School trips to Morocco
| country: | Morocco |
| location: | Imlil, Atlas Mountains |
| price: | From £349 (8 days) ex flights, 2 centre (Marrakech & High Atlas) trip. The cost is based on a minimum group size of 10 paying places, with 1 free place per 10 paying passengers |
description
Only 40 miles from Marrakech but the peace and quiet and seclusion are so complete the city seems a million miles away. Equipped for day visits, seminars, residential stays or as a base for more active pursuits, stay for a few hours or a week! This is an extraordinary venture, the product of an imaginative Berber and European partnership.
There is a shared belief that the beauty of the Toubkal National Park should be accessible to all who respect it. To this end the Kasbah has been transformed using traditional methods, from the home of a Feudal Ciad into an unprecedented haven; one that provides a variety of accommodation and event possibilities to meet differing requirements and budgets.
A geography trip to Morocco offers the opportunity for students to see, experience and study different geographical issues whilst feeling sufficiently safe and familiar (most Moroccans speak French) to allow students and staff relax and enjoy a different culture. After touring Morocco with us, many experienced geography teachers are surprised at the diversity, contrasts and text book examples of physical and human geography. Highlights for geographers are the contrasting living standards, especially the rural-urban divide and seeing the resourcefulness of the people, particularly in agriculture, where intensive terracing and traditional irrigation systems have enabled people to live in extreme environments. Towards the Sahara, the classic arid landforms and geological features are a breathtaking backdrop to the trip.
Through an issue-based approach, our group leaders guide the students through rural and urban environments. A major benefits to students is seeing and experiencing geographical issues first-hand. In Morocco, students’ senses are engaged and studies gain a sense of relevance. Our study units are designed so that students can use their data to contribute to discussions and decision-making exercises. Students and staff often discuss the geographical issues in the evenings, after seeing and experiencing them during the day.
Our typical trip, which takes in a number of different environments, gives staff and students a broad based insight into the human and physical geography of Morocco, a very rapidly changing, diverse country. These experiences can lead to a wider enthusiasm for the subject once they return! The following units have been prepared, and will be sent to you on CD-ROM, when you make a confirmed booking:
This is a sample itinerary; we also offer 8, 9 and 10 day trips which can include a visit to the oasis town of Zagora.
There is a shared belief that the beauty of the Toubkal National Park should be accessible to all who respect it. To this end the Kasbah has been transformed using traditional methods, from the home of a Feudal Ciad into an unprecedented haven; one that provides a variety of accommodation and event possibilities to meet differing requirements and budgets.
A geography trip to Morocco offers the opportunity for students to see, experience and study different geographical issues whilst feeling sufficiently safe and familiar (most Moroccans speak French) to allow students and staff relax and enjoy a different culture. After touring Morocco with us, many experienced geography teachers are surprised at the diversity, contrasts and text book examples of physical and human geography. Highlights for geographers are the contrasting living standards, especially the rural-urban divide and seeing the resourcefulness of the people, particularly in agriculture, where intensive terracing and traditional irrigation systems have enabled people to live in extreme environments. Towards the Sahara, the classic arid landforms and geological features are a breathtaking backdrop to the trip.
Through an issue-based approach, our group leaders guide the students through rural and urban environments. A major benefits to students is seeing and experiencing geographical issues first-hand. In Morocco, students’ senses are engaged and studies gain a sense of relevance. Our study units are designed so that students can use their data to contribute to discussions and decision-making exercises. Students and staff often discuss the geographical issues in the evenings, after seeing and experiencing them during the day.
Our typical trip, which takes in a number of different environments, gives staff and students a broad based insight into the human and physical geography of Morocco, a very rapidly changing, diverse country. These experiences can lead to a wider enthusiasm for the subject once they return! The following units have been prepared, and will be sent to you on CD-ROM, when you make a confirmed booking:
- Land Use in Marrakech;
- A Study of the Reraira River in the High Atlas;
- A Study of Microclimates in the Ait Mizane Valley;
- Rural Settlement in the High Atlas;
- Irrigation on the Marrakech Plains and in the High Atlas;
- Agriculture in the High Atlas;
- Desertification and Sand Encroachment in the Pre-Sahara.
itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London airport for flight to Marrakech (normally via Casablanca). Welcome drink and room allocation. |
| Day 2: | Marrakech. An insight into life in Marrakech, a traditional Arab City with its city walls, Medina, Kasbah and Mellah, plus its unique Square - the Jmaa El Fnaa - with its snake charmers, jugglers and storytellers. The day will include a tour of the city by "caleche", the traditional horse-drawn taxis of the city. |
| Day 3-6: | High Atlas mountains. Depart for the mountains. The next few days are spent exploring the lush terraced valleys and Berber villages of the High Atlas, with their snowcapped peaks towering above, and following the selected study units or trekking, depending on your wishes. Accommodation is in Berber houses, Kasbah or Dar Toubkal. |
| Day 7: | Return to Marrakech, if possible via the Saturday Souk (market) at Asni, for our final night in this vibrant city. |
| Day 8: | Return flight to London (normally via Casablanca). |
This is a sample itinerary; we also offer 8, 9 and 10 day trips which can include a visit to the oasis town of Zagora.
rooms, food and facilities
how this holiday makes a difference
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We funded an Ambulance for the village and built an incinerator and instigated a rubbish clearance system. A 5% levy is made on the Kasbah income and handed to the village association. (Association Des Basins d'Imlil.) This is used to fund the running costs of the ambulance and if surpluses exist is used to build environmentally appropriate incinerators for the villages in the surrounding area. There is also a plan to build a village hammam (public wash house) if/when funds allow.
We instigated a rubbish clearance policy in 1997 for the region including the building of a communal incinerator. We have equipped the Kasbah with water filters to discourage the use of plastic bottled water. All supplies are purchased locally as much as possible and all staff are from the local region. As much as possible of the Kasbah purchases are from the local area this includes both consumables for the running of the establishment and the materials and labour used in the construction process. We have also sponsored a "Tourist Code of good practise". |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |