Trek the Atlas Mountains

Fly into and out of Marrakech International Airport (RAK) in Morocco.

A private transfer included in your package is scheduled to depart the airport at 2 pm on the first day of the retreat.

At 4 pm, the retreat officially begins. You will meet your Helios Team and the other guests for a quick shake-out workout before our welcome dinner. If you couldn't make it on the transfer or, for example, you made your way to the retreat earlier than 2 pm, you're welcome to enjoy the time off to explore the surroundings or the pool.

We recommend arriving no later than 4 pm.

On your final day, you'll have an early session and breakfast before saying goodbye (more like a see you later!) to your fellow travellers and the Helios team.

The transfer departs from the villa at 11 am. If you plan to stay a little longer, or your flight is booked for later in the day, you're welcome to stay in the villa and enjoy the pool until it's time to leave. We will help organise a taxi if needed.

The journey to the airport takes approximately 30 minutes, depending on traffic conditions, and you should arrive at the airport at least two hours prior to your flight's departure.

If you arrive on Day 1 of your adventure, your airport arrival transfer will be included. 

Arrival transfers are private to Helios, and the driver will wait for you and the other participants arriving at a similar time with a HELIOS sign at the airport arrivals. Depending on flight times or delays, you may have to wait for the other retreaters at the airport for a short while.

Please also note that to secure your place on the private transfer, you’ll need to provide your flight details to our Customer Experience team no later than 10 days before your adventure’s departure date.

You’ll get automated email reminders about this, but the team won’t be chasing you. That’s why it’s crucial to receive this information in good time. If the details are provided later than 10 days before departure, you may need to arrange your transportation from the airport.

This retreat includes a scheduled departure transfer from Villa Joy to Mykonos International Airport. To use this service, please book a flight that departs after 2 pm on your last day.

If your flight departs earlier than 2 pm, you will need to arrange and pay for a private transfer (approximately 50 euros). Your Helios Host can arrange this for you, and you may be able to share the cost if others are in the same situation. Similarly, if you extend your stay in Mykonos, a departure transfer will not be included.

If you extend your stay in Mykonos, you can take the shared transfers to the airport on the last day of the tour and continue independently to your hotel from there.

We recommend reading through the itinerary above and getting in touch if you have specific questions about fitness.

This is a fairly active trip with hilly terrain and a Hybrid type of training, but fully scalable to everyone's skill level.

Our coaches will asses the fitness levels of each guests on the first day and adapt the training accordingly.

Meals on this trip will be fresh, healthy, and distinctly Moroccan, prepared by your Berber cook. For breakfast, expect bread and jam, eggs, fruit, juice, coffee and milk. For lunch, expect meat dishes with salad, tomatoes, carrots, lentils or beans, rice or pasta, sardines or tuna, and fruit. For dinner, meanwhile, expect soup, tagine, couscous, olives, nuts and fruit. Most dietary requirements can be catered for, just let your host know in advance.

Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please let us know in advance so we can cater your needs.

This trip has been rated as Moderate.

You'll be following our trainers, and the sessions are scalable. Speak to the coaches about any injuries or specific care needs, and they will adapt the training sessions to your needs. The hiking and elevation can be tiring, so a moderate level of fitness and stamina is needed: you'll be hiking for about 4 hours on Day 3.

From April to October, daytime temperatures in the valleys are typically warm (25-30°C) but cool off considerably at night, and the higher you go, the cooler it gets. In the winter, daytime temperatures are still warm (10-20°C), but nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing. Afternoon storms are always possible in the Atlas Mountains during the summer months, but typically the winter months are wetter.

It rains a little in the valleys and snows on the peaks for a few days a month in the winter. Still, the amounts are small, and generally, they don’t prevent anyone from enjoying the trek. The valleys are still warm, and the snow on the high peaks makes the scenery that much more beautiful!

In Marrakech, spring and autumn temperatures average 10-25°C, and rainfall is light (roughly 7 days per month). From June to September it gets quite hot in the city, averaging 15-35°C, and it only rains a few days each month. In the height of summer, daytime temperatures in Marrakech have been known to reach 45°C on occasion, so please ensure you come prepared with sun protection, light, airy clothing, and electrolytes/rehydration solutions if travelling at this time of year.

Itinerary Activities

• Daily workouts with the Helios team
• Daily restorative sessions with the Helios team
• Guided hike through the Atlas Mountains

Guides

• Expert, local, English-speaking mountain guide

Accommodation

• 4 nights in Marrakech

Meals

• 4 fresh breakfasts
• 3 lunches
• 4 traditional Moroccan dinners

Transfers

• Arrival transfer from Marrakech Airport at any time on Day 1
• Departure transfer to Marrakech Airport at any time on Day 5
• Transfers during the trip

Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all activities and equipment, as well as many meals, in our Full Immersion packages (all-inclusive), so you can simply rock up and share the adventure with your new pals. If you prefer to keep things flexible and stay within budget, we offer budget-friendly packages with the option to book add-ons later or on the go.

Travel to and from the trip.

Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.

Tips

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion, but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your Helios team will help with advice.

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should reflect your perception of service and quality. A tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

Personal Expenses

You know your spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for optional meals and drinks, shopping, and activities not listed in the package.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures, and you'll need to provide your policy details before departure. Your insurance should offer adequate cover for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment, and the specific activities involved in your adventure. We also recommend ensuring your policy includes cancellation and curtailment cover, in case you're unable to join your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness.

Standard travel insurance may not cover all the activities included in your adventure, so it's essential to carefully review the details. There are adventure-specific providers that many travellers have used in the past, such as True Traveller (for those based in the UK or Europe), or Rise + Shield, both of which offer cover for a wide range of adventurous activities.

Please make sure your chosen policy meets your individual needs and covers all aspects of your trip.

Visas

Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.

Absolutely! We recognise that you may want to leave some of the kit you bring to Morocco somewhere safe before you set out for the Sahara. When you leave for the desert, you can leave any non-essential items you don't want to take with you at the retreat centre.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo; it's a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our Helios team creates exclusive adventures run by highly vetted specialist hosts. Sometimes, our retreats are hosted by Helios founder Hugo; other times, our team of Hosts creates unique retreats with the very best attention and care.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract active people with a shared mindset: a love of adventure, a desire to push themselves, and a desire to meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Instagram account @heliosretreats to get a sense of our groups. We want to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends