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Morocco Luxury Tours, Custom Designed For You

Wednesday, June 24th, 2015

Royal Mansour, Marrakech, Luxury Morocco Tour with Travel Exploration

Explore Africa on a Morocco luxury tour. Morocco luxury tours are custom-designed to deliver authentic, unique travel experiences. On a Morocco luxury tour you will immerse yourself in the history, people and culture of contemporary Morocco. Hand curated by our experts the customized tours that Travel Exploration offers are for the inquisitive traveler.

Our private cultural tours and outdoor adventure tours are one of a kind and the perfect choices for couples, families and small groups. Travel Exploration’s Morocco luxury tours have earned a reputation of excellence from travelers around the world and also from Trip Advisor.

On a luxury tour to Morocco Travelers will discover Andalusian and Moorish architecture, glorious houses of worship, magnificent marketplaces, mystical Kasbahs and Berber villages. What sets our customized private tours apart are the hand curated choies we offer we offer which are inclusive of English-Multilingual speaking drivers who work for our company full time, local expert historical guides who are the top in their field and from each city and region you will visit on a Morocco Luxury Tour along with the best choices of riads and boutique hotels that are tailored to your taste as a travelers.

Luxury Desert Camp Morocco Luxury Tour

Imagine trekking across the Sahara Desert in a private camel caravan at sunset followed by an Arabian Nights dinner in Luxury Desert Camp in the heart of the Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Dunes. Morocco has been at the crossroads of world cultures for centuries and makes for the perfect luxury travel destination.

Morocco’s delicate balance of ancient traditions and contemporary culture blend together to offer a 21^st Century travel experience. Travel Exploration has insider access that offers unique, private encounters to those who choose to travel with us on a Morocco luxury tour.

Things Your Will Experience on a Customized Morocco Luxury Tour:

Private picnic Sip tea in the Valley of Nomads with Cave dwellers

Dine on Couscous with the Berbers in the Saghro Mountains

Participate in a private, Cooking Class with a Dada Chef

Visit exclusive, Riad and Villa gardens, all led by the best historical guides who are Moroccan and an experts in their field.

Stays at Boutique Riads and Hotels

For More Information about a Private Morocco Luxury Tour or call (800) 787-8806.

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

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.

Tags: Customized Morocco Tours, Luxury Morocco Holidays, Luxury Morocco Tours, Morocco Travel, Private Morocco Tours, Tours to Morocco
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A New Children’s Library Opens in the Fez Medina

Sunday, June 7th, 2015

Fez Medina Children’s Library

UN statistics suggest that average literacy rates in Morocco are as high as 67% (in 2011). However, this figure hides large discrepancies between males and females and between urban and rural populations. Typically, girls in Morocco are less well-educated than boys. Additionally, in rural communities or poorer areas of the medinas, parents may remove children from school at an early age to work or help the family. The Medina Children’s Library in the medieval old city of Fez aims to support children’s learning and make it fun.

Co-founder of the library, author Suzanna Clarke, says: “Houses I have visited in the Medina rarely have books beyond the Koran, and certainly none for children. Lots of children don’t continue their education past primary school and are expected to become part of the family business.”

Fez Medina, Children’s Library

Since its opening in January 2015, the Fez Medina Children’s Library has become a big hit with local kids. On average, between 35-50 kids attend every day. In May 2015 alone, it welcomed over 1,100 children through its doors. Wafae, aged nine, explains: “Before the library was here, I only used to play in the street with my friends.” And Kawtar, five years old, added, “I come to the library because I want to read more stories. They stay with me always.” Local children are really excited to have a place to go to discover books, listen to stories and read in a welcoming and safe environment near their homes. They can also borrow books for up to a week to read at home and share with their families. Khadija, aged 13, explains: “I come to read short stories and novels in French and Arabic. I also like to take the books home to read them.”

The library has been conceived with a particular focus on younger children: pre-readers and developing readers (up to the age of 14 years old). Children in the Fez medina have ample access to TV and the internet, but children need age appropriate and culturally relevant books to fuel their learning and development as they grow. Through their own enthusiasm for reading, they can also ignite an interest in their parents, many of whom themselves are illiterate.

Children’s Library, Fez Medina

As well as reading, the children can come to the library to listen to stories read from books. Once a day in the week and twice daily at weekends, a volunteer reader brings the stories alive and continues a tradition of oral storytelling very familiar to the children. They sit quietly to listen and are eager to answer comprehension questions. The sessions encourage them to discover the stories contained in the books for themselves.

The librarians are locals and receive a salary for their work. Hamza, 23, is studying for a degree in English. He got involved because “I live in the medina, I like reading and I like children.” He and fellow librarian Safae supervise the kids in the library and faithfully record their attendance and the books they borrow.

The Medina Children’s Library is managed by the Fez Association for Children of the Medina. The association’s members are volunteers committed to improving the lives of children in the Fez Medina and to bringing their own love of reading to the children of their local neighbourhood. They have great ambition to expand the library to new premises and add extras such as creative, sport and environmental activities to the library’s remit.

The library is open 10am – 7pm on weekdays and 10am – 6pm at weekends at 41 Zkak Rouah – Talaa Sghira in the Fez Medina. Further information on the library and how to contribute are available at: www.medinachildrenslibrary.org

Article References:

www.data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.ZS

www.unicef.org/infobycountry/morocco_statistics.html

Written by Lynn Sheppard

Lynn Sheppard has lived in Essaouira, on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast for more than 2 years, supporting local non-profits, writing and becoming an expert on all things Swiri (ie. Essaouiran). She blogs at Maroc-phile.com and for other travel industry clients.

For more information about the Fez Medina’s Children’s Library or a Tour of Fes

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: children, development, Fes, Fes Tour, Fez, library, literacy, medina, Medina Children's Library, morocco, Morocco Travel, Travel Exploration
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Art Deco Casablanca: Must See Historic Buildings

Tuesday, May 12th, 2015

Art Deco Facade, Casablanca

Prior to the establishment of the French Protectorate in Morocco (1912-1956), Dar al Bayda, as Casablanca was then known, was a modest port of a population of around 12,000. A few years into the Protectorate, this had increased 10-fold and has hardly stopped growing since. Today, Casablanca is Morocco’s bustling economic hub, home to many international companies and Africa’s biggest port and its largest shopping mall, Morocco Mall. For visitors to this metropolis, the big draw is the stunning Hassan II Mosque. However, the French left a significant architectural legacy. As you walk the streets, look up and around you beyond the crowds, the traffic and the hubbub of city life to discover Art Deco Architecture in Casablanca.

The drive to develop and expand Casablanca provided the impetus for a large urban development program at the start of the Protectorate era. This included wide city avenues, open squares and public buildings from which the ruling power could organise its realm. Back in Paris, the swirling loops of Art Nouveau were being superseded by the more angular shapes of Art Deco, which melded perfectly with Morocco’s indigenous geometry inspired by the Islamic edict against the depiction of the human form. A new architectural style was born: Mauresque blended traditional Moroccan designs and techniques of mosaic, plasterwork and wrought iron with influences from turn-of-the-century Europe, combining the straight lines of Art Deco with the sweeping curves of earlier styles.

Palais De Justice, Art Deco Casablanca

Some of these buildings have been restored and are still in use. Others have suffered a less fortunate fate. Some of the best examples are around the large open expanse (now traversed by Casablanca’s modern tramway) of Place Mohammed V. Around the square, you can see the main Post Office (1918), the Palais de Justice (courthouse, 1925) and the Wilaya (administrative headquarters, built between 1927 and 1936). Pop into the Post Office to see all the original Art Deco fixtures and fittings still in tact. In the streets leading away from the square, look above the shop fronts and imagine the grandeur that these buildings represented in their heyday. The French planned this city as a showpiece, a statement of the potential of their African Empire and no effort was spared.

Post Office, Art Deco Casablanca

Several great examples of Art Deco Architecture in Casablanca are in an area to the east of the square, bordered by Boulevard Mohammed V to the north, Avenue Lalla Yacout to the south and stretching as far as Rue Ibn Batouta to the east. Admire the facades as you wander along Rue Idriss Lhrizi. Seek out the Hotel Guynemer on the parallel Rue Brahim Belloul and the Transatlantique on Rue Chaouia, or the Cinema Rialto on the corner of rue Mohammed el Qorri and rue Salah ben Bouchaib. The crumbling Hotel Lincoln, constantly the subject of a rumoured restoration program, sits opposite the Marché Central, at the intersection of of Boulevard Mohammed V and Rue Ibn Batouta; the Hotel Volubilis, on Rue Abdelkrim Diouri is thankfully the result of a successful one.

If you have longer in Casablanca and a keen interest in Art Deco architecture, you can take a taxi or the new tram to the Mers Sultan neighbourhood, to the south of downtown Casablanca. Largely shunned by today’s nouveau riche and not typically visited by the day trippers who crowd to the Hassan II mosque, this area is full of treasures ready for discovery. Some of the apartment blocks and villas echo the grandeur of Marseilles or Miami Beach. Here you will find the playground of the former French colonialists – the bars, cafes and cinemas, but their wealthy clientele are long gone. Hunt down the Café Champs Elyssée, built in the shape of a cruise liner; the Cinema Lynx and the Bar Atomic.

For a luxury Art Deco have your Morocco travel agent book you into Le Doge Hotel & Spa, a boutique hotel located in a historic villa just 10 minutes from the corniche and 5 minutes from La Squala historic fortifications.

Le Doge Hotel & Spa Casablanca

The Moroccan government is pouring money into the regeneration of Casablanca and one can only hope that some of these Art Deco buildings can be rescued and restored. Casablanca is a city of extremes – the wealthiest business moguls reside in new villa developments along the coast, while the poorest rural migrants scrape a living around its large shanty towns. It seems that modern Casablanca never stops moving. However, if you look carefully, slow your pace and look up above the grimy ground floors and beyond the botched renovations, you will discover the city’s former glory of Art Deco Architecture: the brass, the parquet floors and the chandeliers just need a spit and a polish to shine once again.

Written by Lynn Sheppard

For more information about Casablanca Art Deco Tours

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: architecture, Art Deco, Art Deco Casablanca, art nouveau, casablanca, Casablanca buildings, Casablanca tours, Casablanca Travel, Morocco Travel, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration
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Remembering Jewish Essaouira, Heritage Sites & Synagogues

Thursday, May 7th, 2015

Muslims & Jews in Essaouira, Praying for Rain

Essaouira owes much of its past, present and future to its situation on a bay sheltered from the fierce trade winds of the Atlantic Ocean by an archipelago of small, rocky islands. Towards the end of the 18th century, Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdullah (Mohammed III) created a strategic role for Essaouira in his new trade policy oriented towards the Atlantic. He instructed the construction of the Kasbah (King’s Quarters) and the Skala fortifications which became the basis for the medina (old city) we see today. He ordered the closure of Agadir harbor, further south, and effectively routed a large amount of trade between Europe and West and Central Africa through his new port. The Sultan was the first Head of State to recognize US Independence in 1776, thereby creating a strategic linkage in support of his trade objectives in Morocco.

In order to ensure the success of his strategy, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdullah invited 10 prominent Jewish families from the key commercial centers of Morocco to settle in what was known then as Mogador and manage the trade. These families were largely the descendents of those expelled from Andalusia at the end of the 15th century and had gained a strong reputation for their skills as merchants. They became the “Tujjar as-Sultan“, the Sultan’s traders. These families – and many foreign consuls and negociants – settled in the newly-built houses of the Kasbah, which featured typical Swiri architecture of rooms set around a colonnaded interior patio, the latter often large enough to accommodate merchandise. Such buildings can be seen in the area near Bab el Minzeh and Bab Sbaa and along Rue Laalouj, where the French Institute and Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdullah Museum are excellent examples.

Chaim Pinto, Jewish Synagogue Essaouira

By the start of the 19th century, the population of Essaouira was majority Jewish. There were as many as 40 synagogues. Some, like the Simon Attia synagogue were the private synagogues of a large family, while others, such as the Slat Lkahal, were community centers of worship. As the affluence of the city grew, it attracted many migrants from the rural areas, seeking economic opportunities. The Mellah, a typical feature of a Moroccan city and a principally Jewish neighborhood, was built to house these families. Essaouira also had a Mellah Kdim, the “old Mellah”, which was an extension of the Kasbah and housed the Jewish middle classes. Mogador was unique in Morocco in that Jews, Muslims and Christians – those of Jewish, Berber, African, European and Arabic descent – lived side-by-side. There was a fruitful exchange at all levels of society, from artisans like silversmiths passing on their trade, to the interchange of intellectual and musical influences such as seen in the Andalusian music which continued to be taught and performed in Mogador long after the flight of Jews and Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula.

Jewish Cemetery, Essaouira

Today, there are a number of Jewish sites which can be visited and/or are under renovation in Essaouira. Essaouira’s two Jewish cemeteries are open to visitors by calling the number of the guardian posted on the door. The older of the two is only separated from the sea by a wall and is regularly inundated. It features the mausoleum of Rabbi Haim Pinto (1748–1845), which is the subject of a hilloula (pilgrimage) every Fall. The graves are often laid on top of each other and the inscriptions are no longer legible. All that remains are circular or triangular symbols indicating whether the occupant was male or female.

The ‘new’ Jewish cemetery, across the street, was opened in the 18th century to accommodate the growing population. It is the final resting place of a number of rabbis, intellectuals and musicians as well as many of the ‘ordinary’ residents of Essaouira-Mogador. The cemetery tells the stories of many great families of Mogador such as the Corcos, the most famous of the original ‘Sultan’s merchants’ and the Yuly and Levy families – some of whom are certainly ancestors of the first Jewish US senator, David Levy Yulee.

The guardian of the cemeteries can also grant access to the Haim Pinto synagogue, just back inside the medina at Bab Doukkala, in the Mellah. The neighborhood is part of an urban clearance program and the synagogue, although thoroughly renovated inside, sits in a precarious position surrounded by crumbling and decaying buildings, the former homes of Jewish families.

Slat Synagogue, Essaouira Restoration Project

Just a few doors along, back towards the central medina, is Slat Lkahal, a community synagogue currently under painstaking renovation by Haim Bitton, helped by the generous donations of members of former Mogador Jews. Those who are lucky to meet him there will learn of the intricate connections between Jewish communities in Manchester, London, Italy and Mogador. So far, he has managed to rescue key elements of the original synagogue from demolition and is carefully restoring them using local artisans. He hopes to turn rooms on the upper floor into exhibition and meeting spaces.

Back in the Kasbah, the Simon Attia synagogue is the subject of an ambitious restoration program. Once also the Rabbinical Court of Mogador, the aim is to restore the space used for worship on the ground floor and create a library of documents related to Moroccan Judaism alongside accommodation for students of these works upstairs.

Most of Essaouira’s synagogues are long gone. Few have actually been demolished, but most have passed into alternative uses and only the older members of the Mogador Jewish diaspora recall their location. There are still plenty of clues to the size of the former Jewish population of Essaouira, however. A wander around the labyrinthine alleyways of the Mellah or Kasbah will reveal several doorways with the Star of David on the lintel and a conversation with any of Essaouira’s older residents will reveal the proximity and goodwill of the Muslim and Jewish communities in times gone by.

Written by Lynn Sheppard

For more information about Essaouira Jewish Heritage Sites or an Essaouira Jewish Heritage Tour

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: Essaouira, Essaouira Mellah, Essaouira synagogue, Jewish cemetery, Jewish Cemetery Essaouira, Jewish Essaouira, Jewish Heritage Tour, Jewish Morocco, Jewish sites, Jews in Essaouira, Mogador, Morocco Travel, Rabbi Chaim Pinto Synagogue, Rabbi Chaim Pinto tomb, Travel Exploration
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Mohammed Choukri, A Post War Moroccan Author

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

Mohamed Choukri, Tangier

Few Moroccan authors have achieved international recognition beyond the Francophone world because of the lack of translations of their works. The international acclaim of writer Mohammed Choukri and the fact that not only his works, but his remarkable life story, are known beyond the Arabic and French-speaking worlds is largely due to the support he received from globally acclaimed authors Paul Bowles and Tahar Ben Jelloun along with his own, incredible determination.

The man who was to become one of Morocco’s most well-known and controversial writers had inauspicious beginnings. He was born in 1935, in Beni Chiker (also known as Aït Chiker), a small village in Nador province, in the Rif mountains of north east Morocco, near the Algerian border. Life in such remote northern villages at this time – under the Spanish Protectorate (the French governed the area further south) – was harsh. The young Mohammed’s family was desperately poor and his father was a tyrant. Several of his siblings died of hunger, negligence or – in the case of his brother Abdelkader – murder at their father’s hands. The family moved to the cities of Tetouan and Tangier (at that time an International Zone) in search of economic security. Mohammed fled the family aged 11 to make his own life and adopted the name Choukri, a derivation of his home village.

Mohamed Choukri, For Bread Alone

As a child, Choukri survived on his wits. Homeless and starving, he took small jobs to get by, but resorted to theft and prostitution to survive. He used drugs and alcohol and mixed with prostitutes, beggars and street dwellers, the existence of whom most wealthy Tangerois preferred not to acknowledge. His meals often came from the garbage – he found the trash of the International Zone far more nourishing than those of his Moroccan neighbors. This grim and desperate period of his life was the inspiration for three autobiographical works, the most well-known of which is his novel, For Bread Alone. The title is a reference to the lengths he had to go to just to get dry, stale bread to eat.

At the age of 20, in an exceptional demonstration of determination and foresight, Choukri took himself off to school. In the year of Moroccan independence from France and Spain, 1956, he left Tangiers for the quieter fishing town of Larache and at 21 began primary school for the first time. He eventually finished his schooling able to write in classical Arabic (which was neither his mother tongue nor the Moroccan dialect used in daily life) and became a school teacher himself.

Back in Tangiers in the swinging 60s, he continued to document his early life, often writing in cafes and bars, where he found himself brushing shoulders with European and American literati and liberals. It was a friendship and collaboration with the US writer, Paul Bowles, which facilitated the publication of For Bread Alone in 1973 in England.
Choukri’s shocking story was out there. Although it drew explicitly on the reality of his life, it was controversial and was condemned by conservative and religious commentators in Morocco. The French translation by Tahar Ben Jelloun, a Moroccan author well-known in his own right, ensured a broader audience on its publication in 1981. Although printed in Arabic in 1982, For Bread Alone was banned in Morocco until 2000. It was as if the educated – those who could actually read his work in a country with high illiteracy – could not accept the reality of poverty in their own, newly, independent country.

Choukri published several full-length works and short stories, often printed in English before Arabic. He was still writing in the late 1990s. He died from cancer in 2003 and was buried in Tangier. In a final recognition of his contribution to Moroccan and Arabic literature, his funeral was attended by the Minister of Culture, numerous government officials, personalities and the spokesman of the King of Morocco.
During his life, Mohammed Choukri claimed that he could not put a false veneer on his work, his writing was “a protest, not a parade.” He wrote in an attempt to expose and to criticize those people and the circumstances that he felt had stolen his childhood and his teenage years. US playwright Tennessee Williams described For Bread Alone as “A true document of human desperation, shattering in its impact”.

Written by Lynn Sheppard

For more information about Mohammed Choukri and Tangier

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: For Bread Alone, Mohammed Choukri, Moroccan authors, Moroccan writers, Morocco Travel, Nador, Paul Bowles, Rif Mountains, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Tangier, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration
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10 Best Things To Do in Morocco, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Friday, May 1st, 2015

Cooking Class, Travel Exploration

From the Atlas Mountains to the Atlantic Coast and from the Great Sahara Desert to Imperial Marrakech, Morocco offers a wide range of things to do. Adventure activities in Morocco offer travelers the opportunity experience another dimension of during a Morocco Private Tour. Travel Exploration has created partnerships with cooperatives and local experts for Morocco travelers to participate in that will enrich their private tour experience.

Glide across the High Atlas on zipline with your family or rise early to take in the Moroccan sunrise via a hot air balloon ride. Explore birdwatching in Sidi Boughaba or in the grand lagoon of Oualidia. Escape the bustling city of Marrakech for the day to visit the palmerie for a lesson of Falconry with some of Morocco’s most regal birds and their masters. Discover magnificent food-markets and try your hand at a Cooking Class with a Dadaa Chef or go deep into the heart of the medina on a Fes Food Tour. Visit a winery in Meknes and savor local cheeses in the hills of Fes. Participate in Tasting Marrakech, a guided dinner excursion in Djemma El Fna Square or bake bread with the Berbers. Join in to create your own designs ast a Fes Pottery Cooperative for half day and learn about the ancient Fasis pottery traditions. If all this is not enough to wet your palette then head off the Desert where you can quad-bike in the Erg Chebbi Dunes and sand board across the Sahara at Sunset.

Things to Do Morocco

10 Best Things to Do in Morocco:

1. Quad Biking in the Sahara Desert – Quad bike across the Sahara Desert or Essaouira’s Atlantic Coast. Perfect for the active traveler.

2. Sandboarding in the Sahara Desert – Sandboarding in the Moroccan Sahara Desert. Ideal for families and the active traveler.

3. Bird Watching Sidki Boughaba & Oualidia – Morocco is the perfect climate for the serious birdwatcher.

4. Hot Air Balloon over Marrakech – An excursion at sunrise over the High Atlas Mountains in Marrakech.

5. Falconry Morocco – Discover falcons and rare Moroccan Royal Birds in the Marrakech Palmeraie.

6. Fes Food Tour – A Souk Tasting Trail in Fes led by a Moroccan hostess. Morocco’s ideal culinary adventure for foodies.

7. Cooking Class Marrakech – The best Cooking Class in Marrakech, led by a traditional Dada Chef. A four hour experience for foodies.

8. Zipline Across the Atlas – Zip-line across the Altas Mountains near Toubkal National Park.

9. Wine Tasting Morocco – A Boutique Wine Tasting Tour. Visit Moroccan vineyards in the Meknes region.

10. Zellij & Pottery Design Tour – Try your hand at making traditional Moroccan pottery and zellij tile in Fes.

For more information about Things to do in Morocco on a Morocco Private Tour

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: Birdwatching Morocco, Cooking Class Marrakech, Fes Food Tour, Hot Air Balloon Morocco, Morocco activities, Morocco things to do, Morocco Tours, Morocco Travel, Quadbiking Sahara Desert, Ziplining Morocco
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Morocco’s Great Deserts, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Friday, May 1st, 2015

Morocco’s Great Deserts, M’hamid

Although, compared to neighbouring Algeria, Morocco has only a fraction of the Great Sahara Desert within its territory, yet Morocco offers the safest and best-organized access to the Sahara of the whole of North Africa. Whether you want a quick glimpse of the magnificent dunes on camelback, the thrill of sand boarding down the dunes, an overnight experience under the vast starry skies in a nomad’s tent, or a longer excursion to explore the expanse of the dune complex and the people who inhabit it, Morocco has it all. There is nowhere else where you could be in some of Africa’s highest snow-tipped mountain ranges and in the depth of the sandy expanses of the desert in the same day. And your trip to Morocco’s Great Deserts will take you through centuries-old oases on route. Along the way, you will meet local nomads and villagers whose families have worked this land and survived its hardships for generations.

Morocco lies on the northwesterly tip of the African continent with a long Atlantic coast. This coast runs approximately southwest to northeast. Almost parallel to the coast, behind the fertile plains of Morocco’s principal rivers, are the Atlas Mountain ranges (from north to south, the Middle, High and Anti-Atlas). The Sahara desert begins in the foothills of these mountains on their eastern (interior) side. Sandwiched between the mountains and the Algerian border are the principle dune regions of Morocco. Further south, the Sahara meets the ocean where Sahara cities Laayoune and Ad Dakhla are known for their sandy dunes, unique flora, bird life and beaches.

Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga Sahara Desert

Starting in the north, the most frequently visited dune network is at Erg Chebbi, near the towns of Rissani and Merzouga. Erg Chebbi’s dunes are the largest in Morocco, with some reaching around 150m in height. They cover an area of 50km (31 miles) from north to south and are about 5-10 km (3-6 miles) across. This area is easily accessible from Fes (via the Middle Atlas). A longer drive from Marrakech, takes visitors via the spectacular Tiz n’Tichka pass and the city of Ouarzazate or the stunning Dades Valley. This accessibility and the size of the dunes have meant that the infrastructure around the dunes at Erg Chebbi is very well developed, both in terms of desert bivouacs, luxury desert camps and guesthouses and hotels. This is great for those visitors who want a convenient way to see the desert on a tight itinerary, but those with more time or who seek to explore the Sahara in greater depth may prefer a more remote destination.

Further south, and also reached via Ouarzazate (but this time via the beautiful Drâa Valley and its date palm oases and ancient defensive kasbahs) are the desert areas around Zagora and M’Hamid. At Zagora, you can see the famous sign indicating “TOMBOUCTOU 52 JOURS,” (“52 days to Timbuktu”), which gives an indication of the importance of the desert and this region in particular for the camel caravans and trade routes of the past. Today, Zagora is a popular starting point for trips on camelback into the Sahara. The landscape here is flatter, although there are dunes at Tinfo, and near the town agriculture is relatively well developed, giving a different desert experience.

Erg L’Houdi (meaning the Dunes of the Jews) and Erg Ezahaar (the Screaming Dunes) are respectively one or four days’ camel ride from M’Hamid, which is itself around 100km (60 miles) further along the Drâa Valley towards the Algerian border. The paved road ends here. M’Hamid feels much more like a nomadic outpost. Being much more remote, this area is considerably less visited and many of the local sites of interest, such as sacred springs, ancient zaouias (sites of religious pilgrimage in honour of saints) and local Berber and nomadic villages are more easily (and comfortably) accessed in a 4×4 vehicle with an experienced guide. Being such an important region for trade and artisans, the area between Zagora and M’Hamid features some interesting historical and cultural sites, such as the village of Amezrou – base of former Jewish silversmiths with an Ancient Jewish Mellah – and Tamagroute, with its pottery cooperative, zaouia and Koranic Library.

Erg Chegaga Sahara Desert

The last of the four main dune networks is Erg Chegaga, between M’Hamid, 50km (30 miles) west of the town towards the settlement of Foum Zguid. After Erg Chebbi, these are the second most popular dune destination. Erg Chegaga has the highest dunes in this southerly area, but they are still considerably lower than the dunes at Erg Chebbi to the north. A favourite activity is to scramble to the top of the dunes in time for sunrise over the Sahara. Running uphill on sand is not an easy task, so this is an activity for early risers only!

Many visitors to Morocco manage to fit in an overnight stay under canvas or in a Kasbah-style hotel at one of the main dunes areas of Erg Chebbi or Erg Chegaga. However, for the more adventurous or those wishing really to escape the distractions of the modern world, the trip down to south to Morocco’s Great Deserts and also to M’Hamid and beyond is certainly worthwhile. For those with less time, however, the larger dunes still offer the chance to get away from it all. And while a journey on camelback is certainly not the most luxurious in terms of comfort, it is unlike anything else! Climb aboard the “ship of the desert” and image the great trains of camels, which once crossed this magnificent sandy expanse, transporting gold, silver, and salt across the African continent!

Written by Lynn Sheppard

For more information about Morocco’s Great Sahara Desert Tours

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: camel rides, Desert Trips, Erg Chebbi, Erg Chegaga, M'hamid, Moroccan Desert, Moroccan desert excursions, Moroccan Jewish history, morocco, Morocco Travel, Sahara Desert Tours, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration, Zagora
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Essaouira’s 18th Annual Gnaoua Music Festival May 2015

Tuesday, April 21st, 2015

Essaouira 18th Annual Gnaoua Festival, May 2015

Every year, the sun-bleached, windswept city of Essaouira on Morocco’s Atlantic coast plays host to a festival of Gnaoua and World Music. Normally it is held in June, but this year’s 18th edition will take place – like many of the main Moroccan music festivals – in May, to avoid a clash with the holy month of Ramadan. The dates for this year’s event are 14-17 May 2015.

The principal feature of the festival is the celebration of Gnaoua music and rituals. The Gnaoua movement is a form of Islamic Sufism. The roots of Gnaoua (or Gnawa) lie in sub-Saharan Africa and reflect pre-Islamic traditions. Successive Moorish sultans brought African slaves to Morocco and their traditions became integrated into Islamic Sufism.

Gnaoui (as practioners are known), like other Sufis, are organized into brotherhoods gathered around a Master, or maalem. These brotherhoods are based in a zawiya – a center of religious teaching, healing and practice found in towns and cities across Morocco. Sufis are known for their communion with God (Allah) through rituals such as music or dancing based on repetitive rhythms, known as samaa. The gnaoua hold spiritual events known as a lila, where the objective is for participants to reach a trance-like state of ecstasy to reach deeper spiritual knowledge. The lila rhythms and rituals are said to call up ancestral spirits to drive out evil and cure ills.

A typical instrument of the gnaoua is the gimbri, a three stringed bass lute covered in camel skin. The skin creates a deep reverberation, creating the soul-stirring basis of gnaoua music. The maalem typically plays the gimbri seated, singing the verse of a song (typically praising Allah or venerating a gnaoua saint). A chorus line of young adherents respond to his call while playing a percussive rhythm on the krakeb, iron castanets said to echo the sound of the slaves’ chains. As their clackety-clack beats hasten, the rhythm reaches a crescendo and Gnaoui may enter a trace or break ranks to demonstrate acrobatic dancing and whirling.

At the Gnaoua Festival in Essaouira, the audience has an opportunity to see both the brightly-colored, energetic spectacle of Gnaoua groups performing on large open-air stages (on Place Moulay Hassan and near the beach) as well as at more intimate concerts which simulate some of the atmosphere of a lila in smaller venues such as Dar Souiri or a zawiya. The best venue for the late night, smaller, concerts is the Borj Bab Marrakech. Lying on rugs and cushions under the stars, within earshot of the waves crashing on the beach and with seagulls calling and swooping overhead, a special atmosphere is created for some of the best known artists on the program.

As well as offering the opportunity to see the best of local Swiri gnaoua maalems and their groups, such as Tyour Gnaoua with Maalem Abdeslam Alikane, brothers Maalem Mokhtar and Maalem Mahmoud Guinea or Gnaoua rockstar Omar Hayat, the festival also an insight into the full diversity of Moroccan Sufi music – such as the more traditional and contemplative style of the Hmadcha of Essaouira; the drum-led beats of the Issaoua brotherhood from Fes, or the modern fusion style of Maalem Hamid el Kasri from Rabat.

The festival program is interspersed with performances by international artists. At the end of each evening on the main stage is the highlight – a fusion concert between one of these invited musicians and a Moroccan Sufi group. These spectacles are remarkable not only in their combination of musical genres and traditions, but also in the collaboration between artists of very different spiritual, religious and cultural traditions.

Invited guests this year include Afrobeat veteran, Nigerian drummer Tony Allen; Guadeloupian percussionist, Sonny Troupé; the latter’s sometime collaborator, US jazz saxophonist and flautist Kenny Garrett, and long-standing Gnaoua Festival supporter and collaborator, Franco-Algerian drummer Karim Ziad.

Those seeking a sample of Morocco’s diverse modern music scene, will want to catch Darga, a band from Casablanca playing a fusion of gnaoua, traditional and Western styles on the beach stage or Hindi Zahra, who has been compared to Norah Jones and Patti Smith, on the main stage.

The Festival opens with a spectacular parade of giant marionettes and all the participating Sufi groups on the Thursday afternoon. Seek out a position early on the main street through the medina from Bab Doukkala and get your camera in position!

Alongside the main concert program are also events such as the Forum – a seminar series, this year about African Women – and the Arbre à Palabre discussions held at the French Institute. This year there will be a smaller stage with afternoon concerts at Bab el Minzeh near the port. The open air concerts (on Place Moulay Hassan, at Bab el Minzeh and at the beach) are all free, although they can get crowded at night. VIP passes for an enclosed area near the stage can be purchased on site. The intimate concerts are ticketed (for example, concerts on the roof of the Borj Bab Marrakech at 250 dirhams) and places are limited.

Essaouira’s range of festivals throughout the year (such as the Alizés Festival in April and the Andalusian Festival in the Fall) highlight the melting pot of musical and cultural influences that is Morocco, but the Gnaoua World Music Festival is unparalleled in its showcasing of gnaoua music in its original form as well as in fusion with a range of world music styles. If you are in Morocco this May, don’t miss it!

ESSAOUIRA 18TH ANNUAL GNAOUA FESTIVAL PROGRAM

THURSDAY, MAY 14^TH:
PLACE MOULAY HASSAN
OPENING CONCERT RÉSIDENCE HUMAYUN KHAN AND MAÂLEM HAMID EL KASRI
CONCERT MAÂLEM MOKHTAR GUINEA
CONCERT MIKKEL NORDSØ BAND AND MAÂLEM MUSTAPHA BAQBOU
CONCERT MAÂLEM ABDELKEBIR MERCHANE

DAR SOUIRI
INTIMATE CONCERTS HMADCHA D’ESSAOUIRA
TE CONCERTS MAÂLEM ABDENBI EL GUEDARI

ZAOUIA ISSAOUA
INTIMATE CONCERTS MAÂLEM ABDELLAH AKHARAZ AND MAÂLEM SAID EL BOURKI

FRIDAY, MAY 15^TH

PLACE EL MINZEH
CONCERT GANGA D’AGADIR AND ISSAOUA D’ESSAOUIRA

ARBRE À PALABRE
ARBRE À PALABRE

PLACE MOULAY HASSAN
CONCERT SONNY TROUPÉ
CONCERT MAÂLEM OMAR HAYAT

FUSION SONNY TROUPÉ AND MAÂLEM OMAR HAYAT

CONCERT TONY ALLEN

FUSION TONY ALLEN AND MAÂLEM MOHAMED KOUYOU
CONCERT HINDI ZAHRA

LA SCÈNE DE LA PLAGE

JAUK, LE GNAOUI BLANC ET MAÂLEM AZIZ BAQBOU JAUK, LE GNAOUI BLANC AND MAÂLEM AZIZ BAQBOU

CONCERT MAÂLEM FATHALLAH CHAOUKI

CONCERT DARGA
FUSION MIKKEL NORDSØ BAND AND MAÂLEM MUSTAPHA BAQBOU

BORJ BAB MARRAKECH

INTIMATE CONCERTS TIMBUKTU

INTIMATE CONCERTS MAÂLEM ABDELKEBIR MERCHANE

ZAOUIA ISSAOUA

INTIMATE CONCERTS MAÂLEM ALLAL SOUDANI AND MAÂLEM RACHID BENTAIR

SATURDAY, MAY 16^TH

PLACE EL MINZEH
FORUM “L’AFRIQUE À VENIR
CONCERT HMADCHA D’ESSAOUIRA AND ISSAOUA D’ESSAOUIRA

ARBRE À PALABRE

PLACE MOULAY HASSAN
CONCERT MAÂLEM HASSAN BOUSSOU
CONCERT KENNY GARRETT
FUSION KENNY GARRETT AND MAÂLEM HASSAN BOUSSOU
CONCERT LES AMBASSADEURS

CONCERT AZIZ SAHMAOUI

LA SCÈNE DE LA PLAGE
CONCERT DIAPA ZONE
CONCERT BARRY
CONCERT MEHDI NASSOULI
CONCERT HUMAYUN KHAN AND MÂALEM HAMID EL KASRI

BORJ BAB MARRAKECH
INTIMATE CONCERTS ISSAOUA DE FÈS
INTIMATE CONCERTS MARIFAT SUFI BAND

DAR SOUIRI

INTIMATE CONCERTS ISSAOUA D’ESSAOUIRA

INTIMATE CONCERTS MAALEM LOTFI BENALI

ZAOUIA ISSAOUA

NTIMATE CONCERTS MAÂLEM ABDELLATIF EL MAKHZOUMI AND MAÂLEM MOHAMED QAQA

INTIMATE CONCERTS MAÂLEM ABDELLATIF EL MAKHZOUMI AND MAÂLEM MOHAMED QAQA

SUNDAY, MAY 17^TH:

PLACE MOULAY HASSAN
CONCERT DE CLÔTURE KARIM ZIAD AND MAÂLEM MAHMOUD GUINEA

Written by Lynn Sheppard

For more information about Essaouira’s 18th Annual Gnaoua Festival or an Essaouira Tour

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: Essaouira, Essaouira Tour, Gnaoua Festival, Gnawa Music, Hindi Zara, morocco, Morocco Travel, Summer festivals, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration, World Music
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The 6 Best Views of Morocco, Morocco Tour Guide

Tuesday, April 7th, 2015

Morocco is such a photogenic country. The Best Times to Travel to Morocco and discover the 6 Best Views is spring and fall. The bright, Mediterranean sunshine makes for a special light, whether you are photographing deserts, mountains, cities, dunes or coastal scenery. The colors of the natural elements, the architecture and the handicrafts such as carpets, highly polished teapots, hand-stitched and embroidered leather babouches slippers or flowing caftans make for great subjects, as do the people and animals of Morocco. It’s best to always ask before taking someone’s picture and don’t be offended if they refuse given many Moroccans are modest and private. Morocco also has several stunning vistas which you will want to snap during your trip. Here is a lowdown of where to go to capture the six best views of Morocco.

Fes Medina View

Fes

The ancient capital of Fes is such a dense, labyrinthine city that when you are in it, it is hard to imagine getting an overview of the place. To get the best view, it is necessary to climb above the hustle and bustle of street level, to get away from the jostle of the souk and rise above the walls. The best place to do this is actually outside the medina (old city) at Les Merinides Hotel. Situated on a hill overlooking the medina, this five-star hotel has three restaurants (La Kouba du Ciel on the top floor; L’Impérial French restaurant and La Terrasse de Fès at the poolside), all of which offer panoramic views of Old Fes.

Moulay Idriss View

Moulay Idriss

The main draw of this most holy of Moroccan cities is the mausoleum of Idriss I, the founder of the Kingdom of Morocco and credited with the introduction of Islam to this north western corner of Africa. The mausoleum occupies a large footprint in the medina, but is not accessible to non-Muslims. However, it is still worthwhile stopping at Moulay Idriss and hiking up to the highest point in the medina to look down on the huge mausoleum complex with its mosaic patios and glazed green roofs. From here, it is also possible to see the full extent of the ruins of the Roman city at Volubilis, just a few miles away.

Mosque of Koutoubia Marrakech View

Marrakech

The most special moment in Marrakech occurs just before dusk. Pick your spot on a roof terrace in one of the many cafes which surround Place Jmaa el Fna and watch the magic unfold. As the sun begins to set, the hawkers and street food vendors roll their mobile stalls onto the square to set up for the night. As the call to the sunset prayer sounds from the Koutoubia mosque’s minaret, the electric bulbs of the food stalls illuminate one by one, until the natural light has gone and the square is lit by hundreds of twinkling lights. Get to your chosen cafe early to secure a front-row seat and snap the sun setting behind the Koutoubia.

Portuguese Ramparts on Water, Essaouira

Essaouira

The classic picture of Essaouira, which you will find on postcards all over town, is shot through a round window in the fortifications (skala) of the port. Entrance is 10DH and as well as great views looking back to the white-washed medina, you will get an aerial view of the functioning port and the canons lining the crenulations, as well seeing swooping seagulls and the islands out in the bay. For the best sunset views, head to the medina skala, or one of the many bars and restaurants along the beachfront, and wait for the sun to sink into the Atlantic.

Dades Valley Pins

Dades Gorge

The best views of the stunning Dades Gorge are from the Auberge Chez Pierre, in the gorge itself. The ochre and red landscapes are an essential sight on your route to Zagora. Even if a night at Chez Pierre isn’t on your itinerary, it is worth stopping for lunch or a drink on their terrace. The hotel is built in the traditional local style amid terraces of fruit trees, offering fantastic views of the surrounding gorge.

Sahara Caravan

Erg Chebbi Dunes

It is not always easy to get an accurate impression of the sheer size and majesty of the magnificent Erg Chebbi sand dunes. However, the Yasmina Hotel offers unbeatable views due to its sheer remoteness. It is located right on the edge of the dune complex and the slightly longer drive from all sense of civilization is worth it for the absolute peace and calm that gives visitors a true feeling of the vastness Great Sahara. The best views of the dunes are at sunrise and sunset. For this reason, you may not choose to sleep at Yasmina – many guests use it as a stopping point before heading into the dunes on camel-back for a night under the stars in tents.

This list is offers edited and subjective highlights of our favorite views. On your Morocco trip you will certainly experience many others, take many photos and create special memories for the years ahead.

Written by Lynn Sheppard

For more information about the Best 6 Views and our Splendors of Morocco Tour

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: best shots of Morocco, best views of Morocco, Dades Gorge, Erg Chebbi, Essaouira, Fes, Marrakech, morocco, Morocco Travel, Morocco views, Moulay Idriss, photogenic Morocco, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration
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Explore beyond Chefchaouen, Day Trips from the Blue City

Sunday, April 5th, 2015

Chefchaouen, Woman in Medina

Chefchaouen, in the Rif Mountains of Morocco’s North, is a popular destination for visitors. Nestling in a valley beneath the “horns” of the mountains to which its name alludes (Ichawen means goat’s horns in the local Berber dialect), Chefchaouen is famous for the blue-painted houses in the steep and winding alleyways of the medina. This northern area of Morocco was once a Spanish Protectorate and there are many elements of Spanish culture and language still in evidence.

The city of Chefchaouen is well worth exploring for a day or two; the medina is attractive and small enough to navigate easily and you will find shops and artisans offering many local crafts. Near the river, you can see women washing laundry in the way they have for centuries, in their colorful striped aprons which are typical of the region.

Talassemtane National Park, Chefchaouen Region

However, if you have a little longer in the north of Morocco, the region around Chefchaouen is easily accessible and deserves some exploration. The city sits right on the border of the Talassemtane National Park. The park was designated in 1989 and covers some 145,000 hectares (358,000 acres). It is a great location for hiking and trekking and a number of routes are available for short half-day or day hikes as well as longer trekking and camping excursions. The park has a Mediterranean ecosystem including Rif Monkeys, native bird varieties and more than 239 plant species, many of which are endangered, such as the black pine, the Atlas cedar and the Elbow Tree (abbies marrocana), which grows only here in the whole of Africa.

Akchour Falls, Chefchaouen Region

A great day hike takes visitors to the Akchour Falls and/or the Bridge of God. The starting point is a short journey (around 40 minutes by car) outside Chefchaouen. From the same starting point at the small hydro-electric dam, paths run right and left. The easier hike is up to the right, to God’s Bridge, a steep cavern traversed by a wooden bridge with the river flowing far beneath it. The track is hilly but not too challenging and it takes less than one hour from the start to the bridge. In the tourist season, there are small cafes along the river bank offering cans of soda chilled in the river and tajines cooked on charcoal burners.

Either from the starting point, or from God’s Bridge (creating a large loop back to the start), the path to the stunning Akchour waterfalls – known as the Blue Pearl Falls – is more challenging, but very rewarding. To reach the falls from the starting point (or vice versa), it is necessary to cross the river several times. The ease of doing this depends on the season – after the spring snowmelts the river can be high and fast-flowing. A local guide can offer advice on the safest routes and times of year. Take a picnic with you from your hotel, or stop off on the way at one of the riverside cafes or roadside restaurants.

Another worthwhile excursion heads south out of Chefchaouen to Auberge Dardara. The Auberge is run by Jaber Elhababi, a charismatic Tanjoui (native of Tangiers), who has returned to his roots and the land of his forefathers to establish his business and social enterprise. The small complex features a restaurant, simple accommodation and a pool in summer. The trip is worth it for the restaurant alone, which uses local recipes and techniques and sources many of the ingredients from the Dardara market garden. A meal on the outside terrace with views of the surrounding Rif Mountains takes some beating!

If you feel like something more active, Dardara offers a number of activities such as local trekking in the Talassemtane National Park, cookery classes and mule riding. The emphasis is very much on sustainability and a respect for local communities and their traditions. Dardara also serves up daily three course lunches which and is noted for the best gastronomic farm-fresh cuisine in the region.

The city of Chefchaouen is a not-to-be-missed element of any tour of northern Morocco. However, a well-planned itinerary will also include time to get out of the city and into the stunning surrounding area of dramatic hills, wild rivers, rich agriculture and centuries of tradition.

Written by Lynn Sheppard

For more information about Morocco Tours beyond Chefchaouen

Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Tags: Akchour, Chefchaouen, Chefchaouen excursions, God's Bridge, morocco, Morocco excursions, Morocco hiking, Morocco Travel, Morocco trekking, North Morocco, Rif Mountains, Talassemtane National Park, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration
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