Moroccan
Adventure

November 7 - 16, 2024

Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime trip to the magical land of Morocco.
Like the caravans of old, this will be a traveling adventure through the country. Over 9 days and 9 nights, we'll explore Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara Desert, the Atlas Mountains, and Marrakech. There will be some yoga sprinkled throughout the trip, but you don’t have to do yoga to come on this adventure. This is a small group retreat limited to 8 guests.

Below is a video with all the highlights, followed by the daily itinerary:

Daily Itinerary Below

Day One:  casablanca to Chefchaouen
Thursday, Nov 7th

Our private guide and driver will be waiting to pick up travelers at 9am local time at Casablanca's Mohammed V Airport for transport onward to Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains. If time permits, we'll visit Hassan II Mosque, the 3rd largest mosque in the world. We'll arrive Chefchaouen by evening and settle into our riad (guest house) and share a delicious welcome dinner together.
{lunch not included, dinner included}
*** If flying from the States, you’ll fly on the redeye leaving NYC on Wed night Nov 6th, arriving Casablanca the morning of Nov 7th.

Day TwO:  The Blue City to Fes
Friday, Nov 8th

Our local guide will introduce us to the the history and charm of Chefchaouen while leading us on a walking tour through the old medina and onwards to a scenic overlook of the Blue City. The sky blue painted town is truly breathtaking and picturesque. You will not be able to put your camera down.

We’ll depart for Fes in the afternoon, arriving in time for dinner lovingly prepared by our hostess, Chantal. Her multi-course meals are some of my favorite, ever.
{lunch not included, dinner included}

Day THRee:  A stroll through the Labyrinth
Saturday, Nov 9th

After breakfast at the riad, we'll head out for a guided tour of the labyrinth that is old town Fes, or Fes-El-Bali. Every one of the over 9,000 alleyways is walled, so you feel like you are walking through a maze in the Middle Ages. Our guide will keep us on track as we tour this ancient city founded in the 9th century and home to the world's oldest university.  We'll visit the famous leather tanneries (Chouara Tannery) and the markets of the old medina.  Our guide will drop us off for lunch and then return us to the riad.  

Free time in the afternoon will allow for an optional visit to a local hammam where you can partake in the classic Moroccan spa experience.  In the evening, we’ll feast once again on the brilliant food prepared by our hostess, Chantal.
{lunch not included, dinner included.  Hammam extra}

Day Four:  Caravan continues from Fes to the sahara desert
Sunday, Nov 10th

In the morning, we’ll depart Fes and head south towards the Middle and High Atlas Mountains. Along the way we will visit with some wild Barbary apes who live in the cedar forest. This part of the trip takes us through the beautiful and rugged Moroccan countryside. We'll see nomadic farmers herding their flocks, have tea with a nomad family, pass ancient earthen-colored towns and a fair number of donkeys along the way. We’ll drive through the highest pass in this part of the Atlas Mountains and make our way to the dunes of the Sahara. We will overnight at a hotel in Merzouga, right at the edge of the desert.
{lunch not included, dinner included}

Day Five:  Under the Stars in the Sahara
monday, Nov 11th

You’ll have the morning to spend how you wish. You can sleep in, hang by the pool, enjoy the hammam (spa), or go on a guided ATV ride into the desert! In the afternoon, we’ll mount our camels for the ride to our overnight camp in the Sahara. You’ll have time to traverse the dunes, get a lay of the land (sand), and watch the sunset from your dune perch. We’ll have dinner sitting on rugs spread over the desert floor and afterwards enjoy (and maybe participate in) some local music and dancing. You'll have the opportunity to sleep in a tent or in the open air where you can gaze at the stars snuggled under heavy wool blankets. You've never seen the Milky Way like this and you will lose count of the all the shooting stars you see before you drift off to a sleep.
{lunch not included, dinner included}

Day six:  sahara desert to dades valley
Tuesday, Nov 12th

We'll wake up in time to see the sunrise over the dunes and enjoy a hearty breakfast.

Our drive will take us from Merzouga towards the Dades Valley via the Todra Gorge. Along the way, we’ll see some ancient fossils, pass by hillsides clustered with red-clay dwellings and valleys of green oases. If there are baby camels at the milking station, we may even stop and meet some friendly and snuggly baby camels and sample some fresh camel milk.

Our riad for the night is in the Dades Valley surrounded by stunning views.
{lunch not included, dinner included}

Day seven:  Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech
Wednesday, nov 13th

In the morning, we’ll journey onwards to Ait Benhaddou, the earthen clay ksar and UNESCO World Heritage Site that was a stop on the old Salt Road, but in modern times was made famous as a backdrop for the movies Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, and Alexander. 

Later, we'll descend the High Atlas Mountains, through the Tichka Pass, onwards to Marrakech, stopping for lunch along the way.

We'll arrive in Marrakech for dinner at our luxurious riad that will serve as our oasis in the middle of the lively and kinetic city.
{lunch not included, dinner included}

Day eight:  Marrakech Medinas
Thursday, Nov 14th

We'll embark on a guided tour of the important sites and markets of Marrakech.  We'll visit some of the main sites, including the Bahia Palace and Dar el Bacha, marveling at the breathtaking plasterwork and mosaics, and learning about the history of each location. We'll wander through the medina, visit the souks + the heartbeat of Marrakech, the Djemaa el-Fna (the centuries-old square surrounded by cafes, vendors, and snake charmers).

You'll have free time in the afternoon to explore, shop, visit a local hammam, or relax at the riad (with a rooftop pool and lounge area). In the evening, we'll gather again for a guided street food tour. Experiencing Marrakech at night can be exciting and at times overwhelming, so our guide will help us navigate the crowds and introduce us to the best local places and unique local delicacies.
{lunch not included, dinner included}

Day nine:  Exploring and Cooking
Friday, Nov 15th

Most of the day is left free for you to use as you wish. You can visit the Majorelle Gardens, previously owned by Yves Saint Laurent, decompress in a local hammam, explore the medina, shop for the perfect piece of pottery or leather bag, go on a motorcycle tour, or just relax on the rooftop of the riad. In the evening, we'll regroup for a cooking class at the riad where we’ll prepare our final Moroccan dinner together.
{lunch not included, dinner included}

Day ten:  Departure
Saturday, nov 16th

Depart after breakfast, delighting in the memories created, friendships made, and the adventure undertaken.

Our route through Morocco:

Not included in retreat:

• International flights to/from Morocco

• Meals outside of Itinerary (lunches)

• Alcohol (available for purchase)

• Travel insurance - strongly encouraged to cover any unforeseen events. Squaremouth is a good resource to compare travel insurance coverage from many different providers, including “cancel for any reason” options. Other insurance companies + search engines clients like: Allianz, IMG, Aardy.

Pricing:
A $500 non-refundable deposit holds your spot.

• Double Occupancy: $3295 per person.

• Single Occupancy: $3795 per person

Cancellation policy:
If you cancel by May 15, 2024, your payment will be refunded less the $500 deposit. Payments are non-refundable after this date.
***We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to cover any unforeseen events. The website Squaremouth allows you to compare many different plans and has “cancel for any reason” options.

Check out past Morocco Adventures + pictures here.

I'd love to answer any questions or help you sign up!  Contact me below: