Posts Tagged ‘Moroccan Henna Party’

Why Honeymoon in Morocco? How to Celebrate & Where to Go

Monday, September 26th, 2016
Honeymoon in Morocco, Luxury Property Oualidia

Honeymoon in Morocco, Luxury Property Oualidia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for the ideal Honeymoon destination that offers a combination of romannce, discovery, nighlife and authenticity Morocco should be on your bucketlist. With only one week in to celebrate your honeymoon, Morocco offers a myiad of options and many places to go for a lifetime memorable travel experience. Honeymooners can stay at stylish Luxury Moroccan riads and boutique hotels, enjoy a Moroccan Hammam with rose petals, essential oils, argan oils and orange water, take a private cooking class with a Daada Chef or check into a mountain hideaway just for two. Travel to Morocco for a Honeymoon or MiniMoon and revel in Candlelight Dinners, a Secret Spot to Picnic in the Ourika Valley or Lunch on a Private Beach. The bustling Souks of Marrakech and the serene rural spaces of Morocco await you.

Why Honeymoon in Morocco?

5 Ways to  Celebrate Your Honeymoon in Morocco – What to Do and Where to Go:

Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp, Morocco Honeymoon

Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp, Morocco Honeymoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Escape to the Moroccan Sahara Desert for a Safari
Visit Morocco’s South and desert region. Explore Ait Ben haddou Ksar and Kasbah Telouet. Go back in time and travel through the Draa Valley region. Venture by pise through the old road of the caravans. Discover a region that once had Moroccan pirates raid caravans for dates and other valuable old world goods. Visit Skoura and the Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs. Bask in the Valley of Roses and if traveling in April see first hand the crowning of the Rose Queen. Travel to the Dades Valley and sip tea with Nomads in Caves. Take a Sahara Desert Safari in the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Trek in the Sahara desert to an Oasis and experience an 1001 Arabian Nights dinner and music experience in the heart of the dunes under the Moroccan stars. Have lunch and bake bread with a Berber family on volcanic rock. Partake in your own private henna party. All of these activities can be done with one week in Morocco or more!

Honeymoon Morocco, Coastal Essaouira

Honeymoon Morocco, Coastal Essaouira

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go Coastal to the Artist Colony of Essaouira
Explore this Portuguese fishing village that is full of charm with its old ramparts, art galleries and glorious sunsets. Explore the Jewish Mellah, the blue washed doors, Orson Welles square and the numerous outdoor grills where you can have fresh fish with seaviews. Old Mogador is the ideal place for relaxation on a Honeymoon in Morocco. It’s laid back atmosphere, gentle local population and Moorish architecture make for the charmed experience. For honeymooners who want to venture outside of the Essaouira medina walls there is the beach of Sidi Kaouki, Ranch of Diabat and Moulay Bouzerktoun all less then an hour by car. Essaouira also offers  day trips for honeymooners to a local Frommagerie and a winery for an afternoon filled with lunch and wine tasting.

Honeymoon in Morocco, Food Tour, Photograph Courtesy of Amanda Mouttaki

Honeymoon in Morocco, Food Tour, Photograph Courtesy of Amanda Mouttaki

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exotic Eats in Mararkech and Fes with Savory Food Tours
Honeymooners in Morocco are guaranteed an exotic foodie experience of savory delights. A Food Tour in Marrakech and a Food Tour in Fes are two options for afternoon or evening exploration of what the locals eat. Eat your way through Morocco on a Marrakech Food Tour. Discover the world of spices and their uses and the secrets 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. You might try cooking ‘on-street’. Shop and fill up a terracotta urn ‘tanjia’ to have embedded in the hot ashes of the furnachi for a rich and spicy Moroccan casserole. Try Moroccan harira soup, sardine meatballs, two varieties of lamb, smoothies, a Moroccan doughnut, simmering hot mint tea or a local sweet and more!  

Morocco Honeymoon Retreat, High Atlas Mountains

Morocco Honeymoon Retreat, High Atlas Mountains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Mountain Hideaway in the Middle of the High Atlas
Honeymoon in Morocco at a mountain hideaway in the Atlas. It’s something that you will not regret. Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot is idea for honeymooners that want a secluded experience with top end luxury. For more down to earth honeymooners the option to stay at Kasbah Toubkal or Dar Imlil, two other secluded properties nestled in a region of Berber villages can provide for an authentic stay. Morocco’s High Atlas offers trekking experiences. Honeymooners can summit Kasbah Toubkal, the second highest mountain to Kilamanjaro or simply hike in and around the mountains. On a mountain hide away adventure your private day trip will allow you to venture into Berber Village by foot and lunch by candle light with a Berber family in their mountain home. You can visit a village of weavers and learn how lcoal carpets are made.

Moroccan Hammam, Couples Honeymoon Experience

Moroccan Hammam, Couples Honeymoon Experience

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get the Royal Treatment in a Moroccan Hammam
The perfect Honeymoon in Morocco is not complete without the Royal treatment at a Moroccan hammam.Moroccans from all walks of life use hamams as a method of self-cleansing or as a social event. During your visit make sure to carve out time to spend an afternoon taking in this traditional Moroccan experience. At a Moroccan hammam you can have a royal massage with argan oil and orange or rose water. Almond oil rubs and other essential oils will be used. Your scrub down at a Moroccan hammam will remove all of the dead skin and wipe away the past.  Both sides of your body with a rough flat glove called a kiis. If you find this a little invasive, then you can bring your own kiis. Royal Moroccan Hammams can be enjoyed at La Mamounia, Heritage Spa, La Maison Arabe, Le Bains Des Marrakech or even your Moroccan Riad.

For more information about a Honeymoon in 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

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

A Family Friendly Adventure Vacation to Morocco

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

Family Adventure, Camel Trekking in the Sahara

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Morocco Family Vacation, Village Drum Session

Morocco Family Vacation, Village Drum Session

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

Berber Village Lunch

Berber Village Lunch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

Skoura Palmeraie, Valley of 1000 Kasbahs

Skoura Palmeraie, Valley of 1000 Kasbahs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

For More Information about Morocco Family Friendly Vacations & Tours

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

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

Just For Women, Morocco Private Group Tours

Saturday, April 16th, 2016
Just for Women, Morocco Private Tour

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

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

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

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

Morocco Family Vacation, Kid Friendly Travel

Thursday, January 7th, 2016

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

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

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

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 CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

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

Moroccan Food Tour, A Private Cooking Vacation to Morocco

Friday, December 4th, 2015
Moroccan Tajine

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

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

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

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

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 CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

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

Morocco New Years Luxury Desert Trip

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

Arabian Nights, Sahara Desert Safari Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

Morocco Tea Ceremony, Merzouga Sahara Desert

Morocco Tea Ceremony, Merzouga Sahara Desert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

Desert oasis with palm trees, Zagora, Draa valley

Desert oasis with palm trees, Zagora, Draa valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

Khemlia Musicians, Merzouga Sahara Desert

Khemlia Musicians, Merzouga Sahara Desert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

Aït Ouzzine, just minutes outside Nkob is a Berber village inhabited by over 300 families who live in beautifully painted crenulated Kasbahs, with their own henna fields, water wells, livestock and gardens. This peaceful village is tucked away along an impressive desert route connecting the Draa Valley (Tansikht) and Rissani. Meet a local Berber family; partake in a cooking lesson of how to make traditional bread and a tajine. Explore and tour the village by foot. Walk in the green fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants.
Sip tea with the Berbers in the Saghro Mountains and enjoy a traditional Berber lunch. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine or couscous and fresh local fruits for desert.

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

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

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

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