A Trekking Journey in the Sahara Desert with Overnight Camping Under the Stars

It sounds like a dream.... riding a camel into the sunset over the ochre dunes, led by a Saharoui guide, until you reach an oasis where food is cooked in the sand and rhythm of African drums beat late into the night. 

Whether you arrive on a full moon, when the dunes are as bright as day, or on a new moon, when the stars light up the sky like diamonds, your arrival at the nomad encampment will be a moment that you remember for the rest of your life. Your camel train departs from the edge of the sand and travels into the labyrinth of dunes, on a well-trodden pathway that only your guide can decipher. The rhythmic sway of the camel will lull you into a trance as you breathe in the astounding beauty of the desert around you, with its ever-shifting curves and valleys.

The expansive sky around you is like a balm for the soul. The smile on your face and glee in your heart as you trod through the sand in the darkening sky settles in; you will continue to find amazement and absolute joy as you journey to your encampment. Upon arrival, you are greeted with the customary cup of mint tea, and shown to your tent, with its surprisingly comfortable beds! After a quick rest, explore the dunes while your dinner is being cooked. If you plan ahead, you can spend the next day in a dune buggy, or surfing the tallest dunes.

A delicious desert dinner will be served - tagine, with Berber bread, baked in the sand. Musicians will enchant you with ancient songs of desert life. Before you lie down, make sure to stargaze, as you will never see the sky as brilliant as it is in the desert.... with no light pollution, no sound pollution, just the wind and the sand and the neverending sky. The silence of the desert will lull you to sleep and your dreams will be enchanted.

In the morning, share breakfast and meet some of the other travelers who have intersected with your desert journey, before reconnecting with your camel and trekking back to the edge of the desert - refreshed, uplifted, enchanted and inspired.

Marrakesh Voyage LLC offers private, customized tours of Morocco. Visit our website to learn how you can create your dream journey in the exotic Kingdom of Morocco, including a camel trek in the Sahara. 

Is it Safe to Travel in Morocco?

Tourism is the Primary Industry in Morocco. 

When tourism rates drop, the whole country suffers. To this end, Moroccans appreciate and welcome tourists who come and spend money in their country.... whether you're a backpacker or traveling on a five-star golf retreat. In Morocco, you will find a country of gracious, hospitable people.

Tourists are absolutely vital to the Moroccan economy. 

In the past decade, Islamic extremists have tried to create a foothold in Morocco, but they have only found loose sand, as most Moroccans are in fact very moderate and do not mix politics and religion. Morocco is a highly international country, being a part of Africa and a close cousin to Europe. Most Moroccan families have relations living abroad, and therefore have a perspective that transcends borders. They are a peace-loving people who want to share their rich heritage and landscape with all who come to visit. 

Morocco is becoming a popular destination for retirees, as the cost of living is very low and the quality of life is very high. All cities in Morocco have conveniences of the Western World, and it's possible to live quite simply and elegantly. Marrakesh is becoming known as the winter playground of Jetsetters as it's dotted with gorgeous golf courses, fantastic restaurants and world-class nightclubs.

It's not a well-known fact, but Morocco was the very first country to recognize the United States and offer friendship, back in the 1700's. The relationship between the US and Morocco is highly stable. The current King of Morocco has been influenced by the time he spent living in the US. He has instituted many progressive policies to create a more democratic Moroccan society, and has relationships with all living presidents.

When you travel in Morocco, you will find that many Moroccans speak at least a little English, and will welcome any opportunity to practice and learn more.

Marrakesh Voyage LLC offers private, customized tours of Morocco with a private car and driver/tour guide whose job it is to make sure your travels are perfectly enjoyable and safe. Come visit our website and let us help you build a dream trip to the Exotic Kingdom of Morocco! 

Can I Take a Culinary Tour of Morocco?

If you've ever wanted to take a "vacation with a purpose" then perhaps a culinary tour of Morocco is in your future!

Instead of just enjoying the varied epicurian delights available to you, come and learn how to cook some delectable Moroccan dishes while you enjoy touring around the country with our gracious, polite and educated team of tour leaders.

While visiting Fez, Rabat, Marrakesh, the High Atlas Mountains and Essaouira, you'll be taken on shopping and sightseeing excursions, during which you'll have a chance to shop for the most fresh ingredients - highly prized saffron, and cumin, and local meats and seafood. Later in the day, while enjoying some delicious Moroccan wine, our chefs will walk you through the process of making vegetable couscous, beef tagine, lamb kebabs, and chicken or seafood bastilla (a sweet/savory pie enjoyed as a main course).

Then of course you will enjoy your creations for dinner that night! You can be as involved as you like in the process; if you feel that you just want to watch, that's perfectly fine. Or, if you want to stand side-by-side with the chef, that's fine too. We encourage our clients to videotape the process for future reference.

If you're interested in a private culinary tour for yourself and friends or family or even a corporate tour to Morocco, we would be honored to help you build the trip of your dreams. As inspiration, come take a look at our prepared Morocco Culinary Tour, then imagine how you can change it to suit your own desires!

At Marrakesh-Voyage LLC, our specialty is customized, private tours. We've been in business since 1998 and have helped thousands of people enjoy their discovery of the Kingdom of Morocco.

The Mystical, Ancient City of Essaouira

If ever there existed a mystical city, it would be Essaouira, Morocco. 

A coastal city south of Casablanca, Essaouira (a UNESCO site) has been inhabited for thousands of years by a revolving door of occupiers, including the Phonecians, Berbers, Carthinians, Romans, Arabs, Portuguese and French. It has a sheltered deep-water port which has made it a valuable entrance point into North Africa from Europe and the Mediterranean. It became the major port in Morocco beginning in the 1700s, and was the meeting point for caravans traveling from sub-Saharan Africa with ships from Europe, West Africa and the Americas.

During the Portuguese occupation, Essaouira was dubbed Mogador due to a Muslim saint (Sidi Mogdoul) who is buried there, and is sometimes referred to as Mogador today. 

It continues to be a major fishing port, and boasts an iconic fortress. Fame came to Essouira when it was visited by Jimi Hendrix, Cat Stevens, and Paul Bowles, and it was used by Orson Welles for the filming of Othello. The arts - especially music - are very much in evidence, as it is home to the hugely popular Festival of Gnawa Music that takes place every June, as well as many other cultural festivals.

Essaouira was home to most of Morocco's Jewish population before Israel become a nation, and there still exists a Jewish "Mellah" or neighborhood. There is an ancient Souk where you can purchase just about anything your heart desires, as well as a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and bars. Essaouira, a highly international city, elicits the wisdom of the ages with a modern heart and a uniquely Moroccan soul. 

Marrakesh Voyage LLC includes a stay in Essaouira in most of its pre-planned itineraries. Enjoy a cooking class, where you are guided to the local market to hand-pick your own seafood for preparation. The hotels are stunning, the people are gracious and the food is divine! There are wind-surfing lessons, and camel rides on the beach. It is also one of the few places on Earth where you can purchase Argon oil, a highly-prized nut oil used in cooking as well as beauty products, direct from the factory.

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Our team of experienced travel professionals at Marrakesh Voyage would be delighted to help you design a private, guided journey in the Kingdom of Morocco.