North And South Morocco Adventure Tour

Overnight Simple Hotel

Colonised by the Romans and Phoenicians, fought over by the Byzantines and the Visigoths and finally taken by the Arabs in the 8th century, Tangier has at heart always been Berber. Its turbulent history saw it become a pawn in the conflicts between the Portuguese, the British and the despotic Moulay Ismail, who finally saw it returned to Moroccan control at the end of the 17th century. This morning there will be an opportunity to explore something of the city with an optional tour of the Medina in the company of a local guide, before we board a public bus south, towards the dramatic setting of Chefchouan. Sandwiched between the Rif Mountains to the north and the Djebala Ranges to the south, the mountain stronghold of Chefchouan has always held sacred importance to the Muslims and, until early years of the 20th century, was considered off limits to any Christian outsiders. Isolated for generations and fiercely independent, Chefchouan was originally founded by the shereefian as a base from which to strike out at the European invaders, and for a good while it controlled much of the northwest corner of the region. It was not until 1920 that a force of Spanish soldiers finally ended the town’s Muslim hegemony (up until that point only three other westerners had ever visited the town – one was poisoned, another lasted an hour and the third, the journalist Walter Harris, escaped only by the skin of his teeth). Today the old town and the Medina still evoke the unique atmosphere of its Arabic and Jewish origins, with Chefchouan’s weavers and carpet makers still working to designs that have remained relatively unchanged for centuries, whilst the Kasbah is still reminiscent of the turbulent days of Moulay Ismail, the great Sultan whose reign heralded one of Morocco’s golden eras.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

continue our journey south, crossing through the Djebala Mountains and across what was once the old border separating the governed territories from the untamed wilderness. Our journey today takes us into Morocco’s cultural heartland to the city of Fes, probably the oldest of the imperial cities, whose fascinating history is rich with wars, murders and political intrigue. At the centre of Moroccan life for countless generations, Fes has played an important part in the country’s trade, culture, religion and politics, as well as being an important seat of scientific thought, for centuries. The nightlife is centred mainly around the Avenues Hassan II and Mohammed V in the new town, and with two nights here we have ample chance to experience the whole range of the city’s cultural attractions – both ancient and modern. There may be an opportunity today to enjoy a traditional Hammam visit (optional).

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Taking in the mosques and souks of the Fes el Bali (Old Fes) on foot affords the ideal opportunity to explore the souks that line the backstreets of the town, wandering past aromatic spice stalls and taking in the opulent majesty of the 14th century Attarin Medersa, whose intricate decoration and elegant design makes it one of the city’s most captivating medieval colleges. One of the city’s most impressive monuments is the spectacular Medersa Bou Inania, the 14th century Merenid structure built by the Sultan Abou Inan, whose exquisite carvings and tilework is considered amongst the most exceptional examples of its kind anywhere in Morocco. The afternoon is then free to enjoy at your leisure what is in essence one of the most engaging, and certainly one of the most undiminished, medieval cities anywhere in the Arab world.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Transferring to the railway station this morning we catch the morning train west towards the Atlantic Coast and the city of Rabat. The 3-hour journey should get us in to the city around lunchtime and, after a short walk to the hotel and a chance to freshen up, the afternoon affords an opportunity to join an optional guided tour of the city. Rabat was established as the capital of the French protectorate in 1912 and since independence has served as the capital of a modern Morocco. Rabat’s history stretches back as far as 8BC, when settlers arrived in what is now the Chellah area, a district that went on to become a prosperous Roman town, before being transformed by the Merinids into a cemetery. The tour will take in something of the city’s historic heart, exploring the area around the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, before wandering through the engaging Kasbah des Oudaias, originally a fortified town that is now infused with a distinctly Andalucian flavour.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

A morning train takes us south to Marrakech today, where we’ll have the better part of two days to explore a city that has for centuries been a meeting place for the mountain Berbers and the desert peoples of the south. Marrakech is a city like no other, boasting a staggering array of spectacular architecture and wonderful facades, a place where trade and barter amongst the colourful souks still renders its ancient heart a glittering cacophony of noise and colour. Founded by the Almoravids, the city began life as a fortified ksour, before a comprehensive building programme under Ali Ben Youssef saw the city blossom into an imperial capital. It was during the 12th century though that Marrakech enjoyed its golden age, when the Almohad dynasty took control and the city saw an influx of poets and scholars and its streets took on some of the grandeur that we see before us today. It was during this period that the great Koutoubia Mosque was built, but then centuries of war and turmoil followed and the city lost some of its imperial glamour. Since independence though the city has revived some of its old fortunes and today it is a vital trading centre and remains one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning there will be an opportunity to explore something of the rich heritage of Morocco’s fascinating ‘Red City’ with an optional sightseeing tour of the city’s old quarter. 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) and journeying into this vibrant centre 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, where you will find the streets and alleys alive with storytellers and musicians, jugglers and acrobats, snake charmers and clowns. Marrakech is a city like no other, boasting a staggering array of spectacular architecture and wonderful facades and a walk through its bustling streets will fill the senses and fire the imagination. One such sight is the dominating Koutoubia Minaret, the oldest of the Almohad towers, which rises some 70 metres above the surrounding city and presents us with one of the blueprints for future Moroccan architectural design. After the tour the rest of the day is free to continue exploring this amazing city at your leisure. You can wander past vendors selling doughnuts and fried grasshoppers, enjoy the sounds and the smells of the exotic and meander through native markets where Muslim women, their hands and feet dyed with henna, call out to sell their wares.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we head south-east, winding our way up into the High Atlas mountains and over the Tizi n’ Tichka, the highest vehicular pass in Morocco and one often snow-covered during the winter months. The hills and deep gorges of the Atlas gradually give way to parched desert, sand and stone, as we drop down into the fertile landscapes of the Draa Valley. Following a road lined with palm groves, kasbahs and ksours (fortified villages) we then make our way to the village of Tamnougalt to explore what was once the capital of this remote desert region. Certainly one of the most impressive of the valley ksours, 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. Turning south we then follow the course of the Draa River, driving through the everchanging 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! As for us, our day’s journey will cover nearly 400km and take us the better part of the day, but the scenic and cultural diversity will more than make up for the long drive.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

An optional visit to the nearby hamlet of Amazrou affords an opportunity to visit the old Jewish Kasbah – the Kasbah des Juifs – and the surrounding palmery, one of the most fertile regions in the entire Draa Valley. Following the valley up towards the settlement of Tamegroute we next visit the 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. From here we then continue on to the small hamlet of Tinfou, 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. An optional camel safari offers a chance to explore something of the desert landscape in the time honoured manner of the Tuareg nomads and there should be time to watch the sunset over the desert dunes. From here we return back to Zagora for our second night.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we re-trace our steps to Agdz before heading across the Tamsift valley towards the small oasis settlement of Foum- Zquid. We then follow the course of a seasonal river through a wide valley that is dotted with oases and ksars. Passing through Tissint we continue to our night stop in the town of Tata, a desert oasis whose pink painted buildings provide a distinctly scenic backdrop to the colourful, sari-robed womenfolk of the settlement. The drive today takes us across the heart of the Sous region and the Anti-Atlas, the remote landscapes and stark contrasts more than making up for the long and at times bumpy journey.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

The Anti-Atlas present us with some of the most spectacular scenery in Morocco, the towering majesty of the peaks offering a breathtaking juxtaposition to the lush fertile oases and the almost lunar quality of the landscape. Today we explore part of the Ameln Valley, a land of almonds and palm groves, high mountain scenery and the ancestral homeland of the Ameln, probably the most renowned of all the 6 tribes that occupy the Anti-Atlas, whose fierce loyalty and financial acumen is revered throughout the region. Our scenic drive west takes us to the town of Tafraoute, the spiritual heart of the Ameln, situated deep in the Anti-Atlas and surrounded by towering rock formations. Set before the imposing ridge of pinkish-brown quartzite known as Jebel Lekst (2359m), the ‘amethyst mountain’, the town lies amidst a landscape of surreal rock formations that have been carved and sculpted by natural erosion over millions of years, the play of light and shadow causing them to shimmer in the desert heat. After a short visit to the Painted Rocks we continue towards our final destination for the day, following a switchback track to the Berber village of Tagoudiche, located high up on the slopes of Jebel Lekst (alternatively you could walk up to the village from neighbouring Tamaloukt). Making use of our sleeping bags we will then spend the next two nights sleeping dorm-style in the village’s community house. The house has two large rooms for us to stay in, so you must be prepared for primitive conditions with limited washing facilities. Food will be purchased and prepared by your tour leader, but assisting with washing up is always welcome!

Overnight Simple Village House Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Amid the silence of the mountain valleys the hardy Berbers cultivate fields of barley, wheat, olives, figs, beans, peas and almond groves; their tiny villages a mass of painted flat roofed, stone and mud-cement houses. Tradition is strong amongst these people and social organisation remains uncompromisingly tribal. The exact origin of the Berbers is something of a mystery, but it is known that they were converted to Islam in the 8th century, retaining much of their traditional ways and adopting Arabic as their 2nd language. Driven out from the fertile lowlands, they were forced into the mountains and the desert, where they quickly adapted to the new environments in which they found themselves. Berber lifestyles have changed dramatically over the intervening centuries – the desert tribes evolving a nomadic way of life, whilst their mountain cousins have learnt to become adept farmers, eking out an existence amongst the sparse soils of the higher slopes. One thing they do still share though is a common language and culture, much of which can still be observed today amongst the daily lives of the villagers of Tagoudiche. The charm of the village is in the stillness of its quiet isolation and a free day today affords the chance to witness this at first hand, mixing with the locals and enjoying some unique interaction. Ruled by a strict social code most of these people are farmers or herdsmen and you could choose to spend today soaking up the atmosphere of village life, making the most of what is a rare opportunity to discover something of a largely forgotten culture. For those looking for more active options, you might like to partake in some walking around the area, with easy and moderate hikes available. Alternatively you could join an optional ascent, led by a local mountain guide, to the summit of Jebel Lekst (2359m), a strenuous 8-hour return journey that ascends over 1200m into the surrounding peaks (weather permitting).

Overnight Simple Village House Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast, we depart from Tagoudiche and we head down through the Anti-Atlas Mountains to the plains and onwards towards the Atlantic Coast (for those that wish it may be possible to walk down to Tamaloukt and meet the vehicles there). En route we will pass through several impressive fortified Kasbah villages and some of the most impressive scenery of our journey, as we make our way first towards the coastal city of Agadir, before reaching our final destination of the day, the resort town of Essaouria. A mecca for water sports enthusiasts, Essaouira is situated within the confines of 15th century Portuguese fortifications, where whitewashed houses and traditional fishing boats present a perfect backdrop for our stay. The town has a rich and somewhat colourful history and its importance as a trading port during the 18th and 19th centuries saw it prosper, attracting British, French, Arab and Jewish merchants and sailors to its shores, influences still reflected in the architecture and layout of the town. An interesting, and it has to be said, wholly suspect legend claims the town’s patron saint to be a Scotsman by the name of McDougal, who was believed to have been washed up onto these shores after a storm in the 14th century. Another interesting footnote is that much of Orson Welles’s version of Othello was filmed here, its ramparts and coastline providing a rich and original setting for Shakespeare’s Moorish tragedy. On arrival, early this afternoon, the day has been left free for you to enjoy this lovely spot at your own leisure and we suggest a stroll around the old town or along the fine sandy beach from the harbour. Not to be missed is a visit to the Medina, whose narrow and highly decorated arched entrance hides a wealth locally made rustic leather belts, gleaming gold and silver jewellery and wooden boxes exquisitely inlaid with mother of pearl.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Essaouira is packed with galleries and workshops, cafes and souks, making it a pleasurable way to pass the early part of the morning, before our departure back towards Marrakech. The journey back to the city presents us with a chance to explore more of the city. Other sites not to be missed are the Koutoubia mosque and tower, Saadian tombs, Ben Youssef medersa, the Dar Si Said Palace (now the Museum of Moroccan Art) and the Menara gardens.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Please note breakfast is not guarenteed for those on early morning flights.

Included meals: Breakfast