Moroccan Wanderer

Board your flight to Morocco and get some rest while you get ready for this unique adventure!

Arrive at Menara International Airport (RAK) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Drive to your Amazigh village situated in the Ourika Valley at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. Settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the two weeks ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture. Savor your first Moroccan Tajine for dinner as you get to know some of the local villagers and start orienting to your home away from home.

While in the village for the next 3 nights, you will be staying in a guesthouse. Students will be sleeping in big rooms of 5 to 6 students with shared bathrooms. There will be access to electricity but no wifi or service.

Rise for breakfast and a quick lesson in Moroccan colloquial Arabic (Darija) before starting service. Help empower the village through improving the local coop building and community center, which village leaders identified as a need for the community. Spend afternoons visiting local families for tea as part of your cultural immersion in Morocco. As you assist your host community, you’ll develop an appreciation for Amazigh culture, music, and rural life in Morocco. Experience the community’s kindness and hospitality as you learn about local life.

Start your day with an early morning breakfast and say goodbye to your new friends from the village. Hit the road for Ait-Ben-Haddou, a 17th-century Ksar. This fortified village built of mud bricks is the largest and most spectacular example of South Moroccan architecture. After lunch at the Hollywood of Morocco, divide into teams for a scavenger hunt. Using clues, search for and collect the listed items with your team as you work on your language and bartering skills during this exposure to local culture.

You will spend the night at a Riad by the Ksar. Students will be in shared rooms separated by gender and will have access to private bathrooms and electricity.

After breakfast, hit the road to Dades Gorges and enjoy the view. The gorges are formed with 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. Move out on foot for a walk as you explore this new region and its beautiful large oasis. Meet your driver and find the perfect panoramic view from Tissdrin canyon. The breathtaking views in this area are endless, and so are the adventures to come on this program.

You will spend the night at a hotel by this oasis. Students will be in shared rooms separated by gender and will have access to private bathrooms and electricity.

Sabah al-khair! (Good morning!) After breakfast, leave for the Sahara (Literally desert in Arabic). Stop along the way at Todgha Gorge to walk along the water stream and learn about the history of the Amazigh. Get ready to be astonished by the views in the canyon! Witness what looks like a mirage as you approach the majestic sand dunes of the Sahara. Leave your bags at the Riad to prepare to head into the desert overnight. Pack a light bag and hop on a camel for a sunset caravan along the dunes to our Bedouin camp. After arriving, enjoy tea and local cuisine while listening to the rhythmic beats of desert musicians around a campfire.

You will spend tonight camping in the Sahara desert. Students will be sharing tents that have beds and pillows.

Wake up early to take in the view of an incredible sunrise coming up from 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 will begin to reflect on what you’ve experienced and learned so far.

You will sleep in a Riad where you will be in shared rooms separated by gender and have access to private bathrooms and electricity.

Take the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs toward Marrakech. Wander the UNESCO-acclaimed 1000-year-old market where you can watch snake charmers, dancers, and storytellers surrounded by people. See everything from whale vertebrae and acrobats to ostrich eggs and traditional henna. The mosque will sound a call to prayer as smoke from kebab stands billows peacefully over the frenzy below. Explore and learn about the famous Islamic architecture of some of the oldest monuments in the world.

Split into small groups and take part in a cooking workshop, a calligraphy class and a walk through the best sites of Marrakech. Bahia Palace, Jewish quarters, secret garden, and Koutoubia Mosque. Meet a group of Moroccans for an open Q&A and ask about daily life in Morocco, religion, and anything else!

Wake up early and head to Terres d’Amanar, a high-ropes and zip lining eco-park in the High Atlas Mountains. Experience the excitement of the zip lines and high ropes course. Participate in team-building
games to test your group’s communication skills.  Drive to the Atlantic coast to the funky beach town of Essaouira. Hang out in the white-walled medina and watch the seagulls overhead in the town known for its annual Gnaoua World Music Festival. Stroll through the friendly European-style streets and barter for sunglasses, handicrafts, and textiles while munching on a delicious crepe from a street vendor.

Your next two nights in Essaouira will be spent in a hotel. Students will be in shared rooms and will have access to private bathrooms and electricity.

Soak in the breeze as you enjoy a slower pace of life and cooler climate during your last free afternoon in the town of Essaouira. Try to surf or shop for souvenirs in this unique city. The souqs in Essaouira are stacked with ceramics, leather goods, baskets, carpets, and jewelry.

Drive Back to Marrakech. Spend your last day in Marrakech exploring the medina. At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

B’slama! Wake up early and drive to Marrakech Menara airport airport to catch your flight home. Reflect on your adventure as you bid farewell to Morocco.