Name: Tour du Maroc: A Cultural Retreat with Gioconda Parker
Start: 2022-10-01T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Morocco

Email address verified

338 reviews

Oct 1 - 7, 2022

Group size: 10 - 30

Tour du Maroc: A Cultural Retreat with Gioconda Parker

Morocco

Book Now

Download Brochure

Email address verified

338 reviews

Oct 1 - 7, 2022

Group size: 10 - 30

Join Gioconda Parker for a once-in-a-lifetime, 6 night / 7 day Retreat and Cultural Exploration of Morocco.

Morocco is one of the most culturally rich and interesting places in the world. Bordering the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, Morocco’s vast and diverse landscape features ancient cities, stretches of empty beaches, and stark deserts and mountains touched by Berber, Arabian and European influences.

Our Morocco trip is unique as you will not be staying in one location, but rather traveling to two different cities, Marrakech & Essaouira, which, in our opinion, represent the “must see” highlights of Morocco.

Our days will include daily yoga classes with Gia, in addition to three of our most popular excursions: a women's Argan oil cooperative tour, a Moroccan cooking class, and of course, a sunset camel ride. There will also be plenty of free time to explore the cultural walled cities of Essaouira and Marrakech. Make sure to scroll all the way down to the itinerary below for more trip details.

Since we are within 120 days of trip departure, payment is due in full. However, if you'd like to inquire about payment plan options, please email info@solseedretreats.com prior to registering.

Get ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime! Questions? Email info@solseedretreats.com.

6 Nights / 7 Days Premium Accommodations at a riad in Marrakech & at Essaouira Lodge in Essaouira.
All breakfasts and dinners (no breakfast on arrival day, or dinner on departure day)
3 group lunches (no lunch on arrival or departure days, or on your two free days)
Daily yoga classes with Gia
Airport Transfers: From Marrakech airport to hotel, and back to Marrakech Airport from Essaouira, so long as you follow our retreat flight parameters.
Women’s Argan Oil Cooperative Tour
Sunset Camel Ride
Moroccan Cooking Class
All Transportation associated with included group excursions
All Taxes & Gratuities

Roundtrip Airfare to Marrakech (RAK)
- Please follow FLIGHT PARAMETERS below!
Additional excursions or cab rides
Alcoholic Beverages
Two lunches in Essaouira
Travel Insurance

You must have a valid passport to travel to Morocco. Please check your passport expiration date and make sure it is valid for at least 3 months after the end date of your retreat.

SolSeed is uncertain exactly what the VISA and Immunization requirements may be at the time of your retreat. See more info here.

To enter Morocco, travelers over the age of 12 must present:

A vaccination pass* demonstrating that they have been fully vaccinated (administration of three doses or, only two doses, the administration time of the 2nd not exceeding 4 months, with the exception of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, where a single dose is equivalent to 2 doses of the other vaccines) ; OR
A negative PCR test taken less than 72 hours before boarding; AND
A completed passenger health form.

For a full list of entry requirements, please visit the US Embassy ofMorocco's website here: https://ma.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

All retreats include a €500 non-refundable / non-transferable deposit, which is required to hold your spot on the trip. Any balance payments made are also non-refundable / non-transferable. SolSeed Retreats can only make an exception to these terms if:

The host government forbids us to visit as tourists.
The host government forbids our vendors from hosting us as tourists.
The US government forbids us to travel to the host country as tourists.

If SolSeed must further postpone or cancel the trip for any of the above reasons, all registrants will receive a refund of all deposits paid less Euro 200.

The purchase of travel insurance is required for this trip, most policies protect you against potential trip delays or cancellations due to airline issues, family emergencies, illness, injury, etc. The travel insurance will also demonstrate to the host country that you are able to pay for any emergency services which may be necessary during your stay.

SolSeed is not authorized to sell travel insurance. Any offer to purchase travel insurance that you encounter during the checkout process are third party offers. You are free to select your own policy provider. If you would like to review options in a convenient online marketplace, we like what www.insuremytrip.com has put together. We strongly encourage you to speak with a travel insurance agent to discuss your specific coverage needs, and to clear up any questions you may have relative to travel insurance coverage, including questions about COVID-19.

If you refuse to comply with the laws of the host country, region, town, etc; SolSeed will not consider this a valid reason for receiving any refund. SolSeed will ensure to the best of their abilities that all registrants comply with all then current laws and regulations. Registrants are personally responsible for complying to local laws, at their own expense. Such expenses may include, but are not limited to:

Proving adequate vaccination status
Providing a negative PCR test(s)
Providing proof of adequate travel insurance

If you do not book flights within our parameters, then you will be responsible for the cost of your own transfer to and / or from Essaouira, which can be quite pricey.

Arrival Day: Saturday, October 1st, 2022

Please plan to arrive by 5pm on Saturday into Marrakech (RAK) so as to be on time for our welcome dinner that evening. We will transport you from the airport to our hotel in the city (about a 15 min drive), and you'll have the afternoon to settle in and rest up before our group dinner.

Please note that you will need to depart from the USA on the evening of Friday, September 30th, 2022 as all flights heading over to Morocco are overnight flights.

Departure Day: Friday, October 7th, 2022

Please do not book flights that depart before 12pm on October 7th as we will be traveling about 3 hours from Essaouira to Marrakech that morning.

Some flights back to the USA from Marrakech involve an overnight in a European city, however, many will get you back the same day.

If you are planning on spending extra time in Marrakech at the end of this retreat, you can take advantage of the departure-day airport transfer to get back to Marrakech. We recommend scheduling transportation from the airport to your hotel directly through your hotel.

Double Occupancy Room - Shared Bath

Ideal for a couple, or two friends, this double room features two single beds OR one double bed. This room shares a bathroom with as many as 2 other people.

Throughout the villa and apartments, there are also plentiful shared common areas: gardens, terraces, salons, and kitchens.

Please indicate your roommates' name upon sign-up, and your bed configuration preference. Depending on how registration goes, your bathroom might be shared with those of the opposite sex.

During our stay in Marrakech, we will do our best to match your roommates and accommodation types.

€2,099

Past Trip

Double Occupancy Room - Private Bath

Ideal for a couple, or two friends seeking a bit more privacy, this double room features two single beds OR one double bed, and a private bathroom.

Throughout the villa there is also a guest half bath and plentiful shared common areas: gardens, terraces, salons, a kitchen and a pool.

Please indicate your roommates' name upon sign-up, and your bed configuration preference.

During our stay in Marrakech, we will do our best to match your roommates and accommodation types.

€2,299

Past Trip

Single Occupancy Room - Shared Bath

Ideal for the solo traveler seeking a bit more privacy, this single occupancy room features one double bed. This room shares a bathroom with 1 -2 other people.

Throughout the villa and apartments, there are also plentiful shared common areas: gardens, terraces, salons, and kitchens.

€2,499

Past Trip

Single Occupancy Room - Private Bath

Ideal for the solo traveler seeking the most privacy, this single occupancy room features one double bed and a private bathroom.

Throughout the villa there is also a guest half bath and plentiful shared common areas: gardens, terraces, salons, a kitchen and a pool.

€2,699

Past Trip

Friday, September 30 in Marrakech

€100

Sold Out

Includes airport pickup and hotel check-in on Sept 30, as well as breakfast on October 1.

MARRAKECH: DAYS 1 - 2
MARRAKECH: DAYS 1 - 2
Arrival + Exploration
Our trip will begin in the culturally rich city of Marrakech. Nestled in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakech was founded as a city in 1062 AD, and is world renowned for its souks (markets) and medieval maze-like streets, stunning mosques and palaces, relaxing hammans (Moroccan baths), delicious food, and much more. A perfect place to assimilate and integrate into life in Morocco, we will spend our first day and a half here, before heading to the walled coastal city of Essaouira on Day 2 of our trip.
Read more
ESSAOUIRA: DAYS 2 - 7
ESSAOUIRA: DAYS 2 - 7
Culture + Shopping + Relaxation
After a scenic drive through the Moroccan country side, we will arrive at the coastal city of Essaouira. Nicknamed the Pearl of the Atlantic, this cultural city is famed for its rich music and arts scene, and was home to many famous artists and musicians (Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix) in the 60’s and 70’s.

The old walled-in medina boasts some of the finest handmade arts and crafts, as well as all of the traditional colors, aromas, music and spices of Morocco. Essaouira features great restaurant options, and tons of fresh seafood. A large crescent bay, with calm waters and consistent winds, sits just south of the walled city, and has attracted wind and kite surfers, and beach-goers, for decades. The souks (markets) of Essaouira are an incredible place to get your shopping done, and will allow you to bring a taste of Morocco back home with you.

We will stay at the beautiful Essaouira Lodge, an approximately 15 min drive from downtown Essaouira, set peacefully amongst argan and olive tree orchards. This retreat center features a heated pool and lounge area, restaurant and bar, a dedicated yoga studio, and private villa.

During our 5 nights in Essaouira, we will have two free days to explore this remarkable city, as well as two days in which we will schedule some of our favorite excursions, including a sunset camel ride, Moroccan cooking class, and an organic women's argan cooperative tour.

(Drive time from Marrakech to Essaouira ~ 2.5 hours)
Read more
MARRAKECH: DAY 7
MARRAKECH: DAY 7
Departure Day or Extend Your Stay
On the morning of our last day, we will depart from Essaouira back to Marrakech, where return flights home await. Retreaters can of course extend their stay in Morocco from here - perhaps venturing to the Sahara Desert or to northern points. This is also a wonderful opportunity to tack on a night or two in Europe, where your flight home to the US will likely stopover.

(Drive time from Essaouira to Marrakech ~ 2.5 hours)
Read more

MARRAKECH: DAYS 1 - 2

Arrival + Exploration

Our trip will begin in the culturally rich city of Marrakech. Nestled in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakech was founded as a city in 1062 AD, and is world renowned for its souks (markets) and medieval maze-like streets, stunning mosques and palaces, relaxing hammans (Moroccan baths), delicious food, and much more. A perfect place to assimilate and integrate into life in Morocco, we will spend our first day and a half here, before heading to the walled coastal city of Essaouira on Day 2 of our trip.

338 reviews

SolSeed Retreats offers adventure and wellness retreats to exotic, off-the-beaten-path locations like: Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Guatemala, Panama and Colombia. We aim to build community and broaden our perspectives through experiential travel. We believe whole heartedly that traveling changes lives. Take the leap and join us on your next adventure abroad! For more info, visit www.solseedretreats.com. All offers of travel are not valid to residents of Washington, Iowa, Hawaii and Florida.

A really nice retreat facility! We had everything we needed for a memorable time. Guest rooms, dining room, yoga shala, (salt water) pool, great views and nearby beaches - top notch! The staff really put the icing on the cake - so helpful and accommodating.. lastly, our chef Dani, made such beautiful balanced and healthy meals A+

By William C for Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Costa Brava on Oct 23, 2024

I had a great time. The location of the villa in the region known as Costa Brava was central to many interesting and beautiful places, from the town of Begur to the sandy coves of the coastline. The planned trips were well executed with a very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide (shout out to Quim - he was great!), and the balance of free days and planned excursions was perfect. Having said that, it would have been helpful to have some additional details about the physical layout of the villa. Anyone with mobility limitations would have found it difficult to navigate, and there was no prior information about the steep pitch of the driveway or the multilevel layout of the accomodations. I'm getting treatment for my knee and was surprised when the van dropped us off at the top of the driveway with our luggage and we faced that steep grade. I took it slowly and it was all fine, but if I had known, I would have been sure to put my knee brace on, for extra protection. Anyone with more limitations than me would have had a real problem. We also did not have much of an orientation to the space at Villa Pi Blau. It would have been nice for Grace to point out where the stairs were, and that there were large, louvered doors that could be used to increase air circulation, especially at night. I did not sleep particularly well because it was warm and stuffy with the door closed, even with the fan on. I enjoyed my trip very much. The comments are only meant to help provide future travelers with an even better experience.

By MIRIAM C for Yoga & Meditation Retreat in Costa Brava on Oct 22, 2024

Amazing ! Deversed yogi, beautiful surroundings at Santa Barbara Resort, terrific staff, delicious food at resort and the 2 Farm to Table restaurants. Two fantastic tours included with caring and informative guides. Beautiful sights to behold !! Kerry and Sarah did a great job planning and facilitating this yoga retreat ! Thank you both so much!

By Gail F for Adventure to the Azores with Kerry Donnelly & Sara Pearson on Oct 21, 2024

The view from Cap Sa Sal was amazing, but our group was separated by a restaurant that seemed to be mostly shut down for the season and there was no bar/cocktail area to congregate at before or after dinner. The food was disappointing for sure: cold eggs in the morning with flies buzzing all around and cold/lukewarm soups at two dinners with very little salad offered. We also all commented on only being allowed one dinner roll per person. The only good food was away from the resort. Luckily, our group was fun and forgiving and we made the best of it. Our excursions guide was great, but it would have been nice to have excursion options, like we had on the Azores retreat two years ago. We also couldn't really use the pools. It was great swimming in the Mediterranean, but it was quite a walk get to a beach area and disappointing that the resort had multiple pools that were basically too cold to enjoy and the "hot tub" was only lukewarm. The hotel also fell short on service. There was no help with luggage and we had to ask and wait for pool towels. My overall impression was that we were visiting at a time when the area would typically be closed for the season. I didn't enjoy this retreat as much as the 2022 retreat to the Azores, which I enjoyed very much.

By Tanya B for Retreat to Costa Brava with Susannah van der Wende on Oct 21, 2024

This is an odd survey. It invites us to say thank you with no specific prompts when there are so many aspects to address. THANK YOU. The retreat was very well organized. The site is spectacular and the atmosphere was welcoming, the accommodations clean and comfortable (it did seem as if the Villa was a bit short-staffed). The two trips were excellent. The food was wonderful with imaginative vegan recipes and an engaging chef. My only suggestion is to offer more support on the two free days, like having food available for lunch for those who are staying at the Villa (to purchase if necessary, just bread and cheese or something simple). The directions to nearby beaches and Begur were vague, in spite of emails with QR codes, which could be difficult to access outside of a WiFi connection. Providing a paper map of the area would help. The yoga teachers are fabulous and the classes could not have been better. A great retreat!