Morocco family holiday
| country: | Morocco |
| departures: | 2009: 20 Dec, 27 Dec 2010: 14 Feb, 28 Mar, 4 Apr, 11 Apr, 30 May, 25 Jul, 22 Oct, 24 Oct, 21 Dec, 27 Dec 2011: 20 Feb, 9 Apr, 18 Apr, 29 May, 24 Jul, 21 Oct, 23 Oct, 20 Dec, 26 Dec |
| price: | From £689 - £799 (8 days) per adult and from £629 - £699 per child including flights from the UK. From £399 - £469 per adult and from £359 - £469 per child excluding flights. |
| late availability: | Late availability on 27th December departures |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Morocco is one of our most popular destinations for families with stunning scenery and warm climate all within four hours' flying time. Discover the highlights on the "Kids in the Kasbahs", a great introduction where you will experience vibrant Marrakech, small Berber villages in the Atlas Mountains and even time to relax and play on the beach
Ifergane - Berber villages
Crossing the stunning Atlas Mountains you rest in the peaceful Berber village of Ifergane. From here you explore the area on foot or relax in a tranquil guesthouse in the middle of an orange oasis.
Sandy Beaches at Aourir
Moving on to the coast, you spend time at the beautiful beaches of Aourir, also known as Banana village. It is a traditional Amazigh village where locals still come down from the surrounding mountains to visit the weekly souk. This is a perfect spot for swimming and watersports.
Coastal Camel Ride
Travelling north towards Essaouira you stop off en route for a scenic beach picnic before mounting camels to ride along the sand.
Essaouira & Marrakech
The old pirates' nest of Essaouira is a fantastic place to haggle for souvenirs. You can spend your day watching the fishermen, going for walks around the old fort and enjoying delicious seafood. Returning to Marrakech you enter an entirely different world of lively bazaars filled with exotic spices and treasures. At sunset the main square comes to life with snake charmers, acrobats and jugglers in a carnival of entertainment.
Ifergane - Berber villages
Crossing the stunning Atlas Mountains you rest in the peaceful Berber village of Ifergane. From here you explore the area on foot or relax in a tranquil guesthouse in the middle of an orange oasis.
Sandy Beaches at Aourir
Moving on to the coast, you spend time at the beautiful beaches of Aourir, also known as Banana village. It is a traditional Amazigh village where locals still come down from the surrounding mountains to visit the weekly souk. This is a perfect spot for swimming and watersports.
Coastal Camel Ride
Travelling north towards Essaouira you stop off en route for a scenic beach picnic before mounting camels to ride along the sand.
Essaouira & Marrakech
The old pirates' nest of Essaouira is a fantastic place to haggle for souvenirs. You can spend your day watching the fishermen, going for walks around the old fort and enjoying delicious seafood. Returning to Marrakech you enter an entirely different world of lively bazaars filled with exotic spices and treasures. At sunset the main square comes to life with snake charmers, acrobats and jugglers in a carnival of entertainment.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London After your flight, you transfer to your accommodation in Marrakech and check in. 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. Hotel with swimming pool- 1 night 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 2: | Drive to Ifergane; cross Atlas Mountains You start your adventure with a bus journey (approx 6-7 hours) across the Atlas Mountains - rising to a height of 2092m at the Tizi-n-Test Pass. Your destination is Ifergane, a pleasant village in the foothills of the mountains, and home to the Berber people who inhabited the land centuries before the Arabs arrived a mere 1,200 or so years ago. These proud people still speak a separate language, which consists of three main dialects. Although Arabic is gaining an ever-increasing foothold, most people - especially the young - know a few words of French too. The overall journey time today is approximately six to seven hours - it is the longest travelling day of the trip. With the fading sun dipping below the mountains, you will undoubtedly find yourselves sipping a traditionally prepared glass of sweet mint tea while you wait for your evening meal to be served. The sound of the muezzin can often be heard giving the call to prayer. Auberge with swimming pool - 2 nights (B) |
| Day 3: | Ifergane; Atlas village & orange grove walks Today is a free day giving you the opportunity to walk and to enjoy the fresh air and scenery. You can stroll through the orangerie and there are local villages to explore. The area is known for the production of Argan oil and it should be possible to learn about the process and perhaps even see it being produced. (B) |
| Day 4: | Aourir; Taroudant tanneries & beach time You start of with a short drive to Taroudant (approx. 30 min.) where you visit the tanneries. Moroccan leather goods are very popular and here you can learn how the animal skins are cured to produce the leather. You continue on towards Aourir at the Atlantic coast (approx. 3 1/2 hours). This is a popular spot for beach lovers, and it is not hard to see why. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy the wide sandy beach and Atlantic waves. (B) Hotel - 1 night |
| Day 5: | Essaouira; camel ride & picnic on the beach You travel up the coast to Sidi Kaouki (approx. 2 1/2 hours), where a real highlight awaits you: You mount camels to ride across the expansive sand dunes - enjoying the view from this moving vantage point is a great feeling! Having worked up an appetite, you enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach before you get back in the bus to continue to Essaouira (approx. 1 hour). Arriving in Essaouira you find yourselves in one of Morocco’s most attractive coastal cities. The wild waves of the Atlantic crash remorselessly onto the rocky coastline of this old pirates’ hideout. Portuguese, Berber and French battlements encircle the maze of narrow lanes with tiny cafes looking out onto small squares. Two fortresses look out over the ocean, and on an offshore island stands another, even larger castle. As befits a seaport, the pace of life is more relaxed here, and the whitewashed streets lend a seemingly Mediterranean air to the city. Hotel - 2 nights (B) |
| Day 6: | Essaouira; explore port This morning you can stroll around the lively old port, which is full of colour and interest. The early morning is the best time - when fishermen can be seen bringing in their catch or mending their nets. The harbour was once the lair of pirates who sailed out to plunder richly laden ships that passed along the coast - after all, this was the main trade route round the Cape of Good Hope to Western Europe. It later became a free port, when it had a small international community of merchants. The cosmopolitan mixture of different influences makes it a wonderful place to explore - and it is full of visual surprises. The whole day is free to relax and wander as you please. Take a leisurely stroll along the ramparts, visit the little workshops which specialise in ornate inlaid work using thuya wood (a local conifer), spend time on the glorious beach or enjoy a meal of freshly-cooked sardines down on the quayside. (B) |
| Day 7: | Drive to Marrakech; city tour Leaving Essaouira behind, you journey inland by private charter bus to Marrakech; this will take approximately three hours. This afternoon you head off on 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!Hotel with swimming pool – 1 night (B) |
| Day 8: | Fly To London Transfer to the airport; trip ends for Land Only clients. Those travelling on our group flights proceed to London. (B) |
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: Our groups will be led throughout by a professional local Group Leader giving our travellers a real, genuine insight into local tradition, history and culture. Groups stay in locally owned hotels and support the economy of the areas we are travelling through by dining in small, independent restaurants and buying supplies from local traders. We also spend time at the Argan Oil Women’s Co-operative, to see how Argan Oil, a product native to Morocco is made. Our visit supports the co-operative; an organisation whose aim it is to educate the women of the Tamanar region who depend on the processing of oil from the Argan tree for their incomes, allowing them to earn a better wage through the use of traditional skills.
Working closely with our local agent we also do our best to support and encourage local schools and projects in all the areas of Morocco that we visit. Subject to local constraints - you may be able to visit a school yourself and meet some of the children. We often find it can be one of the most memorable moments of any trip. 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. Other charities that we work closely with include Born Free Foundation and The Travel Foundation, a UK charity that has been established to promote responsible travel practices throughout the whole of the travel industry. 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. |