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Nūr Morocco

Retreat · Tamegroute and the Drâa valley

The Nasiri Oasis Retreat

Tamegroute and the Drâa valley.

A contemplative journey through southern Morocco, over the High Atlas and down the Drâa valley to Tamegroute, where the zawiya of the Nasiriyya, a Shadhili branch, has kept a celebrated library of manuscripts for centuries. Oasis landscapes, devotional gatherings and time to be still.

Retreat focusSacred learning, simplicity, oasis life and contemplative time.

Duration
6 days · 5 nights
Starts
Marrakech airport (RAK)
Travel
Private, or a small group of 8 to 14
Tracks
Devotional or open
Illustrative image: a palm grove and a mud-brick ksar in a southern Moroccan valley at sunset.
Illustrative image

Highlights

  • The Nasiri zawiya of Tamegroute and its library
  • The High Atlas crossing and the palm groves of the Drâa
  • Devotional gatherings and contemplative time in the oasis
  • The green-glazed pottery of Tamegroute

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Arrival in Marrakech

    Airport welcome → your riad or hotel (7 km, about 15 minutes) → rest

    Evening. Welcome dinner.

  2. Day 2

    Over the High Atlas

    Marrakech → the Tizi n’Tichka pass → Ouarzazate (194 km, about 4 hours with breaks) → check-in

  3. Day 3

    Down the Drâa valley

    Ouarzazate → the palm groves of the Drâa → the Zagora area (156 km, about 3 hours) → check-in

    Evening. A quiet evening in the oasis.

  4. Day 4

    Tamegroute and the Nasiri zawiya

    Zagora → Tamegroute (20 km, about 25 minutes) → the Nasiri zawiya → its library, if open → an afternoon of reflection → the pottery workshops, if you wish

    • Zawiya al-Nasiriyya, TamegrouteThe zawiya of the Nasiriyya, made famous by Muhammad ibn Nasir al-Darʿi (d. 1674). Your guide explains which parts are open on the day.Interior for eligible guests
    • Library of the Nasiri zawiyaOpened to visitors at the custodians’ discretion.Confirmed per date
    • Tamegroute pottery workshopsOptional.Guided exterior visit

  5. Day 5

    Back to Ouarzazate

    Zagora → Ouarzazate (156 km, about 3 hours) → rest

    Evening. The closing devotional gathering.

  6. Day 6

    Return to Marrakech

    Ouarzazate → Marrakech airport (199 km, about 4 hours). If your flight leaves late or the next day, we add a night near the airport.

What the labels mean

  • Interior for eligible guestsSome interiors are reserved, for example to Muslim visitors, or close at prayer times.
  • Confirmed per dateDepends on a host or custodian agreeing for your date. We confirm it before you book and describe any alternative.
  • Guided exterior visitVisited with a guide from the outside, or on foot through the quarter.

Labels: Interior for eligible guests, Confirmed per date, Guided exterior visit

Two tracks on this retreat

Same route, same places. You choose how you take part when you book.

Devotional track

For Muslims walking the path.

Prayer
The five prayers in congregation along the way
Dhikr
Full participation with the zawiya
Sanctuaries
Inside the shrines open to Muslim visitors
Readings
The Mashīshiyya, the Dalāʾil al-Khayrāt and the Ḥizb al-Baḥr recited together

On this retreat

  • The five prayers in congregation along the way
  • Full participation in the devotional gatherings
  • The ziyara of the Nasiri zawiya with recitation where permitted

Open track

For every seeker, of any faith or none.

Prayer
Prayer times kept as moments of quiet
Dhikr
Attended as a quiet guest, where the zawiya welcomes visitors
Sanctuaries
A guided exterior visit where the interior is reserved
Readings
Readings from the Shadhili tradition in English, with time to reflect

On this retreat

  • Prayer times kept as moments of quiet
  • The gatherings attended as a quiet guest
  • The zawiya and its library explained in English, with time to reflect

A retreat here is a journey with set times for prayer, dhikr, reading and silence. It is not a formal khalwa under a sheikh.

Included

  • Airport pickup on arrival and your transfer back on departure
  • Five nights in named hotels and kasbah guesthouses, confirmed before you book
  • Three meals a day, from dinner on arrival to breakfast on departure, and drinking water throughout
  • All ground transport in the programme, with a private vehicle and driver
  • A local guide, and a qualified spiritual facilitator for the sessions agreed in your programme
  • Time and space each day for prayer, Qur’an recitation, dhikr, ṣalawāt, journaling and rest
  • Private devotional evenings with Moroccan madīḥ, where arranged
  • Entry to every monument marked “Entry included”
  • A local contact number throughout

Not included

  • International flights
  • Visas, where needed
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal purchases
  • Extensions and day trips you add

Route and driving times

  1. Marrakech airport to Marrakech7 km · 12 min
  2. Marrakech to Ouarzazate194 km · 3 h 42 · mountain road
  3. Ouarzazate to Zagora156 km · 2 h 59
  4. Zagora to Tamegroute20 km · 23 min
  5. Zagora to Ouarzazate156 km · 2 h 58
  6. Ouarzazate to Marrakech airport199 km · 3 h 50 · mountain road

Road estimates from OpenStreetMap, without stops or traffic.

Open in Google Maps

Where you stay

One night in Marrakech, two in Ouarzazate (on the way out and on the way back) and two in the Zagora area, in hotels and kasbah guesthouses named in your proposal.

Meals

Three meals a day, from dinner on arrival to breakfast on departure. Tell us your dietary needs when you enquire.

Dates and prices

Private

Any date you choose: just you, your family or your companions.

Small group

Join other guests on one of the scheduled dates below, in a group of 8 to 14.

Prices are calculated from the accommodation level, group size, transport and confirmed programme, and sent with your proposal.

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Questions about this retreat

How long is this retreat, and where does it start?

6 days, 5 nights, in Tamegroute and the Drâa valley. Start: Marrakech airport (RAK).

Is it a private retreat or a group retreat?

Both. Book it privately for your own party on any date, or join a scheduled small-group date with 8 to 14 guests at a lower price per person. Group dates are listed on this page as they are scheduled.

What changes between the devotional and the open track?

Devotional track: the five prayers in congregation along the way, full participation in the devotional gatherings and the ziyara of the Nasiri zawiya with recitation where permitted. Open track: prayer times kept as moments of quiet, the gatherings attended as a quiet guest and the zawiya and its library explained in English, with time to reflect. The route and the places are the same.

What is included?

Airport pickup on arrival and your transfer back on departure, five nights in named hotels and kasbah guesthouses, confirmed before you book, three meals a day, from dinner on arrival to breakfast on departure, and drinking water throughout, all ground transport in the programme, with a private vehicle and driver, a local guide, and a qualified spiritual facilitator for the sessions agreed in your programme, time and space each day for prayer, Qur’an recitation, dhikr, ṣalawāt, journaling and rest, private devotional evenings with Moroccan madīḥ, where arranged, entry to every monument marked “Entry included” and a local contact number throughout. Not included: international flights, visas, where needed, travel insurance, personal purchases and extensions and day trips you add.

How much does it cost?

The price is quoted on request: send your date and number of guests with the booking panel and we reply with your itinerary and price. Prices are calculated from the accommodation level, group size, transport and confirmed programme, and sent with your proposal.

Can non-Muslim visitors join the visits to mosques and shrines?

Yes, every guest joins every visit. Some interiors are reserved for eligible (Muslim) visitors or close at prayer times: Zawiya al-Nasiriyya, Tamegroute. At those places everyone gets a guided exterior visit.

Is the visit to Library of the Nasiri zawiya guaranteed?

It depends on the custodians and on road and access conditions for your date. We confirm it before you book and describe any alternative.

How do I book?

Choose private or group, your track, your date and guests in the booking panel, then send your name and email. You receive a reference immediately and we confirm availability. No payment is taken online.

Good to know

  • A retreat here is a journey with set times for prayer, dhikr, reading and silence. It is not a formal khalwa under a sheikh.
  • Tamegroute is 20 km beyond Zagora and a long way from Marrakech, so the route stops overnight in Ouarzazate in both directions.
  • The High Atlas road crosses the Tizi n’Tichka pass at about 2,260 m, and can close for a few hours after winter snow.
  • Visits inside sacred spaces, taking part in zawiya gatherings and meetings with resident teachers are confirmed individually for each date. If one cannot happen, we tell you before you book and describe the alternative.

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