Family Adventure Tour Of Morocco

Overnight Standard Hotel Swimming available

Departing Marrakech after breakfast we head south, crossing over the Tizi ‘n Tichka Pass (2260m) and following a meandering course that takes us deep into the towering peaks of the Atlas Mountains. North Africa’s greatest mountain range, the High Atlas presents us with some of the country’s wildest landscapes, a region culturally removed from the rest of Morocco and one that has provided a barrier between the northern plains and the pre-Sahara for centuries. This is the land of the fiercely independent Berbers, the “Lords of the Atlas”, whose traditions and ways still hold sway up here in their mountain strongholds far away from the cities below. The Berbers present us with a unique view of a way of life lost to the rest of North Africa, where music and dance, even language and religion, are far removed from their Arab neighbours. Our morning’s journey brings us past the ruined Glaoui kasbah of Telouet to the fortified village of Anmiter, lying at the end of the tarmac road. Here we join our mules and, at a more relaxed pace, follow a winding track with stunning views onto the small village of Tourza where we spend the night in a remote, local gite high above the valley.

Overnight Simple Gite Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We spend some time this morning hiking through the valley in this remote corner of the Atlas before meeting our vehicles again and returning to the the Tizi n’ Tichka pass, the highest vehicular access route in the Atlas Mountains. Heading down the southern slopes of the High Atlas we reach the Berber village of Ait Ben Haddou. A UNESCO Heritage Site, dramatically located along a fertile hillside, Ait Ben Haddou presents us with one of Morocco’s most famous locations, a once important stop along the old trading routes between Marrakech and Ouarzazate during the 16th century and a superb example of a typical fortified ksar.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning we take to the saddle once more, but this time utilising two wheels as we make our way by bike from Ait Ben Haddou and down towards the fertile landscapes of the Draa Valley and the town of Ouarzazate. Known as the Doorway to the Desert this fascinating outpost, lying to the south of the High Atlas and sandwiched between the high mountains and the expansive sands of the Sahara is home to one of the largest movie studios in the world. The Atlas Film Studios can boast an impressive list of productions, including The Mummy, Gladiator, Babel, Kingdom of Heaven and Lawrence of Arabia and we we’ll pay a visit to the studios today, taking a tour of some of the famous film sets before we depart and continue through the beautiful Draa Valley. Continuing by bus from Ouarzazate we cross a landscape lined with palm groves, Kasbahs and traditional ksours (villages), as we make our way to the village of Tamnougalt to explore what was once the capital of this remote desert region. The village’s name translates as ‘meeting point’ and its history has been interwoven with the ruling caids of the Mezguita region for centuries. Even today it hosts an annual festival in October when all the surrounding villages gather for a celebration of the religious and cultural traditions of these hardy people. Please note: cycle helmets will be provided, but you may wish to bring your own to ensure a good fit.

Overnight Simple Kasbah Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Turning south today we follow the course of the Draa River, spending the morning driving through the ever-changing scenery as we make our way towards the vast oasis of Zagora, referred to by many as The Gate of the Desert. Once a major outpost along the caravan routes, it is apparently 52 days by camel to Timbuktu, or so a nearby sign indicates! From here we continue on to Oulad Driss, lying at the outer fringes of a line of undulating sand dunes that provide a taste of the immense grandeur of the Saharan Desert that lies beyond. Amidst this seemingly inhospitable landscape the desert heat causes the air to blur and quiver, creating mirages that shimmer in the soaring temperatures, the ideal setting to explore in the time honoured manner of the Tuareg nomads. We will take to camels, forming our own ‘caravan’, to reach the dunes at Tiraf. The Arabian camel is ideally suited to these conditions and has long been highly prized by the nomadic peoples of the desert. Living for up to 40 years, they are not only valued for there endurance as beasts of burden, but also for their fur, skin and dung, all of which can be utilised for tents, leather and fuel for the fires. Stopping to enjoy the quiet desolation of the setting and to learn something of desert life, we then reach our overnight camp to enjoy a late afternoon of bread making, before settling down under a desert sky for the evening. After a hearty Berberstyle meal we enjoy a night under the twinkling blanket of an African sky and, rather than sleeping in tents, you may choose simply to sleep out in the open, enjoying the rare majesty of the setting and watching out for shooting stars racing across the horizon.

Overnight Basic Camping Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Retracing our steps this morning we head north once more by camel for a couple of hours ride back to the road. We will make a stop at the settlement of Tamegroute to visit its famous 17th century zaouia, one of the most important in the Moroccan Sahara. This was once a centre of great learning and the base of the Naciri Brotherhood, who for centuries held sway over the tribes of the Draa Valley. The holy leaders of Tamegroute were traditionally (up until quite recent times) the arbitrators of desert disputes, settling differences amongst the residents of the surrounding kours and the traders that passed through these lands on the great camel caravans that journeyed through Zagora. We’ll also pay a visit to the local potters cooperative, before continuing back to Ouarzazate later this afternoon.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

A morning drive takes us northwest back to Marrakech, where we’ll have the rest of the day to explore a city that has for centuries been a meeting place for the mountain Berbers and the desert peoples of the south. This afternoon there will be an opportunity to explore something of its rich heritage with a sightseeing tour of Morocco’s fascinating ‘Red City’, a city that can boast a staggering array of spectacular architecture and wonderful facades. Like many North African towns, Marrakech is divided into two distinct parts, the Gueliz (the modern French-built city) and the Medina (the Old City), a place where trade and barter amongst the colourful souks still renders its ancient heart a glittering cacophony of noise and colour. Journeying into this vibrant city with a local guide affords a chance to discover some of its most enthralling sites. The city’s beating heart is the spectacular Djemma-el-Fna, a site not to be missed and a scene straight out of the pages of the Arabian Nights. Here you will find the streets and alleys alive with storytellers and musicians, jugglers and acrobats, snake charmers and clowns. You can wander past vendors selling doughnuts and fried grasshoppers, meander through native markets where Muslim women, their hands and feet dyed with henna, call out to sell their wares, and enjoy the sounds and the smells of the exotic. After our tour you may like to take some time to enjoy more of the remarkable Medina, haggling for a bargain or two, or simply sitting at one of the local cafés and watching the street tableaux unfold before you. Do remember that many of the mosques will be forbidden to non- Muslims and be careful of photographing women, however photogenic they look, as the Moroccans are very sensitive about such things. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast Swimming available

Included meals: Breakfast