Highlights of Morocco holiday
| country: | Morocco |
| location: | Atlas Mountains |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 17 Aug, 31 Aug, 14 Sep, 21 Sep, 28 Sep, 5 Oct, 12 Oct, 26 Oct, 9 Nov, 23 Nov, 7 Dec, 21 Dec, 28 Dec 2009: 15 Feb, 1 Mar, 15 Mar, 5 Apr |
| price: | From £699 - £849 (15 days) including flights from the UK, from £465 - £539 excluding flights. Local payment Dirham 1000 (approx £60). Single supplement £80 |
read 7 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Exploring the Imperial Cities, souks, mountains and deserts of romantic Morocco
Todra Gorge. For sheer diversity it would be hard to imagine a more perfect destination than Morocco.
So close to Europe, yet so completely different in culture and scenery, this incredibly varied country offers something for all tastes. We explore the exotic Imperial Cities of Marrakech, Meknes and Fez, whose crowded bazaars still conjure up the flavour of the Arabian Nights.
Our journey takes us through contrasting mountain ranges: green, cedar-covered hillsides in the Middle Atlas; the impressive, often snowy, peaks in the High Atlas; and in the arid southern ranges, wild, rocky ridges disappearing into the Sahara. Here in the deep south we find sand dunes and kasbahs - fortified villages - scattered among palm oases inhabited by the friendly Berbers. Our overnight camel trek at the sand sea of Merzouga is a genuine Saharan experience and a highlight of the trip. There is also time to explore Todra Gorge and the High Atlas on foot and visit the beautiful coastal town of Essaouira with its excellent seafood.
Todra Gorge. For sheer diversity it would be hard to imagine a more perfect destination than Morocco.
So close to Europe, yet so completely different in culture and scenery, this incredibly varied country offers something for all tastes. We explore the exotic Imperial Cities of Marrakech, Meknes and Fez, whose crowded bazaars still conjure up the flavour of the Arabian Nights.
Our journey takes us through contrasting mountain ranges: green, cedar-covered hillsides in the Middle Atlas; the impressive, often snowy, peaks in the High Atlas; and in the arid southern ranges, wild, rocky ridges disappearing into the Sahara. Here in the deep south we find sand dunes and kasbahs - fortified villages - scattered among palm oases inhabited by the friendly Berbers. Our overnight camel trek at the sand sea of Merzouga is a genuine Saharan experience and a highlight of the trip. There is also time to explore Todra Gorge and the High Atlas on foot and visit the beautiful coastal town of Essaouira with its excellent seafood.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Casablanca. |
| Day 2: | Visit Hassan II Mosque; to Rabat, visit old quarter; to Meknes. |
| Day 3: | Explore Meknes and well-preserved Roman site of Volubulis; to Fez. |
| Day 4: | Guided tour of Fez, one of the world’s finest Islamic cities. |
| Day 5: | To Merzouga. |
| Day 6: | Full day camel trekking. |
| Day 7: | To Todra Gorge. |
| Day 8: | Optional day walk and cultural tour around gorge. |
| Day 9: | Driving along the 'route of the thousand kasbahs' to Telouet, via the famous kasbah of Ait Benhaddou. |
| Day 10: | Full day's walking in High Atlas. |
| Day 11: | Over High Atlas to Essaouira. |
| Day 12: | Free day in Essaouira to explore old town and beach. |
| Day 13: | To Marrakech' the 'Pink City'; guided tour. |
| Day 14: | Free day in Marrakech to enjoy the souks, gardens and vibrant Djemaa el Fna - the great outdoor market. |
| Day 15: | Fly to London. |
travellers' tales
My trip was magnificent. I have seen and experienced so many amazing things. I recommend this to everyone who wants an adventure with the contrasts of the busy cities and the beautiful star filled peaceful Sahara desert. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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As a part of our continued commitment to responsible tourism, we operate this trip in a way that aims to reduce impacts and to give as much back as possible to the local community. On the village walks the guide is from the local community and so the money for the tour will go straight to the local community.
We work with a local operator for this trip and we had a long-term relationship with them. We use local leaders and have worked with our operator to help train their staff in all aspects of their jobs, helping to improve their knowledge and future prospects. This has included Responsible Tourism and there are regular additional refresher training courses. The leaders will give a briefing on Responsible Tourism issues to help you understand how you can help reduce your impact and maximise the benefits to the local community from your visit. We use all Moroccan owned and run accommodation on this trip. And this again contributes directly to the local communities as local staff are employed and locally produced and sourced goods are used. We also limit the group size to 16 to reduce cultural and environmental impacts. We donated to a water-pipe building project in the Tijhza Valley, to help alleviate a water shortage in the village that we visit. We are also helping to finance the building of a toilet block at the local school to replace very limited facilities. UK Office We have at our offices worked to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction of energy use and energy conservation measures. We also actively try reduce the waste produced by having active reduction and recycling policies in place. We run annual staff workshops on Responsible Tourism. Carbon balancing Global warming is a reality and to help you make a difference by reducing the carbon dioxide that is produced when you travel we offer a chance to carbon balance your flights. We encourage all our clients to do this and do so for all our staff travel. Go on do your bit! |
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 lead 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. |