HeARTful Retreat
MOROCCO 2022
Marrakech - Essaouira - Ourika Valley
Sept 16-23, 2022
Experience a daily HeARTful Practice, explore ancient cities, and enjoy traditional Hammam (Spa), Henna, Cooking Class, & Local History
Morocco is calling you, and this is your opportunity to explore the colorful landscape and rich culture safely, with experienced local guides. There will also be opportunities to explore on your own if you wish. This trip will be a transformational journey to your soul. Your host, Jen Waligora, will create a space to explore, play, and relax. You will feel safe, accepted and supported in your personal transformation with heARTful exercises during our morning Sadhana (spiritual practice) and other adventures throughout the week.
SPACE IS LIMITED!
Join a quaint group of soul seekers as you create memories, build community, and experience this Ancient Imperial city in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Your shared accommodations are in a traditional, yet well appointed riad (traditional Moroccan House), Riad Baya.
*No single supplement charge for solo travelers who are willing to share a room (same gender). You will have separate beds, either twins or queens in the same room.
Meet your Host
Jen Waligora is a Certified 200hr Yoga Teacher and Therapeutic Art Coach, Artist, Solo World Traveler, and a compassionate Spiritual Teacher. Founder of a la cART Projects, Jen is passionate about helping others find Divine Happiness (happiness from within) by cultivating creativity through mindfulness, movement and play. She teaches a variety of relaxing, and fun, practices and techniques that provide pathways to deeper spiritual connection and foster Divine Happiness.
Journey Details
(full itinerary, times and details will be provided after deposit)
Day 1 – Marrakech Arrival Day
Friday, 16 September 2022
Arrive Marrakech. Depending on the time of day, you’ll get settled at the riad and enjoy the beautiful terrace or the neighborhood on your own or with direction from the team at Riad Baya.
Your Moroccan shirt or caftan will be waiting for you in your room, along with your personalized trip plan, and a heARTful Workbook/Journal for the week’s activities.
Fatna, our cook and housekeeper, will prepare dinner for you tonight on the terrace. Dinner includes a Moroccan salad, main course, light dessert, water. There will be Moroccan wines and beer available for sale by the bottle.
Included: transportation, Moroccan shirt / caftan, dinner, and overnight (O/N) at Riad Baya
Day 2 – Ancient Marrakech Medina Walking Tour
Saturday, 17 September
Wake up to the Call to Prayer for heARTful Sadhana. (yoga, meditation, art journaling or other mindfulness practices). Opening ritual.
Enjoy a traditional Moroccan breakfast on the terrace or in the dining room. Includes an assortment of fresh breads and pastries, fruit jams, eggs, cheese, olives, yogurt, and fresh squeezed orange juice and fresh coffee or Moroccan (mint) tea. There is a Nespresso machine available for hot beverages throughout the day.
After breakfast a guide will meet you at the house for a walking tour of the medina. You will visit the main sites of the ancient Marrakech Medina along the way. Lunch will be on your own or with the group, as you choose, somewhere in the medina. (We will make recommendations)
Included: breakfast, tour of the medina, dinner, and O/N at Riad Baya
Not included: tip for tour guide, lunch
Day 3 – Yves St. Laurent Museum & Majorelle Garden
Sunday, 18 September
Wake up to
the Call to Prayer for heARTful Sadhana. (yoga, meditation, art journaling or other mindfulness practices)
After breakfast you’ll visit the beautiful Jardin de Majorelle - - a beautiful garden in the center of Marrakech.
There is an Yves Saint Laurent Museum adjacent to the gardens that you will also visit
You’ll arrive at the gardens early, as there are often crowds of visitors to this beautiful oasis.
Inside the grounds there is a wonderful Berber museum that is highly recommended. It’s small but packed with beautiful artifacts!
There are wonderful shops all around this area. A favorite is 33 Rue Majorelle.
Lunch will be on our own inside the gardens or the surrounding neighborhood. There are coffee shops and restaurants.
Your driver will pick you up in the afternoon and will bring you back to Riad Baya.
You’ll have some time to enjoy the terrace, take a rest, visit one of the nearby spas, and enjoy the Art of Henna with local artists at the Riad this evening.
Included: breakfast, Jardin de Majorelle, henna, dinner, and O/N at Riad Baya
Not included: tip for driver ($5), lunch, spa treatment / hammam
Day 4 – Essaouira & Atlantic Coast
Monday, 19 September
Wake up to the Call to Prayer for heARTful Sadhana. (yoga, meditation, art journaling or other mindfulness practices)
After breakfast you will visit Essaouira and the surrounding Atlantic Coast. It’s a lovely seaside village where you can explore the port, eat freshly grilled fish for lunch, shop in a beautiful medina souk, and just enjoy the music and art in the city.
Our group will be on our own here, touring the souks and seaside as we wish. Can break from the group to explore on your own if you’d like.
You will leave Essaouira mid-afternoon and meander down the coast before heading back to Marrakech. Dinner and overnight at Riad Baya.
Included: breakfast, day trip to Essaouira, dinner and O/N at Riad Baya
Not included: lunch, tip for driver
Day 5 – Countryside Farm Cooking Class - Tuesday, 20 September
Wake up to the Call to Prayer for heARTful Sadhana. (yoga, meditation, art journaling or other mindfulness practices)
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the terrace.
In the early afternoon we will drive about an hour to a beautiful farm in the countryside. You will enjoy a Cooking Class here today and will eat what you create.
You will return to Riad Baya in the evening. There may be time for a hammam or spa treatment tonight.
Included: breakfast, cooking class, and O/N at Riad Baya
Not included: tip for driver ($5), tip for cooking instructors ($5-10), hammam / spa treatment
Day 6 – The Ourika Valley & High Atlas Mountains
Wednesday, 21 September
Wake up to the Call to Prayer for heARTful Sadhana. (yoga, meditation, art journaling or other mindfulness practices)
After breakfast, you will depart for The Ourika Valley - a beautiful area in the High Atlas Mountains about an hour from Marrakech, where you can hike to a beautiful waterfall with a guide, have lunch beside (or in!) a mountain stream, and shop at the roadside shops. Ourika is a series of Berber villages in the Atlas Mountains and is fresh and beautiful - - a really unique and lovely day trip.
Included: breakfast, transportation, Ourika Day Trip, dinner, O/N at Riad Baya
Not included: tip for hiking guides ($5-10), tip for lunch on day trip, hammam / spa treatment
Day 7 – Relax & Optional Hammam (Spa) Thursday, 22 September
Wake up to the Call to Prayer for heARTful Sadhana. (yoga, meditation, art journaling or other mindfulness practices)
Today is a day of relaxation and exploration. For those who are hoping to see more of Marrakech, we can make recommendations based on your interests. There will be time today for a hammam / spa treatment at a nearby spa.
Tonight, we will enjoy a group dinner at a local Italian / Moroccan restaurant.
Included: breakfast, transportation, dinner, O/N at Riad Baya
Not included: lunch, beverages, hammam / spa treatment
Day 8 – Depart Home or Continue on Optional Sahara Desert Trip
Friday, 23 September
Wake up to the Call to Prayer for heARTful Sadhana. (yoga, meditation, art journaling or other mindfulness practices). Closing ritual.
Travel day. Those participating in the Sahara Desert Trip will depart. Others will depart for the airport.
Included: breakfast, transportation to airport or desert
Trip pricing-All prices are USD
Space is limited - book early to guarantee your preferred accommodations.
$2,200 / person - shared accommodation (double occupancy) Does not include early booking discount - see below!
Beds will be either twin or queen. All rooms have 2 separate beds and guests will be paired with the same gender for solo travelers. Doubles traveling together will be assigned together.
Private accommodation available upon request
(additional single supplement will apply).
*Early booking discount -$300 if deposit is received by August 1, 2021
Non Refundable Deposit of $500 to confirm your place.
(You will receive more trip details and room/bed assignment once deposit is received.)
Final payment of $1700, ($1400 early booking) / person is due 60 days before departure.
Guests responsible for flights to/from Marrakech, Morocco (RAK). It is recommended to book flights with Infrared Travel. Contact Lisa Myers at 612-817-2726 and mention HeARTful Retreat.
Moroccan Sahara Tours will arrange pickup for you there and will greet you with a placard with your tour name.
Included: Transportation / driver / fuel in a van Moroccan Caftan or shirt upon arrival. One small bottle of water each day A mask each day, if still required. Transportation from / to airport in Marrakech. Breakfasts Dinners, included group dinner on last night in Marrakech. Guided tours indicated as ‘included’ on the Trip Plan.
Not included: Lunches, Beverages, (we sell water and soft drinks at Riad Baya)* Laundry services at Riad Baya, Tips, Entrances to attractions (nominal), except where it’s noted. Costs incurred with changes to the itinerary; no refunds for skipped events or meals.
Additional days in Morocco beyond 9/23/22 can be arranged, just ask!
*Water included with lunch / dinner and juice / tea included with breakfast at Riad Baya.
- For Vaccine requirements, visit the
- Trip Insurance, including medical will be required for all guests.
- Trip is non refundable, but credit for future trip will be given if trip is cancelled due to COVID-19 or other pandemic or global emergency.
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