CAMELS & KASBAHS FAMILY HOLIDAY

Itinerary

• Flight Inclusive itinerary
• Land Only itinerary

Day 1

Depart London; arrive Ouarzazate late evening.

Day 2

In the morning we visit the Atlas Studios where many famous films have been made. Some of the sets still remain for our exploration but please note that we are not allowed to visit when there is a film in production. Then we then head south along the Draa Valley, a huge palmery containing over four million palm trees, edged by many ksours (fortified villages.) At one point we stop to take a guided walk around one of the palmeries before making our way to our permanent Bedouin camp near Tazzarine.

Day 3

We get up early and partake in a four-hour camel trip through the desert. Riding a camel is a fun experience although it can be a bit bumpy and sore after a while! After our camel safari, we head for a converted kasbah at N'kob, which has a swimming pool. We will stay in the communal tents around the kasbah and will be served traditional Bedouin food.

Day 4

After sunrise we head back up the Draa Valley past Ouarzazate to the well-preserved kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, one of the most spectacular sights of the Atlas and made famous as the location of several Hollywood films, including 'Gladiator'.

Day 5

We continue our journey into the High Atlas Mountains, branching east along a mountain valley which brings us to the amazing fortress/palace of Telouet. Once, the mountains were controlled by feudal clans and the most powerful of these were the Glaoui and this was their residence. Their power stretched across Morocco and into Europe and they even toppled a French Premier in the early 20thCentury. Now Telouet stands abandoned and crumbling, and we can only take a look at this labyrinthine, fairy-tale structure from the outside. A short drive later we leave our bus and take a 1.5 hour picturesque walk on a gentle gradient to our gîte, where we spend the night (our bags will be transported separately to the gîte for us).

Day 6

In the morning we can take an optional 3-4 hour walk. We stroll through the villages of the Tijhza Valley, passing fields cultivated by the Berber women with the peaks of the High Atlas as a fitting backdrop. We will also visit a local school that Exodus is supporting. We leave the gîte in the afternoon, walking back to our bus, and then have a scenic drive over the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. The main pass, the Tizi'n'Tichka, which at 2260m is the highest road pass in Morocco, is spectacular and there are some wonderful views of the mountains (journey time approximately 4 hours). This evening, we can visit the Djemma el Fna, the open-air central square around which Marrakech revolves. The name literally means 'place of death' as it was the place where the Sultans used to display the heads of their enemies. Now, with the foodstalls, snake charmers, water-sellers, travelling musicians and acrobats, the square is a place of entertainment for both Moroccan and overseas visitors.

Day 7

This morning we go on a guided tour of the 'pink city' of Marrakech when we can soak up the atmosphere of this bustling and vibrant city with its maze of bazaars, palaces and mosques. In the afternoon there is free time to simply potter around the souks, visit the more peaceful Jardin Majorelle or maybe to take a hammam (steam bath).

Day 8

Finish Marrakech after breakfast.Fly to London.