Morocco school trip · 10 days
Project in the Mountains
Ten days in Morocco: a three-day community project in the High Atlas, a Marrakech cooking class and camel trekking on the Atlantic coast to Essaouira.
About this trip
This great adventure takes us to the mountain peaks, colourful cities, and dramatic Atlantic coastline of Morocco. We bargain hunt in bustling bazaars and journey deep into the Atlas Mountains to spend time with the Berber people, helping with a community project. We learn to cook traditional Moroccan tagines in Marrakech, visit the sleepy, laid-back coastal town of Essaouira, and trek along the wild Atlantic coast. This trip is a superb introduction to North Africa and offers an experience that, although only a few hours by plane, feels a million miles away from home.
Trip highlights
- Three days of project work in a High Atlas Berber village
- Cooking class in Marrakech
- Imlil and the foothills of the Atlas mountains
- Camel and foot trekking along the Atlantic coast
- Two days in the fortified port town of Essaouira
Your recommended itinerary, with the meals included on each day.
- 1
Day 1
Arrive Marrakech
Meal included: dinner
We fly from the UK to Marrakech and transfer to our hotel. Depending on the time of the flight, we have a late afternoon walk into the markets where we begin to acclimatise to the heat and discover that the short flight has brought us to a completely different world.
- 2
Day 2
Marrakech, Cooking class, Imlil Atlas Mountains
All meals included
We head out and visit the souq and mix with the locals as we buy the ingredients for our lunch — the meat, vegetables, herbs, and spices that form the basis of Moroccan cuisine. During our hands-on cookery class, the chef teaches us how to make traditional dishes that are central to Moroccan cuisine. For lunch, we savour the gastronomic delights of our morning cookery class — well worth paying close attention to! After lunch we journey into the mountains to a small village and hike into the Imlil valley, which has great views of Morocco’s tallest mountain, Mount Toubkal. We have a short hike this afternoon from the roadhead to our base for the next few days — a typical Berber mountain village set deep in the Atlas Mountains. Life has changed little here over the years, and our hosts take us on a guided tour of the village where we spend the next three days working on a variety of projects. Accommodation in the village is a simple village house or ‘gite’.
- 3–5
Days 3–5
Project Work
All meals included
The next three days are set aside as specific project working days – the exact nature of the project will depend on what the local community needs at the time of our visit. There is a village association that meet to discuss this and put forward suggestions. It is often the case that we won’t have exact details of the project work until a month or two before our arrival. Previous groups have built incinerators, repaired footbridges and paths, planted cacti on the hills to prevent soil erosion and laid water pipes and drainage ditches. Whatever we end up doing, these days spent among the villages of the Atlas Mountains in the company of local families will be an undoubted highlight of our time in Morocco.
- 6
Day 6
High Atlas to Atlantic Coast
All meals included
Leaving the High Atlas we drive west to the Atlantic Coast, just below Essaouira. Our next few days along the coast will be a mix of camel riding and trekking. The trek along the coast is spectacular and the sea breeze helps to keep the heat at bay. We have a short walk to camp near Sidi Kaouki, at Plage Azou.
- 7
Day 7
Sidi Mbark
After a good night’s sleep we transfer to Iftane, and continue to wind our way along the Atlantic coast with a morning camel trek along the beaches to Sidi Mbark. Our day will be a mix of trekking by foot, and by camel. We will camp again at Plage Azou, within earshot of the crashing waves of the Atlantic.
- 8
Day 8
Essaouira
All meals included
We start our morning with the final section of camel trekking along the beach where we meet our transport. From here there is a short transfer to the town of Essaouira (45 mins). Essaouira is one of Morocco's most attractive coastal cities. The wild waves of the Atlantic crash remorselessly onto the rocky coastline of this old pirate’s hideout. Two fortresses look out over the ocean and on an offshore island stands another even larger castle. We recommend a stroll around the lively old port that is full of colour and points of interest. There is an expansive beach which we can relax on, as well as see the old traditional methods still used to construct the deep-sea fishing boats in the yards next to the harbour.
- 9
Day 9
Essaouira – Marrakech
All meals included
Use the morning to explore this fantastic city further or take some time for some last-minute bargain hunting before heading back to Marrakech where we spend our final night and have a celebratory meal in this vibrant city.
- 10
Day 10
Marrakech to UK
Meal included: breakfast
On our final day in Morocco, we transfer to the airport in time for our international flight back to the UK. Depending on flight schedules, there may be time to buy some last-minute souvenirs.
Itineraries can change with the seasons, local conditions and your group's needs. Ask us and we'll tailor it.
Questions teachers ask about this trip
What does the project involve? Three days in a Berber village in the High Atlas, working on whatever the village association has asked for. Previous groups have built incinerators, repaired footbridges and paths, planted cacti to prevent soil erosion and laid water pipes. Students stay in a simple village house, or gîte.How fit do students need to be? It's a grade 3 trip. There's manual work on the project, hiking around Imlil, and a couple of days trekking on foot and by camel along the Atlantic coast.Is Morocco suitable for younger groups? It's often a good first expedition, as the flight from the UK is only a few hours. Talk to us about your group's ages and we'll help you decide.