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Luxury Hotels of Morocco, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

Majestic Riad Fes

Morocco is moderate, Muslim country located in North Africa that is rich in history, steeped in culture, exotic cuisine and natural wonders. When traveling to Morocco there are many luxury hotels to stay at during a Morocco Tour. First in Morocco are its Luxury Riads that offer amenities on par with a luxury hotel. Morocco’s Riads boast beautiful courtyards and incredible architecture. Staying at a luxury Riad in Morocco can offer a top quality experience, equivalent to a luxury hotel.

The word Riad comes from the Arabian term for garden “ryad.” Travel in Morocco is not complete without a luxury Riad experience. Whether you are taking a Morocco Tour to the Imperial Cities, Old Medinas, the Sahara Desert, the Ouarzazate region or the Atlas Mountains there are countless opportunities to stay at luxury hotels and riads in Morocco

Luxury Hotels in Morocco can be found in all Moroccan Cities and in rural areas of the Moroccan country side.

Some of the Best Luxury Hotels of Morocco are Riads:

Magnificent Riad Kniza, Courtyard

Marrakech Luxury Hotels

Riad Kniza
 Dating from the 18th century, Riad Kniza is a luxury Riad in Marrakech located in heart of the medina not far from the top Marrakech sites, monuments, mosques and gardens. This top end Riad has traditional Moroccan furniture and décor with luxurious bathrooms and a beautiful roof terrace for evening tea or dining. Riad Kniza offers Wifi and has a host of other amenities including a swimming pool, spa and wellness center. Riad Kniza is an idea place to stay for those interested in an authentic luxury Riad experience and one that is complimented by beautiful architecture and traditional Fes Moroccan fabrics.

Riad Les Jardin De La Medina
Les Jardins de la Medina is a stunning luxury Marrakech Riad that combines modern amenities with Modern Moroccan décor. Located in Kasbah, a quiet region of the old Marrakech Medina, Les Jardin boats lush gardens with old palms, orange, olive and jacaranda trees. The food is fresh and service impeccable. This quiet oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech is the perfect place to stay on a Morocco Tour.

Sultana Marrakech
Riad Le Sultana is one of Marrakech’s hidden jewels for luxury accommodations. Located near the Saadisn tombs, Sultana is comprised of five separate Riads that have been elegantly pieced together with open-air patios and expansive, charming roof terraces with palms and Marrakech orange trees. Sultana is a sophisticated Riad and has successfully created an ambiance that is serene with it’s tasteful mélange of European décor and furniture complimented by Moroccan fabric and tilework using traditional craftsmanship. The staff matches the environment offering a perfect lusury Moroccan Riad experience.

Fes Luxury Hotels

Riad Fes
Riad Fes is in the Medina’s Batha region of Fes. This Riad offers and idea mix of Moroccan traditional architecture with a tasteful and luxurious modern touch. Originally a Moroccan Riad that lacked a modern setting, Riad Fes’ owners set out to expand Riad Fes whereby to offer a unique mix of the traditional with ultra modern. New additions to this luxury Riad in Fes are a swimming pool surrounded by a garden terrace, chic European outdoor furniture and a modern Spa along with a wing of newly designed rooms. Every room in Riad Fes also offers en-suite bathrooms with air conditioning/ heating and a full mini bar. Riad Fes is a 1st category Riad within the luxury offerings in Fes when it comes to living up to the Relais Cheateaux name.

Riad Myra
Riad Myra is one of the last true architectural gems where guests can stay in Fes. This first class Fassis Riad  has stunning Andalusian architecture and a magnificent courtyard surrounded by greenery and an old world fountain. Owned by the Chab family (owners of Al Fassia Restaurants in Marrakech and Bled Al Fassia) Riad Myra is the best remaining example of a traditional, three floor authentic family ryad – home -that was originally restored with care by the best zellij tile masters and top cedar carvers in Fes. Each of Riad Myra’s suites and rooms are ornately arranged with four poster beds, a Moroccan salon and en suite bathrooms along with antique fixtures complimented by modern amenities for complete comfort. Suites and rooms at the Riad are also decorated with traditional French armoires and desks with brass lighting fixtures made for a Queen. Upon arrival guests receive Fes pastries, water and a fruit basket that will last their entire stay.  A night or two or even three or four at Riad Myra will take anyone back into a one-thousand-and one-nights 18th Century Arabian fantasy. Riad Myra’s rich, elegant Fassis fabrics used in its dining room, library and luxurious rooms and suites are lush.  Riad Myra also has authentic paintings that surround it’s Riad walls and can easily lay claim to offering some of the best cuisine at any Riad in Fes. Myra does it best with their dinner arrangement of original Fes cuisine including a meza of salads, option of chick and lemon or for vegetarians an artichoke tajine with orange canelle with cinnamon for desert. To boot this Riad has an attentive staff that caters to guest needs and a concierge that dresses in traditional Fassis wears with pointy yellow baboosh. For an authentic 1st star  experience of luxury comfort and cuisine Riad Myra is the place to stay in Fes.

Palais Ferraj
Palais Ferraj is a new luxury Hotel and the first of its kind in Fes. Located in the Bab Ziat district and just a 10 minute walk from the Blue Gate in Fes. When entering Palais Ferraj one is reminded of being in an Arab-Moorish palace. Much of the decor is distinctly modern with fabrics imported from France and Italy. Palais Ferraj has one of the best views in Fes from it’s stunning bar- restaurant and visit for an elegant Moroccan dinner. For those looking to stay in Fes in luxury hotel and not be in the heart of the medina Palais Ferraj offers the best of all worlds. At Palais Ferraj there are no standard rooms as the starting accommodation is a Junior Suite. All Junior Suites and other Suites in this luxury hotel boast Moroccan Zellij tile work, a mini bar, flat-screen TV with satellite channels and private bathrooms fit for the Pacha. At Palais Ferraj you can consider shopping until you drop in Fes as each room also features an impeccably designed closet with space to stay for a week or more. Palais Ferraj also offers an outdoor pool, Moroccan Hammam, Luxury Spa facilities and massage treatments utilizing Morocco’s best rose, argan and other oils.

Stunning Kasbah Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ksar Ighnda
Riad Ksar Ighnda is located jut footsteps from the UENSCO World Heritage site, Ait Benhaddou and 25 minutes from Ouarzazate’s city center. Riad Ksar Ignda overlooks the Atlas Mountains and has terraces views of Ait Benhaddou. This 5 Star Luxury riad offers a modern setting combined with traditional Moroccan architecture and Berber textiles. Ksar Ighnda blends perfectly with the Ouarzazate Sahara region environment. Bedrooms are spacious, with en suite private bathrooms, air conditioning, heating, satellite TV, DVD/ CD player and mini bar. Ksar Ighnda offers meals made with local produce and has a swimming pool and a Moroccan Spa (Hammam) and Jacuzzi. This Riad is the top place to stay in the Ouarzazate region and an ideal spot for those who want to spend a few days down time during a journey in the midst of peace and nature.

Riad Temple Des Arts
Temple Des Arts is a 5-star luxury Riad is conveniently located in the heart of Ouarzazate, just 25 minutes from Ait Benhaddou. This uniquely designed Luxury Riad with a film theme decor is on par with a luxury hotel offering standard rooms and suites in a quiet setting with complimentary Wi-Fi and flat-screen TV’s. Hotel Riad Le Temple Des Arts features an outdoor pool, a spa and wellness center along with a traditional Moroccan Hammam. Traditional decor combines unique elements of painted walls with Moroccan tradition, Buddha statues and slick marble bathrooms. Most of the rooms have a balcony that overlooks the garden or swimming pool. Hotel Temple Des Arts offers gourmet meals and is the most suitable Riad in Ouarzazate for those who want luxury amenities in a unique setting yet don’t want to stay at a local Southern Morocco Guest House.

Dades Valley Luxury Hotels

Xaluca Kasbah & Spa – Dades Valley & Erfoud
Xaluca Kasbah & Spa is a luxury hotel in Southern Morocco with views of the Dades Valley
. It’s sister property located in Erfoud offers similar luxuries however lacks the view being it is located in a Sahara Desert town which is referred to as “The Door to the Desert.” Xaluca Dades Valley has African decor, a Moroccan Spa, *Hammam, swimming pool, bar and one of the best buffet’s in the region. Xaluca Dades Valley is set within the Tinerhir provence and is the best place to stay for a wide range of amenities, location and excellent staff service in the region.

Casablanca Luxury Hotel

Elegant Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche

Sofitel Blanche Casablanca
Sofitel Blanche Casablanca is a new five star luxurious hotel located just foot steps from the train station, the Habous market and the Casablanca Medina. Sofitel Blanche Casablanca is the ideal place to stay during a one-day Casablanca tour or on a visit to Morocco when needing to overnight in Casablanca. The rooms combine luxury modern comforts with Moroccan decor. One of the Sofitel Blancha Casablanca suites has impeccable views of the Hassan II Mosque and boasts glass windows that offer some of the best views in Casablanca. Wifi is available throughout this upscale luxury Moroccan Hotel property and the breakfast buffet is fit for a King and Queen.

For more information about Luxury Riads in Morocco or a Morocco Tour 

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

The Medina Gardens of Fes, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

Jnan Sbil (Formerly Bou Jeloud) gardens entrance

The Medina Gardens of Fes make for the perfect Fes Tour to compliment this UNESCO World Heritage Site’s ancient Mosques, Monuments and Zaouias. The Bab Bou Jeloud is the main entry point to Fes el Bali. This area divided the cities of Fes Jedid and Fes el Bali and was developed into three palace gardens by Sultan Moulay Hassan in the 19th Century. These were the gardens of Dar Batha,Bou Jeloud and  Dar Beida. The Jnan Sbil gardens (formerly the Bou Jeloud gardens) on the north-western edge of the medina has palms, eucalyptus, weeping willows, citrus trees and bamboo. The park was opened to the public by Moulay Hassan in the 19th century. Jnane Sbil encompasses 7.5 hectares and is located in the heart of city. It is one of the oldest gardens in Fes. Because of its historical importance, great care was taken to restore the Jnan Sbil garden to its original design and after four years of detailed restoration and renovation of the heirloom plants, the hydraulic systems and the famous waterwheel, the project was completed and re-opened in June 2010.

The Oued Fes river and the Oued Jawahir (river of pearls) flowed through the garden and a broken down water wheel remains as a reminder of how the medieval city was powered by water wheels which provided craftsmen and their workshops with power. On the western edge near Bab Makina, the Nouria Cafe is still open and is a very pleasant place for tea or lunch.

Andalusian Style Garden, Batha Museum

Dar Batha ,which is now the Museum of the Arts and Traditions of Fes, is the only one of these palace gardens open to the public. It is an Andalucian garden which boasts a three-hundred year old Quercus Rotundifolia, Washington Fifera, Cycas Revolta and Moroccan fountains. The Batha Garden is a serene escape from the bustling medina in Fes. It serves as a location for the Fes Festival of Sacred World Music each June.Andalusian gardens are based on the charbagh, the four-part garden with water ways and fountains.

Shaded with citrus trees and perfumed with orange blossom, red roses and sweet-scented jasmine, Islamic gardens were designed for tranquillity, reflection and relaxation in mind, earthly paradises to inspire a spiritual experience and inner peace.

In the arabo-andalousian culture the garden is a major element of  architectural balance and of lifestyle. Fes was one the first cities in the world to built a water distribution network which enabled the city to develop the art of gardening. The city was founded following the muslim exodus from Spain in 1492 following the Reconquista and the exiles from Andalousia brought with them the artistic creativity culture and vision of Moorish Spain which has distinguished Fes ever since.

Palais Jamai Hotel Garden

The Palais Jamai which is Fes’s premier five star hotel and also a former palace has a superb  Andalusian garden once the property of the Grand Vizier of Sultan Hassan, Haj Amaati Jamai. The  garden is oldest example of Andalusian style in Fes with Al Hambra Classical Axial lines.

Robert Johnstone, has created a beautiful garden in the ruin at Riad Idrissy which  can be viewed daily from noon until 8pm. Johnstone describes it as “half garden, half allotment.” In it he grows gardenias, a jacaranda, papyrus, and a mix of edibles that are used in the riad’s kitchen, such as verbena, mint, chillies, sorrel, rosemary, parsley and tomatoes.

Jardin des Biehn is based on traditional Islamic forms, with water channels intersecting the garden, and fountains at one end. It was formerly the summer palace of a pasha who housed his concubines and slaves there. Now a boutique hotel, the rooms all open onto the lovely garden, which features roses, irises, large trees and a variety of edible herbs.

Fes et Gestes is a colonial house, which is now a maison d’hote. It has four equal garden beds, with a grand fountain in the centre.

Palais Mokri, Fes

The El Mokri Palace is located on the Southern of the old Medina on a hill – the hill of springs (El Ayoun), on the edge of the small valley of Wadi Fes and above the south gate, Bab Did.Built in around 1906 by Si Tayeb El Mokri, son of the king’s grand vizier the grand palace has a large garden with terraces and fountains. Ryad Mokri also has a a fine and well tended garden.

For more information about a Fes Tour or a Garden Tour of Fes 

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Abderrahman Slaoui’s Casablanca Museum,Your Morocco Tour Guide

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

Le Musée Abderrahman Slaoui

Abderrahman Slaoui was a businessman who loved the arts. Newly opened  this past May 2012 is Abderrahman Slaoui’s Foundation Museum located in Casablanca. The Musee De La Fondation Abderrahman Sloaoui is set up in the home of a charming art deco building dating from the 1940’s. Casablanca’s Musee De La Fondation Abderrahman Sloaoui is dedicated to Moroccan jewelry and decor.

Located in the heart of the historic district in Casablanca, Morocco Slaoui’s museum contains a unique ecollection of antique jewelry , vintage posters by great artists like Dinet, Majorelle and De La Neziere; miniatures. The museum also boasts 19th century Bohemian crystal boxes, illuminations and other objects collected from around the world. Visiting Slaoui’s Museum is like retracing the steps of a world traveler.
Abderrahman Slaoui  was a traveler, humanist and esthete, a “treasure hunter” for over fifty years. His collections of artistic and ethnographic pieces are the result of patience and persistence in creating a collection. The museum was born out of Slaoui’s exhibitions of “Moroccan Treasures” and opened several months prior to his death. When visiting Casablanca on a one-day tour from the Port or a general Casablanca Tour a trip to see Abderrahaman Slaoui’s collection is a treat.
Address Rue du Parc in Casablanca
Open: 10h00 – 18h00
For more information about visiting Abderrahman Slaoui’s Foundation Museum on a Casablanca Tour 
For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Morocco’s Tin Mal Mosque and the Gandoufa Valley,Your Morocco Tour Guide

Saturday, October 20th, 2012

Tin Mal Mosque High Atlas Mountains

Tin Mal is 100 kms from Marrakech  just past the village of Ijoukak on the road to Taroudant in the High Atlas Mountains. It was the spiritual home of the Almohads, who went on to  conquer Marrakech defeating the ruling Almoravids and then creating an empire that stretched  from all of what we know as the Maghreb, southern Portugal and Spain and part of Africa.

It began when Ibn Toumert of the Masmoudi tribe established the mosque at Tin Mal with a fortified town, called a ribat, in 1122. He proclaimed himself the Mahdi and established a strict and puritanical rule over his followers. All you see today is the imposing mosque which was rebuilt by Ibn Toumert’s successor, Abd el Mumin who went on to take Marrakech in 1148. It has been recently restored. It is one of only two mosques that non muslims can enter in Morocco, the other being the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.

Tin Mal Mosque Arches

The mosque is high up in a striking position over looking the river N’Fis andbears witness to the fervour of the Almohads with high walls and strong towers. It has been recently renovated and is one of the most memorable sites of historical significance in Morocco. There is a small museum housing architectural fragments. The mosque maybe closed on Fridays when the villagers of Tin Mal come to pray. In former times the mosque would have covered in white plaster and true to its founder’s puritanical ideals is free from the decorative features  normally found in Moroccan mosques.

The prototype for Tin Mal was the Great Mosque at Taza (near Fès), also built by Abd el Mumin. The Koutoubia at Marrakech  (the Almohad capital as of 1148) was in turn modelled on it. Tin Mal was the starting point of the Almohad dynasty which lasted till 1269. In 1276 the Merinds stormed Tin Mal leaving only the mosque standing killing the entire population. It remained the heartland of the Almohads and its rulers would come in pilgrimage to visit the tombs of their predecessors and pray at the mosque. It is a place to soak up the atmosphere of a movement and dynasty which saw the beginning of the Morocco we know today.

Further on from Ijoukak,Tagountafte, Souk Lara and Ikhfe N’Boul is the remains of the kasbah of the once-powerful caid of the Goundafa  tribe. The Gandoufa vied with the Glaoua and the M’Touga tribes for control of the Atlas Mountains at the end of the 19th century. The Gandoufa Kasbahs  which are now in ruins controlled the entry to the valley. Si Taieb Gandoufa succeded as caid in 1883 and fought other tribes with his army of 5,000 tribes men to increase his territory. In 1906 rival tribes plundered the N’fis valley and burned his Kasbah , Talat –n-Yakoub, whilst the caid was away in Fes.

However in 1912 the Kasbahs of Azemmour and Aguergour were returned to him and the French gave him money and weapons to conquer the Sous valley. He captured Taraoudannt  in 1913 amd was appointed Pasha of Tiznit. He retired to his mountain kasbahs in 1924 where he died at the age of 65. The French left it to leaders like Si Taieb Gandoufa and Thami al Glaoui Pasha of Marrakech to secure the south of Morocco during the protectorate and the ruins of their Kasbahs are their memorial and the relics of the last bastions of feudalism in Morocco.

For more information about visiting Tin Mal & The Gandoufa Valley Marrakech

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Excursions from Marrakech, Amizmiz, Ourika and Ouirgane, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Many visitors to Marrakech also enjoy excursions into the nearby countryside to experience the life of the surrounding Berber villages and towns and the communities in the Atlas Mountains. After the excitement of the souks in Marrakech and the hub bub of the city the silence and the beauty of the countryside is a pleasant contrast. One popular destination is Amizmiz where the local souk takes place every Tuesday.

A Visit to Amizmiz is an opportunity to browse a real Berber market which is usually cheaper thanMarrakech. Many artifacts and carpets and kelims are available and if younegotiate well you may geta better price than in Marrakech. It’s a good idea to check out prices in the souk in Marrakech first. Amizmiz is 55 kilometers south of Marrakech at the foot of the High Atlas mountain range. It is a small town of some 11,000 population and the local souk plays an important role in the economic life of the surrounding villages. Berber farmers bring their local produce and animals and buy goods from Marrakech, so its good to see how the countryside interacts with the city. Marrakech still has its vegetable and fruit markets and farmers come from the surrounding area. The souk is an important social gathering where business is done and friends and family meet. It’s good to be able to examine the wares in a less pressurised environment like Amizmiz, and get to know the locals. Its also a good place from which to visit other villages and explore the surrounding countryside. There are tour operators in Marrakech who provide transport and guides for the area.

If tourists want to travel independently they have to take a grand taxi-an old mercedes from the Bab Er-Rob in Marrakech and negotiate the price. You can either hire the driver for the day or take a taxi back to Marrakech from Amizmiz. Another well known get away is the Ourika valley 30 kms from Marrakech and the place where Marrakechi’s go to escape the heat of summer in Marrakech. In winter you can see the fabulous snowy mountains. The road to Ourika takes you through the entry to the valley which is one of the loveliest sights in Morocco as your car climbs up along the hill side looking down on orchards and cultivated terraces and the riverbed below.

 

Ourika itself is a holiday village with craft and pottery shops and sturdy stone houses. It’s great to meet the Berber people and visit a Berber household. The people have a hard life and in winter it can be very cold. Sometimes there are avalanches and flash floods but mercifully not to often. You have the option of carrying on up to Sebti Fetma which is a colourful small village with the tomb of the Saint . There is a waterfall and the opportunity to trek out into the fabulous mountain scenary . A favourite stop for lunch is the Auberge Ramuntchko (Tel: 0524 484521, mobile: 065965631), just outside Ourika with a wonderful view from the terrace where you can eat. Inside there is also a restaurant with a blazing fire place during winter. Get there before the tourist buses arrive!

You can also take the high road up to the sky resort of Oukaimeden with its stunning views looking out to Marrakech and beyond. No matter how often one visits the Ourika Valley it is always a revelation, always beautiful. The road however has to be constantly maintained and can get crowded on market days.

Another magical valley location is Ouirgane , 60 kms and an hour or so drive from Marrakech close to the Tiz N’Test pass, Mount Toubkal, Toubkal National Park and the Tassa Ouirgane National Park.This is trekking country at its best. Its possible totravel around by 4×4 but if your up to it by foot, donkey or horse is best . The air is clean the mountain scenary and the Takherkhoute forests are stunning, it is the ultimate place to crash out. Trekking out to little berber villages reminds one of Nepal in the early 1970’s when it was unspoilt.

One of the best places to stay in Ouirgane is the idyllic Domaine de la Rosaraie , set in sixty acres of parkland with a large garden filled with roses . The Domaine de La Rosaraie was created nearly forty years ago by Abdelkader Fenjiro. Staying there is not cheap but is a wonderful experience.

New on the scene in Ourigane for the upscale and chic mountain experience is the elegant and Domaine Malika. Domaine Malika is modern and stylish. This luxury boutique hotel run by Paul Goetz and his staff has seven modern rooms and suites tastefully decorated laid out on delightful grounds from which you can view the surrounding Atlas mountains. The restaurant at Domain Malika has an excellent 3 course set menu with vegetables from the garden and fruit from the orchard.

Another highly recommended hotel is Momo’s in Ouirgane. Chez Momo is a charming auberge, Moroccan country style home overlooking the High Atlas. They are also known for the excellent cuisine and elegant dinner setting. If staying in Ourigane dining at Chez Mommo is a must.

A less costly option is Au Sanglier Qui Fume which has been in existence since 1945. It started by catering to Foreign Legion soldiers working on the bridge and acquired its distinctive name because it was used by wild boar hunters. The rooms are simple but adequate and there is a good swimming pool and garden. Its restaurant has great character including the heads of wild boar hanging from the walls. The food is a blend of French and Moroccan cuisine. It remains a traditional French establishment. One should also mention the village of Imilil 70 kms from Marrakech, descending the road on the mountain pass downwards is an experience in itself, the staring point of the trek to Mount Toubkal . It has a busy mountaineering feel to it which reminds me again of Nepal years ago. Walking up or taking a donkey you pass Kasbah Toubkal.If you have the chance to climb up to its terrace you will find an epic view of surrounding mountains which would satisfy the gods. After that you can carry on up the mountain slopes for a walk. Climbing all the way to Mount Toubkal at 4,167 metres is only for the fittest.

Written By Colin Kilkelly

For more information about excursions from Marrakech

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visitMorocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

The Berber Ecomuseum in the Ourika Valley, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Sunday, October 7th, 2012

Patrick Man'ach's Maison de la Photographie Marrakech & Berber Ecomuseum, Ourika Valley

A treasure house of Berber culture created by Patrick Man’ach and Hamid Megrani is the Berber Ecomuseum also referred to as Le Musée Berbère.  The Berber Ecomuseum, Douar Tafza is located 37 km. from Marrakech  just before the Ourika valley. The Berber Ecomuseum is in an old village casbah. The house was restored by traditional techniques similar to those made in the Ourika valley and in Morocco. The collection displays Berber artifacts pottery and ceramics carpets and an extensive exhibition of  photographs and glass plates  of Berber life and customs  from the High Atlas in 1926 and Khalid, the charming young man in charge provides a conducted tou and an interpretation of symbolisms… and other aspects of life in the Atlas.

Berber Ecomuseum, Ourika Valley

The Berber Ecomuseum is a living part of the village preserving and enhancing its Berber heritage. Patrick Man’ach and Hamid Mergani  were inspired by the first ecomuseum in France on the Breton Island of Ouessant, which recorded local culture and it gave them the idea for Douar Tafza.

As you enter the downstairs yard, you see the food storage system dug deep into the floor where olives, oil and foodstuffs were stored. The walls of the house were rebuilt with the original adobe found in the Ourika valley region and painted in bright pink colors, which change as the sunlight changes through the day. The first floor has beautiful original carpets hanging on the walls. Berber carpets describe the life cycle of marriage, birth and the womb.

Traditional Berber Urn, Berber Ecomuseum Ourika Valley

The house owner’s room for receiving guests is arranged in accurate detail with Berber jewellery and artefacts and by a fantastic process of documentation, the original owner’s photograph is hanging on the wall in what would have been his living quarters.

There is also Panoramic terrace looking out on the stunning mountain scenary and the Ourika valley. If you stop at the village and ask for Douar Tafza you will be guided to the door. This is a remarkable example of sustainable ecotourism which is bringing life to this village and encouraging communal participation in this visionary project, as they also use Dar Tafza for marriages and celebrations.

Enquires about Douar Tafza’s location can be made at the Maison de la Photographie.

Written by Colin Kilkelly

For more information about Douar Tafza’s Berber Ecomuseum or an Ourika Valley Tour

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.
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The Maison de la Photographie Marrakech, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Sunday, October 7th, 2012

Maison de la Photographie Marrakech Medina

No visit to Marrakech is complete without a visit to La Maison de la Photographie which is close to the Medersa Ben Youssef. Just pass by the door of the Medersa and through the  arch across the street and follow the road round passing on your way restaurant Foundak  (an excellent place for lunch or dinner) on your left, a school on your right and shortly afterwards you will find La Maison de la Photographie on your left. It is truly one of the wonders of Marrakech.

Housed in a converted three storey Foundak (the old inns and storage houses for camel trains coming to sell their wares in the souks) which Patrick Man’ach and his Moroccan business colleague Hamid Megrani  converted in to a photographic gallery in 2009. There are photographs of Morocco from the 1860’s at the very dawn of photography when intrepid adventurers had to carry heavy equipment into what was still a largely closed country up until the 1950’s and Morocco’s independence in 1956. Early photographers such as Scotsmen George Washington Wilson and James Valentine, took posed pictures for what became the first postcards from Morocco. the Spanish Carvilla and many others like the images of Gabriel Veyre, partner of the brothers “Lumière” – inventors of photography in 1839. During his Moroccan period, the photographer immortalized Sultan Moulay Abdel Aziz, taught him photography, and created a coluorful photographic record portraying three decades.

Maison de la Photographie Marrakech Medina

Starting in Tangier these photographers gradually began to visit Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains taking pictures of street scenes and then capturing the diversity of Morocco’s Arab, Jewish and Berber inhabitants . There are very few photographic collections as rich as that of Maison de la Photographie which houses 4,500 photographs and 800 of the original glass plates by early photographers. A full reference library is on site and researchers and students interested in Moroccan history are welcome.

The exhibitions are arranged on three floors, with large size portraits and scenes from the 1860’s and 70’s to the early20th Century and the late 1950’s. The third floor has a vido room showing the films of Daniel Chicault who took his cine camera to the Atlas Mountains to film in colour unique dance scenes  and  the village life of the Berber tribes in 1956 and 1957. These are of immense anthropological importance and  they give  us a unique chance to appreciate the wonderful berber tribal heritage much of which is sadly vanishing. By appreciating Morocco’s past we can understand and appreciate its rich cultural heritage.  To crown the visit you can climb the steps to the terrace which has one of the best panoramic views of the medina around as it is one of the highest buildings in the area.

The Maison de la Photographie is the most orignial concepts to have been created in Marrakech in the last few years. Many hotels have bought the photographs which now grace many hotel rooms and La Maison de la Photographie works on exhibitions with most of the leading  cultural institutions in Marrakech including the Institut Francais and the Riad Denise Masson to name but two.

The new exhibition in the Maison de la Photographie is called: ” Trésors Photographiques du Maroc ” (Photographic treasures of Morocco) : the exhibition of original prints which covers the period 1870-1950 and shows the diversity of the Moroccan population: Arabs,Berbers, Muslims and Jewish people and the splendor of the  Mediterranean, Atlantic and Saharian countrysides.

Most of the photographers came from Europe, and in the 1870’s, stayed in Tangier, an international city, where legations, soldiers, traders, adventurers, artists, located their activities. With the colonial period, called  the French Protectorate, photographers ventured further towards the South: Marrakesh became a winter resort, and many started to venture in the Atlas, like the painter Majorelle who owned the Majorelle and its gardens in Gueliz  on the Boulevard Zerktouni which houses a museum for Majorelle’s paintings and a museum created by Pierre Berget with the Haute Couture of Yves Saint Laurent.

In the Thirties, a group of photographers under the name of  Studio Souissi, recorded  all aspects of local life. Muller’s exceptional photographs, a donation of his daughter Ana Muller, are exhibited permanently.

Visitors can view documentaries by Daniel Chicault, from 1957, on the Berbers of the High Atlas and from the panoramic terrace, a view on the Atlas and the medina of Marrakesh.

The entrance charge of 40 dirhams includes a conducted tour and and details about the photographers . the staff are english speaking and  Patrick Man’ach is on hand to share information and advice. Visitors can buy prints of the photographs on view in the shop at the entrance.

Maison De La Photographie Marrakech Entrance Tiled Sign

Maison de la Photographie, Marrakech
Open everyday 9.30 am – 7pm
46 rue Ahal Fès
05-24 -38-57 21 or +212-5-24-38-57-21

Written by Colin Kilkelly

For more information about The Maison de la Photographie Marrakech or a Marrakech Tour

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.
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The Draa Valley & Berber Villages, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Monday, August 6th, 2012

The Draâ Valley is Morocco’s longest river. It’s formation is that of the Dades River and Imini River and flows from the High Atlas Mountains southeastward to Tagounit and from Tagounit mostly westwards to the Atlantic Ocean somewhat north of Tan-Tan. The water from the Draâ is used to irrigate Palmeraies and small horticulture along the river. The inhabitants of the Draâ are called Drawi, used to refer to the dark skinned people of Draâ that make up the largest portion of its inhabitants.  The Draa Valley originally was known as the Valley of Olives but when the 19th Century caravans passed through the date palms arose within the trails they traveled.  The palms proved to be a better choice to continue as a grown commodity because they bare dates, are used to make baskets, leafy carpets and over shade for the inhabitants.

The Draa Valley is surrounded by and made up of volcanic rock and breathtaking landscapes that lend to traces of the old routes of the caravans. Agdz, referred to as the Door to the Draa Valley and famous for its market of dates and palmeraie is a charming, town with a palmeraie view worth visiting on a Draa Valley one-day tour. From Agdz Moroccan travelers can journey on a seven-kilometer pise in the Draa Valley to discover old Ksars where the Berbers have been living for centuries. This area is known for the Haritine people who are black descendants from the region of Mali.

Located in the heart of the Draa Valley is  Kasbah Tamnougalt. Kasbah Tamnougalt is an incredible example of a traditional Moroccan Kasbah with its soaring spaces built of red pise (mud), tunnels and interior spaces. Kasbah Tamnougalt also has a large Jewish quarter (mellah)

Ait Ouzzine, Berber Village

A visit to the Draa Valley is not complete without experiencing an afternoon or a Moroccan lunch with a Berber family.  Just 5 kilometers after Nkob, another Sahara and Draa Valley town, one can find a famous village called Ait Ouzzine (the nice village). Ait Ouzzine is nestled within the Middle Atlas Mountains. Aït Ouzzine is a Berber village inhabited by over 300 families who live in beautifully painted crenulated Kasbahs, with their own henna fields, water wells, livestock and gardens. This peaceful village is tucked away along an impressive desert route connecting the Draa Valley (Tansikht) and Rissani. On a Draa Valley tour travelers can meet a Berber family, partake in a cooking lesson of how to make traditional bread and a tajine. This unique experience includes waalking in the green fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants.

For an in-depth experience, Moroccan travelers can have lunch in Ait Ouzzine. An example menu would include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine and fresh local fruits for desert. Compliments of the Berbers guests who travel the Draa Valley region can end their visit with a Henna party or if visiting during the month of October, they can participate in date selection and date picking in the Draa Valley.

For more information about a Draa Valley  Tours

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Casablanca Excursion With Morocco Experts, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca Excursion

Each month the Port of Casablanca is filled with various cruise ships that dock offering cruise critics and cruise ship travelers the opportunity to take in the sites and sounds of Casablanca. Casablanca is known for the Hassan II Mosque, 1920’s classic Art Deco Architecture, the Museum of Moroccan Judaism and the famous hot spot Rick’s Cafe. The city of Casablanca is the perfect place to take a Casablanca Excursion with Morocco Travel Experts.

Two cruise ships that frequent the Casablanca Port often are the Oceania Marina and the Oceania Riviera. These Mediterranean cruises stop in Monte Carlo, Naples, Casablanca along with other a select group of other Ports in the region. Most of the Mediterranean cruises offer Casablanca excursions for large groups. As a cruise ship traveler if you prefer not to participate in a large group then considering a private Casablanca Excursion with Morocco Experts is a good choice.

A Casablanca Excursion with Morocco Experts that takes you on a private tour through Casablanca’s historic sites, monuments, the Corniche, shops and markets is the ideal way to see Casablanca in a day. A private Casablanca Excursion offers both value and ease of travel.

The Casablanca Port is located in the center of Morocco and is one of the most enticing sights available for those looking for a one-day Casablanca excursion. Various places to visit on a Casablanca Excursion with Morocco Experts are the Hassan II Mosque which is the largest in the world, the Corniche, the Notre Dame De Lordes Cathedral and then opt for the Museum of Moroccan Judaism or Temple Beth-El.

On a Casablanca excursion with Morocco Experts be sure to take time out to shops in the city stalls of the old medina and the Habous Market. Fine Arabic carpets and the best copper and brass goods can be found on a Casablanca excursion.

The Exposition Nationale d’Artisanat offers superb carpets, quality leather goods and craft ware that are worth purchasing. Moroccan painted pottery, belts made of leather, embroidered clothing and handmade jewelry are other things which you can find there on a Casablanca excursion.

For lunch during a Casablanca Excursion don’t miss out on the famous Rick’s Cafe or if you are on a budget check out La Cigale or Snack Amine. For desert those on a Casablanca Excursion can visit Benis Patisserie is known for its delightful pastries. It is said to be one of the best.

For more information about a Casablanca Excursion with Morocco Experts 

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.
Casablanca, Casablanca Excursion, Casablanca Travel, Casablanca Morocco Expert, Casablanca Port Tours, Morocco Travel, Travel to Morocco, Travel Exploration

Casablanca Tour of Derb Ghallef, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Derb Ghallef, Casablanca Flea Market

One of Morocco’s little known city sites where old world tradition and modern technology meet hand in hand is Casablanca’s Derb Ghallef. Derb Ghallef in Casablanca is worth visiting on a one-day Casablanca Tour. Derb Ghallef is essentially an enormous flea market and the center of distribution for black market goods and services in Casablanca, Morocco. The noise and bustle of the auction block, the bargain prices of the flea market and its goods are defining features of today’s Derb Ghallef. There is no better way to see a live flea market on a Casablanca Tour then Derb Ghallef.

Casablanca’s Derb Ghallef is a world renown microcosm for how informal markets function in developing economies. The Derb Ghallef has over 2,000 outlets that are located in narrow alleyway and looks like a shantytown. Most of the stores in Casablanca’s Derb Ghallef occupy not much more then 12 square meters, and are made of tin, zinc and wood.

 

Casablanca Tour Derb Ghallef Visit

Casablanca’s Derb Ghallef even has a mosque with a its minaret made from green-painted cardboard and found materials. Derb Ghallef is not even o the electrical grid so to speak yet it generates over 140 million USA Dollars annually.

The history behind Casablanca’s Derb Ghallef is nothing less then fascinating. Derb Ghallef began in the 1920’s as a shantytown near the center of Casablanca, as a result of rural migration and an increasing birth rate in the region.

Subsequent to a welder accidentally burning down the area in the 1950’s, Casablanca’s Derb Ghallef resettled at a nearby site, where they created a flea-market and auction house for used goods.

Derb Ghallef has no land rights and is not an authorized site of business. It has been a controversial place for decades that has breaded ground for corrupt officials to take advantage of the proceeds.

In late 1982 a suspicious fire was set and the merchants had to set up in a nearby space and have remained their since. There are several advantages of shopping at Derb Ghallef on a one-day Casablanca Tour. The market is a one-stop shopping destination like Wal-Mart or Carrefour with unique Moroccan resold goods

The merchants of Derb Ghallef have created a nexus of commercial and technological innovation and a paradise of smuggled, pirated, and counterfeit goods.

For more information about Casablanca’s Derb Ghallef or a Casablanca Tour

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel ExplorationTravel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.