Montréal Yoga and Mindfulness

Get fit, have fun, make friends, and feel your best with this barre fitness and yin yoga fusion class! Barre is a low-impact, full body workout designed to burn your muscles for effective toning & strengthening, all while moving to fun music. Then we slow it down and balance out our practice with slow, deep stretches using yin yoga. This is the perfect practice to build strength and increase mobility and flexibility. No dance, yoga, or prior experience required but be ready to move!

The class will be from 11AM-12:30PM. It will be around 50 minutes of barre, and 40 minutes of yin with savanasa. Afterwards if people are interested, we can go for coffee at a nearby cafe to get social. :)

What should I expect from a Barre class?
Barre is accessible to all, but it is a workout! Expect a fusion of Pilates, yoga, and ballet movements. We will work the entire body from head to toe, targeting all muscle groups and working them to the fullest. We will also use light weights (optional) and Pilates props. Props will be supplied.

What should I expect from Yin Yoga?
We hold relaxing deep stretch postures for between 2-5 minutes. This allows us to deeply release tension in the muscles and the mind, and give ourselves a moment of peace and stillness. This will help you feel very open, relaxed, and restored after the workout.

What should I bring?
Comfy clothes you can move easily in, a small towel if you tend to sweat, water, a positive attitude, and good energy! :) There are mats at the studio, but they are small and can't fit the whole body. If you prefer to have more padding for the whole body, I suggest bringing your own mat, or a towel.

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime yoga and camel trekking retreat that takes you far beyond the reach of modern life and deep within - through the heart of Morocco’s vast, untouched desert. This 8-day nomadic journey is not your typical tourist route — it’s a raw, authentic exploration of the Sahara’s most hidden corners, guided by true desert nomads who live in harmony with the land.

Daily morning and evening yoga sessions with breathwork and yoga nidra meditation are thoughtfully woven into the rhythm of desert life, offering a grounding and reflective practice amidst the stillness of the dunes. Whether greeting the sunrise with gentle movement or unwinding beneath a sky full of stars, yoga becomes a tool for deepening presence, processing the day’s experiences, and reconnecting with your inner landscape. It's not just a retreat — it's an embodied experience of integration, where the desert, the journey, and the self begin to move in unison.

This is more than a trek — it’s a return to simplicity, rhythm, movement, and the ancient way of life. If you seek deep connection, natural beauty, introspection, self-discovery, and the freedom of the open desert, this journey is for you.

Highlights:
Travel with authentic nomads and camels through remote Saharan landscapes.
Disconnect from modern distractions and reconnect with nature and self
Daily yoga practices, Nidra meditation, and Reiki healing to reconnect with your soul
Camp under the stars in stunning and ever-changing desert settings
Enjoy traditional Moroccan meals prepared fresh by your desert team
Visit hidden oases, fossils beds, and lost caravan routes
A soulful experience that leaves a lasting impact

DAILY ITINERARY:
2 October – Welcome to Marrakech – The Gateway to Mystery
Arrival in Marrakech
As you step into the warm Moroccan sun, the scent of spices and orange blossom greets you. A friendly face from our team is waiting to escort you through the lively streets of Marrakech. Tonight, you’ll settle into a charming riad tucked inside the old medina. As you sip mint tea in the soft glow of lanterns, the sounds of Marrakech – distant drums, laughter, the call to prayer – begin your slow journey away from the modern world.
*Overnight in Marrakech*
3 October – The Sublime Marrakech
Step into the heart of Marrakech with your guide and let the city slowly reveal its secrets — from the golden minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque to the jeweled tiles and fragrant gardens of the Bahia Palace. Wander quiet courtyards, trace stories in the Saadian Tombs, and lose yourself in a labyrinth of wonders through the medina’s spice-scented alleyways. After a leisurely rooftop lunch with views over the terracotta rooftops, the mood softens as you visit the Majorelle Gardens — a serene dream of cobalt blues, rustling bamboo, and exotic flowers, once a sanctuary for Yves Saint Laurent. As sunset nears, return to the medina for golden hour at Jemaa el-Fnaa, where drums, lanterns, and storytellers awaken the night.
4 October - Through Mountains and Time – Aït-Ben-Haddou – M’Hamid El Ghizlane
Departure from Marrakech early in the morning.
Traverse the High Atlas Mountains, discover Berber villages, and cross the Tizi n'Tichka Pass ("Pass of the Pastures") at an altitude of 2,260 m. Discover the ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this fortified village with ochre walls is highly representative of the architecture of southern Morocco, and famous for movie filming.
The journey then continues through the Draa Valley, lined with palm trees.
Arrive in M'Hamid El Ghizlane in the evening. At the end of the village, the road ends. You're ready to enter the vastness of the Sahara!
5 October – Ancient Rhythms – M’Hamid El Ghizlane – Sidi Naji
The nomadic team welcomes you to the permanent bivouac. The caravan sets off at the rhythm of the camels. You begin by crossing the palm grove of M'hamid El Ghizlane. Tea and lunch are served in the shade of the tamarisk trees.
The bivouac is set up between the dunes. All that's left is for you to admire your first desert sunset before plunging your eyes into the immensity of the Milky Way.
The night begins around the fire with a succulent meal and the traditional sand bread prepared by the nomads.
Enjoy the music, songs and dances of the “Blue Men".
6 October - Dunes of Echoes – Sidi Naji – Erg Zahar
The journey takes you deeper into solitude. The dunes grow taller, softer, more surreal. By midday, the golden waves of *Erg Zahar* rise around you — known as the "Screaming Dunes," where the wind hums across the sand in a haunting song. The largest of them rises to 150 meters. Below, the endless Sahara stretches like an ocean. As the sun melts into the dunes, you feel something ancient stir inside you. Here, under a billion stars, everything unnecessary falls away.
7 October - Forgotten Paths – Erg Zahar – Lhdibat – Kraat Jamal
This morning, the caravan crosses Lhdibat, a rocky area, to reach Kraat Jamal. Numerous tamarisk trees cover this part of the desert. Enjoy lunch in the tranquil oasis of the Draa Valley. The camp is set up in a place where dromedaries roam freely. You eat by candlelight, wrapped in blankets, listening to stories shared in soft voices under the sky.
8 October - The Circle Completes- Kraat Jamal – M’Hamid El Ghizlane
Your final morning in the desert is quiet. The sky is soft with sunrise, and the desert sends you off with a beautiful farwell. You return to Mhamid slowly, gently, like waking from a long and sacred dream. The village feels almost strange now after so many days in silence. Stop for the night at a comfortable permanent camp where you can shower, have a meal, and spend the night in a comfortable bed. You share one last dinner with your guides – a family now.
9 October – The Long Road Back - M'Hamid El Ghizlane – Marrakech
It's time to hit the road back to Marrakech. You rise early and leave the desert behind, but it doesn’t leave you. As the palm trees blur past the window and the mountains rise again, your heart is full. The rhythm of the road through the High Atlas Mountains carries you back to Marrakech, but you’re not the same. The dust, the stars, the silence – they stay with you. Arrive in Marrakech in the late afternoon.

INCLUDED
* Airport transfers from Marrakech
* Meals, overnight stays, and accompaniment by nomads and camels during the trek
* Breakfast (excluding dinner) for the first night in Morocco in a hotel
* Daily yoga practices suitable for everyone
* Reiki healing
* First and second night in Riad Marrakech
* All activities in Marrakech
* Guide / cook and camel drivers (Local guides)
* Camel ride for children

NOT INCLUDED
* International flights
* Dinner at the hotel on day 1
* Tips for nomads
* Personal expenses
* Personal supplies
* Extra camel ride – 20EU/day
* last night in Riad Marrakech

WHAT TO BRING:
* Your personal supplies: clothing, toiletries, a towel/blanket for yoga
* Clothing appropriate for the culture and environment: I recommend layers of light, breathable clothing such as linen or cotton, and longer sleeves and pants
* Sunscreen, biodegradable baby wipes, body deodorant
* Food and water will be provided, it may also be a good idea to bring protein bars and electrolyte replenishments