A culinary experience in Morocco!

Peace be upon you! Welcome to Morocco. Our adventure begins today with a welcome meeting at 6:00 PM, where we will meet our guide and fellow travelers. Since there is limited free time in Casablanca on this trip, consider arriving a day early to thoroughly explore the city. Modeled after Marseille in France, the city is famous for its art deco buildings. A pleasant way to spend a day exploring Casablanca is to stroll through the old medina and the city walls, then take a taxi to visit the Quartiers des Habous and the new medina. Perhaps later take a walk along the Corniche, watching the locals play soccer on the beach, or relax with a glass of sweet mint tea at one of the many excellent cafes. This evening, we will gather with the group for a welcome dinner featuring delicious traditional specialties.

We say goodbye to Casablanca to catch an early train to Meknes. In the 17th century, Sultan Moulay Ismail transformed Meknes from a provincial town into a spectacular imperial city. Upon arrival, we will get to know Meknes during an orientation walk with our guide, for lunch we will go to a cozy local restaurant in the medina to try a Moroccan delicacy: a camel burger! Later, we continue towards Moulay Idriss where we will spend the night in a local guesthouse, where the art of handmade couscous will be lovingly demonstrated to us along with an authentic Moroccan meal.

This morning, we are heading to Chefchaouen, or the "blue city", probably one of the most beautiful places in Morocco. Located in a wide valley and nestled between two peaks in the stunning Rif mountains, Chefchaouen will surprise us. Its medina has been lovingly maintained with extraordinary blue and white houses, red-tiled roofs, and artistic doors. Much of Chefchaouen was recreated by Andalusian refugees fleeing the Reconquista, so you might feel as if you are on the hills of Spain as you explore its streets. This evening we will also get a true taste of Moroccan food with a homemade dinner prepared with seasonal ingredients, full of flavors and made with love.

Today we enjoy the morning in Chefchaouen, admiring the landscapes, the sounds, and the smells of the medina, the square's shops selling fabrics and small sweets, and above all, tasting the city's famous characteristic goat cheese. Herds of goats roam the sparse hills surrounding Chefchaouen, and their fresh cheese is sold in large quantities in the street markets. In the afternoon, we move towards Fes, the most complete medieval city of the Arab world, where we will spend the night. Fes is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco - vibrant, noisy, fascinating, and overwhelming – a visual and poignant feast for the senses. We will have some free time to explore the city.

Today we are participating in a guided walking tour of the old city, locally known as Fes el Bali. It will feel like stepping back into the Middle Ages as we explore the labyrinth of the Medina, teeming with craftsmen, markets, tanneries, and mosques. We will walk past donkeys laden with goods (this is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world) and explore the specialized sections that divide the souk. We will stop to see the Medersa Bou Inania, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, which has been recently restored and is now open to tourists. Additionally, we will visit a pottery factory where we can see the production of traditional handmade ceramics. Our guide will take us on a "tasting journey", but first, we will participate in an evening culinary demonstration, where we will learn how to make one of the city's signature dishes: the pastilla (or bastilla) - a sweet and savory pastry parcel. Overnight stay.

Start your day right with a tasty street food breakfast of msemmen (flatbread) with olive oil and boiled eggs or omelette paired with coffee or mint tea. Then, we leave behind the intensity of the city for the simplicity of the picturesque Middle Atlas mountains. We head south, inland, through spectacular scenery: fertile valleys, cedar and pine forests, and arid, rocky landscapes. The area is inhabited by wandering nomadic shepherds taking care of their flocks. We will cross cedar forests, home to the only monkey in North Africa, the Barbary macaque, and finally reach our destination, Midelt. Located in a valley, Midelt is a market town, originally established as a mining base and surrounded by agricultural land and orchards. By walking a bit we might explore the nearby village of Bremmen to get a closer look at local agricultural life. In the evening, a special meal will be prepared using the region's native aromatic herbs.

Today we start our day by traveling towards the Sahara Desert, we will have numerous opportunities to stop and admire the panoramic views of the kasbahs and palm groves (lush valleys of date palms, fields, and orchards). We might also have the chance to stop in some of the border towns like Erfoud and Rissani before reaching our destination, the small Saharan settlement of Merzouga, where we will enjoy a demonstration of medfouna (also called "Amazigh pizza"), a traditional stuffed bread prepared with meat, herbs, and spices by the nomadic populations of the High Atlas. Traditionally made by women to feed the local agricultural workers, this hearty delicacy is an excellent introduction to the cuisine of the desert region. Later we will leave our luggage at an inn to ride camels to the edge of the Sahara Desert, enjoying a spectacular sunset along the way. The dunes are stunning, especially as the evening light plays on them and highlights their colors. Tonight's dinner will be at our desert camp and will consist of a traditional Moroccan soup, tagine, and seasonal fruit.

After breakfast, we get ready for a scenic journey filled with breathtaking landscapes, heading towards the M'Goun valley. The journey will take us past ancient ruins of the kasbah, former colonial military outposts, stark mountains, and valleys of palm trees and irrigated fields. Tonight's dinner will consist of an Amazigh tagine prepared in a traditional terracotta pot cooked over an open fire.

While the early morning offers the chance to explore the nearby souk in the village of Kelaat M'gouna or to observe Moroccan bread-making techniques, today's adventure will take us on foot to explore the beauty of this largely untouched Moroccan hinterland. Accompanied by a local guide, we'll cross the Amazigh villages, meeting the local people along the way. We'll take a slightly undulating but not too challenging path (if you have a basic level of fitness). The walk lasts about 3 hours and the scenery is definitely worth it! Cross agricultural lands and discover the crops grown in the region, which we will experience firsthand during this evening's plant-based dinner. Tomatoes, beans, nuts, almonds, figs, apples, and grapes are all cultivated in the M'Goun valley, which you might enjoy in the tagine, couscous, Moroccan soup, and seasonal fruit dishes.

Today we head towards our final destination: Marrakech. Along the way, we stop at a women's cooperative, where they produce locally grown argan oil. An endemic product of Morocco and used for both culinary and cosmetic purposes. We will be able to see the trees that produce the argan oil and learn about the extraction process by the workers. We will discover how it is used and all its benefits before continuing to Marrakech. Upon our arrival, the local guide will take us on a walk and a tasting tour in the medina. For the rest of the day, we will have free time to explore the vibrant Marrakech at night.

Let's start this day by learning to prepare the magnificent Moroccan salads, a staple of the table, at the extraordinary Amal Women's Cooking Center, a non-profit organization that empowers women through culinary skills and education, then feast on your creations for lunch. The afternoon is free to explore the city's attractions: you might stop by the Koutoubia Mosque or the beautiful Bahia Palace. In the evening, perhaps climb the stairs of one of the surrounding restaurants for a view from above or return to the medina for shopping, where every step brings a new scent, a new sight, or a new gift to purchase. In the evening, you might join your group for a farewell dinner.

Our culinary adventure through Morocco concludes this morning. If you wish to extend your stay, you can take the opportunity to stroll through the tropical gardens of the French painter Jacques Majorelle or return to the medina. The Saadian Tombs are another gem of the medina that was recently discovered. Make sure to take a break from the hustle and bustle to sip some tea or eat a tagine, and for those who are interested, there will be the possibility to join optional activities, such as: A day tour to the Ouzoud Falls or a relaxing luxury spa, with hammam and massages.