with vegetarian meals also wonderfully prepared on request.
For New Year's Eve there will be a banquet. Moroccan champagne. smoked salmon, oysters and many varieties of salads will be followed by Tanjia Marrakchia, a traditional lamb dish cooked in a special pot with various spices for one full night in the ash of a traditional hamam. For dessert there will be New Year cake and cheese. Vegetarian alternatives will be available on request. It promises to be an evening of fun and celebration with live entertainment from a local three 'Gnaoua' band, similar to the bands that play in the Jemaa el Fna Square with a very rhythmic and ethnic African vibe.
Non-yoga partners are welcome to join the retreat and celebrations. Please get in touch for rates.
Things to do
Days can be spent lazing Moroccan style; lounging, reading or swimming in one of the two pools, playing backgammon or chess in one of the many gardens and courtyards or popping into Marrakesh on the hotel's free mini-bus service.
Tigmi also has its own hamam, spa treatments and massage therapists on hand. There are a few bicycles available for the more energetic to explore the local area.
Outside of Tigmi there are local sporting activities such as horse-riding and golf. Cultural treats are plentiful with mosques, museums, a visit to the famous Jemaa el Fna square with its acrobats, dancers and magicians, the Majorelle Gardens and the grove of 150,000 palm trees at La Palmeraie. A visit to one of the souks in Marrakesh's old city is an art form in itself, with busy market stalls and colourful displays of the traders' wares - local crafts, satins, silks, glittery shoes, leather wares, paintings, spices and food.
There are various day excursions further afield, arranged by the hotel such as a visit to the Atlas Mountains or coastal Essaouira. For the more energetic, subject to snowfall, skiing can be enjoyed in the small resort of Oukaimeden in the Atlas range.
Accommodation details
The bedrooms are authentically Moroccan with generous, comfortable beds, cool sheets, hand-woven covers and cushions, large bathrooms and a traditional seated area, which can double as extra sleeping-space. Many of the bedrooms have fireplaces and private terraces.
Press Reviews
![psychologies-magazine - YOAS holiday reviews](https://yoasyogaretreats.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/psychologies-magazine.png)
![Tigmi - YOAS Yoga Retreats](https://yoasyogaretreats.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/tigmi-pool2-400x400.jpg)
The Relaxing Yoga Break
Psychologies Magazine, February 2018
YOAS at Tigmi, Morocco
‘Dive into the grooves, cracks and crevices, and explore the unfolding of the “waves” and breath from within,’ says Lara Stapleton during her immersion week of Scaravelli yoga at this laid-back hotel near Marrakech. Space, breath and gravity are key, as the body is expanded. Classes focus on holding postures to release the fascia and loosen the spine so it becomes something more like Lara’s ‘waves’. Morning and evening sessions fly by, interspersed with chanting, pranayama and meditation. Days are free for the delights of the hotel, which has sweeping desert views and enchanting spots to sit beneath swathes of bougainvillea. There are two pools to cool off in after a walk into the lunar landscape of the Atlas mountains, or the sensory overload of a trip to the souk half an hour away, and a little hammam where you can have a scrub and massage.
Be swift to the buffet lunch of vital, colourful ingredients. Supper is a la carte, with whole fish or spiced lamb or chicken tagines – specify in advance any dietary requirements. Expect to leave feeling ‘taller’, with open hips and shoulders and a renewed enthusiasm for life.
Luxury New Year yoga retreat at Tigmi, near Marrakesh, Morocco, 27 December - 2 January 2020
Costs
Sharing a twin or double Berber room - £740 per person
Single occupancy Berber room - £995 per person
'Mega' luxury suites are also available. Prices on request.
Cost includes: accommodation, breakfast, salad buffet lunch, evening meal, a special New Year's eve banquet and entertainment and two yoga classes per day (with one yoga-free day).
Non-yoga partners and family are welcome. Please get in touch for rates.
A 50% non-refundable deposit is required on booking and the balance is due 6 weeks before you travel.
Travel Arrangements
Arrival is anytime on 27 December and departure is anytime on 2 January 2020.
Easyjet, BA and Ryanair all fly direct to Marrakesh from London:-
www.skyscanner.net
www.easyjet.com
www.ba.com
www.ryanair.com
Airport transfers to and from the hotel will be an added cost of 125 Moroccan dirhams (about £10) each way or 250 (about £20) Moroccan dirhams each way if transferring alone.
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