Desert retreats
in Morocco
Retreats at Desert Camp Chraika
With its clay-wooden huts seamlessly blending into the sand dunes and a spacious yoga hall, Desert Camp Chraika offers exceptional retreats for yoga, meditation, self-development, and dance. The serene natural setting and the warm hospitality of the desert community provide not only unforgettable memories but also a transformative inner journey.
Up to 26 people
8 clay huts
Private toilets
Free WiFi
Full borad
Bed linen
& towels
Where you will sleep: stays at Desert Camp Chraika
Desert Camp Chraika is located in a serene surroundings of small sand dunes, just a 20-minute walk from oasis town M’hamid El Ghizlane. Enjoy the space and silence of the desert, walk barefoot into the dunes and admire sunset and sunrises every day.
Environmental friendly stays
The camp features 8 clay-wooden huts and can accommodate up to 26 guests. It includes a central garden, a fireplace, a relaxing chilling zone, and a spacious hall for activities such as yoga and dance. Each hut is furnished with comfortable beds, small tables, and shelves for clothing. Each room is equipped with electricity, and the camp operates entirely on solar energy. Water for toilets and showers is sourced from our private well.
Check our cozy clay huts
Simple hut
2–3 persons
- 1 single beds
- 1 double bed
- Shared bathroom
- Five huts of this type in our camp
Ensuite hut
3–4 persons
- 2 single beds
- 1 double bed
- Private bathroom
- Two huts of this type in our camp
Simple hut
4 persons
- 4 single beds
- No double beds
- Private bathroom
- One hut of this type in our camp
Family hut
6 persons
- 4 single beds
- 1 double bed
- 2 bathrooms
- One hut of this type in our camp
Where you will practice: yoga hall and surroundings
Many say the desert is perfect for retreats, and at Desert Camp Chraika, you can fully experience this. Surrounded by vast open spaces and deep silence, you’ll find a sanctuary for relaxation in the safety of our camp.
Spacious practice hall at Desert Camp Chraika
Our practice hall, like all our accommodations, is crafted from natural materials—clay and wood—offering peace and comfort regardless of the weather. This spacious, over 100 m² room is fully equipped with yoga mats, blocks, ropes, and blankets, providing everything you need for a fulfilling yoga, dance and meditation practice. The desert setting enhances the tranquility, making it a truly unique retreat experience.
Shade tent, rooftop and the dunes around
Depending on the weather and the type of practice, we encourage you to take advantage of the various spaces around the camp. Whether it’s unwinding on the rooftop of the yoga hall, practicing active yoga in the shade tent among the nearby dunes, or dancing in the dunes on cooler days, there are plenty of options to create the ideal class setting.
Yoga practice at Desert Camp Chraika
Retreats in Erg Chegaga and Erg Zahar for a deep desert experience
Upon arriving at our remote desert camp, immersing yourself in the wonders of the Sahara is a must—don’t let the opportunity pass you by! Bring your group into the wilderness to practice and connect with the natural world. Erg Chegaga is a top choice, but the M’hamid Sahara spans hundreds of kilometers of untouched beauty waiting to be explored.
Natural wonders of wild desert
The vast Sahara unfolds before you, with ergs, regs, and hamadas awaiting exploration. Overnight wild camping is a great way to experience the tranquility of the desert with all its benefits. It also gives a rare opportunity to explore remote places almost untouched by a presence of humans. Discover the green oasis adorned with palm and tamarisk trees, offering a blissful respite from the sun. Practice yoga, dance, meditation at the majestic sand dunes, especially captivating during sunrise and sunset. Visitors here are forever touched by the profound silence of the desert.
What to do in the desert: activities around M'hamid
At Desert Camp Chraika, located near oasis town M’hamid El Ghizlane, you can immerse yourself in a variety of activities designed to deepen your connection with the Sahara.
These include yoga and meditation in a spacious, eco-friendly hall, traditional hammam experiences, henna art, and Moroccan cooking classes with a local chef. You can explore the vast desert on foot, discover Berber culture, and enjoy live desert blues concerts under the stars. It’s an ideal setting for relaxation, self-discovery, and cultural immersion.
The itinerary of each retreat we host is tailored to needs and interests of a group – below you will find a list of activities that you can add to your planned event.
Local walks around M'hamid - the gateway to the desert
Walking around M’hamid, the gateway to the Sahara Desert in southern Morocco, offers a unique and tranquil experience. The village is enveloped by expansive landscapes where the golden sands of the desert blend seamlessly with the deep blue sky.
Experience traditional Berber life
As you stroll through the palm groves, you’ll encounter the traditional lifestyle of the local Berber people, characterized by their mud-brick homes and ancestral shrines known as ‘marabou’.
Local walks around M'hamid - the gateway to the desert
Discover the vibrant Monday souk in M'hamid
A Monday souk in M’hamid is a vibrant marketplace that captures the essence of the country’s rich culture and history. You’re greeted by the lively buzz of merchants selling a colorful array of goods—everything from spices and handcrafted pottery to intricate textiles and traditional jewelry.
A sensory feast of Moroccan traditions
The air is filled with the aroma of exotic spices. The souk is a sensory feast, where haggling is an art form, and each stall offers a glimpse into Morocco’s diverse craftsmanship and traditions.
Experience the ritual of a traditional hammam
A traditional bathhouse offers a deeply relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Rooted in ancient rituals, a visit to the hammam involves a series of cleansing steps, beginning with steaming in a warm room to open the pores and the application of black soap.
This is followed by an exfoliation with a rough glove called a ‘kis’, which leaves the skin feeling soft and purified, providing a sense of well-being and cleanliness. Beyond its physical benefits, the hammam is a social space where people gather to unwind, connect, and engage in a timeless cultural tradition.
Have henna painted on your hands and feet
Henna is a blend of art and tradition. The intricate designs, often inspired by nature and Berber symbolism, are skillfully applied by local women using a paste made from crushed henna leaves.
A soothing cultural ritual
As you sit in the warm desert breeze, the cool touch of the henna is soothing, while the detailed patterns gradually emerge, telling stories of beauty, protection, and celebration. This ritual, deeply rooted in Moroccan culture, connects you to the ancient traditions of the desert and leaves you with a beautiful, temporary mark of your journey.
Master the art of tajine making: classes with Moha
A hands-on immersion into one of Morocco’s most beloved dishes. Under the guidance of a skilled local chef, you will learn the art of layering ingredients in the traditional clay pot, balancing spices like cumin, coriander, and saffron with fresh vegetables, dried fruits, and tender meat.
Experience Moroccan culture through cuisine
The workshop not only teaches cooking techniques but also provides insights into Moroccan culture, where food is a central element of hospitality and communal life. At the end, participants savor their creations, experiencing the true taste of Morocco.
Feel the rhythm of desert blues under the stars
Desert blues live concerts in the Sahara Desert are an unforgettable fusion of music and nature, where the soulful sounds of traditional Berber and Saharawi rhythms resonate across the vast, silent dunes.
A soulful journey
Performed under a starlit sky, the music captures the spirit of the desert—its beauty, its solitude, and its timelessness. The musicians create melodies that echo the nomadic life and the deep connection between people and the land. As you listen, surrounded by the serene expanse of the desert, the music becomes a journey of the soul, blending the ancient with the contemporary in a uniquely magical setting.
Things to know before organising a desert retreat
The foundation of every successful retreat lies in crafting a plan tailored to the specific nature of the practice. Whether it’s yoga, self-development, dance, survival, or meditation – each retreat will have its own unique daily schedule and require a different degree of adventure. We warmly encourage you to share your ideas with us! To begin, simply write to us and:
- let’s create a tailored plan
- let’s agree on terms and conditions of our collaboration
- book the dates of your retreats by sending a deposit
- confirm 2 months in advance the latest
- enjoy and benefit from your desert retreat!
Once you’ve finalized your retreat plans and selected the dates, it’s time for us to reserve accommodations at Desert Camp Chraika for your group. To secure your booking, a non-refundable deposit of €150 per day is required. We will hold the camp exclusively booked for you until two months prior to the event, at which point you’ll need to confirm your booking by sending the remaining balance (or the agreed-upon percentage based on the number of participants).
From our experience, children benefit being in the desert and very much enjoy it, too! Running through the vast spaces of the Sahara, playing with the sand, learning how to build a fire, and collecting wood are not only fun activities but also valuable learning experiences. We have already organised several family desert retreats and it worked wonderful. The youngest retreat participant was 2 years old, so yes – feel invited to include whole families into your retreat plan.
On our retreats you can expect traditional desert cuisine which is very simple, yet wholesome and diverse. Exemplary dishes served on our retreats are: various tajines, lentils in tomatoes, beans, all kinds of salads with both cooked and raw vegetables, “Berber omelette”. Also, refreshing and energising Moroccan mint tea is an every day treat. At night usually we serve verveine and early in the morning, before the first class, we usually serve green tea and fruits.
The deposit should be paid in euros. If you make a bank transfer, the funds will be received in Moroccan dirhams, as the account is based in Morocco. Therefore, please provide a confirmation showing the original amount in euros so that we can accurately calculate the remaining balance to be paid.
The deposit can be sent either through a traditional bank transfer or to our PayPal account.
Our cancellation policy is as follows: a non-refundable deposit of €150 per day is required to secure your booking, and we will hold the rooms for you until two months before your retreat’s start date, pending confirmation. If you need to cancel, please note that the deposit will not be refunded.
Let's create your best travel story
Salam, friends! We invite you to create your journey plan together, so that it suits best both your calendar and interests.
