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Top 4-Day Desert Adventure Tour, Tours from Marrakech

Saturday, September 3rd, 2016

Trek Across Erg Chebbi, Top Desert Tour

The city of Marrakech was Voted the World’s Top Holiday Destination by TripAdvisor. Marrakech is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and is a three hour drive from High Atlas Mountains. The location of Marrakech makes it ideal for taking Sahara Desert Tours and Private Day Trips for travelers whose schedule allows for a limited time in the country. Ideally positioned an hour from Spain and three hours from Paris, the locale of Marrakech and its contrasting landscape has made it a top destination for Morocco Travelers.

There are a vareity of Desert Adventure Tours to the Sahara from Marrakech to choose from. For travelers who have a liimited amount of time some options are a 3-Day, a 4-Day or a 5-Day Sahara Desert Tour. Visitors that have a longer timeframe can instead choose a Tailor Made Tour.

Bonfire in Sahara Desert, Adventure Tour

Our Top Recommendation for a 4-Day Sahara Desert Morocco Adventure Tour Itinerary is:

Day 1: Departure from Marrakech to Ouarzazate via the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass. 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. Visit Kasbah Telout, one of Morocco’s hidden jewels and a famous Kasbahs that is the origin of the Pacha Glaoui Family. Continue to the Skoura Palmeraie. Overnight in Skoura at a Charming Boutique Riad.

Day 2: Explore Skoura and the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs. Visit the Valley of Roses. Next, drive towards the Sahara Desert. Visit Erfoud, the capital of fossils. Tea in Mount Mgoun with Nomads. Continue to the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Trek by dromedary for 2 Hours before sunset. Arabian Nights dinner and couscous. Overnight in a Luxury Desert Camp.

Day 3: Travel by pise across the Sahara Desert. Continue the towards Rissani. Continue to Rissani for a breadbaking lesson on Madfouna. Next continue to a Berber Village. Sip Mint tea and eat Couscous with a Berber family. Next take the road to Ouarzazate. Overnight at a Charming Boutique Riad in Ouarzazate.

Day 4: Travel to the Oasis of Fint. Visit this Oasis which is reached by off road pise. Then continue to visit the Atlas and Cinema Studios in Ouarzazate. Enjoy a guided historical tour of Ait Benhaddou. Located 32 km from Ouarzazate lies the picturesque village. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here along with dozens of other Hollywood films. Many refer to Ouarzazate, as the Hollywood of Morocco. part of the village was rebuilt. After visiting Ait Benhaddou, return to Marrakech

The 4-Day Top Sahara Desert Tour From Marrakech Includes:
Transport in 4×4 Land Cruiser with an English, Multilingual Speaking Driver/ Guide
Accommodations Daily at Charming Guest Houses
Overnight in Luxury Desert Camp with Arabian Nights Dinner & Music Celebration
Overnight with views of the Dades Valley
Hiking Excursion to the Todra Gorge
Sunset Camel Trek with Berber Camel Guide
Lunch with a Berber Family

Other Top Desert Tours Advetnure Tours from Marrakech:
3 Day Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech
4 Day Sahara Desert Tour from Marrakech
5 Day Sahara Desert Tour from Mararkech

For more information on a Sahara Desert Safari or Desert Adventure 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

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: 4x4 Desert Excursions, Amazaigh Culture, Berber cuisine, Bivouacs Morocco, Camel Trekking, Dades Valley & Gorge Todra Gorge, Kasbahs Desert Activities, Moroccan bread baking, Morocco Adventure Tours, Morocco Family Tours, Sahara Desert, Sahara Desert Luxury Bivouac Sahara Desert Luxury Guest House, Skoura Palmeraie, Things to do in Marrakech, Tours to Morocco
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A Family Friendly Adventure Vacation to Morocco

Friday, September 2nd, 2016

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 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

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

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

Tags: Adventure Tours Morocco, Amazaigh Culture, Camel Trekking, Dades Valley & Gorge, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Family tours Morocco, hiking, Hot Air Balloon, Moroccan bread baking, Moroccan Henna Party, Sahara Desert Tours, Skoura Palmeraie, Todra Gorge, Tours from Marrakech, Ziplining Cooking Class
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Bread & Morocco, A Love Affair

Wednesday, August 24th, 2016

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

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

Tags: Amazaigh Culture, Berber cuisine, Berber Villages Tours, Family tours Morocco, Food Tours, Moroccan bread baking, Morocco Tours, Sahara Desert, Sahara Desert Tours
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10 Experiences on a Tailor Made Morocco Tour

Wednesday, July 27th, 2016

Moroccan Handicrafts, Shop the Souks

Explore Morocco on tailor-made Private Tour. With the ability to fully customize, a Morocco Tour, a tailor-made experience delivers an authentic, private travel opportunity for couples, families and the indepdentent traveler. A tailor-made Private Tour also offers the flexibility to engage with locals, discover exotic foods, visit hertiage UNESCO Heritage sites, camp in the Moroccan Sahara Desert and stay at charming boutique riads and hotels.

10 Experiences A Tailor-Made Morocco Tour Offers:

#1. Visit Fes, A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Fes is the fourth largest city in Morocco and also known as one of the ancient imperial cities. It is separated into three parts, Fès el Bali (the old, walled city), Fès -Jdid (new Fes, home of the Mellah), and the Ville Nouvelle (the French-created, newest section of Fes. The Medina of Fes el Bali is believed to be the largest contiguous car-free urban area in the world.

#2. Take a Cooking Class with Daada Chef
Cooking Classes are conducted by a dada (traditional Moroccan cook) or a chef from and held at a kitchen in the medina or in a palmeraie garden setting. Classes are a total of 4 hours with an option of an add on of wines tasting accompaniment. At a typical half-day cooking class, travelers can learn to prepare an appetizer and a main dish, or a main dish and desert.

#3. Journey on a Food Tasting Tour
A Food Tour is a special opportunity to go deep in the heart of the a Moroccan medina and discover local delicacies. Food Tours are offered in both Fes and Marrakech, led by locals and serve as a replacement for lunch or dinner.

#4. Arabian Night Camping & Camel Trekking in the Sahara Desert
Camping in the Sahara Desert and taking a Moroccan Camel trek is the perfect to travel the south. Nomadic villages can be explored along with Kasbahs that are situated in palm groves, surrounding valleys, mountainous landscapes, gorges and sandy Saharan dunes.

#5. Casablanca’s Art Deco Tour of Architectural Sites
Casablanca is one of the most famous cities visited by first time travelers to Morocco and well known for the Hassan II Mosque. Lesser known are its’ Art Deco Architecture and Sites. Casablanca has long history of engaging architects who once built Anfa’s grandest buildings that have typical Deco features of wrought ironwork, vasilating arches and colored, stained glass in geomteric shapes. Visiting the Art Deco Historic sites of Casablanca is a rewarding and way to discoer the past.

#6. Breadbaking with the Berbers
Meet a local Berber family, partake in a cooking lesson of how to make traditional bread. Berber bread is baked in clay ovens or on volcanic rock and stuffed with a variety of local spices made from fresh, dried and smoked ingredients.

#7. Travel Morocco in a Private 4×4 Land Cruiser
Traveling by luxury, 4×4 Land Cruiser across Morocco will enable you to cover a vast amount terrain in the most enjoyable and relaxing way. This way of traveling is highly recommended to first time travelers to Morocco and also to those who want an intimate, personal experience that is seamless from beginning to end.

Boutique Riads & Hotels in Morocco, Photo of Riad Noir D’Ivoire by Elan Fleisher

#8. Stays at Charming Boutique Riads & Hotels
Riads are restored palace style accommodations with courtyards, lush gardens, and traditional zellij tile work. Morocco is known for having the best, luxury riads that offer an Arabian Nights sensibility. The Best Riads can be found in Morocco’s old medinas. Riads offer a combination of traditional and modern decor with excellent service, luxury traveler amenities and local Moroccan cuisine.

#9. Visit The Roman Ruins of Volubilis
Volubilis also referred to by Moroccans as Walili (Arabic) was the administrative center of the province in Roman Africa called Mauretania Tingitana. The Mauritanian capital, founded in the 3rd century B.C., became an important outpost of the Roman Empire and was graced with many fine buildings. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the late fourth century AD and later reoccupied in the sixth century, under the Abbasids. Extensive remains survived and create now what is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Morocco.

#10. Shop in Morocco’s Souks for Handmade Crafts
Souks and markets are a major feature in Moroccan life, and among the country’s greatest attractions for Moroccan travelers. Each town has its special souk quarter, large cities like Fes and Marrakech have labyrinths of individual souks (each filling a street or square and devoted tone particular craft), and in the countryside there are hundreds of weekly souks, on a different day in each village of the region.

What Is Included In a Tailor-Made Private Tour
A tailor-made private tour includes luxury transportation in a 4×4, Viano or Minibus, accommodations at Boutique Riads and Hotels, a Multilingual Speaking Driver that is fluent in English, Arabic, French and Berber along with Licensed, expert Historical Guides. Whether you prefer Old cities, Roman ruins and the souks or the Sahara Desert, the High Atlas Mountains and natural wonders, a tailor-made tour will be customied to your personal interests.

For More Information or to Find Out More About Tailor Made Private 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: Art Deco Sites, Berber cuisine, Berber Village Tours, Berber Villages, Camel Trekking, Casablanca tours, Cooking Clas, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Moroccan bread baking, Moroccan Handicrafts, Moroccan hotels, Moroccan Riads, Moroccan Souks, Sahara Desert, Sahara Desert Luxury Bivouac, Things to do in Casablanca, Things to do in Fes, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration, UNESCO Heritage Sites
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Top 5 Tours From Marrakech, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Tuesday, April 26th, 2016

Marrakech Tours

Marrakech also known at Marrakesh is one of the most cosmpopolitan cities in Morocco. The name Marrakech originates from the Amazigh (Berber) words mur (n) akush, which means “Land of God.” It is the third largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca and Rabat, and lies near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. It is a few hours from the foot of the Sahara Desert. Its location and contrasting landscape has made it an enviable destination in Morocco plus the perfect city to utilize as a based for discovering cities outside Marrakech. The Top 5 tours from Marrakech offer a Morocco Traveler a brief get away from the bustling medina.

Cascades Ouzoud Tour

Top 5 Tours From Marrakech:

Cascades D’Ouzoud Waterfalls – Discover Waterfalls, Swim and Enjoy Lunch in a Traditional Berber Village. Located in a lush valley, in a friendly Berber village are the three beautiful tiered waterfalls of Ouzoud dropping 110m into the river below. Take a hike along the river up to the caves and gorges of Oued el-Abid, or stay close by the falls and enjoy the natural scenery. In the summer time, enjoy a picnic and mingle with Marrakshis that frequent this peaceful area on the weekends.Enjoy a local riverboat as you cruise across the river. This is our Top Tour from Marrakech selected for adventure travelers who want a combination of hiking, swimming and village exploration.

Essaouira Tour

Essaouira Coastal Tour – Journey and Discover the seaside resort town of Essaouira on this One Day Tour from Marrakesh. En route enjoy lunch at a local fromagerie and wine tasting at one of Morocco’s leading wineries in the Valley of Essaouira. Explore the thuya wood workers, the artisans boutiques, old Portuguese Ramparts and charming medina in Essaouira. End the day dining on fresh fish at the port or a local restaurant such as Umia or One-Up, Essaouira’s chicest eats. This is our Top Tour from Marrakech selected for foodies and those who want a laid back excursion in a small coastal town.

High Atlas Mountains Tour – Journey and discover Imlil Village & High Atlas Toubkal on this One Day Tour from Marrakesh. En route stop at a Berber home for tea and bread, followed by a visit to a traditional village and farm. Explore a local souk and hike in the Toubkal mountain region, the second highest next to Kilamnajaro. Enjoy lunch at Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot or at a local hideaway, Kasbah Toubkal that boasts majestic views of the High Atlas. This is our Top Tour from Marrakech selected for active travelers who want a combination of adventure and exploration of local culture.

Ourika Valley Tour – Discover the Ourika Valley on this One Day Tour from Marrakesh. Moving through the valley you will visit Setti Fatma’s Waterfalls, a favorite weekend resort of many Moroccans appreciated for its beautiful streams and waterfalls. Enjoy views of high green terraces, Atlas peaks, villages in the rocky foothills from the seven waterfalls that surround the village. Trek along the pretty trails and, climb the walls to see rock carvings. Lunch near the Setti Fatma Cascades in a traditional Moroccan restaurant, or have a picnic. This is our Top Tour from Marrakech selected for active travelers who want a combination of adventure and exploration through Berber Villages.

Ourigane Valley Tour – Discover the Berber Valley of Ourigane, the Tinmel Mosque and charming villages on this One Day Tour from Marrakech. Nestled in the tranquil foothills of the High Atlas Mountains in the heart of the Toubkal National Park is the charming and quaint Berber village region of Ourigane. Ourigane boasts magnificent views of the High Atlas range along with out door activities ranging from hiking, walking, horse-riding and mountain biking. A wide variety of birdlife awaits you. Located on the valley floor of the Oued ‘River’ Nfis, Ourigane is situated 1,000 meters above sea level. Visit the Tinmel Mosque and if time allows the ancient Jewish Zaouia.

For more information about Tours from Marrakech

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: Adventure Tours Morocco, Amazaigh Culture, Berber Villages, High Atlas Tours, Marrakech Day tours, Marrakech Tours, Moroccan bread baking, Morocco Tours, Things to do Marrakech, Tours from Marrakech
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Just For Women, Morocco Private Group Tours

Saturday, April 16th, 2016

Just for Women, Morocco Private Tour

If you want discover the interior of Morocco with other kindred female spirits then consider visiting Morocco on a private tour crafted Just For Women. Morocco Traveler has launched a comprehensive tour that offers women travelers an enchanting journey to experience to Morocco’s Imperial Cities and the great South along with the the coastal region of Essaouira. Our Just For Women Tours are an intimate group of 8-10 travelers and hand curated with the option to explore Morocco for 10, 12 or 14 Days. Morocco’s heritage offers women travelers an encounter with an exotic society, new customs, an incomparable cuisine, and a shopper’s paradise of magnificent markets.

Women’s Argan Cooperative

On Morocco Traveler’s Just For Women Tour, you will Roam Like Royalty Through Morocco’s Imperial Cities. This Boutique Tour is created for women by women to experience the wonders of Morocco. We’ll visit breathtaking architectural sites, majestic palaces, glorious houses of worship, opulent gardens, see traditional Moroccan crafts being made by local artisans, and shop a dazzling array of unique and enticing marketplaces. We’ll enjoy exquisite cuisine and elegant accommodations all along the way of this magical voyage.

Women’s Cooking Class

Included in the Just For Women itinerary is a henna party and a ceramics workshop in Fes, an Exotic Cooking Workshop, a Hot Air Balloon ride over Marrakesh’s Atlas Mountains, Camel Trekking on the Beach in Essaouira, Spas and Hammams, Visits to Women’s Cooperatives, Wine Tastings, and more from our Morocco Travel Experts. All overnights at luxurious riads & boutique hotels.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
The medieval medina of Fes
Fes Food Tour
Private Henna Party
Arabian Nights Dinner in the Sahara
Spa indulgence in Marrakech
Cooking class in Marrakech
Moroccan Breadbaking
Moroccan Tea Ceremony
Yves St. Laurent’s Garden in Marrakech
Wine & Cheese Tasting in Essaouira
Optional 5 day extension package to the Sahara Desert

For more information Just for Women Tours to Morocco

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: Cooking Class, Food Tours, Moroccan bread baking, Moroccan Henna Party, Moroccan Tea Ceremony, Morocco Tours, Vineyards Essaouira
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Morocco Family Vacation, Kid Friendly Travel

Thursday, January 7th, 2016

Morocco Family Vacation, Sahara Desert Adventure, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

Morocco is the perfect country to travel for families who are considering a place to visit for spring break. A Morocco family vacation during spring break guarantees a great adventure and an insightful cultural experience for families with children of all ages. Morocco is a kid friendly destination. Morocco’s expansive landscapes provide a wide array of adventure travel opportunities for families such as hiking, biking, trekking, camel trekking, zip lining, eating, surfing and swimming. Morocco’s temperate climate year-round makes it easy for families with a limited time frame who are traveling from the USA and Europe to reach. Morocco is just 7 1/2 hours from New York’s John F Kennedy Airport, a 3 1/2 hour Easy jet stretch from Paris and an 1 hour from Madrid via Iberia Airlines. Families in search of a child-friendly destination need to look no further then Morocco.

Morocco Family Vacation, Djemaa El Fna Square Waterman, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

On a Morocco family vacation, parents can anticipate a jam-packed travel itinerary that includes a mix of site seeing in ancient cities, exploration of the souks and marketplaces, visiting magical gardens and UNESCO Heritage sites, seeing wild monkeys and barbary apes in Ifrane’s cedar forest, hiking across High Atlas Mountains and through Berber Villages, Sipping Tea with a Berber Family, participating in private family henna party and watching the snake charmers at sunset in Marrakech’s Djemaa el Fna Square. A Morocco family adventure vacation is not complete without traveling in a four-wheel drive across the Moroccan Sahara Desert and a 1001 Arabian Nights Morocco experience in the heart of the Erg Chebbi dunes at a traditional desert camp.

Perhaps one of the best surprises of all during a Morocco family vacation is the opportunity to enjoy stays at charming boutique riads that are well appointed in the old city bustling medinas with maze-like streets, colorful alley ways filled with craftsman, street food vendors, gardens, Islamic architecture, and terraces with dream-like city scapes.

The best time to travel to Morocco for a family vacation is March and April along with October, November, and December. Spring break, Easter holiday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are when Morocco’s weather is extremely temperate and local festivities and adventure tie in with school schedules.

Morocco Family Vacation, Marrakech Monkeys, Photograph by Rusk Elatassi

The 5 Best Adventure Activites on a Morocco Family Vacation are:

Family Vacation in Morocco – Adventure Tour Highlights

Zip line across the Atlas Mountains

Camel Trek in the Sahara Desert

Hot Air Balloon over Marrakech

Bread bake with a Berber family

Attend a traditional Fantasia Horse show in the Marrakech Palmeraie

For more information about the Family Vacations in Morocco and Family Adventure 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

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: Berber Villages, Camel Trekking, Canyoning, Erg Chebbi Dunes, FamilyTours Morocco Adventure Tours Morocco, Hot Air Balloon, Moroccan bread baking, Moroccan Henna Party, Morocco Holiday Activities, Morocco Vacations & Tours, Sahara Desert, Ziplining
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Moroccan Food Tour, A Private Cooking Vacation to Morocco

Friday, December 4th, 2015

Moroccan Tajine

From the populated ancient medinas in the Imperial Cities to the dusty Desert region to the great Southern rural villages, seaside towns and farm communities, a Travel Exploration Moroccan Food Tour delivers the perfect opportunities to discover the culture of food and art. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fes, Meknes, Marrakech, Rabat and Tetouan refined Moroccan cuisine over the centuries and created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today. Moroccan cooking is enhanced with fruits, dried and fresh — apricots, dates, figs, and raisins, to name a few. Lemons preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture bring a unique face to many Moroccan chicken and pigeon dishes. Nuts are prominent; pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios show up in all sorts of unexpected places. Moroccan sweets are rich and dense confections of cinnamon, almond, and fruit perfumes that are rolled in filo dough, soaked in honey, and stirred into puddings. Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food.

Journey across Morocco on a 10 Day Cooking Vacation to Morocco. Discover spectacular Trade Routes & Spice Markets, the world of Moroccan Street Food, Bake Bread with the Berbers and Make Your own Tajine at a Moroccan cookery class. A Taste of Morocco is a Culinary Food Tour Adventure for All Ages and Perfect for the Entire Family!

Moroccan Spices

Book a Tour or call (800) 787-8806). Let us be your Culinary Guide to Discovering Moroccan Cuisine.

A Taste of Morocco Food Tour – Trip Highlights

Fresh Grill at Casablanca’s Marche Centrale

Fes Food Tour – Souks Tasting Trails

Pastilla Making with a Daada Chef

Cooking Class in Marrakech

Breadbaking with the Berbers

Tasting Marrakech Food Tour in Djemaa El Fna Square

Fes Food Tour

A TASTE OF MOROCCO – 10 DAY ITINERARY:

DAY 1: CASABLANCA – FRESH GRILL AT THE PORT – FES

Pick up from Casablanca airport. Start your visit at the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world that stands besides the sea and boasts stunning views along with breathtaking arches and zellij tiled walls, floors and fountains. Lunch at Casablanca’s Marche Centrale.. A taste of Casablanca while you purchase fresh fish from the Market, then hand it over to the locals to cook up.Discover the Art Deco Architecture in Casablanca. Welcome Cocktail and Dinner at your Riad in Fes. Overnight at a Boutique Riad or Hotel in Fes.

DAY 2: FES – DISCOVER THE WORLD OF MOROCCAN STREET FOOD

Breakfast and early Rise. Begin your day by discovering the world of Moroccan streetfood in Fes. You will visit three different food souks allowing the chance to try traditional Moroccan street food including dried meats, milawi, harsha, briwats, spicy sardines, spicy potato cakes, soups, olives and more. At the honey souk we’re you’ll be able to taste an array of delicious wild honeys, discuss their flavors and health-giving properties and find out why honey is so important in Moroccan cooking and Islamic culture. Investigate traditional cooking methods by visiting 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. Discover the world of spices and their uses and the secrets of the male-oriented domain of the tea den under the guidance of a culinary leader and story-teller. Or 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. The Moroccan Culinary Experience The hands-on cooking classes take place right in the heart of a family house – the kitchen. This is a very intimate experience, staying in a villa with the family and being immersed into family life in Morocco. You’ll learn the intricacies of Moroccan cuisine and then of course savour your creations. Enjoy Moroccos’ Dar Batha Garden and Museum in the afternoon. Afternoon Tea at Les Jardin De Bierhn with views of this Andalusian Garden. Overnight at a Boutique Riad or Hotel in Fes.

Moroccan Bastillla

DAY 3: FES – PASTILLA (BASTILLA) OR PASTRY MAKING IN FES

Following breakfast, you will be taken you to the souk to shop for your first cooking class.During your first class you will see how ouarka (the dough used in b’steeya) is made and perhaps have time to buy a few spices to take home. Lunch to follow. Depart for a guided tour of Fes el Bali (Old Fes) to learn some of Fes’s history, tour the souks, see the mosques and medersas and visit the famous leather tanneries.

Within the old medina, we will the following historical sites:

Medersa Bou Inania: An (Islamic school) founded by Abu Inan Faris that is highly decorated fromﬂoor to ceiling. The medersa is one of the few religious places in Morocco that is accessible to non- Islamic tourists.

Kairaouine Mosque: Morocco’s second largest mosque. The Kairaouine Mosque became the home of the West’s ﬁrst university and the world’s foremost center of learning at the beginning of the second millennium.

Berber Carpet Demonstration:

The Famous Exhibition of Antique and Modern Carpets is one of the places in Fès el Bali where you can see a Berber carpet demonstration. You will be offered mint tea and follow your guide up a coil of stairs to a small area to watch carpets being made by young girls who come from the mountains to show tourists how Berber carpets are made

Shopping in the Medina: We will visit the baboosh souk where they sell beautiful hand made shoes, cafdans, pottery, local Fassis crafts and fabric Evening at Leisure. Overnight at a Boutique Riad or Hotel in Fes.

DAY 4: FES – IFRANE – AZRO – ERFOUD – MERZOUGA

Breakfast at your Riad. Take the road to Morocco’s Sahra Desert. En route stop in Ifrane for Pastries. Continue the road to Erfoud Camel Trek into the Moroccan Sahara Desert. Overnight at a Luxury Desert Camp in the Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga.

DAY 5: MERZOUGA – RISSANI – AIT OUZZINE – NKOB

Breakfast in the Sahara Desert. Morning exploration. Take the road to the town of Rissani. Visit the local souk and then experience a lesson on making Madfouna. Madfouna is the local stuffed pizza indigenous of the Sahara region. Continue the road via Alnif to Ait Ouzzine. Overnight in a Boutique Kasbah Hotel in Nkob.

Marrakech Cooking Class

DAY 6: NKOB – BREAD BAKING OF TRADITIONAL MADFOUNA IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH THE BERBERS – OUARZAZATE.

Breakfast in Nkob. Visit Ait Ouzzine, a traditional Ait Atta Village nestiled in the Jebel Saghro and Atlas Mountains. Morning tea and greet the family. Then take the road into the mountains. Participate and learn how to make Bourafain, a traditional bread of the Berbers made in the mountains with volcanic rock. Bourafin consists of dough, secret spices, herbs and animal fat that is stuffed and combined into a bread that raises high and wide. Aït Ouzzine is a Berber village inhabited by over 300 families who live in beautifully painted crenulated kasbahs, with their own henna fields, water wells, livestock and gardens. This peaceful village is tucked away along an impressive desert route connecting the Draa Valley (Tansikht) and Rissani. 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, live stock, and henna plants.Explore the village. Henna Party with the Berbers. Take the road to Ouarzazate.Overnight in Boutique Riad or Hotel in Ouarzazate with Atlas Mountain Views.

DAY 7: OUARZAZATE – AIT BENHADDOU KASBAH – OLD ROAD OF CARAVANS – TELOUET – MARRAKECH.

Breakfast in Ouarzazate at your Riad. Visit the Oasis of Fint, then take the road to visit Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, Kasbah Telouet. Continue the road to Marrakech. En route stop at an Argan Cooperative. Tasting of Argan oil and Amlou. Lesson on how Amlous is made. Lunch in a local restaurant with cuisine made with Argan oil. Overnight at a Boutique Riad or Hotel in Marrakech.

DAY 8: MARRAKECH

Breakfast at your Riad. Start the day with a visit of the Majorelle Gardens, then explore Marrakech’s most important sites – the Bahia Palaces, Ben Youssef Medersa, Saadian Tombs. Mid-day discovery at the Koutoubia Mosque and its gardens. Lunch in the medina at Riad Monceau, a Riad with a leafy garden that specializes in haute Moroccan cuisine. Shop the souks of Marrkaehc. Explore Souk Semmarine and enjoy the Djemaa El Fna Square at dusk. Before heading back to your Riad, discover our Tasting Marrakech Food Tour which is a Medina food crawl across Djemaa El Fna SquareExotic eats of snail soup, sheep’s heads and more. Taste or watch. It’s all a food experience. Overnight at a Boutique Riad or Hotel in Marrakech in Marrakech.

DAY 9: MARRAKECH – COOKING CLASS – AFTERNOON AT LEISURE – INDULGE IN A MOROCCAN HAMMAM

10:00am – 14:30 (2:30opm) – Cooking Workshop The workshops are conducted by a dada (traditional Moroccan cook) or a chef from our Moroccan restaurant, and are held at the hotel. Small groups of maximum 10 participants work alongside a translator (Arabic/English/French), using easy-to-use modern equipment found in everyday kitchens. At the end of each workshop, participants dine on the meal they have prepared. At a typical half-day workshop, one learns to prepare an appetizer and a main dish, or a main dish and dessert.

Cooking Class Marrakech Overview:

Greeting and overview of Moroccan cuisine by an English speaking interpreter

Demonstration of how Moroccan bread is made

Visit a communal bread oven and hotel spice market

Work and cook at your own workstation alongside the Dades to prepare a delicious Moroccan meal

Moroccan Meal Description: Two Moroccan cooked salads, Chicken & Lemon Tajine with Preserved Lemons & Olives. Pastilla with Milk for Desert.

Participate in a Moroccan Tea Ceremony

Dine on the mouth-watering lunch that you have prepared

Option to add Moroccan wine pairings

Zaalook- Eggplant salad- (Starter)

First Course: Tagine beef and prunes

Second Course: Fish with chermoula (a marinade)

Dessert: Carrot orange dish

Mint tea

Menu 2

Seafood Bastilla – Pastry with seafood (Starter)

First Course: Chicken lemon

Second Course: Vegetarian couscous

Dessert: Gazelle horn and mint tea

And many more menus are available.

Spend the remainder of the evening at leisure (this is an opportunity to return to the souk to shop or perhaps to visit the local hammam). Overnight at a Boutique Riad or Hotel in Marrakech.

DAY 10: MARRAKECH – CASABLANCA DEPARTURE

Departure from Marrakech or Casablanca

For more information about A Private Cooking Vacation to Morocco

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 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.

Tags: Adventure Tours Morocco Food Tours, Moroccan bread baking, Moroccan Breads, Moroccan Couscous, Moroccan Henna Party, Moroccan salads, Moroccan Spices, Moroccan Tajines Moroccan Bastilla, Moroccan Tea Ceremony Sahara Desert, Vegetable Souks Morocco
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Morocco New Years Luxury Desert Trip

Monday, October 19th, 2015

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 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

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

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

Tags: Adventure Tours to Morocco, Amazaigh Culture, Berber cuisine, Berber Villages, Dades Valley and Gorge, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Moroccan bread baking, Moroccan Henna Party, Moroccan Tea Ceremony, Sahara Desert, Sahara Desert Luxury Bivouac, Sahara Desert Tours, Skoura Palmeraie, Todra Gorge
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