SOUTHERN MOROCCO

SOUTHERN MOROCCO TOUR

This tour is designed for travelers who want to experience a more deep dive into this magical land and explore less traveled areas. The theme of this tour is to go off-script and get immersed in the unique cultures, foods, arts, music and natural landscape of Morocco and have direct interactions with its people.

For those who have not been before on Day 2 a guide will take you to the major sites of the city, its architectural wonders, the souks and central Medina, and give you an intro to Morrocan culture. For those who have they will have the option to do something else of their intrest with a guide and join the group for lunch.

Day 1: ARRIVE MARRAKECH

Welcome to Morocco! Today you arrive in Marrakech and get into the city in time for an early lunch in the medina. Your first Moroccan meal! In the afternoon you will get a bit of a tour and oritentation with the charming expert local guide with a few visits and a rooftop cafe sunset tea or coffee.

Day 2: MARRAKECH

Today you will start the day fresh and get an early visit to the souks with some visits with skilled artisans, a traditional herbalist, and to some of the major sites. For lunch you will visit an alley of the Medina where vendors specialize in slow roasted lamb,or Mechouis, a Moroccan speciality. To relax at the end of the day you will visit one of Marrakech's many tranquil urban gardens.

Included Breakfast

Day 3: MARRAKECH

Today you will explore a bit behind the scenes in Marrakech with your guide. Possible visits might be with a modern calligraphy artist, an amazing museum of both conteporary and early Moroccan photography, a lively cafe with traditional Arabic storytelling (in English),and a market for the locals outside of the medina. Dinner will be prepared at the riad with a traditional cooking class.

Included Breakfast and Dinner.

Day 4: MARRAKECH - ATLAS MOUNTAINS

Today you will travel just an hour and a half east of Marrakech to the Three Valleys of the Atlas Mountains. You will be struck by its stunning beauty and rich local culture. You will drive through Berber villages and see their lovely terraced gardens, visit a home and see how the locals live and learn about their lifestyle.

For the evening you will stay in a comfortable Berber riad where you will have a cooking class and any women who want can have their hands painted with henna. You will enjoy a delicious home cooked meal with the family and be entertained with a performance of traditional Berber music as you watch the sunset with a spectacular mountain view.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5: ATLAS MOUNTAINS - AIT BENHADDOU

At breakfast you will enjoy the views at sunrise and then head east towards the Sahara. You will end the day in Ait Benhaddou, a remarkable old fortress from the 11th century on the original carvan route from the Sahara to Marakech known for its stunning mud brick architecture. It has been the site of many Hollywood productions from Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator to Game of Thrones. You will explore the kasbah, enjoy the panoramic view from the top and water through its mae-like streets. You will spend the night in a wonderfully restored nearby guest house and learn about Amazigh or Berber culture in his small town from the owner who will cook us all a delicious meal.

Included: Breakfast and Dinner.

Day 6: AIT BENHADDOU - ZAGORA

Today you will head towards Zagora, a Saharan desert outpost town. Your route will take you through the Draa Valley and what is know as The Land of a Thousand Kasbahs. You will drive through scenic palm valleys with ancient kasbahs and sleepy villages where life has not changed for generations.

In Zagora you will learn about the culture and traditions of the desert nomad Tuareg people. You will visit a silver and leather artisan or camel herder depending on what is possible that day. Late afternoon you will ride out to your desert camp in a 4 x 4 and go for a short camel ride if you wish.

Included: Breakfast and Dinner.

Day 7: ZAGORA - SKOURA

Those who wish can get up early for the sunrise over the desert. After breakfast you will ride back to town and visit a nearby town to possibly see desert village women doing goat hair weaving for nomad tent making and visit of town of traditional pottery. Leaving the desert behind you will head back west to the town of Skoura. Lunch enroute will be in a private kasbah garden for a traditional tagine meal. Skoura is known for its palm grove with an oasis of over 1,000 palms, 100 bird species and 20 varieties of date trees. You will wander the green canopied palm grove with a local guide and visit a date and pomegranate farm. Here you can also see traditional Moroccan bread making in an outdoor oven. You will have a relaxing dinner at your accomodation with local musicians.



Included: Breakfast.

Day 8: SKOURA - TAROUDANT

In the morning you will head south towards the city of Taroudant, the hidden pearl of Morocco. Enroute you will make a stop in the town of Tazenakht. Here you will visit a non-touristy carpet cooperative and learn about the traditions of carpet making.

You will drive through the rugged beauty of the region and when you arrive enter into the walled city of Taroudant. You will find it is a deeply rooted, smaller and more peaceful version of Marrakech. You will enjoy walking its ramparts, chatting with locals, and wandering its markets which are wonderfully local with no tourist sheen.

Included: Breakfast.

Day 9: TAROUDANT AND NEARBY VILLAGES

Today you will continue to relax and explore Taroudant and experience its local ambience. Known for its high quality leather work especially of saddles and slippers you will stop by an artisan leather workshop. Here you will explore outside of town a bit to experience the cultural sides of the region. Depending on the day of the week possibly visit a small town known for their weekly souks with massive rural markets with everything from rugs to spices to livestock and camels and get a taste of rural small town life experiencing an authentic slice of Moroccan life that most visitors never see.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 10: TAROUDANTE-ESSAOUIRA

Enroute to Essaouira you will make a detour off the route to Tagazout, a village famous for beekeeping. You will see the monumental primitive structure of an age old apiary that looks like an ancient ruin and nothing like our western hives. You will visit with a beekeeper and learn about their multi-generational history of beekeeping and the role of honey in Moroccan culture. Taghazout also has a community of ceramic and woodworking artists and have a visit to the home of a local artisan. Then you will drive North to to seaside town of Essaouira and relax before dinner.

Included: Breakfast.

Day 11: ESSAOUIRA

Essaouira will steal your heart and you will not want to leave as you relax into is small town charm. You will explore its winding Medina streets, enjoy shopping in its low key shops, see the picturesque blue boats tied up in the harbor and see art everywhere. You will explore the port, sample fresh caught fish and soak in the salty Atlantic breeze. Dinner will be at restaurant with local character and musicians playing.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 13: ESSAOUIRA

This morning you will continue to enjoy the relaxed vibe of the town wandering its market and narrow streets. Essaouira is great for shopping and just relaxing.In the late afternoon to relax if you want you can visit a traditional Moroccan bath house called a hamman. It is an easy place to spend a couple of days.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 14:ESSAOUIRA - MARRAKECH

Today you will head back to Marrakech at an easy pace and relishing your last day in Morocco stopping at a famous garden outside the city before you arrive and have a nice group farewell dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 15: MARRAKECH

Today you will say good bye to Morocco and head for home.

Meals Included: Breakfast.