Posts Tagged ‘Sahara Desert Tours’

A Family Friendly Adventure Vacation to Morocco

Friday, September 2nd, 2016
Family Adventure, Camel Trekking in the Sahara

Family Adventure, Camel Trekking in the Sahara

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morocco is one of the leading holiday destinations for families who want to tour a country that offers a wide range of adventure activities. The country’s unique combination of urban cities, historic medinas, rural landscapes, mountain villages, a grand Sahara desert and sandy beaches make it family friendly vacation zone. Morocco’s tourism industry offers activtiies that are suitable for children of all ages. Family friendly Adventure Vacations and Holiday Tours to Morocco can be tailor made to accommodate outdoor or indoor activites. Families vacationing in Morocco are guaranteed a safe travel experience.

Morocco Family Vacation, Village Drum Session

Morocco Family Vacation, Village Drum Session

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morocco Family Adventure Vacation Tour – One Week Holiday Itineary at a Glance:

Day 1: Visit the Majorelle Gardens in Marrakech. This colorful garden is like cotton candy for the entire family with its wide variety of flora and fauna. Explore the costumes in the Berber Musuem and learn how this mountain culture once lived. Visit the old medina’s ancient fortress walls, the souks, markets and climb the stairs of the Ben Youssef medersa. End the day with a visit to Djemma El Fna Square at Sunset and a Marrakech Food Tour where the entire family will have dinner on the road. Explore the backstreets of the Marrakech medina. Snack on Moroccan doughnuts, Harira soup with sweet dates, sip fresh fruit juices, sandwiches, visit a bread oven and consider the exotic tasting of Moroccan meats. Overnight in an Family friendly Moroccan Riad.

Day 2: Cook Up Morocco at a Kid Friendly Cooking Class where the entire family can make their own Berber Tajine. Guided by a Daada Chef you will visit the food marekts in the medina, learn how vegetables are bought and sold, explore the spice souks and then craft your own meal and then dine on it for lunch. End the day with a Kalech ride through the new cities garden district. Overnight in an Family friendly Moroccan Riad.

Day 3: Take the road to Morocco’s Great South. En route visit the Ounilla Valley and Kasbah Telouet, a famous Kasbah that was once the home of the Pacha Glaoui. Continue to Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco. Climb to the top of Ait Ben Haddou Ksar and have lunch with views of the old town. Visit the Hollywood Film Studios where famous movies such as Kundun, Body of Lies, Cleopatra and the Game of Thrones were filmed. Overnight in an Family friendly Moroccan Riad with views of Ait Ben Haddou.

Berber Village Lunch

Berber Village Lunch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 4: Departure to the Sahara Desert. En Route visit the Draa Valley known for being crossed by pirates. Visit Agdz and the market of dates. Continue to the Berber Village of Ait Ouzzine. Nestled in the Saghro mountains is a Berber Village where you will learn how couscous is made, visit a working farm and have tea with a Berber family. Afternoon Family walk in the fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants. Lunch will be served followed by a henna party for the entire family. Continue to the arid Sahara Desert. Sunset camel trek across the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Bonfire and 1001 Arabian Nights dinner for the entire family. Overnight in a Wild Desert Camp in the Sahara Desert.

Day 5: Sahara Desert Adventure activties will fill your morning. Quad bike across the Erg Chebbi’s grand sand dunes. Explore the flora and fauna on a desert walk with your Berber guide. Go off pise (windy road) to a children’s school in the heart of the Merzouga Desert. Visit a school, meet a local teacher and see how children learn in Morocco. Next stop, visit the Musicians of Khemlia, Gnaoua travelers who made their way to the Sahara Desert and never left. Tea and almonds will be served as you watch this family friendly Moroccan, Berber drumming performance by the Century old Gnaouan muscians. Continue to Rissani after and learn about the art of bread baking of Madfouna, a Moroccan pizza. Visit fossil stuios to see how objects of art are made. Then continue to the Todra Gorge. Overnight at the foot of the Todra Gorge.

Day 6: Visit the Todra Gorge’s grand canyon. Watch Berber women fetch water with their daughter with donkey’s by their side. Hike through the Todra Gorge, have lunch at the foot of the Gorge. Continue to the Dades Valley. Overnight at a Guest House with Views of the Dades Valley.

Day 7: Dades Valley Rise Early. Visit the Dades Gorge, the Monkey fingers and drive through the Dades Pins along limestone cliffs with uniquely shaped erosions and superb scenery. Continue to the Valley of Roses. Visit this fertile region known for the Rose Demascus. Option to continue to the Valley of Nomads and have tea with a Nomad Family en route to Skoura. Overnight in at Guest House in the Skoura Palmerie.

Skoura Palmeraie, Valley of 1000 Kasbahs

Skoura Palmeraie, Valley of 1000 Kasbahs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 8: Visit Skoura and the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs. Skoura is a fertile oasis lined with immense palm groves that provide great views of the Atlas Mountains. Explore this unqiue region that is filled with a vast palmerie and small ksars once inhabited by Jews. Continue to the region of Ouarzazate. Visit the Oasis of Fint and have tea at the Head masters house. Then take the road back to Marrakech.

For More Information about Morocco Family Friendly Vacations & 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

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.

Bread & Morocco, A Love Affair

Wednesday, August 24th, 2016
Bread baking in the Sahara, Photograph by Amanda Mouttaki

Bread baking in the Sahara, Photograph by Amanda Mouttaki

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The children of him who has wheat in his house should not beg of his neighbor.

Manage with bread and salted butter until God brings something to eat with it.

There is no hunger but the hunger of wheat.

~ Moroccan Proverbs

There are plenty of things you will not find on a typical Moroccan table such as silverware, water glasses and individual plates. However there’s one thing you will always find, and that is a hearty basket of bread. As age-old Moroccan proverbs illustrate, Moroccan bread is a vital part of the diet and culture. Morocco’s terrain is dry and the land is harsh geographically. Bread is the one food that binds people together at a meal and can be made relatively inexpensively with few ingredients. Wheat can be kept and used over time when fresh ingredients are more difficult to come by. Dry bread provides sustenance for a population that today still remains semi-nomadic.

Visit any village in Morocco during the wheat harvest season and you will see women in colorful attire across the fields sifting kernels of wheat in woven baskets, removing the bits that are inedible before grinding to flour. Families work together in unison within the fields collecting the grain. Not a single kernel is wasted. The grain is sold and traded among families across rural regions as well as being kept until the next harvest. Moroccan bread is a prized food.

In urban areas of Morocco where there are no family plots to tend Moroccans make bread in their home or purchase ready-made bread. The varieties of breads that Moroccan families can purchase are many ranging from typical white to grain, sesame with anise and barley. As the result of Moroccan subsidies bread is affordable to all.

How Bread Is Made Across Morocco:
Across Morocco there are several ways of making Moroccan bread and also many varieties of preparation. In the Sahara Desert region, the traditional way of baking is to build a hot fire on top of the sand and then bury the bread once it is hot enough. Another Southern bread baking tradition indigenous to the Draa Valley, Saghro region is to bake bread stuffed with fat, spices and herbs directly on volcanic rock, which produces a pizza-like thick doughy bread called bourafin. In the mountains an oven resembling a tandoori oven is used, the dough stuck to the sides of the clay oven and baked over fire to produce a charred loaf of tafernout.

In the north of Morocco kalinti is a bread made with chickpea flour. There are also several iterations of stovetop breads like msemmen, harsha, and batbout. In Moroccan cities the practice of bread baking is gradually dying out as the result of ready-made bread and a generation of new working class that has no time to bake. Bringing the daily bread (khobz) to the traditional oven was once a central part of life.

Moroccan Breads, Photograph by Amanda Mouttaki

Moroccan Breads, Photograph by Amanda Mouttaki

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In traditional Moroccan homes women kneed their dough in the morning; flattening it into characteristic round loaves and covering it with a cotton cloth. Then, they placed it onto a tray or wooden board and either give it to one of their children to drop off on the way to school or leave it outside the door. A neighbor or another person passing by who saw the tray instinctively pick it up and drops it off at the oven. At lunch it was picked up and paid for, each loaf a flat rate. In the ovens, dozens of loaves at a time are baked. The baker always knew which bread belongs to which tray and family. The baker was also the eyes and ears of the community through his close, daily interaction with the neighbors. He could tell how well off a family was, how often they had company, and more based on passing words when coming in or the bread itself. When an engagement was in the works, the baker was often consulted for inside information on the prospective bride or groom’s family.

Bread is the utensil used to eat. It’s broken off (never cut with a knife) and used to scoop up tajines, soak up sauces, and savor soups. It’s drizzled with olive oil and served alongside a hot cup of tea for breakfast or stuffed with tuna or boiled eggs for a snack or late night meal. When there’s little else in the cupboards there’s bread to tide over an empty stomach.

Bread is held in very high esteem in Morocco. It is never thrown in the garbage and the first reaction when dropped on the floor is to immediately pick it up and kiss it. The very basic ingredients in Moroccan bread mean that within a day or at most two it is dry. Dishes like treda make use of bread that’s stale. It’s shredded and put in the bottom of a plate and then topped with spiced lentils, sauce, and chicken if available.

To dispose of bread scraps that cannot be salvaged the garbage is not an option. They’re put in a bag separate from the other waste and when collected set aside by the garbage man. It’s then fed to animals or used as compost.

The sacredness and special place bread holds in the Moroccan culture and home is not without challenges. Those who struggle with illnesses like celiac disease face an uphill battle. For many Moroccans it’s unfathomable that bread could make someone violently ill. For visitors this can be a difficult bridge to cross.

Every culture has a particular food item that serves as a staple and the Moroccan love affair with bread remains a steadfast part of the Moroccan culinary tradition.

For more How to Make a Tajine or A Taste of Morocco Food Tour Morocco Food Tour

For more information about Bread Baking on a Morocco Private Tour

Amanda Mouttaki is a food and travel writer and blogger, with an expertise on Moroccan culinary traditions and food culture. Her passion is uncovering the stories behind traditional cultures and food around the world. She lives in Marrakech, Morocco with her family.

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

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.

12 Things to Do in Morocco with Kids

Wednesday, July 20th, 2016
12 Things to do with Morocco with Kids

12 Things to do with Morocco with Kids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morocco is a family friendly country and the perfect choice for travelers with kids. Whether you are planning Morocco vacation as a younger family or traveling with older children Morocco has a wealth of adventure activities and things to do with kids. There are many exciting activities that serve as family tour essentials on a private tour not to be missed. Moroccans love children and much of the culture revolves around family. Children are welcome in Morocco and treated well and with much personal interest. It is common for Moroccans to admire children, offer compliments and engage warmly with families. The unique combination of Morocco’s rural landscapes paried with the old world medinas (cities) and mix of exotic cuisine make Morocco a magical place to take a Family Adventure vacation.

 

12 Things to Do in Morocco with Kids:

Camel Trek Acorss the Moroccan Sahara Desert
Camel Trekking offers a unique way to travel Morocco’s great south. Families can explore nomadic villages and Kasbahs situated in palm groves, surrounding valleys, mountainous landscapes, gorges and the grand Sahara Desert Dunes. Camel trekking is an inspirational family adventure that shows how Moroccans traveled through the desert for decades and centuries before. Trek to an Oasis or camel trek at sunset before overnighting in a desert camp in the heart of the dunes.

Explore Moroccan cuisine on a Food Tour
Food Tours serve as an opportunity for families to discover local Moroccan cuisine. Venture on a guided, private Food Tour of Marrakech’s Djemma El Fna Square. Discover the best local eats such as exotic snail soup, sheepshead and sip Mint tea. A Fes Food Tour hosted by a local is also a perfect family activity for kids. Your local Moroccan Food Tour guide will share traditional cooking methods by taking you to visit a furnatchi where the water for the communal bath house ‘hammam’ is also heated, and a 400 year old ‘furan’ or communal oven and bakery. Look no further as the world of spices and their uses and the secrets will be in your hands. Explore the spice market and the male-oriented domain of the tea den under the guidance of a culinary leader and story-teller. Learn to bake bread in the 400-year old community oven with the baker overseeing your hands-on efforts. Take your hot bread to the honey souk to try it with 8 artisanal wild honeys, aged butter or khlia, spicy dried beef. Food tours are created for foodies and those who have the penchant for the exotic, you may try cooking ‘on-street’. Shop and fill up a terracotta urn ‘tanjia’ to have embedded in the hot ashes of the furnachi for a rich and spicy Moroccan casserole, followed by a succulent tasting.

Hike the High Atlas
Hiking in Morocco is an essential family activity. With the High Atlas Mountains and located just an hour from Marrakech, families can trek through Berber Villages, overnight at a refuge and dine at a local family, Berber barbecue.

Djemaa El Fna Square

Djemaa El Fna Square

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Djemaa El Fna Square
Djemaa El Fna Square is said to be the heart and soul of Marrakech. At the signal of sunset, this mysterious and mesmerizing place truly comes alive. Snake charmers fiddle flirtatiously with their cobras, fire swallowers eat fire, storytellers entertain big crowds, fortune tellers mesmerize tourists with tall tales and the rhythms of African and Arabic sounds hypnotize the crowds amongst the colorful clouds of cooking smoke decorating the air with mingled aromas of mint, cilantro, cumin, and turmeric. The square is transformed into a magical medieval styled circus.

Attend a Fantasia Horse Spectacle
Experience a traditional Fantasia at the Chez Ali Equestiran Show in Marrakech. A Fantasia is an equestiran horse show, with entertainment, with Berber song, dance and fireworks that can be enjoed with a Moroccan meal of miswhi (Moroccan roasted lamb) and couscous.

Get Lost in Morocco’s old medinas with a Local Guide
Morocco’s medinas )ancient cities) have narrow alleys, each leading to hidden architectural jewels and unique Moroccan historical sites. Morocco’s medinas are traditional living quarters of the local population that has within them neighborhoods which allow self sufficiency such as a mosuqe, water fountain, bread oven, vegetable souk and butcher. Medinas also have magnficient boutique riads and hotels, opulent gardens, restaurants and are home to wonderful fruit and vegetable souks, handy crafts, woodworkers, desginers and bakers.

Quad Ride Across the Sahara Desert Dunes
Quad riding in Morocco is ideal for families looking for adventure or those who want to experience rural terrain. Morocco offers dense desert trails, wild beaches and dunes that you can fly across during your Quad biking session. Quad bike across the Sahara Desert in Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Dunes, M’hamid El Ghizlane’s Dunes or Erg Chegaga’s Dunes.

Take a Cooking Class with a Daada Chef
Cooking Classes are conducted by a dada (traditional Moroccan cook) or a chef from and held at a kitchen in the medina, rural or in a palmeraie garden setting. Family Moroccan Cooking Classes are a total of 4 hours with an option of an add on of wines tasting accompaniment. At the end of each class, families can dine on the meal they have prepared. At a typical half-day cooking class, families will prepare an appetizer and a main dish, or a main dish and dessert.

Fly Over the Hot Atlas in a Hot Air Balloon
Hot Air Balloon Over the Atlas at sunrise with views of Marrakech. Enjoy a 1-Hour balloon flight, then receive your souvenier flight certificate. Included in the kid friendly adventure for families is a 4×4 Land rover excursion through local Berber villages to a private tent where breakfast is served along with a visit to a Berber house and camel trek across the Marrakech palmeraie.

Zipline Through the Atlas

Zipline Through the Atlas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zipline Through the High Atlas
Zip Lining across the High Atlas can easily be incorporated as a one or two day excursion from Marrakech. The estate Travel Exploration works with is a grand example of ecotourism in Morocco done at its best suitable for families with kids. Take in the breathtaking famous 700-foot gorge and tree-to-tree zip-lining. Morocco adventure travelers can also cross the Tyrol suspension and tight-rope bridges, hike and trek on foot, horse or mule, participate in Berber bowling, archery, falconry and polo on mule-back. To top this off there are Berber weaving demonstrations along with Moroccan cuisine and tea-making workshops.

 

Vist A Water Park
Oasaria Water Park serves as the perfect day excursion for families planning to visit Morocco in summer. This water park features multiple slides, a wave pool, a lazy river & kids’ splash areas.

Lunch with a Berber Family

Lunch with a Berber Family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sip Tea with a Berber Family
Meet a local Berber family, sip tea in the Sagro Mountains, and dine on couscous. Then explore and tour the village by foot. Walk in the green fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants. After lunch, you can have your hands and feet painted with henna or your hair adorned with saffron by a local village artist and relax. Experience the tradition of Berber perfume made from musk and amber along with the villages own spices.

For More Information about Things to Do with Kids in Morocco or a Private, Morocco Family 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

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.

Moroccan Guides, The Best Way to See Morocco on a Private Tour

Saturday, April 9th, 2016
Moroccan Guided Tour

Moroccan Guided Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best way to see Morocco is with a Moroccan Guide. Exploring Morocco with expert licensed Moroccan guides who will help you navigate Morocco’s old medina Andalusian gardens, vibrant souks, monuments, and mosques enables you to experience an insiders view of the country. Having an experienced Moroccan guide during a tailor-made Morocco Tour is key to discovering the best Morocco has to offer.

Hiring licensed historical guides who are multilingual is essential. Making sure your historical guide is fluent in English, Arabic, Berber, and French will make for a more rewarding trip to Morocco. If you are considering visiting the Imperial Cities along with the great South and Sahara Desert region a Berber guide will enhance your experience given the people in the rural regions in between and the South speak primarily Berber. While Moroccan Arabic and French are spoken widely in the Imperial Cities, the main langugage in Morocco’s South, Desert region and rural Berber Villages is Berber, also referred to as Tamazight. If you are visiting Morocco and your native language is not English or French  then locating a  expert, licensed Moroccan guide that is fluent in your langugage such as Russian, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese is important. Travel agencies that offer private tours are the ideal place to inquire about licensed Moroccan Guides that are multi-lingual.

The best expert, licensed historical guides in Morocco offer insight about Moroccan history, culture, local sites, and monuments. A professional licensed, expert historical guide is also a good listener and capable of answering almost any questions about Morocco that you may have.

Licensed Morocco historical guides also carry an official license that looks similar to a drivers license. All official licensed guides authorized to enter the old medinas of Morocco and take trips with guests must receive an official license from the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism. As an independent traveler if you book a Moroccan Guide on your own and not through a Moroccan travel agency, it’s best to ask for the license number or official identity card of your guide.

Travel Exploration Moroccan Guided Tour

Travel Exploration Moroccan Guided Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are Two Types of Historical Guides in Morocco

Moroccan Historical Guides are delineated by two different descriptions and authorizations by the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism.

#1: National Licensed Guides in Morocco

#2: Local, Licensed Guides in Morocco

National Guides have a National License and are authorized to tour the entire country of Morocco with private couples, families, and groups. Local Morocco Historical Guides have a license to host private couples, families and groups only in the city where they have obtained their license.

For this reason, reputable travel agencies offer local licensed, expert guides for private couples, families, and small groups to enable them to complement their tour with an expert, licensed tourism driver to reduce costs.

For larger tours, Moroccan travel agencies use National Licensed Guides. Private Tours can opt for a National Licensed Guide upon request if they are interested in having a National Guide accompany them for the entire Morocco tour.

Whether you are planning a trip to Morocco on your own as an independent travelers or planning a tailor-made-tour  through a travel agency the key part of your tour is to make sure you are going to be hosted by a multi-lingual licesned Moroccan Guide as to guarantee you have a trip of a lifetime.

For more information about Tours to Morocco with a Licensed Guide

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

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, A Safe Place to Travel, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015
Morocco, A Safe Place to Travel

Morocco, A Safe Place to Travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With its relative proximity to Europe and increasingly easy to access from international airports, Morocco has long attracted visitors from abroad. A large part of its charm is due to its historical significance as a cultural crossroads between Arabic, Middle-Eastern, African and European cultures and communities. Modern Morocco is developing fast and its cities rival any in Europe or North America for facilities, infrastructure and modern conveniences. In rural Morocco – in the plains, mountains and deserts – life continues as it has for centuries. This juxtaposition of traditional life and modernity, the familiar and the exotic, is as appealing today as when adventurers and discoverers passed through in bygone eras. Morocco is a safe place to travel and offers

The indigenous people of Morocco are the Berbers (also known as Amazigh, literally “free men”). They were the original inhabitants of the mountains and deserts. A little-known facet of Morocco’s history is where Berber and Jewish history and culture intertwine. There were several waves of Jewish immigration to North Africa, potentially beginning in the BCE period and certainly pre-dating the arrival of Islam from Arabia in the 7th century.

The result of such a long history of cohabitation and assimilation and integration of others’ cultural practices has created a modern Moroccan population which – at up to 50% Berber (the remainder being by large majority of Arab descent) is resilient to external shocks and reluctant to upset the balance of closely-knit communities.

As a result of this unique history and the careful political management by the constitutional monarch, King Mohammed VI, Morocco has not suffered the upheaval of Arab Spring-style uprisings, while its neighbors and allies have been shaken to the core. Tensions have been meticulously mitigated and complaints painstakingly investigated in order to avoid the social unrest which has rocked the region.

The modern monarch has also taken time to cultivate productive relationships with key Western powers. The relationship with the EU, including on some contentious issues such as immigration, trade and international security, is closer than it has ever been. The relationship with the USA is similar. Morocco was the first country to recognize US independence and – over 200 years later – Morocco remains a key ally in the strategic Middle East and North Africa region. These relationships and their importance to Moroccan economic and social stability are at least in part behind Morocco’s strenuous efforts to tackle international terrorism and religious extremism.

Keep Calm Travel to Morocco

Keep Calm Travel to Morocco

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, Morocco is one of the safest countries in Africa or the Middle East and North Africa region. You will be welcomed with a smile and great hospitality by virtual strangers. Enjoy your trip!

For more information about Morocco, A Safe Place to Travel 

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 offer Private 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 New Years Luxury Desert Trip

Monday, October 19th, 2015
Arabian Nights, Sahara Desert Safari Tour

Arabian Nights, Sahara Desert Safari Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Journey beyond Marrakech for a New Years Luxury Desert Trip. Take the entire family on a Sahara Desert Safari to Morocco’s Great South and experience the highlights of Morocco.  Visit Ait Benhaddou Ksar, Lawrence of Arabia was Filmed Here. Explore Morocco’s natural wonder, the grand Dades Valley, sunset camel trek across the Erg Chebbi Dunes as an Arabian Nights Dinner and Berber Music at a Luxury Desert Camp awaits you. Go off road to Mount Mgoun and Sip Tea with Nomads. Have Lunch with a Berber Family in the Saghro Mountain Region and participate in a henna party designed just for you. A Morocco Desert Tour is not without adventure unless you discover the Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs in Skoura and stay in boutique, Moroccan riads and guest houses. A Grand Sahara Desert adventure tour to Morocco awaits you.

Travel Exploration’s detailed experiential and family travel itineraries for visiting Morocco are outlined on our website and for desert adventurers who want to take a Sahara Desert Safari to Morocco for New Years our trip is featured here:

Morocco Tea Ceremony, Merzouga Sahara Desert

Morocco Tea Ceremony, Merzouga Sahara Desert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morocco New Years Desert Trip: A Sahara Desert Safari for the entire Family:

Day 1: Journey Beyond Marrakech via the Tizzin’ Tichka Mountain pass to visit Kasbah Telouet – Kasbah of the Pasha Glaoui, and Ait Benhaddou Ksar before driving via the palmeraie to Skoura.
Take the road to Ouarzazate. During your journey to Ouarzazate you will also pass the olive groves of the Oued Zat, as you ascend onto the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass Road. Built by the French in the 1920’s, the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass can be described as having mountainous barriers, Mediterranean and oceanic influences and desert borders. Along the route you will see panoramic views of the High Atlas Mountains as well as sights of fertile valleys, blue and red colored pise villages and other striking mineral environments.

En route stop for lunch and visit the Argan Cooperative where Argan Oil, Butter and Cosmetics are made with the Argan nut by hand as Berber women crack the nuts and the grind them one by one. Have a complimentary tasting. This cooperative is run entirely by women.

Go by piste to visit Kasbah Telout, one of Morocco’s hidden jewels and a famous Kasbahs that is the origin of the Pacha Glaoui Family. Kasbah Telout is hidden among a tiny road in a small village that is 20 minutes outside Tichka. Its history stands alone with its original zellij tile, authentic, preserved silks and grand remnants of the Glaoui family. Telouet was once an important stop on the Southern Caravan route for traders carrying spices, slaves and other commodities. Telouet’s Kasbah also known as Dar Glaoui once served as the royal headquarters and residence of the Glaoui tribe. Until Morocco’s independence in 1956, the Glaoui had power in the central Moroccan and French administration. Continue the road to Ouarzazate. Visit Aït Benhaddou Kasbah. Ait Benhaddou Kasbah is located 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. Continue to Skoura, the Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs. Overnight at a Boutique Riad in Skoura.

Desert oasis with palm trees, Zagora, Draa valley

Desert oasis with palm trees, Zagora, Draa valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2: Visit Skoura and the Palmerie of one-thousand Kasbahs before driving through the magnificent Valley of Roses onto the Dades Valley and Dades Gorge.
Visit the Skoura palmeraie and the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs. The “Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs” and Skoura palmeraie is a fertile oasis lined with immense palm groves that provide great views of the Atlas Mountains alongside deserted landscapes. The palm groves were laid out in the 12th century by the Almohad sultan Yacoub el-Mansour and named after its original inhabitants, the Berbers of the Haskourene tribe. The most beautiful kasbahs in southern Morocco can be found here. Many of them are still partially inhabited. Continue towards the perfumed Valley of Roses, just north of El Kelaa Des Mgouna. On the way to the Valley of Roses, your driver will stop for you to view the Capp et Floral distillation factories laid out in the small Kasbah town that manufacture the entire nations products of eau de rose. The rose water and other products such as hand and body soaps, oil, crème perfume and dried flowers are for sale and also popular among Moroccans. The factories produce 3000-4000 petals a year.

Visit Mount Mgougn and Sip Tea with Nomads in their rural cave. The Valley of Nomads is filled with cave dwellers who have lived in the Mgoun region for centuries. Your journey will then take you through the Dadès Valley, which covers 125 km between Ouarzazate and Boumalne du Dadès in the High Atlas Mountains. Overnight at a Boutique Guest House in the Dades Valley.

Khemlia Musicians, Merzouga Sahara Desert

Khemlia Musicians, Merzouga Sahara Desert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3: Dades Valley morning exploration before visiting the the Todra Gorge and it’s large canyon en route to the Erg Chebbi dunes located in the heart of the Merzouga Sahara Desert.

Take the road to Merzouga. En route visit Erfoud, the capitol of fossils and the town of Rissani. Rissani is a Sahara desert town that is from the ancient Alawi Dynasty and the birthplace of King Mohammed VI, the current King of Morocco. Visit the old Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif, the first King of the Alawi Dynasty. Next visit Maison Taureg House and then the old Ksar of Rissani.
Continue to Khemlia where you will visit Sudanese- Berber Gnaoua Trance musicians, Moroccan village. The Musicians of Khemlia have been living in this remote village for a century and perform 100 year-old Gnaoua Trance music songs. Spend an hour listening to Gnaoua Trance music using old world instruments by these Sudanese Berber Musicians. Tea is served and then there is an option to explore their village.
Arrive in Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Dunes before sunset, and then go by dromedary at sunset into the Erg Chebbi Dunes to a bivouac camp. Your Tuareg guide will share some of the Sahara Deserts’ secrets. As you glide across humpback on these silent, mystical dunes there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling dunes. Arabian Nights Dinner and Spend the night in a Luxury Desert Camp.

Day 4: Merzouga Departure for Ait Ouzzine, Nkob Berber Village where you will enjoy lunch with a Berber family, participate in a private henna party and discover how traditional families live in this mountain and desert region.

Aït Ouzzine, just minutes outside Nkob 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. Meet a local Berber family; partake in a cooking lesson of how to make traditional bread and a tajine. Explore and tour the village by foot. Walk in the green fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants.
Sip tea with the Berbers in the Saghro Mountains and enjoy a traditional Berber lunch. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine or couscous and fresh local fruits for desert.

After lunch, you can have your hands and feet painted with henna or your hair adorned with saffron by a local village artist and relaxes. Experience the tradition of Berber perfume made from musk and amber along with the villages own spices. End the afternoon in Ait Ouzzine with mint tea and almonds. Overnight at a Boutique Riad in Ouarzazate.
Day 5: Drive from Ouarzazate via the Ounilla Valley and Tizzin’ Tichka Pass back to Marrakech.
Visit the Oasis of Fint passing the “Plateau de pierres”. On this road you will find a shining Oasis of palms. Visit the Oasis of Fint that hovers under the Atlas Mountains. Journey on a one-hour walk inside the Oasis where you will have a cup of tea with the headmaster’s family Azziz Ouaziz and tour the surrounding area where date palm oases and dramatic desert scenery are king.
Next journey to the Atlas Film Studios. The studios are flanked by Holly-wood style Egyptian figures and cover 30,000 sq. m of desert. David Lean filmed Lawrence of Arabia at The Atlas Film Studios in the early 1960’s. Since then many famous directors have followed in his footsteps to exploit the magnificent scenery. International blockbusters shot here in recent years include: the French version of Cleopatra, Bertolucci’s Sheltering Sky, Scorsese’s Kundun, Gillies MacKannon’s Hideous Kinky, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, Black Hawke Down, Oliver Stone’s Alexander The Great, Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, and Penelope Cruz’s Sahara. Return to Marrakech.

A Sahara Desert Safari New Years Trip for the entire family.

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

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.

Family Adventure Vacations to Morocco

Thursday, October 8th, 2015
Morocco Family Adventure Tour, Sahara Desert

Morocco Family Adventure Tour, Sahara Desert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morocco is the perfect family destination as it offers a unique blend of cultural and adventure experiences for families looking for an educational and active holiday. The combination of Morocco’s grand Sahara Desert, old world souks, and mountain regions offer a pure and relaxed setting. On Travel Exploration Morocco’s Family Adventure Tour you will visit luscious food markets and fanciful bazaars, zip line across Morocco’s High Atlas, camel trek in the Sahara Desert, take a hot air balloon ride, learn how to make a Moroccan tajine and meet a Berber family. Moroccans are wonderful hosts and family oriented which makes the country ideal for family travel.

Visitors who take their families to Morocco for an Adventure vacation with Travel Exploration always report back saying it was the best vacation ever! Morocco Family Adventure Vacations are ideal for parents who want to have the responsibility for planning a family holiday out of their hands to be passed along to a Morocco travel planner and agent who will take care of the details. At Travel Exploration you are guaranteed to receive a hand curated itinerary that is fit for the entire family.

Morocco Family Tour, Kasbahs

Morocco Family Tour, Kasbahs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our family vacations to Morocco are private tours geared around each family’s interests. A private, English Speaking driver is provided along with luxury transportation for the entire family in 4×4 land cruisers or other comfortable vehicle suitable for Imperial City and Desert travel. Each Morocco family tour also includes stays at boutique riads and hotels that are well appointed in the old cities, family friendly and ideal for travelers to Morocco in all seasons.

Imagine a Morocco Private Tour where your entire family can have an authentic experience in their own private four wheel drive vehicle. Venture through the alleys of Morocco’s ancient medinas (cities) surrounded by exotic smells of the spices, olives, food markets, fresh baked bread and the sound of the muezzin call each day at prayer time. Discover a Souk Tasting Tour in Fez where you will visit a bread oven, try honeys, juices, dried fruits, soups, meats and other exotic flavors found on the streets of Fes. Visit palaces and gardens set inside the walls of UNESCO Fes.

Morocco Family Tour, Quad Biking

Morocco Family Tour, Quad Biking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quad bike across the Sahara Desert Camel Trek across the magnificent Erg Chebb Dunes in the heart of Merzouga, then overnight in a charming Berber Desert Camp with a 1001 Arabian Nights dinner fireside with drumming and desert music. Visit the Skoura Palmeraie and the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs. Explore Morocco’s Oasis of Fint and have Tea at the Head Master’s house just foot steps outside Ouarzazate, the Hollwood of Morocco. Take an adventure ride by piste to the Atlas Film Studios where Kundun, Kingdom of Heaven, Body of Lies, Cleopatra and the Game of Thrones were filmed. Dine on couscous and bread bake with a Berber family in the heart of the Draa Valley, known for over 45 qualities of date. Continue on to more popular regions through snow capped mountain passes. Walk in the footsteps of  Morocco’s ancestors to discover Ait Benhadd Ksar.

Morocco Family Tour, Valley of Roses and Skoura

Morocco Family Tour, Valley of Roses and Skoura

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drift through the majestic Atlas Mountains and the Tizzin’ Tichka Mountain Pass where Moroccan families Berber and Jewish have lived nestled in Kasbah fortresses and old Ksars for centuries. Then continue onto Marrakech for the a popular city experience and memorable part of a Family Adventure tour where you will witness an evening of acrobats and fire throwers at the medieval carnival in Djemaa El Fna Square under the Moroccan stars. Embark on Tasting all of Marrakech as you enjoy a five course traditional tasting menu guided by locals. End your visit on the Essaouira Coast which is full of blue washed color and seaside views. Horseback ride with views on the Atlantic and Portugese Ramparts.

A Morocco Family Adventure Vacation is the idea tour for families of all ages and sizes. Take an Unforgettable Family Tour to Morocco with Travel Exploration this season.

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 Great Deserts, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Friday, May 1st, 2015
Morocco's Great Deserts, M'hamid

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

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

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 

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 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

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.

Nkob, Morocco’s Ait Atta Berber Treks and Travel

Friday, June 28th, 2013

Nkob, Sagro Mountain Region

The Sagro Mountain region and Ait Ouzzine is the ancestral village of the Ait Atta a Berber tribe which resisted the French up until a treaty was concluded 1933 and never submitted to Thami El Glaoui Pacha of Marrakech during the French protectorate 1912-1956. The Ait Atta belong to the Ait Atta Confederation which covers Ouarzazate, Errachidia, and Azil Provinces. The tribe existed prior to the Arab Islamic conquest in the 7th century and was the leading Berber tribe between the 15 and 19th century. Fiercely independent, their stronghold was the Saghrou Mountains which surround Nkob and its villages. A trek in the Sagro Mountain region includes a five day treks tarting from the Dades valley via the Saghrou Mountains to Nkob. You can also visit the Valley of the Roses on the high plateau of El Kelaa MGouna when visiting this region as well or arrange a home stay with a Berber family through a reputable Moroccan travel agency that specializes in travel in Morocco’s Berber villages, the Draa Valley and the great South.

Nkob has 45 kasbahs, a tribute to its ancestral importance and its key role in the caravan trade route with Timbuktu. It reveals much about Berber life and culture in southern Morocco as well as being a tranquil haven and a staging post for trekking in the region and the Saghrou Moutains. The Saghro Mountain region was also once known for having a significant Jewish population. The Jews co mingled with the Berbers and lived side by side and intermarried, prior to the 7th Century Arab invasion.

Nkob is located on the road between Ouarzazate and Tazzarine. This is on the southern road which connects Marrakech (340 kms from Knob) with the Erg Chebbi Dunes in Merzouga. Ouarzazate is 136 km from Nkob.

As well as investigating the village of Nkobs’ Kasbah’s there are two surrounding oases. There is a Friday animal market and a Saturday and Sunday Market for local produce. The Nkob souk is the 2nd biggest in Zagora Province. Items include handmade leather shoes and sandals at the Ait Atta Shoes shop. Nkob also specializes in high quality henna as Nkob located in the Zagora region of Morocco where henna grows. Nkob is also known for its organically grown almonds. Other items include berber cosmetics and clothing such as caftans and colorful berber dresses.

Restaurants include the Kasbah Ennakhile with home cooked Berber food serving lunch time from 12pm to 3pm and dinner from 8pm to 10pm. At the Restaurant Merzouga you can eat traditional Moroccan fare cooked on a real wooden fire. It is a great chance to taste authentic Berber cuisine .

Hotel Kasbah Ait Omar View

There are a number of hotels and bed and breakfast accommodations in Nkob including:

Hotel Kasbah Ait Omar, a charming five star well-restored Kasbah located in Nkob with views of the palmeraie and luxuries equivalent to those provided in Imperial City Riads. This quaint restored Kasbah is owned by a German couple who bought the Kasbah from a family and restored it to its original glory. Fitted with a Roman style swimming pool, a glorious hammam, floor heating and charming Berber decor, this Kasbah Hotel is the place to stay in Nkob. A Travel Exploration favorite and the best in the region. Excellent amenities, service, food and location.

Ksar Jenna is 2km before Nkob on the road to Ouarzazate and just across from the village Ait Ouzzine. This lovely Riad has a garden setting and rooms built around a center courtyard. Boutique and charming with a small view, the Riad has an Italian tiled and Moroccan decor. It serves as a wonderful place to stay. No swimming pool yet the food and atmosphere make up for it. Midrange traveler option for the region. Excellent food, service and location.

The Kasbah Imdoukal is in the centre of Nkob. It is family owned, has traditional decor and a swimming pool. This Kasbah is for those traveling on a mid-range budget and want comforts not provided by for example Kasbah Baha Baha. Good food and location.

Kasbah Baha Baha is a restored 10 room Kasbah with a restaurant and swimming pool on the road to Saghrou. It is family owned and reasonably priced for those traveling on budget. There is an option to sleep in a standard room within the Kasbah or a Berber tent. Good Budget traveler option in the region. Good food and location.

For More Information on the Nkob Region of Ait Atta and Berber Village Travel

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 Guelmim Camel Festival, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Sunday, June 23rd, 2013

Guelmim Camel Festival

Guelmim, famous for its blue people and as the gateway to the Sahara is in the South west of  Morocco. It is the capital of the Guelmim-Es Semara region which includes Southern Morocco (south of the Souss-Massa-Draa region) and northern Western Sahara. It can be reached easily by road from Agadir.

It’s  a walled town with houses built of red clay and is encircled by date palm groves. It was a  camel caravan trading centre linked to Timbuktu in ancient times and in the 19th century, and it remains a commercial gateway to Mauritania.

Guelmim is home to the biggest camel market in Morocco which is held every Saturday at daybreak. Nomadic camel herders are still common.

Guelmim Camel Festival July

There are a number of tribes at the event including the Regeibat , Aït-Moussa-Ali, Aitoussa, Azwafits, Aït-Yassin, Aït-Lahcen, Aït-Baamran,Sbouya. The “Blue Men of the Desert”  or  Tuareg are so called because they wear indigo colored robes and a long blue scarf or tagilmust they use to swathe their heads and faces. The indigo is pounded, instead of boiled, into the cloth. There are also, of course, people pretending to be blue men to attract tourists.

As well as the weekly Camel Fair, the people of Guelmim hold an annual Camel Festival  every July. The festival is more of a tourist attraction than an actual market, due mainly to the decline in camel transport and the rise in 4x4s. The festival  offers the opportunity to witness the ancient dance ritual known as the Guedra, which is associated with Guelmim. The dance is performed by a woman to the beat of a drum made from a kitchen pot (guedra) and the chanting and clapping of onlookers. The dance often induces a hypnotic state. There is a festive atmosphere and meshwi, a whole roasted lamb, is cooked.

 When in Guelmim, a good place to visit is Fort Bou Jerif, which is the remains of a Foreign Legion fort. This  is located in miles of undulating hills and sandy shrubbery, halfway between Guelmim and the Atlantic coast.

 It can only be reached by tracks and a tour guide with a 4×4 is essential and should be arranged beforehand. As if from nowhere, the Fort will appear, with lovely looking buildings, including a hotel, a motel, a restaurant, a shop, and a camping site.

A short drive away is Plage Blanche, a large and virgin  sandy beach. An alternate  location to visit is at the former Spanish enclave of Sidi Ifni, it has an excellent beach and art deco buildings. Taghazout which is being developed as a major tourist resort is on the road back to Agadir.

For More Information on Guelmim Camel Festival & Sahara Travel 

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.