Family tour to Morocco
| country: | Morocco |
| departures: | 2009: 13 Dec, 17 Dec, 20 Dec, 24 Dec, 27 Dec 2010: 14 Feb, 28 Mar, 1 Apr, 11 Apr, 24 Oct, 23 Dec, 26 Dec 2011: 20 Feb, 8 Apr, 15 Apr, 18 Apr, 23 Oct, 20 Dec, 26 Dec |
| price: | From £799 - £999 (8 days) per adult and from £729 - £909 per child including flights from the UK. From £469 - £599 per adult and from £419 - £599 per child excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
read 5 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Leave everyday life behind as you journey by camel across the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert
Camels in the Sahara
From Ouarzazate you head for an oasis to join your camel caravan and strike out into the Sahara Desert. You’ll experience the pace, life and hospitality of the nomads who for centuries have taken trading caravans across the desert.
Dunes & Stars
Camping out amongst the dunes you are engulfed by the solitude and dazzled by the stars of the desert sky. As dawn breaks, the camp stirs and the caravan forms once more to move off for your second day's trek.
Ait Benhaddou & Exotic Marrakech
Leaving the desert behind, you visit the fortified village of Ait Benhaddou and perhaps take the option to visit the nearby film studios. Crossing the imposing Atlas Mountains your journey ends in vibrant Marrakech. The main square is like a medieval carnival filled with snake charmers, jugglers and acrobats. The narrow alleyways of the souks feature hundreds of small shops, each like an Aladdin’s cave - perhaps you’ll find a mysterious lamp or a pair of magic slippers!
Camels in the Sahara
From Ouarzazate you head for an oasis to join your camel caravan and strike out into the Sahara Desert. You’ll experience the pace, life and hospitality of the nomads who for centuries have taken trading caravans across the desert.
Dunes & Stars
Camping out amongst the dunes you are engulfed by the solitude and dazzled by the stars of the desert sky. As dawn breaks, the camp stirs and the caravan forms once more to move off for your second day's trek.
Ait Benhaddou & Exotic Marrakech
Leaving the desert behind, you visit the fortified village of Ait Benhaddou and perhaps take the option to visit the nearby film studios. Crossing the imposing Atlas Mountains your journey ends in vibrant Marrakech. The main square is like a medieval carnival filled with snake charmers, jugglers and acrobats. The narrow alleyways of the souks feature hundreds of small shops, each like an Aladdin’s cave - perhaps you’ll find a mysterious lamp or a pair of magic slippers!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Ouarzazate After your flight, you transfer to your first night’s accommodation and check in. Standing at the confluence of three valleys and on the threshold of the Sahara Desert, the town of Ouarzazate was originally a staging point for trans-Saharan caravans but was expanded during the colonial era as a garrison for the French Foreign Legion. Hotel with swimming pool and comfortable, en suite rooms - 1 night |
| Day 2: | Tazzarine; valley & oasis This morning you will explore the town of Ouarzazate and visit the hundred year old Taourirt Kasbah. A potent symbol of the Glaoui clan’s power, the kasbah gives a glimpse of how these feudal lords lived. You will then have the chance to buy an essential piece of desert kit – a shesh. This is a long piece of cloth a bit like a scarf that is wrapped around the head to keep the sun off and the loose end can be pulled across the face to keep out the sand. Leaving this outpost of civilisation behind you will drive across the Tizi-n-Tiniffift pass and through the Draa Valley following the southern slopes of the Djebel Sahro to Nkob and on to the Oasis of Tazzarine. The total driving time today is approximately three hours.Fixed camp, Bedouin-style tents with communal shower/toilet block – 1 night (BD) |
| Day 3: | Sahara Desert; camel trek This morning you meet your camel caravan and the camelteers who will journey with you into the desert to tend to the camels. As you set off with one camel per person and with additional animals to carry your baggage, your camping equipment and (most importantly) your water, you form a typical desert caravan. The gait of the camels soon lulls you into a strange rhythm unchanged for centuries. There is no sense of urgency, no sense of rushing to get to the destination, instead time seems to dissolve and you can enjoy being surrounded by the desert. Traditionally the Bedouin living out in the desert wear blue robes. They would dye the material using indigo but unlike more modern techniques they did not fix the colour to the cloth very well and so the blue colour would soak into their skin giving it a bluish tinge. This had the side effect of protecting their skin against the sun and gave rise to their nickname – the Blue Men. Today many still wear blue robes but the colour stays on the clothes! After setting up camp you’ll no doubt be served a refreshing glass of sweet mint tea and marvel as the scenery around you changes colour with the setting sun. After dinner, if you are lucky, your camel drivers may decide to play drums and invite you to join them for an evening of traditional songs. As the music dies down the sheer tranquillity of the desert is unmissable and above you the starry expanse of the night sky is an incredible sight. Approximate length of camel trek: 2 hours Basic Camp (no facilities) - 1 night (BLD) |
| Day 4: | Sahara Desert; camel trek If you make the effort to be up for the dawn you will hopefully be treated to another amazing display of changing colour and light. After breakfast you have a short walk through the dunes to make the most of the views on offer. Walking through sand can be tough and it is incredible to compare how you fare with the seeming ease with which the camels tackle the same sort of terrain, bringing home how difficult it would be to survive out here without them. How far you walk will depend on the ability of the group as well as conditions. Remounting your camels you make your way slowly out of the desert back towards the hills and valleys of the Atlas. Saying farewell to your Moroccan travelling companions and camels you rejoin the vehicles and drive back to the oasis of Tazzarine (approx 1 ½ hours). Approximate length of camel trek: 2 hours Fixed camp, Bedouin-style tents with communal shower/toilet block – 1 night (BLD) |
| Day 5: | Ait Benhaddou; optional film studios Today you head towards Agdz through the Draa Valley. This area is very fertile and the terraced farmlands are fed by an intricate system of irrigation channels. All the houses are built in the desert wastes at the edge of the fertile land so as not to waste any of the land that can grow crops. Continuing via Ouarzazate you reach Ait Benhaddou, one of the best-preserved fortified kasbahs in the country. With its dramatic walls of red earth and slit windows, this is a magnificent example of a stronghold. The surrounding villages also deserve your attention. Ait Benhaddou itself sits upon a lofty pinnacle of rock overlooking a river. Dating from around the 15th century, its importance as a trading post gradually dwindled, and today’s inhabitants eke out a living from farming the meagre soil. However, because of its beauty, it has been used as a setting for films such as ‘Gladiator’. Indeed not far away there are the film studios of Ouarzazate which have been used for many epic films from ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘Jewel of the Nile’ to more recent releases such as The Mummy’, ‘The Mummy Returns’, ‘Hidalgo’ and ‘Alexander’. It may be possible to visit the studios (optional). Total driving time today is approximately 4 hours. Hotel with swimming pool and comfortable, en suite rooms – 1 night (B) |
| Day 6: | Marrakech This morning you will cross the riverbed to visit Ait Benhaddou. You will have the chance to explore some of the ruined buildings, and climb to the top of the hill where the agadir (grain store) offers spectacular views down over the village and the surrounding countryside. You can also enter one of the houses and share a glass of mint tea with some of the residents to gain a better understanding of how they live their lives. In the afternoon you’ll drive north across the High Atlas mountains. The road, completed by the Foreign Legion in 1936, winds up over the Tizi-n-Tichka pass (2260m) and offers stunning views of the mountains before descending past Berber villages to the plain surrounding Marrakech. Even today, the name Marrakech conjures up images of scenes from the Arabian Nights: alleyways, souks, stalls and markets. This remarkable city, dating from the 11th century, never fails to satisfy the curiosity of adventurous travellers. The graceful architecture of the renowned Koutoubia Minaret, dominates the skyline. Total driving time today is approximately 4 hours. Hotel with swimming pool and comfortable, en suite rooms – 2 nights (B) The hotel is located just outside the city walls around the old Medina. It is about a 25 minute walk to the main square Djemaa el Fna but close to local shops and restaurants |
| Day 7: | Marrakech; walking tour & souk To orientate yourselves, you start with a walking tour of the centre - which takes in the main sights - and make your way into the sprawling souk. As is usual in a souk, individual trades and crafts are concentrated in one street or area, so the shoemakers are all next to each other, as are the jewellers, the potters, weavers etc. This is the best place in Morocco to sharpen your bargaining skills, and you’re almost certain to be tempted by some of the extraordinary variety of merchandise on display - perhaps a pair of traditional Moroccan slippers, or some exotic spices. The Djemaa el-Fna provides the throbbing atmosphere of a medieval fair; it always seems full of life and continues late into the night. In this great open square at the heart of the medina, snake charmers and jugglers are among those who vie to entertain you. In the evening wonderful smells waft by as food stalls cook up their local delicacies. Each time of day seems to carry a distinct character, so do keep popping back for more! In the afternoon you have time to wander and make your own discoveries. The tanneries around Bab Debbagh still cure leather in a way that has not changed for hundreds of years, and are extraordinarily photogenic (if a little smelly); they are normally more active in the morning. If you’d like to experience the relaxation of a traditional bath, your Group Leader will advise where to find the nearest hammam - for just a few dirhams, you’ll be steamed and scrubbed until you shine! (B) |
| Day 8: | Fly to London Trip ends for Land Only clients. This morning, clients on our group flights will transfer from the hotel to the airport for the return flight to London. (B) |
travellers' tales
My husband, my daughter and I all had a wonderful time. It was really good for my daughter in particular to visit an Islamic country. (She has Muslim schoolfriends.) Hearing French spoken also helped her to realise that there are real advantages in learning to speak another language. (more)
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip: We have joined forces with Kasbah du Toubkal and Room to Read to assist in providing educational books for schools in Morocco. If you would like to offer your support to the project, please bring with you any educational books that will appeal to students from ages 5-18. Books can be in any range of subjects: children's story books, basic literacy and numeracy, geography, history, Tin Tin.... English/French dictionaries or any other educational equipment, pens, pencils, calculators, writing pads etc would also be gladly received. Please bear in mind when making your choice of books that Morocco is an Islamic country. Your group leader will take your contribution from you on arrival and happily tell you more about the project.
Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
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. |