About My Mindful Travel

morocco middle east north africa yoga retreat

Meaningful cultural immersion.

Transformative travel.

Deep rest.

Mindful Travel Retreats

My retreats are more than just a vacation—they are an invitation to slow down, connect, and experience the world with intention. Through a balance of adventure, mindfulness, and cultural exchange, we explore new landscapes while cultivating resilience and presence within ourselves.

Each retreat seamlessly weaves together mindful travel, daily movement, and immersive cultural experiences, creating space for both exploration and restoration.

A portion of every retreat’s proceeds supports local nonprofits that elevate women and girls.

As Seen In

Nicole was recently featured as an expert in mindful travel by Katie Couric Media. Read the article here. Nicole’s retreats have also been featured in Kayak’s Marrakesh Travel Guide.

Upcoming Retreats

Join us for an unforgettable journey. Click below for details on each retreat.

📍 Morocco Mindful Travel Retreat – October 12-19, 2025
📍 Morocco Mindful Travel Retreat – October 17-24, 2026

📍 Turkey Mindful Travel Retreat – April 20-28, 2026

Why Choose These Retreats?

✔ Mindful Cultural Immersion – Travel with curiosity, respect, and intention while engaging deeply with local communities.

✔ Explore & Restore – Experience my signature blend of restorative movement, mindfulness, and yoga nidra designed to ground and integrate your travel experiences.

✔ Connection & Community – Share meaningful conversations, meet inspiring people, and cultivate a sense of belonging wherever we go.

✔ Travel with Purpose – Every retreat supports local organizations that empower women and girls, ensuring your journey creates a positive impact.

✔ Expertly Curated Adventures – With nearly 20 years of experience in the Middle East and North Africa, I craft unique, immersive experiences that go beyond the typical tourist path.

What is Explore & Restore?

Discover Explore & Restore: Gentle Yoga for Mindful Travelers, a proprietary practice exclusively offered through Nicole Griffin Wellness retreats.

This signature approach blends gentle movement, restorative yoga, and mindfulness to help you:

  • Cultivate inner peace and self-awareness
  • Integrate your travel experiences with presence
  • Release tension and restore balance

Through these intentional practices, you’ll feel grounded, revitalized, and deeply connected—to yourself and the places you explore.

mindful travel retreats

What is Mindful Travel?

Mindful travel is about how we engage with the places we visit and how we stay composed within ourselves.

It means traveling with curiosity, open-mindedness, and respect. It’s about making sustainable choices, supporting local communities, and prioritizing meaningful interactions over checklist tourism.

It also means staying grounded and adaptable—building in rest, pausing before reacting, and navigating new environments with awareness.

Read my blog on mindful travel →

“This retreat exceeded expectations for its combination of culture and yoga. Each day was constructed to accommodate a great deal of activity with yoga to complement. I hope to join Nicole someday again!”

Sondra A

Why the Middle East & North Africa?

After living and studying in Turkey, Morocco, Jordan, and Lebanon, I fell in love with this region’s beauty, hospitality, and depth. With nearly two decades of experience, I’ve developed a deep connection and a mindful travel philosophy that I’m passionate about sharing.

Each retreat is designed to immerse you in the heart of these cultures while offering practices that help you stay grounded, regulated, and fully present.

Read my blog on Mindful Middle East Travel →

“The Moroccan retreat with Nicole was the experience of a lifetime. It was well thought out and guided I loved every minute and had so much fun and am so happy I took the opportunity to do it! Would love to do it again.”

Elda S
morocco yoga retreat nicole griffin wellness nzala
Nzala Embroidery Cooperative in Morocco

Giving Back: Elevating Women & Girls

Each retreat includes opportunities to engage with local organizations uplifting women and girls. Past retreats have included visits to:

Education for All (EFA) – Providing boarding houses for girls from rural Morocco to continue their education.

Amal – Empowering women through culinary training and job placement.

1001 Artisans – A social innovation driven non-profit focusing on artisans & their crafts.

Douar Sbiti Association – The village development center for the area around Bab Zouina, our retreat center.

KEDV – Women’s Empowerment and Development Foundation
Supports low-income women across Turkey by helping artisans and cooperatives sell their crafts, fostering sustainable income and community growth.

A portion of every retreat’s proceeds is donated to support these initiatives.

Have Questions? Reach Out Here!

Join Us on a Mindful Travel Retreat

Are you an adventurous, curious traveler looking for a deeper, more intentional experience?

Morocco Mindful Travel Retreat: October 12-19, 2025

Embark on an unforgettable journey and immerse yourself in the art of mindful travel as we seamlessly blend daily adventures with the restorative power of gentle yoga. This retreat will be hosted at Bab Zouina and there will be an optional Sahara Desert extension trip from October 12-19, 2025.

This retreat will benefit the Amal and Education for All Morocco.

Book Your Spot

Turkey Mindful Travel Retreat: April 20-28, 2026

Set out on a once-in-a-lifetime journey and experience the heart of mindful travel, where each day’s adventures are balanced with restorative Explore & Restore practices. We’ll wander the vibrant streets of Istanbul, explore the dreamlike landscapes of Cappadocia, and create time for both inspiration and deep rest.

By joining this retreat, you’ll also be making a difference. A portion of proceeds supports the KEDV Foundation, a social enterprise that empowers women artisans and cooperatives across Turkey—helping preserve traditional crafts, create sustainable livelihoods, and strengthen communities.

Book Your Spot

FAQs

Before we depart, I will send you detailed information about what to expect and what to bring. In short, plan for warm days and cooler nights. Light layers are the best way to go. In more conservative areas, modest dress is most respectful. The only time you might want to cover your hair is if you go inside a mosque, otherwise, you do not need to.

While a basic level of yoga experience will be very helpful, all practices will be accessible and inclusive to everyone. You do not need to be a seasoned yogi to join my trips, you just have to be open-minded and willing to learn. Our calming yoga sessions will include relaxing yoga postures, mindful movement, yoga poses for stress relief and insomnia, as well as gentle yoga practices that build resilience.

Our daily practices will be a fusion of gentle yoga, mindful movement, qi gong, Ayurveda, and therapeutics. Generally speaking, the morning practices are more mindful movement yoga and the evening practices are more restful, relaxing, and calming yoga. As a teacher, I am more interested in mindfulness, embodiment, balance, and resilience than I am in alignment and “advanced” poses.

Curious, intrepid, easy-going travelers who are looking for a special and unique travel experience. My yoga retreats attract all kinds of awesome, interesting people from many different backgrounds. The common ground tends to be a seeking nature, an adventurous spirit, and a desire to dive deeper and travel better with the support of a like-hearted community.

Yes! I can connect you with a professional travel agent who can assist you with making your travel arrangements.

I have found Squaremouth to be very helpful for shopping for travel insurance (as well as for learning more about different coverage options). From what I have seen, there have been some limitations for travel insurance coverage due to the Covid-19. Be sure to look into Cancel for Any Reason coverage, which should cover you in the event that you feel unsafe or uncomfortable traveling and would allow you to have additional flexibility. The cost of travel insurance varies per selected feature and depends on the overall value of your trip. I would budget at least $150-$300, but definitely do some homework to see what will work best for you!

Yes! When you book, you will fill out a questionnaire that includes questions about food allergies and dietary restrictions.

Absolutely! Yoga retreats are the perfect travel groups for singles. Many people book retreats alone, it is a great opportunity to meet like-hearted, new people. You can also book with a friend or partner, totally up to you.

For the most part, I lead retreats in countries that I have lived in and know well. I spend between 12-24 months planning each retreat before it launches and consider every small detail with a tremendous amount of care. I also consult friends and colleagues I have in the region throughout the planning process.

At this point, unfortunately not, but I hope to be able to offer both in the future, so please do stay tuned!

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“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”

Anthony Bourdain