Morocco: Wanderer

Meet your group at your home airport. Fly together as a group to Morocco. Total travel time will depend on your departure location and flight schedule. Be sure to get some rest so you arrive ready for adventure!

Flight Details: Rustic Pathways will be happy to book your flight as an add-on service.

Arrive into Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Arrive in the imperial city of Marrakech, where you’ll settle into your hotel in the heart of the old medina. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

Overnight: Riad or hotel in Marrakech

Depart to the 14th-century village of Ait Benhaddou and stay overnight in a mudbrick kasbah room. After lunch near the area known as the “Hollywood of Morocco,” divide into teams and let the scavenger hunt begin! Using clues, search for and collect the listed items with your team as you work on your language and bartering skills.

Overnight: Kasbah in Ait Benhaddou

After breakfast, hit the road to Dades Gorges and enjoy the view. The gorges have the most dramatic red rock formations, so take in the breathtaking landscape while you can! Stop along the way in Skoura where the 17th century Kasbah Amridil is located and learn about the history and ancient life in southern Morocco. Take a walk to explore this new region and its beautiful large oasis. Meet your driver and find the perfect panoramic view from Tissdrin Canyon.

Overnight: Riad, Dades

Hop on a camel for a ride through the desert and photograph the dramatic Saharan sunset as the caravan strolls along the dunes to our Bedouin camp. Sit down for tea and local cuisine while enjoying the rhythmic beats of desert musicians around a campfire.

Overnight: Bedouin Camp in Sahara

Pack up and head back to Merzouga. Visit local cultural sites before departing for Todgha, driving through the stunning rock formations and small villages tucked between the canyon walls.

Overnight: Todgha Gorge guesthouse

Wake up early to take in the incredible view of the sun rising behind the nearby dunes. Take some photos before packing up and heading back to Merzouga for breakfast and a shower. After breakfast, set off on the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs to Ouarzazate, where the magnificent kasbahs dazzle visitors with their beauty. Get ready to take a tour and learn about this area, which has been the setting for many famous movies. Join your group for a mid-trip discussion where you’ll begin to reflect on what you’ve experienced and learned so far.

Weave your way through the final towering peaks of the High Atlas Mountains before arriving in the city of Marrakech. Explore its bustling souqs that are full of fascinating wares—everything from magic boxes to ostrich eggs and whale vertebrae. Visit Ben Youssef Madrasa, Bahia Palace, and an authentic spice shop. Conclude your day with dinner in Jamaa El-Fna square and weave through the stands to find a good seat and enjoy a warm bowl of soup, skewers, and mint tea.

At the end of the program, the students join in a closing discussion and the traditional Rustic Ties ceremony. This unique and powerful activity allows students to capture their memories and contemplate ways to share what they’ve learned with their communities back home.

Overnight: Riad in Marrakech

Your program leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.

Flight Details: Rustic Pathways can book your flights upon request as an add-on service.