Geography in Morocco, Landscapes & Life

Wake up in Marrakech and dive into expedition life, meet the ground team to discuss your plans and get your head around the currency, the Moroccan Dirham. You’re about to spend the next few days in a remote village, contributing to a locally-led initiative. Meet your hosts, settle into village life and find out how you can contribute to the community’s development plans. Get stuck in with permaculture work or eco-construction using upcycled materials. To make a positive contribution, you’ll need to listen to your hosts and learn some new skills. Experience local culture with breadmaking, beekeeping and an argan oil workshop. Sip traditional Moroccan tea with the villagers and engage with local students by playing football and card games. Then explore more of the area with a trek to a lush river valley, and spend your evenings stargazing around the campfire and listening to stories of local culture.

Journey to the mountain village of Oukaimeden in the High Atlas, welcome to North Africa’s highest mountains! Start with the Oukaimeden climb (3,262m) and prepare for an epic summit view of Jebel Toubkal (4,167m), Morocco’s highest mountain. Return to Oukaimeden to rest and refuel. Now for something bigger, you’ll be trekking for two days straight, with mules to help carry your gear. Step forward as team leader and set the pace as you climb the Tizi Nou Addi mountain col (2,960m). Work together to reach the high pass, and take care on the loose rock as you descend to your wild camping spot in the Imenane Valley. After a night beneath the stars, set off through the valley and follow zigzag tracks to the Tizi n’Tamatert Pass (2,279m). It’s a tough ascent, so you’ll need to dig deep. Descend through walnut and juniper forests to the village of Ait Souka, your final destination. Pitch your tents, tuck into some tasty Moroccan food and celebrate your feat.

Back in Marrakech, discover more of the ancient city and its incredible surroundings. Also known as ‘the Red City’, Marrakech is famous for its pinky-red buildings. Djemaa El Fna Square should be top of your list, with its storytellers, musicians and medicine men, along with belly dancers, acrobats and open-air food stalls. The souks are a must, these exotic marketplaces sell everything from spices to carpets. As you explore, soak up the sights and sounds of the city, Marrakech is a feast for the senses, with palaces, mosques, mopeds and donkey carts. To explore more, you could dip into your spending money and visit the golden Saadian Tombs, the beautiful Bahia Palace or the exotic Majorelle Gardens. Or why not learn how to whip up a tasty tagine from scratch in a cookery course? For a different perspective of the city, you could go off-road biking through the palm grove, a mega oasis with tiny villages, ancient ruins and roaming camels.

After the best ten days of your life, it’s time to travel home, so cram everything into your backpack and head to the airport. Check in, sit back and let it all sink in, you’ve just experienced something incredible. Morocco has opened your eyes and challenged you more than you ever imagined. You’ve fast-tracked your life skills and connected with the locals; you’ve led your team and made new friends for life. These experiences will shape who you are and put you on the path to becoming a true global citizen. Prepare to return home forever changed!