Morocco and western Sahara tour
Description of Morocco and western Sahara tour
Discover the wild and untamed lands of southern Morocco and the Western Sahara, where nomadic traditions, picturesque kasbahs and the raw beauty of the desert combine. We start in the coastal town of Agadir and from here begin our journey south, heading first to the former Spanish enclave of Sidi Ifni and the magical landscapes of the Draa Valley, encountering huge dunes and semi-nomadic people living in the desert.
Travelling south through endless horizons and stopping at small desert settlements along the way, the romance of the Sahara is ever closer. Our journey takes us to the remote town of Smara, once a centre of resistance against colonial occupation and fading gracefully into the sands.
We explore the disputed territory of the Western Sahara, a land of Saharawi nomads, rolling dunes and camel trains, exploring a land that has almost been forgotten, where traditions are strong and the scenery awe-inspiring. Stopping at wells and to meet local people, we spend a few days exploring here before rejoining the coastal road south and heading to Dakhla, the last outpost before West Africa. Morocco is familiar to many, but the deep south is a world apart that has changed little in centuries – join us for a journey into the unknown.
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Responsible Travel
Planet
This tour travels visits some very remote regions, which has barely been touched by the presence of humans, and we strongly believe in maintaining its pristine nature. The nature of this trip means that many nights are spent camping. We strive to ensure that we leave these areas as we find them and our team have been trained in strict no litter policies, meaning that we take all refuse to either be recycled or properly disposed of back in the city. Washing of dishes is carried out well away from any water sources so as not to contaminate them.Similarly, in conjunction with our local team we work with hotels and guesthouses to implement best practices when it comes to environmental matters – again in some places this is far behind what we might be used to in other parts of the world. This includes basic things like not replacing towels each day, as well as saving electricity and turning lights off.
Where there are tracks, we stick to them – not always possible as there are few tracks in this area.
People
As with many of the trips that we offer, this tour has a strong focus on local culture and different ethnic groups. Where possible we try to ensure that local people benefit from our presence.We are careful not to disrupt the traditional way of life of the people that we meet. As a way to say thank you for allowing us to visit, we bring traditional gifts, such as sugar, tea and so on – we do not bring modern accoutrements that may change their way of life as we feel that it is important for all tribal groups that any move towards a more ‘modern’ lifestyle is made on their own terms and not imposed upon them. We give gifts to the elders of the villages who will then ensure that they are distributed appropriately, rather than just giving them to individuals, which can cause problems, jealousy and fights within small communities.
These are very traditional areas with certain codes of behaviour, and the people here are not that accustomed to outsiders. We ensure that our travellers are appropriately briefed in order so as not to offend local sensibilities.
We buy supplies from local people where this is feasible – usually meat and other foodstuffs, and try to have a positive economic impact upon the communities we visit.
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