Atlas Mountains Wild Man Retreat
September 2025
Awakening the Wild Man within.
This September we will be holding our men's retreat in the stunning Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Blending menswork, wilderness immersion and spirituality, the aim of this retreat is to help you go deeper - with yourself and with god. Through the use of sacred space we are creating an environment in which we can open up, be real with each other, and help each other to grow towards sacred masculinity so that we can be fully present in the world, with our families, in our workplace.
There will be challenge, there will be adventure, there will be tears and intimacy. The journey to wholeness and resurrection takes us through death - this is the trajectory of the cross.
The retreat starts and ends in Marrakech, a bustling tourist city in Morocco, North Africa. We take minibusses then landrovers high up into the mountains where we begin the retreat in a comfortable guesthouse. We soon leave the comforts behind, hiking up past beautiful waterfalls onto the Yagour Plateau, at 2500m. Three nights camping in the wild will give us ample time to go deep with each other and pass through what may well become a sacred initiation into a deeper, more authentic life. On the fifth night we return to the guesthouse for showers and to close our time together, before taking the landrovers back down and returning to the city.
Calling all men who desire to live life deeper
You find yourself with more questions than answers. You have lived something of what life has to offer, and are struggling with the suffering. Perhaps you have hit a mid-life crisis and wonder what it's all about. Or you are carrying grief and sorrow which society and your community cannot understand. You find yourself in the wilderness, in unknown territory, unsure which way to turn. The voices and the noises of the media no longer fulfil you and are continually wondering if this is all there is or if life holds something more. You find yourself longing for initiation into what it really means to be a Man in this troubled world.
When?
Where?
Who?
When? - Our next upcoming Wild Man retreat will be 28 September - 5 October 2025
Where? - Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Just 90 minutes from Marrakech. The retreat takes place on the Yagour Plateau, at 2500m altitude. An ancient sacred place of pilgrimage with thousands of prehistoric rock engravings, this is a place where men have come for millennia. First the hunter-gatherers, then in more recent history the mystics and now the shepherds.
Who? - This retreat is open to all men, but we will be using language and concepts familiar to those who have some contact with Christianity. Our approach is both mystical and ecumenical - we're not about shoehorning the gospel into this experience or trying to convert anyone to a particular theology, we're creating space to explore where we are all at, and what it means to live a spiritually-focused life. Terms like "god" or "the divine" may or may not be useful as we explore transcendence. We explore the edges where doctrine and dogma fall away and we are thrust into the raw unknown.
More details
Click on the categories below to find answers to frequent questions
On two of the days there will be a moderate walk of approximately four hours, in mountainous terrain with uneven trails and several hundred meters of ascent or descent. There will also be a shorter walking day high up. Whilst this is not a trekking or mountaineering adventure, we will nonetheless be in mountainous terrain, and if you are not able to walk up several flights of stairs without panting then we advise some strength and endurance training so that the retreat won't be a struggle.
Transport from Marrakech to the mountains and back, all food and accommodation and other logistics during the retreat
We're creating space in the wilderness for you to go deep with yourself and with the divine. This is not a military-style male warrior retreat - we're not trying to physically break you or drive you over the edge. Although the physical aspect may be a challenge to some of you, this will be something that you can overcome with the right mental attitude.
Cost excluding flights £759 / 800EUR per person
Early bird price before 15th May: £695 / 740EUR per person
No, we are in the wilderness. We highly recommend not using a phone during the expedition, but if you do need one because of family or other emergency contacts, know that the network signal is not available everywhere on the plateau. The leaders will have phones for emergency and we know the places where we can get signal. We're asking you to use your own judgement as to phone use, but to minimise it as much as possible so as to be fully engaged in the experience.
Sunday 28 September - afternoon transport to the mountains. (Please make sure your flight arrives by 2pm on friday as we will be in shared group transport.)
Monday - Thursday - expedition. Thursday evening stay in a comfortable guesthouse with hot showers.
Friday 3rd Oct morning debrief and closing. Friday afternoon transport back to Marrakech arriving by 5pm
Of course. There are many options on airbnb and booking.com, you are free to explore marrakech on your own or as a group. It's a very popular tourist city now.
A full kitlist will be sent to you on booking. Tents and sleeping mats and some sleeping bags are already provided.
Retreat Leaders
david cassian cole
David Cassian lives in Hampshire; he is a full time retreat leader and spirtual teacher; he is a certified Breathworks coach and has been teaching mindfulness and meditation one to one and in groups for over 20 years; he is also an author of more than 10 books including 'The Art of Peace - life lessons from Christian Mystics', '2 Minutes to Peace - mindfulness in the moment', and the award winning 'Mystic Path of Meditation - beginning a Christ centred journey'.
He has been facilitating a Forest Church outside gathering for over 10 years; and has an MA in Christian Spirituality, specialising in the Mystic tradition and Celtic spirituality.
David Cassian is married to Chelsea with four children.
Marc Gallagher
An International Mountain Leader, Forest Therapy guide and Spiritual Director trained in the Carmelite tradition, Marc has lived in the Atlas Mountains since 2015. He brings a love of nature and divine connection which bridges Christian mysticism and nature spirituality. He is married with four children.
Ian Mayhew
Ian lives in Yorkshire and has facilitated a men’s group for the last 15 years. He has also co-facilitated other retreats and offsites for a range of groups and organisations.
With an MA in Outdoor & Experiential Learning, Ian is keen to explore a range of creative ways to help people explore their own life journey.
Ian is married to Ruth and they have 5 children and one new grandchild.
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