November 7: Depart the US.
November 8: Arrive in Marrakech. Meet the group and make the short drive to the old Medina where we will check-in at our luxury Riad for the next three nights. We'll enjoy a welcome dinner celebrating our arrival, then head to bed for a night of rest.
November 9: After breakfast, we'll meet our local guide and go on a walking tour of the historical medina and surround area. We'll visit the souks, Bahia Palace, the Ben Yousef Madrasa and more. We'll learn the history of Morocco and meet artisans selling their wares. We'll enjoy a delicious lunch on a rooftop and then have free time in the afternoon to explore more. We'll visit a garden restaurant for dinner and enjoy live traditional music.
November 10: Our day will begin at Amal Cooking School where we will learn to make savory tagine the traditional way. We'll also enjoy a tea ceremony, learning the perfect blend required for Moroccan mint tea. Amal's mission is to provide a safe and loving space where strong, resilient women can rewrite their narratives and step into their power. We will meet women who's lives have been transformed and hear stories of empowerment. After we enjoy the lunch that we prepared, we'll head over to Project SOAR, another do-good initiative. A community-based program, Project SOAR is helping teen girls rise above gender injustice in Morocco. They are working to end child-marriage, help girls stay in school, and know their value. For dinner, we'll gather at a favorite rooftop restaurant in the Medina.
November 11: Following breakfast, we'll depart Marrakech for our adventure across the High Atlas Mountains. We'll visit the women's argon cooperative learning how the oil is extracted from the kernels of the argon tree, a native species to the region. Esteemed for its rich, nourishing properties, this liquid gold is not only a staple in Moroccan cuisine but also a sought-after ingredient in skincare, known for its hydrating and revitalizing effects. We'll continue on to the valley of a thousand Kasbahs, arriving in the Valley of Dades before sunset. We'll get settled in our hotel and enjoy dinner under the stars.
November 12: We'll journey on toward the Sahara stopping in a traditional Berber village for lunch and a short walk. On the edge of the Sahara, we'll visit a fossil workshop learning about the geological history of this ancient area. We'll arrive at the esteemed Merzouga area of the Sahara and stay in a hotel near the dunes. The Merzouga, is nestled in the heart of the Sahara Desert and is a vast sea of golden dunes, where sunsets paint the sky in hues of orange and pink.
November 13: We'll venture into the desert in 4x4 vehicles, making our way to our luxury tented camp. We'll meet nomads and stop to have tea with them. We'll enjoy live local music and join a caravan of camels that will take us the final way to our camp. Tonight we'll enjoy dinner under a vast sea of stars, far from the light pollution of city-life.
November 14: After a slow morning and breakfast in our desert camp, we'll depart for the ancient town of Errisani where we visit it's old souk looking for treasures. Then we'll dine on Khobza medfouna, also known as Berber pizza, a stuffed flatbread, taking in the views of the nearby Saghro Mountains. We'll make our way through the Draa Valley toward Ouarzazate where we will spend the night.
November 15: We'll visit Ait Benhadou which is the most important Kasbah in southern Morocco, a UNESCO world heritage site and the location for many movies. After lunch, we'll cross the High Atlas Mountains once again as we make our way back to Marrakech for our final two nights.
November 16: On our last full day in Marrakech, we'll enjoy a traditional Hammam experience with a massage, and plenty of free time to do any last minute souvenir shopping and relaxing before the journey home. For our final meal together, we eat at one of Marrakech's rooftop restaurants and reminisce about favorite memories from our journey together.
November 17: Depart for the US.