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Morocco Sahara Desert Camps, Standard or Luxury Bivouac

Friday, May 31st, 2013

Sahara Desert Luxury Bivouac Camp

When visiting the Morocco Sahara desert or Merzouga, M’hamid or Zagora you will be offered the option of a standard or luxury tent. When you go on a camel trek or by a 4X4 in the Moroccan Sahara there are many options of places to stay. There is a wide range of Standard bivouac camps, several top end Luxury Bivouac Camps and also Luxury Guest Houses all worth while of consideration.

Depending on the amount of time you want to stay in the desert and your desire for privacy it may be worth your while considering a luxury tent or bivouac. There are a number of standing camps and the luxury ones are private, usually for two or more people with superior furnishing and bedding , showers and a toilet and a tent or area for relaxing. Meals are provided. If you plan a romantic night under the stars (there are special honeymoon tents) or you want to enjoy the desert in comfort, this is for you, but the experience comes at a price. The campsites which offer luxury tents include Le Belle Etoille, Travel Exploration Morocco, Assou, Les Nomade and Le Red Sand Luxury Desert Camp. At these Morocco Sahara Desert Luxury camps the tents have been designed by top French interior designers. They have 6 tents of around 30 square meters. Each tent has its own bathroom (hot/cold running water) and toilets. This is a permanent camp offering tailor made excursions for relaxing, or more adventurous desert tourism with various sporting activities.

The Erg Chigaga Luxury Camp, can accommodate 16 people in 8 tents. The tents are spacious (25 sq m) with the highest quality mattresses, linen and pillows, whilst each tent is equipped with ‘wall-to-wall rugs’, solar-powered lighting and handcrafted furniture. Each tent has en suite facilities. For those seeking privacy, the Erg Chigaga Luxury Camp has two private camps each situated within a 15-minute walk from the main camp. Each camp consists of two luxury en suite tents and a separate relaxing tent, nestled in the dunes.

For those that want a trip deep into the Sahara desert and to sleep in a different locations each night, they have a nomadic camp for camel treks of 3 and 4 days’ duration. These are also privately run trips, with each camp accommodating between 2 and 4 guests. The nomadic camps are ‘semi-luxury’, with a comfortable bed and fresh linen, private bathroom, Moroccan lounge and cold drinks.

Sahara Desert Morocco Standard Bivouac Camp

The standard berber tent is simply a tent to sleep in for the night without any other facilities. These may be out in the desert but most are in regular camping sites which have shared facilities showers and toilets.

The standard camps are large and shared with other tourists who often stay in local hotels and visit the campsite for a night out in the desert with a meal and entertainment with traditional music and dancing which can go on late into the night.

You need to make quite certain about what services and excursions are offered including a luxury or standard tent, meals, availability of bottled water excursions by camel or 4X 4 and pick up and drop for your onward journey. All this should be agreed beforehand so ask your travel agent to agree the details. If you are agreeing a deal either with a tour company in Marrakech or actually at Merzouga you need to confirm all the details very carefully before you pay for the trip. You can also stay in a desert camp near Marrakech in the Agafay area an hour’s drive from Marrakech if you do not have time to visit the desert locations in Merzouga, Zagora or M’hamid.

For More Information on Morocco Sahara Desert Tours & Luxury Bivouac Camps

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: Agafay Desert, Camel Treks, Desert Accommodations, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Erg Chegaga Sahara Desert, Luxury Bivouac, Merzouga Sahara Desert, Moroccan Desert, Morocco Holidays, Sahara Desert, Standard Bivouac, Travel Exploration Morocco, Zagora Sahara Desert
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Essaouira has it all, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Essaouira, Medina Entrance

Essaouira has it all! Ramparts and cannons looking out to sea, a maze of alley ways and souks selling artifacts, carpets and jewellry , the best handicrafts that Morocco has to offer, art galleries and museums ,excellent restaurants, riads and hotels to suit every budget a mysterious island with a deserted mosque and abandoned settlement, a thriving fishing port, a long beach with a collapsed fort. Essaouira is the perfect seaside destination for single travelers or family holidays.

Essaouira Port

In the 18th century Sultan Mohammed III directed a French engineer, Théodore Cornut, and several other European architects and technicians to build the fortress and city blending Moorish and European designs of the period. There is a martello tower which was a revolutionay design at the time. Originally called “Souira” (“the small fortress”), the name became “Es-Saouira” (“the beautifully designed”) which is especially apt. The imposing gate to the harbour was built by an English renegade “Ahmed the English.” Thus the town has its own special magic and attracted the famous film director and actor Orson Welles who filmed his renowned version of Shakespeare’s Othello here in the early 1950’s using the ramparts and medina streets to great effect. Essaouira also had a hippy period when Jimi Hendrix and many others gathered here.

Art in Essaouira

The development of Essaouira into Morocco’s premier seaside destination owes a great deal to André Azoulay a native of the town and the Adviser to King Mohammed VI .Essaouira is now a cultural centre for the arts with a number of galleries featuring contemporary Moroccan artists and it is a great opportunity to view and buy their work which is becoming internationally famous. The Frederic Damgaard gallery is the best and oldest in town and features the work of local artists.

Essaouira’s beautifully refurbished Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah Museum is in an old riad and has a small but interesting collection of jewellry, costumes, weapons, musical instruments and carpets fom the region. There’s a section explaining the signs and symbols used by local craftsmen and photographs of Essaouira at the turn of the century.

Essaouira is famous for its wooden artifacts,bowls,intricately designed boxes and cabinets in workshops in the Skalla de Ville just under the ramparts. Other finds in the souks are carpets and kelims and jewellry shops near Avenue Istiqlal where you can find berber jewellry and items in gold.

Down by the harbour, the Skala du Port has cannons and picturesque views over the fishing port and the Île de Mogador. The small fishing boats are painted a deep blue and the larger fishing vessels are sometimes raised on to the harbour for repairs. Fish are landed and it is possible to buy them fresh from the sea or eat them grilled at tables on the dockside. Sam’s the wooden restaurant in the harbour is famous for its fish dishes as is the Restaurant de la Plage with views out to sea and Essaouira’s long beach.The terrace of Restaurant de la Plage is still one of the the best places for lunch in Essaouira. Other highly recommended restaurants include ; Les Alizés ,Ferdaous, El Minzah, Riad Al-Baraka and Les Chandeliers

The magnificent square at the entrance to the souks has numerous cafés for breakfast and coffee during the day and patisseries bake excellent cakes and pastries which can be consumed in the cafés.

Fishing with a fishing boat from the harbour can be arranged as can trips to the Ile de Mogador ( with a permit from the Port office) except during the mating season of the famous colony of the rare Eleanora’s falcons, between April and October.

Essaouira is a windy town and thus a paradise for surfers, wind surfing is particularly popular and the bay is often filled with the colourful sails of windsurfers gliding back and forth with speed. Care should be taken by swimmers as there are strong undercurrents. If riding camels along the beach is not enough for you, you can ride horses and trek in the surrounding countryside and discover the ancient viaduct brought down by an earth quake.

Outside the town you can witness the amusing sight of goat’s climbing argan trees to eat the berries and you can visit argan oil presses and women’s cooperatives producing argan oil which is now a highly sought after product for culinary and cosmetic purposes.

Essaouira now has extremely good connections,with its own airport and a motorway linking it to Marrakech.The Supra tours bus company provides s regular service between Marrakech and Essaouira.

There are three world class festivals held in Essaouira each year ; the Gnaoua Festival of World Music is held in Essaouira, normally in the last week of June. It is a great event and it is important to book hotel accommodation well in advance if you decide to visit at this time. The spring musical festival of Alizés in May features classical music and opera and the festival of Atlantic Andalusian music,art and dance in late September.

For More Information on a 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 Art, Essaouira Art Galleries, Essaouira Hotels, Essaouira Riads, Essaouria, Morocco Travel, Restaurants, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration Morocco
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Merzouga, Morocco’s Gateway to the Desert, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Saturday, April 13th, 2013

Merzouga, Morocco

Merzouga is a small dusty town in Morocco about 450 miles from Marrakech and close to the Algerian border. Ouarzazate is the closest large town. Merzouga is 50 km from the town of Erfoud and Rissani. It is the gateway to the Moroccan desert.

Merzouga lies in the heart of of Erg Chebbi, a 50km long and 5km wide set of sand dunes that reach up to 350m. The landscape constantly changes with the wind sweeping the dunes into new formations and the sun changing the colour of the sand at different times of the day turning from pink to gold to red. The Erg Chebbi is like the great Ergs accross the border in Algeria. The largest dunes are near Merzouga and Hassi Labied. At night, you only have to walk a little wayout into the sand, away from the light, to appreciate the immensity and clarity of the desert sky and the brilliance of the stars.

Tourists come to Merzouga to go camel trekking and to experience the quiet stillness and immensityof the desert and the stars at night followed by the sunrise and sunset which is an amazing experience. Local berber tribesman can peform dances and their traditional music and tourists can spend the night in tented camping areas sampling traditional Moroccan cuisine and music by the camp fire.

Make sure you get a turban before setting out into the desert as protection from the heat and the dust.Carry a water bottle and ensure you secure the best bargains for your trips into the desert and pay attention to what is and is not provided.

Merzouga has a number of guest houses and riads if spending the night in a bivouac is not your choice. There are about 50 guest houses of varying categories along the sand dunes, and most of them own camels and can arrange for an extended trek, bird watching and other Sahara activities.

Other activities include trips into the desert by4X4 ,quad biking,hot air ballooning and sand skiing. You can bird watch around the Dayet Srji where there is a lake with flamingos. The Dayet Srji is a salt water lake and offers excellent bird viewing with lots of Egrets, Storks and Shelducks.

The summer months from June to September Merzouga can very hot during the day,, temperatures average around 115 Fahrenheit (45 C) during the summer and it’s obviously very dry. Nights in the desert do get much colder however and you’ll need a good jacket and pullover even if it is swelteringly hot during the day. If you do visit Merzouga during summer months find a hotel with a swimming pool.In March and April there are sandstorms as the Sirocco whips up. The best time to visit is from October to February.

For More Information on a Merzouga Sahara Desert 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: 4x4 Tours, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga, Sahara Desert Tours, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration Morocco
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Taroudant, Mini-Marrakech & Walled Berber City, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Thursday, April 11th, 2013

Tarodaunt Walled City

If you want a relaxing stay in an authentic walled Berber town look no further than the medieval town of Taroudant. It lies beside the High Atlas mountains in the Sous Valley in the southern part of Morocco and it has retained its authentic Berber character and roots. Taroudant is well placed as a base for exploring the region to the east of Agadir and its beaches, it is on the road to Ouarzazate and the Sahara desert and adrive over the dramatic Tizi n’Test pass to Marrakech.

It is said to resemble a smaller version of Marrakech with its walls and ramparts surrounding the city. For a very short time Tarodaunt was indeed the capital of the Saadian dynasty used as a base for attacking the Portuguese in Agadir. The Saadians then moved to Marrakech. Taroudant saw its golden age during the reign of Mohammed ash-Sheikh who constructed the city walls and built the great mosque and its minaret in 1528. Taroudant unlike the imperial cities of Fes, Marrakech and Meknes does not have a ville nouvelle, a modern part of town, which greatly adds to its authentic ancient atmosphere and charm. It has a population of around 70,000 but retains its small market town character.

Taroudant remains a traditional Berber fortified town enclosed by its ramparts which are the best preserved in Morocco, nearly 6 kilometres long with bastions and nine gates that still remain intact. A perfect way to see the town walls is to take a horse drawn caleche or hire a bicycle. It was an important staging and trading post on the ancient camel trading route and there is still a small tannery outside the ramparts selling products made from camel hide such as leather bags,sandals and belts. The town is well known for its quality leather products.

Its souks are welcoming and relaxed and excellent value for discerning shoppers, especially for local crafts and Berber and Tuareg jewellery, for which it is renowned. Prices here are significantly less than in the big cities like Marrakec and Fes. There are souks near each of the two main squares, Assarag and Talmoklate.

There is also a weekly souk outside the city walls, near the new university district. Taroudant has always benefited from the diverse agricultural produce from the Souss and remains a local market town .The Berber market, called Jnane al-Jaami, sells spices and dried fruits but mostly clothes and household goods. The Arab souk, however, specialises in handicrafts such as terracotta, wrought iron, pottery, brass and copper, leather and carpets, rugs and jewellery. It is a place to gain a real insight into Morocco’s everyday culture and environment.

It has a very equitable climate in winter and in summer it is cooled by the current from the Canaries. It is therefore no surprise that Taroudant is home to some of the best hotels in the south of Morocco; they include the the exclusive haunt of the rich and famous, the Hotel Gazelle D’Or, which began as hunting lodge for a French baron in the 1920’s and was converted into a hotel after the Second World War, it has superb grounds. Other well known hotels include the Dar Zitoun and the Hotel Palais Salam and there is a full range of hotel accommodation in town. The Riad al Hossoun also comes highly recommended and has a superb garden and views of the Atlas Mountains.

Activities outside Taroudant include visiting Berber villages in the foot hills of the High Atlas and Anti Atlas mountains and the Oases and experiencing the wild life and birds in the Souss Massa National Park The village of Tioute 36 kms from Taroudant has a Kasbah on a hill which has been partly converted into a restaurant area with a pool which is alluring in the summer heat. The ancient fortified village of Freija is 11 km from Taroudant also has a Kasbah, now the Riad Freija.

For More Information on a Tarodaunt 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: Berber Walled City, Mini Marrakech, Morocco Tours, Tarodaunt, Tarodaunt Day Tour, Taroduant Sous Valley, Taroudaunt Pottery, Travel Exploration Morocco, Travel to Morocco
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10 Great Things to Do in Marrakech, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Tuesday, March 26th, 2013

Marrakech Atlas Mountain Views

Morocco’s “Red Hamra” city of Marrakech is an icon for travelers to Morocco. A visit to this North African country’s hotspot of Marrakech is a must. Morocco is exotic and the penchant of every travelers dream is to visit Marrakech. Marrakech offers landscapes to indulge in along with a bustling medinas and Berber villages just minutes outside. Here are Ten Great things to do in Marrakech.

1. Touch the Heart of the Atlas

The view of the Atlas Mountains and its snow capped peaks is one of Marrakech’s glories and can be viewed from many part’s of the city, looking far closer than 4 kms away. One of the best locations is the terrace of the Hotel Renaissance where you can sip a drink during the day or at sundown as the white peaks go pink .Churchill and Roosevelt savoured the moment,Churchill telling his friend at the end of the Casablanca conference :”You cannot come all this way to North Africa without seeing Marrakech. Let us spend two days there. I must be with you when you see the sun set on the Atlas Mountains.”

Marrakech Caleche Ride

2. Romantic Trip by Horse Drawn Caleche

Take a romantic trip round Marrakech’s ancient ramparts in a horse drawn caleche . It is also an excellent way to get to know the city at a sedate pace instead of roaring around in a taxi. Make sure you agree the price before hand !

3. Indulge & Shop the Marrakech Souks

The fabled souks of Marrakech are a vibrant riot of colour as they display their riches crafted by its artisans , carpets, kelims jewelry, jellabas and caftans, dressess ,shirts and tunics,wooden bowls, ornate boxes and chess sets an, leather bags and jackets and lamps, as the crowds pass through and salesman vie to attract attention and haggle over prices. Serious shoppers should be armed with a notebook, a calculator and time for tea and haggling when visiting the Grande Souk. when visiting the Souk several hours is the minimum for any shopping expedition. You can choose your vendor on your own or with a guide. Marrakech’s medina and its grande souk stocks the city’s treasure of handicrafts. If you’re willing to haggle then a deal can be had. If you are not a haggler then simply enjoy the spectacle and visit the Ensemble d’Artisansale, a craftsmen’s cooperative on the Avenue Mohammed V offers fixed price goods in a charming and unpressurised atmosphere. It’s also a good place to check out prices before plunging into the souk nd.you can also watch the craftsmen at work.Wander the timeless streets of the medina and be seduced by its ancient medieval mystique.

4. Be a Sultan for a Day – Explore the Great Medersa Ben Youssef

The Medersa Ben Youssef was an Islamic college in Marrakech named after named after the Almoravid Sultan Ali ibn Youssef who reigned from 1106–1142. Wonder at the glory of the golden age of islamic architecture in the central courtyard and walk through the maze of 130 student cells in this Medieval centre of learning.

5. Stepback in time at La Maison de la Photographie

La Maison de la Photographie is a photographic treasure trove of Morocco and Moroccans from the 1870’s to just before independence in 1956. to the gallery in a converted three floor foundak which houses a collection of photograhps of Morocco from the 1860’s and the very earliest days of photography to 1956 on the eve of Morocco’s independence. Over 5,000 photographs and glass prints of Morocco were brought from France to Marrakech by Patrick Man’ach and he and his assistants give a guided tour of this unique record of Morocco as it was.There is a video room with footage of Berber tribes dancing in the 1950’s At the end of the tour you can mount the terrace for a fine view of the Medina.

6. Overnight in an Ancient Riad in Marrakech – Palace Sytle

Stay in a Riad in Marrakech’s medina and enjoy life in the ancient medina .Riad’s are individually richly decorated by local craftsmen and give you the opportunity to stay in an intimate atmosphere as an alternative to a hotel outside the Medina.. Many Riads offer cookery classes so that you can learn how to create your own Moroccan cuisine and riad owners can advise you where to go for local bargains in the souk.

7. Stroll Marrakech’s Exotic Gardens & Lush Parks

The Abdelsalem Park with its high palm trees, greenery and shrouded walks is one of these off the busy Avenue Mohammed V, it is a haven of much needed tranquility after a few hours of frenetic shopping in the souk . Other famous parks are the Aguedal and the Menara with its large water tank and famous Pavilion. The El Harti Park off the Place 16 November is a delightful park with a play area for children with two large stone dinasours. The famous exotic and colourful Majorelle gardens once owned by Yves St Laurent are on the Boulevard Zerktouni.

8. Paradise at the Bahia Palace – Walk in the footsteps of the Vizir Si Moussa

The Bahia Palace was the 19 th century residence of the vizir Si moussa and his son who succeeded him, Ba Ahmed and has a remarkable maze of rooms and gardens there is even an ornate parade ground.The American novelist Edith Wharton stayed there in1917 when she was a guest of Marshal Lyautey after the First World War and it was te French army headquarters in Marrakech and she wrote a vivid description in her book “In Morocco”. Go back in time in a Vizir’s palace.

Moroccan Hammam

9. Go local – Visit an Authentic Moroccan Hammam for a traditional Scrub

Visit a Moroccan hammam to soak in the heat, be scrubbed and massaged with Argan, Orange and Rose oils to take away your aches and pains. Experience traditional beauty treatments of a gromage and sip tea by a delightful fountain. Marrakech has some of the most charming and authentic traditional Hammam’s in Morocco.

10. Splurge and Dine out at Marrakech’s Finest that is run by women

Splurge on one superb Moroccan meal at Al Fassia restaurant on Boulevard Zerktouni in the Gueliz staffed by women it is still the place to sample the very best in Moroccan cuisine with a selection of salades and traditional tangines and couscous washed down with fine Moroccan wine.

For More Information on Great things to do in Marrakech or a Marrakech 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: 10 Great things to do in Marrakech, Al Fassia, Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Medersa, Caleche Ride, La Maison de la Photographie, Marrakech Express, Marrakech Tour, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration Morocco
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Moroccan Mountain Hotels & Eco Lodges, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Monday, March 25th, 2013

Kasbah Toubkal, Morocco

There are a number of Eco lodges (Atlas Mountain Hotels) in Morocco which offer travelers the opportunity to escape the urban environment and enjoy the beauty of its countryside and the rural communities. The Kasbah Toubkal at Imilil 60 km from Marrakech is one of the most famous. A converted Kasbah, it sits on a hill and is a ten minute walk from the village. Kasbah Toubkal surrounded by the mountains and a blissful Mountain Hotel worth more then a one night stay. It serves as a lodge for those planning to climb Mount Toubkal but it is also a brilliant getaway. Sitting on the terrace looking out at the surrounding countryside while at Kasbah Toubkal is a stunning experience.

There is also a mountain lodge, gitabpe, run by Kasbah Toubkal for those who want to stay further up in the mountains. The Kasbah or gitape is run by locals from the village and a proportion of the money earned goes to the village to support education and health services. The Kasbah is very much part of the local life and provides much needed employment. The Kasbah is run on sustainable lines and isa centre for many many activities such as biking as well as mountainerring and trekking. It recently sponsored a rubbish collection day clearing the approaches of Mount Toubkal from accumulated rubbish that had built up over the years.

Atlas Kasbah Agadir, Ecolodge

The Atlas Kasbah near Agadir in the foothills of the Anti-Atlas mountains is an Eco lodge that also offers a taste of Berber life and is surrounded by varied and beautiful Moroccan landscapes .It is high on a hill with a panoramic view of the countryside. The 11-bedroom lodge uses solar power for 80% of its energy, has solar-heated showers, a chlorine-free pool and a herb and vegetable garden. As well as views of the Atlas mountains there is the opportunity to meet the local Berber communities in the surrounding countryside. Members of the local community work at the lodge and cook traditional tagines and other dishes.

The village of Tanefeest and the Atlas Kasbah lie in the Souss-Massa-Drâa region in the Unesco argan tree biosphere reserve and it is possible to visit an Argan oil factory and watch the production process. Further afield there are a number of day trips to the ancient town of Taroudant and the beaches along the coast from Agadir.

Dar Ksar Shama, Adgz Ecolodge

Also in the South of Morocco is Ksar Shama in the village of Ouirgane with 20 rooms in 15 acres of land. Ouirgane is close to the Atlas mountains and is a haven of peace and tranquility with many routes in the beautiful scenary which allows trekkers to wander amongst the local communities and the Toubkal National Park.

The Eco Lodge dar Itrane at Douar Imelghas two hours drive from Azilal and four hours from Marrakech in the heart of the of the beautiful Ait Bougmez valley in the High Atlas mountains.Dar Itrane is a 17-room-cultural ecolodge dedicated to the promotion and protection of the Berber Culture in the High Atlas of Morocco at an altitude of 1850m/6000 ft, close to the MGoun Mountains Range.The lodge is traditionally built and blends with the local houses of the Bougmez valleyand has a library dedicated to Berber culture. It is an environment friendly building with waste management and water consumption management. At an altitude of 1,800m (6,000 feet), Dar Itrane and the Bougmez Valley enjoy a fine climate, allowing journeys almost all year round. There is a traditional Hammam and comfortable living rooms, patios, and roof terraces offering a excellent views over the valley.

Going further south there are a number of Eco lodges in the desert and Oases. These include Oasis Bab el Oued in Agdz in the Draa Valley Palm groves witht 5 rooms at the heart of a palmgrove with a an organic orchard and a garden of aromatic and medicinal plants . Activites such as hiking, mule treks and mountain biking are on offer.

Close by is Kasbah Timidarte . This is a pilot project for rural tourism located 15km from Agdz in the Draa Valley. The Kasbah has been restored with respect to local tradition to be transformed into a guesthouse.

The Ksar El Khorbat, Tinejad is near the Todra Gorges It is guest house with a museum, and a workshop for craft women. it is a model of ecotourism in Morocco and is a fully restored adobe kasbah.

For More Information on Morocco’s Mountain Hotels in Toubkal & Ecolodges

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: Ecolodge Agdz, Kasbah Agadir, Kasbah Toubkal, Ksar Agdz, Moroccan Ecolodges, Moroccan Mountain Hotels, Morocco Travel, Toubkal, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration Morocco
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Kelaa M’gouna, A Town of Roses & Home to Morocco’s Rose Festival, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

At the small town of El Kelaa M’Gouna (also referred to as the Valley of Roses) in the aSouth of Morocco, a 140km East of Ouarzazate, in the heart of Dades Valley one can see the manual harvest of Damas roses and the Rose Festival in May each year.

There is a thriving local industry distilling rose water, introduced by the French in the 1930’s and cosmetic products such as soaps, gels, creams, sprays and oils and dried rosebuds these can be bought on site.The buds are dried for use in cosmetics, home decoration and cooking, while the petals are distilled into rose water and, ultimately, rose oil, a key ingredient in many perfumes. Distillation is made in two factories in the Valley of Roses area and in April and May it is possible to visit Kelaâ’s factory, set up in a former kasbah.In Kelaâ Des Mgouna , Morocco there is also a dagger factory, in the mellah, where the Jewish craft is perpetuated, with handles and sheaths made in cedar wood or in camel bones, ornate with silver, and fixed on blades coming from another small village a few kilometres away.

The distillation plants work with 3,000-4,000 tonnes of petals a year. With ten tons of petals required to produce a few liters of precious oil, the harvest is extensive culminating in the annual Rose Festival each year in May when El Kelaa MGouna becomes a colourful centre of berber dancing and music with stalls of local crafts and products for sale. A festival queen is chosen from a parade of brightly coloured floats which is a highlight of the event.

Driving across the desert from Ouarzazate you come across El Kelaa MGouna and shortly afterwards you arrive at the Valley of the Roses.The greenryof the M’Goun wadi, is a sharp contrast to the desert scenery on the way from Ouarzazate.The river is hidden by a dense patchwork of palms, olive and fig trees, pink roses and swathes of red poppies. The turrets of kasbahs in a remote village cn be seen with the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in the background.Also well worth a visit is nearby Skoura which has old kasbahs and mellahs with impressive gardens.

The fresh mountain air has a hint of fresh roses which provides opportunities for walks and hiking and a long drive through the Hdida Valley to the plateau of Imi-n-Louh. There are a number of ruined kasbahs to explore and many opportunities to meet the local communities. The Damascene roses were said to have been introduced into the valleyin the tenth century by Morocans returning from Mecca.They grow in profusion in pinks and reds throughout the valley and in the hedgrows. In the Spring you can buy a garland of roses from one of the local children who line the route.

The Dades Gorge in the valley of the roses and the Todra Gorge provide some of the most spectacular scenery in the south of Morocco. The Dades Gorge runs along the Dades River valley separating the Atlas Mountains from the Anti Atlas. The Gorge is best known for its scenary stunning scenery and the Kasbahs overlooking the river below.

Gravity defying rock stacks in all shades of red dominate the skyline with deep gullies created by the persistent action of weathering and the river. After exploring the gorge, if you have a guide who knows the area it is possibble to venture deeper into the surrounding country side of the Anti Atlas. Some of the piste roads that lead off this are spectacular and properly remote and well worth taking a little more time to explore either by 4×4 or using a private tented camp as a base for exploring on foot.Continuing west brings the traveller Erfoud, a small town that for many acts as the entry point for Morocco’s western desert, the Erg Chebi. The dunes in this region are the main attraction and well worth visiting and climbing and Merzouga is close by.

For More Information About Morocco’s Rose Festival and 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: Dades Valley, Hdida Valley, Kellat Des Mgouna, Morocco Tours, Rose Festival, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration Morocco, Valley of Roses
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Dakka Marrakchia Music Festival, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Marrakech has been celebrating the Marrakchia Music festival since the Saadian dynasty in the 15th and early 16th century.It takes place in February each year and celebrates traditional music passed down by generations in honour of the seven patron saints or ‘Sabaatou Rijal’ of Marrakech.

The seven saints of Marrakech were: Qadi Ayad, Imam El Jazouli, Imam Souhayli, Sidi Youssef Ben Ali, Sidi Abdelaziz Tabbaa, Sidi Abdellah El Gazouani and Abou El Abbas Essebti. To represent these seven saints, musicians from seven districts, the El Moukkaf quarter, Bin Laarassi, Bab D’Bagh, Derb Dabachi, Sabtiyyine, Cashbah and Ben Salah, take part in the festival. During the Dakka Marrakchia Festival ordinary locals, such as shopkeepers, artists and craftsmen, become the heart of the event, filling the air with traditional music choral chants and rhthyms.

Groups of male musicians perform with percussion instruments and drums accompanied bychoral chants. Instruments include the lakrakash, taarija, naffar and tara.The Asdekaa Nakhil Association (their name means “Friends of the Marrakech Palm Tree”) organises the festival each year.

The followers of the Saint El Jazouli played an important role during the Saadian dynasty by establishing zaouias to give religious support to their cause the music reflects the fervour of those times as well as the traditions and civic pride of Marrakech.

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Tags: Marrakech, Marrakech Tours, Marrakechi Music Festival, Seven Saints of Marrakech, Travel Exploration Morocco, Travel to Morocco
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The Excavation at Aghmat, Morocco’s Medieval Capital

Monday, December 24th, 2012

Aghmat Palace overview

The Medieval site of Aghmat can be found beside the modern village of Ghmat which is 30 km south east of Marrakech in the northern foothills of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Professor Ron Messier, Professor Emeritus Middle Tenessee State University and Senior Lecturer in history at Vanderbilt University and his codirector Professor Abdallah Fili faculte des letters Universite d’El Jadida have been following a trail of gold a it was part of the camel caravan routes from sub-Saharan Africa through the ancient city of Sijilmassa which Ron Messier’s team excavated through to Morocco’s Medieval Capital, Aghmat. Coins minted in Sijilmassa have been found in an excavation in Jordan and Aghmat too minted coins for the Almoharavid empire which stretched into Spain.

The international archaeological program has been studying Aghmat Since June 2005 Medieval texts suggest that Aghmat existed before advent of Islam in the 7th Century. It flourished under the Idrissids in the 8th and 9th centuries and attained the rank of an Amazight city state in the late 10th Century. It became a capital under the Almoravid dynasty from 1056 to 1070 when the Almoravids moved their capital to Marrakech. Aghmat gradually declined in competition to Marrakech.

Aghmat Hammam

It was an important city for routes through the Atlas Mountains on the trans Saharan trade and attracted scholars from Ifriqiyya (Tunisia) and Andalusia. The site contains the tombs the Andalusian kings al-Mu’tamid ibn Abbad of Seville and Abdallah ibn Bulukhin of Granada. Zaynab Nafzawiyya settled in Aghmat married three successive rulers,the independent Maghrawa emir and the first two Almoravid emirs.

Aghmat consisted of two towns Aghmat Ourika and Aghmat Haylana home to Bani Masmuda tribesmen. It was a rich city fully irrigated and minting gold currency for the Almoravids.

The archaeological excavations have so far revealed a hammam , a palace and a mosque.the archaeological process of discovery is aided by modern equipment which can identify the ancient foundations which are now under ground. Ancient texts also describe the city providing valuable clues. The excavations have been conducted to ensure preservation as well as revealing what was buried beneath the surface. The hammam, the first structure to be excavated is remarkably well preserved and fragile areas have been supported whilst respecting the original integrity of the building and its original materials. When Aghmat declined and the hammam fell out of use it began a second life as a pottery and the excavation discovered the potter’s wheel. The palace was a typical Andalusian palace of the 14th Century and at the end of the 2011 excavation a separate level revealed occupation from the 9th -12^th Century under the Almoravids when Aghmat was their capital. The mosque which was definitively confirmed during the 2011 excavation was founded by Wattas ibn Kardus in 859AD. There were several phases to its construction. It was found to have a moveable minbar on wooden rails the only other of its kind was found in the mosque at the ancient city of Sijilmassa.The team also found an Islamic inscription from the Koran as they did in Sijilmassa. The inscription reads “God is the light of the heavens and the earth”

Excavations at Aghmat

In April 2007 the Aghmat Foundation was founded by a group of patrons under the leadership of Moulay Abdellah Alaoui to provide financial support for further excavations and the construction of a museum for the artifacts that have been found and for conservation and preservations of the excavations.In 2009 a partnership agreement between the Aghmat Foundation and the Moroccan Ministryof Culture which delegates to the Foundation matters of managing archaeological research, conservation and protection of the excavated remains and the opening of the site to the public.

It is easy to visit the site of Aghmat close to the village of Ghmat and the archeological work is a testimony to the close cooperation between the Moroccan Ministry Culture and The United States.

Excavation work continues each season and Professor Messier is working hard to achieve more sponsorship to support the continuing discovery process, which is more difficult since 2008 during the current economic downturn.

For more information about the Excavation at Aghmat, Marrakech Morocco or a Marrakech Tour

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit 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: Aghmat, Excavation at Aghmat, Marrakech, Medieval site Morocco, Morocco Tours, Moulay Abdellah Alaoui, Travel Exploration Morocco, Travel to Morocco
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Moroccan Designers, Ahmed Laghrissi, Hicham El Madi and Myriam Mouabit, Morocco Tour Guide

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012

Moroccan Pottery Design, Ahmed Laghrissi

There are many Moroccan designers, artists and craftsmen breaking new ground and leading innovations in lifestyle and creativity. Moroccan Designers Ahmed Laghrissi, Hicam El Madi and Myriam Mourabit are three exceptional practioners of their art. All were born in Morocco and have been influenced by either great family artists, their environment and Moroccan visual arts and culture. When visiting Morocco on a Pottery and Zellij Tile Design tour or on your own, one can discover galleries, souks and private spaces filled with these and many other visual artists. Morocco is a mecca of great designers ranging from Moroccan pottery to furniture to tile work, painting and lighting.

Moroccan Pottery Designer, Ahmed Laghrissi

Ahmed Laghrissi

Born in 1962 his fatherand grandfather were potters in the traditonal coastal pottery centre of Safi where most Moroccan pottery is still created.The son of Laghrissi Abdelkader, a renowned artist and potter, Ahmed Laghrissi who was taught by Boujemaa Lamali a potery grandmaster in the early twentieth century.

He inherited his father’s passion for the trade and is now himself a master-potter in Safi. His creations are inspired by Arab-Muslim art, and are highly individualistic whilst retaining their classic identity based on berber traditions such as Zaian and calligraphy. His researches blend old and new techniques and colours sometimes using enamel bequeathed by his father.

Hicham El Madi

Hicham El Madi has lived in Marrakech for a number of years , he was born in Casablanca and studied at the Institute of Appllied Arts and worked in Paris for a software design company creating designs for may different companies including Louis Vuitton. He travelled in Pakistan,Oman, Syria, Vietnam and Tunisia. hbeganto design furniture and on moving to Marrakech he worked on furnishing appartments and moved naturally into interior design.

He finds his inspiration in the Moroccan craft industry. He creates from materials such as wood, molten aluminum and ceramics, to create contemporary interior decorations for riads, homes, shops, and hotels,working closely with local artisans, his creations are very popular with both Moroccan and foreign clients.

Moroccan Designer, Myriam Mourabit

Myriam Mourabit

She designs hand made objets d’art, that draw on the spirit and sensitivity of her cultural heritage.Her work focuses on the sensory relationship between materials and colour where the combination of nature and refined style are brought together in perfect harmony.

Her exclusive designer objets appear in several shops and galleries in Morocco and abroad, her creations are stylish designs inspired by henna art and “zouak”, with close links to the traditions of Morocco’s craftsmen.

She trained at the Duperré School of Applied Arts and the National School of Decorative Arts in Paris. She designs and develops commercial spaces and designs furniture for individuals using refined and high quality materials.

For more information about Moroccan Pottery and Zellij Tile Design Tour

Written by Colin Kilkelly

Tags: Ahmed Laghrissi, Hicham El Madi, Moroccan Artists, Moroccan craftsman, Moroccan Designers, Moroccan Potters, Morocco Travel, Myriam Mouabit, Pottery & Zellij Tile Design Tour, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration Morocco
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The Excavation at Aghmat, Morocco’s Medieval Capital

Moroccan Designers, Ahmed Laghrissi, Hicham El Madi and Myriam Mouabit, Morocco Tour Guide

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