What types of retreats work best at Umnya Desert Camp?

Umnya Desert Camp has hosted yoga retreats, meditation retreats, breathwork intensives, women's empowerment programmes, digital detox retreats, leadership retreats, writing retreats and silent retreats. The camp's combination of total isolation, natural silence, Bortle Class 1 skies and physical beauty creates a container that amplifies almost any transformational practice. Groups of 8 to 16 work best for full camp buy-outs.

What facilities are available for retreat facilitators?

The camp offers an open-air practice space on the dunes (ideal for morning yoga), a large Berber lounge tent for indoor sessions, a fire circle for evening ceremony, and a private dining area for group meals. We can arrange a 120-inch outdoor projection screen for workshops, satellite connectivity for hybrid sessions on request, and a dedicated area for 1-to-1 sessions. All meals are prepared by our camp chef so you focus entirely on your programme.

How far in advance do I need to book?

For retreat groups, we recommend contacting us 4 to 6 months before your intended dates to secure availability and begin programme planning. High-season dates (October to December, March to May) fill significantly earlier. We have worked with facilitators who confirmed within 3 weeks when dates were available, but early contact gives the most flexibility.

Do you accommodate participant dietary requirements?

Yes. Our chef accommodates vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, halal and most other dietary requirements. Retreat groups typically share dietary information via a pre-arrival participant form, and we prepare menus accordingly. Meals are communal and beautifully presented, and the food at Umnya is consistently one of the top-rated elements of any retreat.

Your Private Sahara Retreat Venue in Morocco

Bring your tribe to the Sahara. We handle the logistics, you lead the transformation.

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As Featured In

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For Retreat Leaders & Facilitators

Your Program, Our Desert

You have the curriculum. We have 8 luxury tents in the heart of the Sahara, a dedicated team, world-class cuisine, and the darkest skies on Earth.

Whether you lead yoga retreats, wellness immersions, creative workshops, or leadership offsites, Umnya Desert Camp becomes your private venue, exclusively yours, with zero distractions.

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Ideal For

The retreats that thrive in the desert

Yoga & Movement Teachers

Morning asanas on the dunes, afternoon restorative in the shade of the majlis, evening meditation under Bortle 1 skies.

Wellness & Breathwork Facilitators

Sound healing, ice baths, holistic detox, the silence and vastness of the Sahara amplify every practice.

Executive Coaches & Leadership Trainers

Offsites where leaders actually disconnect. No conference rooms, just the desert, fire, and stars.

Astrophotography & Creative Workshops

Bortle Class 1 darkness, zero light pollution. Ideal for photography masterclasses, writing workshops, and art retreats.

Adventure & Trekking Guides

Use the camp as a comfortable base for multi-day treks, camel caravan expeditions, or private coached 4x4 dune bashing sessions in Erg Chegaga.

Women's Circles & Spiritual Retreats

Intimate, safe, private. The camp is yours alone, sacred space for transformation and sisterhood.

What We Provide

Everything Your Retreat Needs

✓ Full camp privatization for your group (8 tents, up to 16 guests)
✓ All meals: Berber cuisine, international options, dietary accommodations
✓ Ground logistics: 4x4 transfers from M'Hamid, luggage handling
✓ Yoga deck, majlis lounge, open-air amphitheater, and flexible event spaces
✓ Equipment storage and setup (yoga mats, sound equipment, projectors)
✓ Desert activity programming: camel treks, stargazing, dune excursions
✓ On-site support team: coordinator, chef, guides, maintenance
✓ Solar power, limited Wi-Fi in main lounge, satellite phone on request
✓ Photography and videography of your retreat on request
✓ Helicopter transfers from Marrakech available as add-on

What You Bring

Your Expertise

✓ Your curriculum, program, and teaching materials
✓ Your participants (you handle enrollment and marketing)
✓ Any specialist equipment not covered by camp inventory
✓ Your expertise and passion, we handle the rest

The Result

"You focus on your participants and your craft. We handle every detail from the moment they arrive in Morocco until the moment they leave, transfers, meals, activities, and the intangible magic that only the Sahara can provide."

The Umnya team

Included in Your Full Privatization

Signature Desert Experiences

Woven through your stay, at no extra cost, a curated program of Sahara experiences your participants will remember for life.

Stargazing with a guide

A private astronomy session under Bortle 1 skies, the darkest on Earth.

Live band and fire camp

Berber musicians and a fire circle beneath the stars.

One hour of quad biking

A guided ride across the dunes for those who want a rush.

Walking with the nomads

A slow walk into the desert alongside the families who live it.

Sand bread presentation

Watch traditional khobz baked in the sand, then taste it warm.

Nomad workshop and meeting

On a separate day, a hands-on encounter with a nomad family.

Round-trip 4x4 transfer

Private 4x4 to and from M'Hamid El Ghizlane, both ways included.

All of this is part of the private camp rate, not an upsell.

Everything Included: The Retreat Week

The five pillars of every retreat we host

Private Practice Spaces

Open-air deck facing the dunes and shaded majlis lounge. Mats, props and sound system on site.

Luxury Tented Suites

8 tents with private bathrooms and hot showers, for up to 16 guests. One group at a time, always.

Chef-Prepared Cuisine

Full board Moroccan and international cuisine, all dietary needs welcome. Water, tea and coffee included.

Desert Experiences

Camel trek, sandboarding, sunset walks and astronomy evenings with the resident team.

Seamless Logistics

Private 4x4 transfers coordinated door to door. Helicopter option from Marrakech.

Helicopter transfers, the Iriki dry lake expedition and additional facilitation services are quoted separately.

Request Your Dates Download the Venue Kit (PDF)

Availability

Season & Capacity

Sept to June

Operating season

8 to 16

Guests per retreat

2 to 7

Nights (3+ recommended)

Peak season (December to March) books 6 to 12 months in advance. Early inquiries are strongly recommended.

Transparent Pricing

From €5,800 / night

Approximately $6,300 per night

Full camp privatization: 8 luxury tents, up to 16 guests, all meals, the on-site team, 4x4 transfers from M'Hamid, and every signature desert experience included. With a full group, that is around $400 per guest per night, all-inclusive.

Getting Here from the US

Marrakech (RAK) has direct flights from New York (about 7 hours) and one-stop connections from every major US city. From Marrakech, we arrange the journey south for your group, with private 4x4s for the final stretch into Erg Chegaga.

US passport holders do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days. Your participants simply land in Marrakech, and we take it from there.

See It in Action

We run our own retreat here four times a year: the RESET Retreat, five days of digital detox, mobility training, yoga and meditation. It is the best preview of what your own program can feel like in this desert.

A Sample 5-Day Retreat

A proven rhythm that facilitators adapt to their own curriculum

Day 1

Arrival and landing

4x4 convoy from M'Hamid into Erg Chegaga. Welcome tea, room assignment, sunset walk on the dunes, open-fire dinner. No programming, just arrival.

Day 2

Opening the container

Sunrise practice on the dunes. Morning session in the majlis lounge. Afternoon rest or camel trek. Evening opening circle around the fire under Bortle 1 skies.

Day 3

Deep work

Full teaching day: two morning sessions, long midday break, one afternoon session. Optional sandboarding or 4x4 excursion for free time. Stargazing session after dinner.

Day 4

Integration

Gentle morning practice. Solo time in the dunes for journaling or silence. Afternoon 1-to-1 sessions. Closing ceremony and celebration dinner.

Day 5

Closing and departure

Final sunrise practice, closing circle, breakfast. Convoy back to M'Hamid, onward transfers to Marrakech or your next destination.

This is a template, not a rule. Some facilitators run silent retreats with almost no schedule, others run intensive trainings with three sessions a day. We build the logistics around your program.

For Middle Eastern & Gulf Facilitators

Read our practical guide: khalwa tradition, halal by default, women-only arrangements, absolute discretion, Arabic-speaking staff, prayer logistics, and Ramadan programming →

Get Started

Bring Your Retreat to the Sahara

Tell us about your retreat and we will send you a detailed proposal with availability, dates and logistics within 48 hours.

Download the Venue Kit (PDF)