Yoga in Morocco – The Perfect De-stress Holiday

Lesley Elder, one of our readers, shares her experiences with us.

Forget the rain and traffic noise outside your office for a moment. Instead imagine yourself sitting on a yoga mat on the rooftop of a beautiful pink-tinged hotel overlooking the ocean and take a few deep breaths. Really, really deep breaths…

Earlier this year I was feeling burnt out at work, tired of the so-called UK summer and in need of a mental pick-me-up. I needed a holiday but not being a sun-worshipper, I wanted something with an activity or purpose. I settled on the idea of a yoga holiday. It would satisfy my need to do something but would help me relax. A quick search on the internet and I found the perfect trip. Practising yoga while seeing a bit of Morocco sounded ideal.

“I was feeling burnt out at work, tired of the so-called UK summer and in need of a mental pick-me-up”

I arrived in Marrakesh to find a heat wave. It was an even hotter than expected 45C, and I was relieved that the journey to the old town, or Medina, was a brief one – especially as the only form of air conditioning in the taxi was rolling down the window. This had the same effect as blasting yourself in the face with a hairdryer on full heat. Not comfortable.

But I was in for a treat when I got to the Riad; a home converted into a guest house. Rooms are centred around a cooling fountain and the traditionally tiled patio was open to the sky. It was much cooler inside and I felt revitalised after fresh mint tea and Moroccan pastries. This was the setting for our first yoga session the next morning and as I lay, gazing up at the clear blue sky, trying to breathe from my abdomen, work and everyday stress already seemed far away.

Walking round the souk in the afternoon meant covering up, despite the heat. As in most Islamic countries, men and women are expected to dress modestly. For women this means covering up from wrist to ankle. Fortunately the souks offer lots of colourful outfits, so if you haven’t brought anything suitable it’s a perfect excuse to shop!

Dinner – Moroccan Style

After evening yoga, I joined my fellow tour members as they set off to the Jemaa el Fna for dinner. The square was a crowded melee of open-air food stalls, with performers and story tellers overlooked by the brightly lit Koutoubia Minaret. The smell of spicy tagine-cooked food filled the air around stalls with colourful fruit and vegetables. After a delicious meal of chicken, rice and vegetables washed down with more mint tea we wandered around the square taking in the sights and sounds before heading back to the Riad.

The next day we set off for the tiny coastal village of Sidi Kaouki. The strong winds and quiet beaches attract mainly windsurfers and kite-surfers, and these added a colourful backdrop to our evening sun salutations.

“maybe it was the sound of waves crashing against the rocks below my bedroom window”

Spending a couple of days relaxing by the pool gave me time to catch up with my fellow travellers. I discovered they all did yoga at home and many had been on similar holidays before. The majority were twenty-something and female, but as some had only taken up yoga in their 40s, I decided it wasn’t too late to start and that I would continue to practice when I got home.

The final stop on our brief tour of Morocco was the coastal port of Essaouira. Maybe I was finally starting to relax after all the yoga, or maybe it was the sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks below my bedroom window … the Riad Mimouna provided a magical setting for one of the best night’s sleep I had ever had. I was up bright and early the next morning to explore the souks and the food market.

Back to Reality?

Later that day, I sat on the terrace breathing in the sea air and contemplated the deep feeling of relaxation I had achieved over the past few days. I compared it with my busy, stressful life at home. We accept the pressures and stresses of modern city life and work, and don’t realise how stressed we are until we stop and take time out.

When I’m back home and staring out of the window looking at grey November skies, I will picture myself on a rooftop terrace overlooking the ocean somewhere in Morocco and try to breathe deeply. I will endeavour to find a local yoga class so that I can continue to practice. And if that doesn’t work I know that total relaxation is only a short plane ride away.