Horse & Yoga Travel: Morocco, June 2023
With its rocky mountains, deserted beaches, wild coastline and a gentle breeze, Morocco was the perfect spot for a retreat
Nestled between the beach and the mountains on south Morocco’s wild Atlantic Ocean coast, lies a unique ranch with stables, guest rooms and an abundance of colourful terraces. When you arrive, the first thing you notice are the brightly-coloured front gates adorned with horse heads, and as you enter, a central, sandy arena, surrounded by green plants and stable doors with horse names on them.
I got to the ranch around 6.30pm, desperate to throw my bags down and get a better look at this intriguing property. Of course I already knew what the ranch looked like, having spent weeks scouring photos and other info, and speaking to the ranch manager to arrange the trip and all the logistics. But here I was to finally view it in person, and it was just as lovely as I’d expected, with a few extra treats.
As I looked around nosily, I was mesmerised by the giant cacti (so tall they were climbing the walls) and in love with the colourful Moroccan decor that gave the ranch its charming character. I was also soothed by the sounds of the horses nearby and very satisfied with the variety of terraces on offer (at least two I knew would be perfect for practising yoga!)
By the time my guests arrived a few days later, I had already enjoyed some fun rides down the beach, dipped my feet in the warm ocean, walked up the nearby sand dunes, realised I desperately needed to work on my French and eaten some delicious Moroccan food. But I was very excited to finally be with my group, and for all the yoga and riding fun we were going to have together!
Stretching out and riding high
Torn between morning riding and morning yoga, we decided to try both. For morning yoga, we met on the rooftop terrace at 8am, when the air was fresh and cool, and there was a gentle breeze. I led one of my usual energetic sessions, and my students, including one of the ranch managers, seemed happily revitalised afterwards. For the rest of the time we opted for afternoon yoga, which we usually did on the patio at the back of the property that offered shade from the sun and a lovely smooth but pebbly ground that massaged your feet when you walked on it. One of our nicest sessions here was a calming and slow-paced sequence we did later in the week, when it felt wonderful to stretch out after some hours in the saddle.
The horses at Les Deux Gazelles — pretty much all Arabian-Barb — were as sweet and sure-footed as I had hoped. Like anywhere, they ranged from the quiet and easy-going to the more energetic but were all lovely natured and knew their job. The three guides who worked at the ranch were also extremely professional, helpful and hard-working, which made everyone feel safe and looked after. In tune with the relaxed attitude at the ranch, we all got the chance to groom, prepare and shower our own horses, which was a nice experience.
There were many fantastic horsey adventures over the course of the week, but those that stood out included trips to the mountains, where the views of an undeveloped coastline and the distant hills were absolutely magnificent, and when we got to see huge swathes of cacti as well as weird bugs, eagles and free-roaming dromedary camels.
Also wonderful were those long canters down the nearby beach, where a cool breeze meant we were never uncomfortably hot, and where we rarely saw other people except for a handful of local fishermen. There was one ride in particular when my horse Sahara settled into such a beautiful canter through the waves I felt like I could have ridden her forever. So happy was I, that I hastily scrambled to get my phone out of my pocket to film, but in an attempt to turn the camera on and select video, I let the phone slip through my fingers and into the sea. Dream canter suddenly called to a halt. Thankfully our very kind and agile guide leapt off his horse to rescue it (I too jumped off but wasn’t nearly as quick). I’m happy to say that the old iPhone 8 lives on.
Scrubbing up
On the day of no riding, we had a long, relaxed breakfast before bundling ourselves into the car to experience a traditional ‘hammam’ or Moroccan spa. I’d had a Turkish bath before so had some idea of what to expect, but truth be told I’d never tried a hammam, so wasn’t entirely sure what was coming.
Not wanting to reveal too much, all I’ll say is that after the hammam my skin was probably the smoothest it’s ever been! The scrubbing was quite intense (especially on my sunburn) but felt fantastic for my circulation and overall wellness, and I came away feeling all clean and relaxed!
That afternoon, to make the most of our non-riding day, we headed to the town of Mirleft to spend some of our Moroccan dirhams on much-needed souvenirs. Though not the biggest of shopping districts, Mirleft has a small collection of cute little shops where you can buy Moroccan-style ornaments and crockery, argan oil, rugs (I bought two), coasters, paintings and even shoes and bags. Needless to say, I came back with significantly less money than I started with.
Burying my feet in the sand
As our trip drew to a close, we continued to make the most of it! On the second-to-last night we had a relaxed group dinner on the beach, sandy wine glasses in hand, and later took photos of each other jumping in the waves. Though we didn’t make it to the beach for yoga, we decided to go for a group play in the ocean on the last morning. Swimming would have been on the cards, except that the sea was rather strong — I’d describe it as more of an ocean walk with some wave bashing.
When the time came to leave this beautiful ranch and country, I have to say I was unexpectedly sad. But I guess that’s what happens when you go to a great place with great company. I can’t wait to return in October!
