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Global Adrenaline's "Great Morocco Adventure"
is an ideal choice for those who are interested in discovering Morocco's
rich cultural heritage and breathtaking desert scenery but are unable
to make the commitment to a longer or more arduous trek. Our expedition
mixes adventure in the austere and forbidding landscapes of this legendary
kingdom with gradually-unfolding insights into its people, landscape,
culture and mystery. We will lose ourselves in the fascination of each
kasbah and medina, breathe the fresh air of the palm-fringed oases and
watch in wonder as the spectacular sunsets on the dunes of Merzouga overtake
the desert skies and our memories of Morocco. This trek will also bring
us into contact with the old mystical Berber villages and the abundant
footprints left by ancient civilizations. Mountain biking and camel trekking
are a particularly ideal means of visiting Morocco's spectacular Atlas
Mountains and insinuating ourselves into other intriguing and rarely-visited
corners of the kingdom.
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No experience is required for this trip, but,
in order to fully enjoy the expedition's activities, trip participants
should be reasonably fit, in good health and properly equipped.
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We will arrive at Marrakesh's Menara Airport,
where we will be greeted by our guides. After settling into our hotel,
we will have the remainder of the afternoon to spend at our leisure exploring
Marrakesh, in the shadow of the High Atlas.
We will spend the day sightseeing in Marrakesh,
the second oldest imperial city in the kingdom.
.jpg) |
| Young Berber girls. (Valley of the Ziz, Morocco) |
Known as the "Pearl of the South,"
Marrakesh is home to the Saâdian tombs, the Koutoubia Mosque, the
Bahia Palace and the Menara Garden. After eating lunch at our hotel, we
will spend the afternoon exploring the local souks, as well as the world-famous
Djemaâ El Fna Place, the venue of various entertainment spectacles,
including story tellers, acrobats, snake-charmers and magicians. Later
on, we'll partake in a Diffa Fantasia dinner under caïdal tents at
the famed "Chez Ali" Restaurant. No doubt we will enjoy the
fantasia spectacle that includes camel and horse shows, folkloric troops
from different Moroccan regions and belly dancers.
After breakfast, we will depart by Land Rover
for the start of our explorations in the majestic Atlas Mountains. On
the way, we'll briefly visit the fascinating Kasbah of Oumnast. After
an hour's drive, we'll leave the Land Rovers for our mountain bikes, which
we'll then ride for approximately ten
.jpg) |
| Hassan Tower. (Rabat, Morocco) |
miles (16 kilometers) through the Ghighaya Valley,
stopping for a light lunch along the way. After we reach the Tahanaout
village, a road will take us through the mountains towards the Ourika
Valley, in the vicinity of the Toubkal National Park.
After breakfast, we'll depart in our Land Rovers
for the Ourika Valley, gradually ascending to an elevation of 6,500 feet
(2,000 meters). At that point, we'll return to our bikes for a 21-mile
(34-kilometer) ride through a high mountain forest of oak and juniper
trees. We'll descend at slow speed into Asni village, about 10 miles (16
kilometers) from the main road. The day will end with an introduction
to the Berbers of Imlil.
After breakfast, we'll hike towards Jebel Toubkal
(13,665 feet, or 4,165 meters), one of the highest of the High Atlas mountains,
with the marabout of Sidi Chamharouch as our destination. After a light
lunch, we'll visit the village for a tea ceremony in a local Berber house.
After tea, we'll return to Imlil for dinner and our night's accommodation.
In the morning, we'll depart by Land Rover for
an excursion through the Tiz-in-Test Valley, with Tine
.jpg) |
| Souk shopping at night. (Morocco) |
Mel village as our first destination. We'll stop
for lunch along the way, before continuing on to Taroudannt, sometimes
referred to as "Little Marrakesh."
After breakfast, we'll meet for an introductory
briefing on the area surrounding Agadir before setting off in our Land
Rovers for Immouzer. In Immouzer, we will enjoy the spectacular scenery
of high mountains, palm groves, green valleys and narrow gorges. Leaving
our vehicles behind us, we'll hike for about three hours, returning to
the village. At that point, we'll have the choice of stopping for a leisurely
lunch or of grabbing a Power Bar and skipping the meal, allocating the
time instead to an additional three mile hike, which will lead us through
several interesting waterfalls.
We'll devote the entire day to wandering around
in the Immouzer area, discovering its natural beauty on foot.
After breakfast, we'll depart by Land Rover, heading
in the direction of Taliouine. We'll pass through
.jpg) |
| Berber women dancing at the Rose Festival.
(Valley of the Dades, Morocco) |
Amskroud and Taroudannt along the way, stopping
in Taroudannt for lunch and a brief exploration of the area on foot. We'll
then continue on to Ouarzazate via Tazenakht.
After a brief introduction to Ouarzazate and its
impressive kasbahs, we'll depart for Zagora, following the Agdz Valley
high into the Atlas Mountains, near the Algerian border. Upon our arrival
in Zagora, we will set off on a trek on camelback through the Zaouite
El Hanna. The day will end as we dine and sleep in our tents beneath the
desert stars!
We'll camel trek through the two gorges (Tiz-in-draa
and Tafilalet) that separate the distinctive regions of Reig dune and
Tinfou. Again, we'll spend the night in our tents on a carpet of dunes
rolled out beneath the vast desert sky.
On our last day of camel trekking, we'll set off
after breakfast to visit the ancient library of Tamgrout.
.jpg) |
| Taourirt Kasbah. (Ouarzazate, Morocco) |
We'll then board our Land Rovers en route to
Rissani by way of Tazzarine and Alnif, passing through the region of the
famous Saghro Mountain as we go. Rissani is the birthplace of Morocco's
current ruling family, the Alaouite (or Alawite) dynasty. After an introduction
to Rissani, we'll trek on camelback for about an hour until we reach the
world-famous dunes of Merzouga, just in time to watch the beautiful sunset
casting its long shadows on the timeless dunes. There, a bivouac will
be waiting for us and spread out before us on the desert sands will be
a traditional Berber dinner. After feasting, we'll retire to our tents,
enjoying another night beneath the desert stars!
In the morning, we'll rise early to hike to the
top of the dunes where we'll be able to witness the spectacular sunrise
of Merzouga, the counterpart - and every bit the equal - of the sunset
splendor we've seen the night before. Once again on the road, we'll stop
briefly in Erfoud, before continuing on to Midelt through the Ziz River
valley and a series of fortified villages. We'll stop for lunch in Midelt
and then head to Fez via Azrou, a Berber village known for its handicraft
cooperative. Upon
.jpg) |
| Bab Al Mansour. (Meknes, Morocco) |
our arrival in Fez, we'll check into our hotel
and settle in for the evening.
After breakfast in Fez, we'll depart for Meknes,
"the Moroccan Versailles," founded at the end of the seventeenth
century by Moulay Ismail. Highlights of our tour of Meknes will include
Bab Mansour, Hari Souani and the old Medina. After lunch in Meknes, we'll
depart for Casablanca with a stop in Rabat for a brief introduction to
the kingdom's capital. On our last night together, we will share a joyous
farewell dinner in Casablanca. No doubt there will be plenty of reminiscing
to be done, and plenty of stories to tell of all the adventures we have
shared together!
After breakfast, we will transfer to Mohamed V
International Airport for our return flights home.
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