Imperial Morocco Of all the trips to all the towns, you ll want to play this one again! Trip code: Group size: Number of days: SMK 4-24 8 Detailed description Welcome Visit the country s three most beautiful imperial cities, ancient strongholds with maze-like streets surrounded by towering walls. See colourful markets, grand mosques, Koranic schools and ancient palaces. Be inspired by splendid Roman ruins, Morocco s most important pilgrim city and the towering Atlas Mountains. Day to Day schedule Below is a summary of the day-to-day description. Transport Route Overnight stay 1 Casablanca Casablanca 2 Bus Casablanca Hassan II - Rabat - Meknes Meknes 3 Bus Meknes Volubulis - Moulay Idriss - Fès Fès 4 Fès Fès 5 Bus Fès Marrakech Marrakech 6 Marrakech Marrakech 7 Marrakech Marrakech 8 End of tour in Marrakech End of tour Day to Day description
Day 1: Casablanca Welcome to Morocco! Your tour starts in Casablanca, where you can use your hotel room from check in time (12.00 hrs at noon) on day 1. Most of your travel companions will arrive later this first day, the exact time will be depending on their flight schedule. You will meet your English speaking tour leader at 8.00 hrs A.M. on day 2 in the lobby of your hotel but we recommend that you also try and make contact this evening, after 20.00 hrs. You can take the opportunity to explore this diverse city. You will stay overnight in Casablanca. Day 2: Casablanca ± Hassan II - Rabat - Meknes In the morning you can visit the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the worlds second-largest and the only working mosque in Morocco that can be visited by non-muslims. You can only enter the mosque with an organised tour which are run daily (Except Fridays) at 0900, 1000, 1100 and 1400 and costs 120dh per person. We travel for three hours, stopping briefly to see Morocco's capital city, Rabat, before arriving in Meknes, a royal city situated on hills surrounded by orchards and olive groves. The old medina is typical of Morocco s northern cities and the houses have warm ochre-yellow-washed walls and green roof tiles. In the centre of the old city you will find the Place el Hedim, an ideal place to watch the local population going about their business while you enjoy a coffee. Explore the colourful markets filled with fresh produce and souks with beautiful carpets, tiles and Berber silver; lose yourself in the narrow alleys of the Meknes medina! Day 3: Meknes ± Volubulis - Moulay Idriss - Fès Not far from Meknes lies Morocco s holiest place, Moulay Idriss, as well as the remains of Volubilis, the country s main Roman city, this is where the Berber king, Juba II built the first palace aided by a Roman architect in 32 BC before it was taken by the Romans 80 years later. The 8th century town of Moulay Idriss holds the tomb of the founding father of the first Arab Dynasty in Morocco and is built on two hills, between which lies the tomb. We will visit both places on the journey to Fes (the admission fee is not included in the cost of the journey), one of the most exciting cities in the Islamic world with a labyrinth of endlessly winding alleys, up and down, jostling inhabitants, braying donkeys, bright bold colours, swirling scents and a cacophony of noise. There are numerous Koranic schools and mosques in the ancient city. Day 4: Fès It is best to visit Fès with a guide as the old city has retained its essentially medieval character and its winding streets can get very busy. The age-old guild system is still partially in use and the inhabitants are close knit in communities of traders and craftspeople. The decline of this medina in the past century has been associated with an exodus of well-to-do families. For those interested, a daylong excursion can be organized to visit the most essential monuments, under the guidance of an expert local guide. This is an optional excursion that can be booked locally.
Day 5: Fès ± Marrakech During the long and scenic drive to Marrakech we pass the Atlas mountain range en route to the thousand-year old pink city, in the middle of an oasis. Marrakech is unparalleled in the colourfulness of its population and markets. The Djemaa el-fna central square is world-renowned, full of fortune-tellers, storytellers and snake charmers. The old city walls of Marrakech are largely preserved. You can take a tour along the walls in a horse-drawn carriage, which in this city is still a normal means of transport. The city walls conceal mosques, old palaces and sultans tombs like the Bahia palace, the residence of a grand vizier and a magnificent example of AndalusianMoorish architecture. The serene central courtyard contains fountains, a mosaic floor and a garden full of orange trees. Day 6: Marrakech There is an optional half-day excursion to visit the most important monuments, which can be booked locally. Alternatively, for those wishing to escape the bustle of the city, a full-day excursion can be arranged to Imlil, a village in the High Atlas, which has excellent walking. A local guide will accompany you and lunch is included. TIP: You can also, under expert guidance, take a crash course in Moroccan cooking with a lesson in a beautiful Riad. This is a half day excursion and you will naturally get to eat your cooked meal afterwards. Day 7: Marrakech On your final full day in the city, you may like to see the Majorelle Gardens in Marrakech which are filled with rare plants, bright colours and peace and tranquility. The botanical gardens are situated north-west of the Medina of Marrakech, about a 30 minute walk. (Stop by the wholesale market en route to see mountains of dates, grains and nuts being traded). Try to arrive before 10 am, when it starts getting really busy. Day 8: End of tour in Marrakech The last day of your tour. The tour leader and the rest of the group will normally depart early in the morning but you can use your hotel room in Marrakech until check out time (most times at 12.00 hrs noon). We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Morocco. Your personal µmy.shoestring page on our website is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today. When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any posttour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (day 8) is not included. More info What's included:
Accommodation in hotels, including breakfast; visit to Hassan II, Rabat, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss (excluding entrance fees); transportation with AC (mini) bus (only for transfers from hotel to hotel); English speaking tour leader. What's excluded: International flights; all other meals; tips; visas; optional excursions; all entrance fees; airport transfers; booking fee; travel insurance. Travel documents Travelling with the correct travel documentation is your own responsibility. Please ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the finish date of your trip. For Morocco, a visa is not required for many nationalities. You will receive a free entry stamp on arrival, allowing you to stay for up to 3 months. Please check this information in good time before your trip commences as this information is always subject to change. You can check this information through a site such as this one. Accommodation and transport Transport In order to enjoy all the interesting things that we will see along the way, we travel in our own (mini)bus. This makes it possible to make stops as and when we want. Depending on the group size we travel around in one or two minibuses. The buses usually have air conditioning but experience has taught us that it is often more desirable to have the windows open instead of the air conditioning. In addition, on some routes (steep mountain roads) the AC can not be turned on. The bus is non-smoking. The transfers to and from the airport are not included. Any additional transportation costs for optional excursions are not included. Accommodation During this tour we stay in hotels in the two-and three-star category in 2-person rooms usually with private bathroom. You stay on a bed and breakfast basis. In the selection of our hotels, we pay particular care to the location, cleanliness and atmosphere. Most hotels have a restaurant and a roof terrace, courtyard or garden. The check-in/out times at the hotels is usually 12:00. Participants who book individually share a room with another participant. We of course keep in mind that you should share the room with someone of the same sex. If you want a room for yourself, then that can be arranged. You should indicate this when making your booking and you will be charged a single room supplement. Please note: There are only 5 single rooms available per each departure of this tour.
During your trip, it is possible to participate in 'single' excursions offered locally by the tour leader. These excursions are optional. To allow you to plan a budget for your trip we have provided you with an idea of the cost of these excursions. The price can change due to currency fluctuations. The amounts are therefore only meant to give you an indication of the cost. Entrance fees will often change and therefore are excluded from the prices displayed (unless explicitly stated). We display the prices in Euros/GB Pounds/US Dollars. When you are in your destination, it is possible to pay for the excursions in local currency. Single excursions Excursion Details Price Fes - City tour Book at location Fes is the oldest city in Morocco. After breakfast you'll be picked up by bus at the hotel. You see the Royal Palace (from the outside) and walk through the Jewish quarter (the Mellah), where you get to visit the old synagogue and Jewish cemetery. The bus will then take you to the Borj Sud, for a panoramic view of Fes. You'll visit the potteries, where the 'zellije (mosaic) and the blue pottery Fes is famous for, are made. The bus drops you off at one of the entrances to Fes el Bali, the oldest medina in Morocco. On foot and accompanied by the guide you will find your way through the maze of picturesque streets, the medina is a real labyrinth! Along the route there will be regular stops in interesting places, like the coloured (and scented) tanneries, Karouine the mosque, the holy shrine of Moulay Idriss II, a Koranic school, silk weaving and the souks. You may have lunch in the medina (not included). After the tour the bus will take you back to the hotel. Included: English speaking guide, transfers Not included: drinks, lunch, entrance fees, tips 15
Marrakech - City tour (half day, with guide) Book at location Marrakech is also known as the "Red City" because of the terracotta-like colours of the mighty walls and gates. For centuries the city has acted as a trade and exchange center for the surrounding Berber tribes. Even today, this character is preserved in the old town. During this walking tour that takes half a day you visit some interesting places. The Saadian Tombs are among the finest examples of opulent Islamic architecture in Morocco. The tombs date from the late 16th to the 18th century. You also visit the Bahia Palace, a beautiful building with pavilions at the ground floor. This is because the former Grand Vizier Bou Ahmed was very large and could not walk the stairs. The palace was built around 1900. You will also see the Koutoubia Minaret (only outside) and the famous Djemaa el Fna. The square buzzes and moves all around you. Storytellers, fortunetellers, acrobats, musicians, dancers and snake charmers all have their own spots. Behind the square begin the extensive souks, traditional Moroccan markets where everything is for sale, from slippers to spices, to carpets and amulets. You'll visit part of the huge souk. Since a large part of Marrakech is car-free, this excursion is on foot. You see more this way. Included: English speaking guide. Not included: drinks, transfers, entrance fees, tips. 12 Marrakech - Imlil Tour, High Atlas mountains Book at location 37 At 09:00 hours you will be picked up at your hotel. You travel by bus to Imlil, a town in the High Atlas Mountains, at an altitude of approximately 1700 meters. The Berber village is surrounded by mountains of about 4000 meters, with peaks that for a large part of the year are covered with snow. On a clear day you can see the top of the highest mountain in North Africa, Toubkal (4260 meters) from Imlil. In this area is a beautiful walk, which is also in the program. Bring comfortable, well worn walking shoes. You will be accompanied by a mountain guide and will enjoy lunch in a Berber house. The hike takes you over rocky trails, through villages that are tough to see because they are built from the same rock, and dried riverbeds. You will be pampered by beautiful scenery, ravines and valleys of lush green fields. Higher up perhaps you see the girls who collect plants for their goats. At the end of the afternoon you drive back to Marrakech. Note: This tour operates with a minimum of 5 participants. Included: mountain guide, transfers, lunch Not included: drinks, tips
Marrakech: Cooking class Book at location Do you enjoy cooking and love Moroccan cuisine? Not far from the square at Djemaa el Fna a Dutch cooking enthusiast has started a cooking school in a beautiful riad. You meet her or her assistant at 11:00 am on the square and go along the souk in search of the necessary ingredients. You learn the quality of various products. Make sure to look, feel, smell and...to taste! This is very fun to do, because as you shop and stroll through the streets, you experience the Moroccan city life all the better. 47 After shopping, it's time to roll up your sleeves to start work. Under supervision, you will learn at least three Moroccan dishes, think of a tagine (a stew of vegetables, fish or meat dish), or a Moroccan couscous salad. During cooking, there are appetizers, which of course you make! To quench your thirst while cooking you have mint tea and wine. Obviously, you can eat your cooking results afterwards with the other participants. At around 15:30 hours, the course ends. Note: The cooking class will run with a minimum of 6 participants and a maximum of 12 participants. The course is only given on Mondays and Thursdays. Included: assistance with cooking, cooking, home cooked meal and appetizers, unlimited mineral water and mint tea, 2 glasses of house wine, list of recipes Not included: other drinks, tip Festival info News COUNTRY INFORMATION MOROCCO BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Culture The cultural differences between Europeans and Moroccans are so vast that one could write a book about them. Below you will find an overview of the most important points. Moroccans tend to be rather modest, reserved people who will not admit strangers into their private sphere. However, their initial stiffness may disappear very suddenly, and then they are known to display a level of hospitality that is so overwhelming that it makes Europeans feel uneasy rather than honoured. Further on, under the heading Food and Drink, we will go into this deeper. An important distinction in Islam is the one between hallal (that which is in agreement with the Quran) and haram, that which is against the letter or the spirit of Quran. These concepts are used in the first place for food and drink. Alcohol and pork are haram and should not be taken by Muslims. However, the concept is used also in a wider sense. Moroccans attach great value to the amount of respect shown. Age receives respect, as do people who serve society, such as teachers, and people who are devout Muslims. Although as a westerner, you are bound to be a Christian, you can still command respect: be well behaved and you will be treated respectfully. If, however, you behave in a haram way, there is a markedly greater chance that you will be mistreated, or ripped off, or robbed. Being sparsely dressed as a woman, being drunk in public, or showing one s homosexual nature openly are the types of behaviour that are viewed as haram. It is not allowed for Christians to visit mosques in Morocco. An exception is the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, but only during the tours given in daytime, and under special circumstances you can enter any small local mosque you may be invited into. Medersa or Quran schools often are accessible. When you agree to meet at two, you go there at three and wait until four and after another hour or so you go home again, according to a saying about keeping appointments. We come from a highly busy culture in which time is money and appointments need to be kept to the minute, or the day s schedule will be messed up. Moroccans take a different view and it is well accepted to be half an hour late for a social appointment. However, if you make an agreement with a taxi-driver to bring you to the airport, he is sure to understand that he has to be in time. A surprising phenomenon is the Arabic telephone. Moroccans have a much more extensive social network than the average European and they use this in a highly efficient way to keep abreast of the activities of hundreds of people. During a conversation, tens of people may briefly break in. In the tourist cities, the guides and traders use the same system to pass on information on new visitors. Within a few hours, dozens of people know where you are from, in which hotel you are staying and what you bought, and they do like to show you that they know. Besides, they all have relatives and friends who live in the area where you are from. This is a way for them to prove there is a relationship. If this confuses you, remember it is their way to know what you are interested in and which price level they can offer you. If you tell someone that you are in Morocco for the first time and stay at a five-star hotel, they will immediately ask double the amount they will charge someone who says he has been to Morocco before and stays at a simple medium-range hotel. Women and dress Women need to cover themselves as fully as possible, preferably with long sleeves, no low-neck lines and a knee-length skirt. In larger cities such as Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakech you can be less severe. Women with long blond hair would be wise to wear a headscarf if they dislike attracting unpleasant male attention. Only in Agadir and other larger beach resorts is it possible to be less covered. Swimming in a swimming costume or bikini is OK there, however, you cannot wear it on the street. Men can wear shorts (you ll stand out but it is not offensive), but a bare chest is not done. In General Be aware that you are visiting a country where people have different ways. It is not them that behave deviantly; it is you that is different.
Religion La ilaha illa Allah. Muhammudu rasulu Allah. There is nothing godly except God. Muhammad is his prophet. These words form the credo, the shahada - the first and most important of the five pillars or obligations of Islam, the religion of Morocco. The word Islam literally means submission to God s will. Five times daily, a Muslim should sit down in prayer and recite the shahada. Prior to the praying, the face, feet and arms are washed. The ritual of prayer, the salat, is the second pillar. At the times of the salat, a call is heard from the minaret. The other three obligations or pillars of Islam are: to give alms to the poor, or zakat, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, or sawm, and the haj, the pilgrimage to Mekka. These five pillars or obligations are prescribed in the Quran, the Holy Scripture of Islam that was received in the 7th century by the prophet Muhammad, or Mohammed. It is hard to witness Islam in Morocco. Non-believers are welcome in hardly any mosque in Morocco. The Moussems and other religious festivals are more accessible, although even here the most important rituals are screened off. Muslim holy men: An important element in religious life in Morocco is the veneration of the over three thousand saints that have lived in the country, the marabouts and the tombs containing their bodies. In particular in the countryside, the veneration of the marabouts seems to be deeper rooted than the study of the Quran. Numerous characteristics are imputed to them, such as working miracles and healing the sick. The magical power of the marabout also helps to undo witchcraft. The site of a marabout is also the place where prayers are said for a good harvest a place where the power of God, the baraka or life force, is present in concentrated form. The most common shape of a marabout is the qubba, a cubeshaped building with a white conical cupola as its roof. Each marabout has its own moussem, its religious annual festival, during which, believers come to pray, sacrifice, sing, dance and eat. Festivals Markets, dance, music and storytelling The weekly markets brighten daily life in Morocco. Many weekly markets are held in villages at the foot of the mountains, to enable the Berbers from the mountains to sell their produce and clothes and buy industrial goods. These are often places where you will see people in traditional costumes. At festivals, dances are performed in which the women and men dance in separate circles. The dance music is a monotonous repetition of simple melodies, often in question and answer form, with the circle repeating what is sang by the leader. Meanwhile the intensity of the music is steadily increased, through higher volume and faster rhythms. Gradually, the dancers become totally absorbed in the music, and slipping into a trance is not uncommon. Exciting to watch are the performances of the gnaoua, mostly black dancers who perform acrobatic dances to the sound of large drums. They can be seen on Djemaa el-fna square in Marrakech and at the festivals in the southern oases. Storytellers tour the villages and towns going from square to square to dish up thrilling or comical tales. Besides narrated stories, it is common to hear narrative songs, executed to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument, like our medieval minstrels. The Marrakech popular arts festival takes place in mid July at the Palais el-badi for 5 days and features many of the aforementioned dancers, musicians and performers. Islamic festive days As the Islamic calendar is based on the observance of the moon, the festive days are in different days each year. In 20, the Eid al Adha (feast of sacrifice) is on...ramadan, a month of fasting, can be inconvenient for tourists, as many restaurants close and eating and drinking in public is not appreciated. However, tourists are catered for and looked after. It is obvious that it is not wise to eat in front of fasting people. In 2014, Ramadan is from June 28. The Eid al Fitr, the feast marking the end of fasting, is on 28 July. By the way, the Ramadan starts when the new moon is seen. Hence, it can start a day later than announced. Fixed festive days 1 January (New Year s Day), 1 May (Labour Day), 30 July (Throne Day of King Mohammed VI), 14 August (Day of the Territorial Integration of the Western Sahara), 21 August (Birthday of King Mohamed VI), 6 November (Commemoration of the Green March into the Western Sahara), 18 November (Independence Day). Food and drinks Food: Places to eat can be found in all cities and larger villages. They vary from simple snack bars, often for local workers, to chic restaurants in the old palaces of the medinas in the big cities.here you can spend hundreds of dirham on Moroccan haute-cuisine, often in combination with music and dance. In
most of the medium-priced hotels, a limited range of salads, Moroccan and often Spanish or Italian type food is served, usually good enough and for a reasonable price, but nothing special. In the big cities, international restaurant and fast food chains have entered the market. Meat is often the main base of Moroccan cuisine and meat stock is commonly used for soups. Bread is also a staple part of every meal. If you are vegetarian, or have allergies or special dietary requirements you may find your choice is limited, most particularly in rural and more remote areas. Breakfast: Moroccans will often have breakfast consisting of tea, some dates and bread, a cooked egg and some olives. In the hotels, versions of the well-known Continental breakfast are served: French bread, jam, and sometimes croissants or cakes. Almost always fresh orange-juice is served. Lunch and dinner :In Morocco two hot meals are eaten daily: lunch and dinner. The cheapest meal is the filling soup, harira, which is the starter during the fasting month of Ramadan, when people eat together after sunset. It is on all the menus year-round for a couple of dirham, and can always be served quickly as it is always ready. Many food stalls and smaller restaurants sell brochettes - skewers with grilled meat, sausages, meatballs or liver, primarily goat and sheep. These are usually served with French fries and salad for prices ranging between 20 and 40 dirham. Couscous and tajine are the most typical Moroccan dishes. Couscous is the national dish and is never absent on festive days. This dish is made of steamed semolina (crushed grains), served with a stew of vegetables, meat (usually lamb) and spices, in its juices. Tajine is a stew made of potatoes, several types of vegetable and meat on a china plate by the same name with a high ceramic cone fitting over it. Through its height, the tajine works as an oven, as the hot air circulates in the cone. Tajines come in many versions ranging from a simple meal with some potatoes and bony pieces of goat costing maybe 20 dirham in a food stall for market sellers, to a sophisticated dish made of tender lamb, with onions, various vegetables, olives, nuts, and prunes, served in a prettily painted tajine decorated with a silver lining. The taste of the tajine will always be comparable, due to the set of spices used. The size of the tajine is chosen for the size of the company, some of them can feed as many as seven people. The dish is eaten with the right hand or with a fork, and everybody can pick up pieces from the tajine and nibble them, or break the accompanying bread and dip it in the juice and spoon up pieces of vegetable or meat with it. Important festive dishes are mechoui, roast lamb and pastilla, which are eaten primarily in Fès, an oven dish of pigeon and almonds in thin puff pastry. If you want to eat these dishes in a restaurant, you will have to order them a day in advance. A delicious dish, which takes less time to prepare, is poulet au citron tender chicken, simmered with olives and lemon. Sweet food is in good supply. A typical Moroccan desert is beghrir, pancakes with butter and honey, which are eaten during Ramadan, following the harira. Be very careful about eating raw salads. The vegetables are generally rinsed with tap water, and it is the bacteria in this water that gives trouble to most people. To avoid stomach and intestinal problems, make sure you eat only well-cooked and baked food. Drink: Tea is offered everywhere. In shops to make you feel at home and to ease the purchasing, and in every Moroccan house where you are invited. Nana or mint tea is the national traditional drink. It is made using Chinese green tea (usually of the brand Gunpowder), fresh mint leaves and large chunks of sugar that turn the tea into a seriously sweet drink. The brewing of tea is never done hurriedly; it is a ceremony that is performed with some pride. It is recommended to drink only bottled water, and never un-boiled tap water. The tap water is being chlorinated nowadays and is said to be potable in most cities, but still causes many people problems. The water in Meknes is an exception to this rule, for unknown reasons. Sidi Ali or Sidi Harazem are two common brands of mineral water; a 1-litre bottle sells at around 6 dirham. Mineral water is also available in small bottles, which are convenient to take in a daypack. In a restaurant or hotel the price is easily double this amount. Coffee is served with a glass of water, but this is almost always tap water. An excellent alternative is the fresh fruit juices, of which orange juice; grapefruit juice and real lemonade (lemon juice with water and sugar) are the best. Tasty but not very effective to quench thirst are fruit juices from a blender, called panaché such as banana and avocado juice and almond milk. A very sweet delicacy is jus de fraises, whole strawberries in syrup, which is served in the spring. In smaller towns, alcohol is sometimes unavailable. After all, Morocco is an Islamic country, and the few bars for Moroccans tend to be hard to find dark rooms where men sit around tables with empty bottles on them. Moroccans that drink in such places usually are not limiting themselves just to one beer. Most hotels and restaurants that cater for foreigners serve beer and wine. The most common beer brands are Stork and Flag, both are light lagers. Moroccan white wine is simple, light and fruity. Moroccan red wines tend to be of varying quality, from excellent to undrinkable. Recommended wines are Guerrouane (also white), Valpierre (also white) and Cabernet du President.
Tipping On the bills in expensive restaurants and bars, service and (luxury) taxes are included, but still a tip is expected. In cheap places, Moroccans do not give tips, but if you are satisfied you are welcome to leave one. Tipping in hotels and restaurants where you will return to has an extra purpose. As it makes staff much more considerate, it is wise to start tipping early on, rather than when you leave. It is good to realize that wages are low and hardly suffice for a decent living. Five dirham to carry luggage from and to the room is a reasonable tip. In most simple hotels, staff do not carry luggage to the rooms. Bus drivers also expect a tip for driving around a group, if they did a good job. A good measure here is 75-100 dirham per day (per group). The travel guide will also expect a tip at the end of the trip, if he/she has done well. Shoestring pays the guides a salary that is comparable to what is paid by other adventure travel companies; however, this is low. We recommend a tip of about 1-2 per day (per person in the group). Weather and climate Climate: Morocco has various different climate zones. The Atlantic coast and the northerly hill country, in which Meknes and Fès are situated, enjoy a warm sea climate with limited precipitation throughout the year. The higher mountain areas can get rather chilly. In summer, the days are hot here, and the nights are nice and fresh. In the south of the country, both Marrakech and the region behind the High Atlas have very limited precipitation, hot summers and large differences in temperature between day and night. The temperature in the Atlas Mountains is around zero from January till March, while the heat in the desert can reach temperatures of around 50 degrees in July and August. Best time to travel: In general, the spring and the autumn offer a highly pleasant climate. Population Berbers and Arabs: Morocco has a population of an estimated 32 million. Forty per cent are Berbers who speak a Berber dialect as their mother tongue. The others speak Arabic. The Berber dialects are alike in three respects: they are all related to ancient Egyptian, they have a pure oral tradition with no written language, and are spoken predominantly by people living in or behind the mountains. Berbers from the Rif do not understand Berbers from the south and even over short distances; the dialects can be so different that people have to revert to Arabic to converse. All Berber dialects are interspersed with Arabic words. In 2004, written Berber (Tifinar) was introduced to a number of schools in Morocco. Arabic is a much more complicated language, with its own script a language extensively used for science and literature, and the language in which the Quran, or Koran, was written. It is spoken in the whole of Northern Africa and the Middle East and inhabitants of Morocco will have no trouble understanding a national of Lebanon or Oman. The opposition Berber-Arab largely coincides with that between simple village dwellers who derive their identity from belonging to a common tribal group, and the more developed inhabitants of the Moroccan cities. Large parts of Morocco up to this day are too remote and inhospitable to reach. Life here is hard and people live a simple and isolated lifestyle within their tribal group. Their lineage often originates from a male ancestor, the marabout. It is in these remote areas that the Berber culture has been best conserved a specific dialect and traditional costume, a life that is ruled by customary law and a clear tribal identity. The backbone of their religion is not in reciting Quran verses but in venerating a marabout. For centuries, the Berbers have had to defend themselves against each other and against the legions of the ruling Sultans, who often cruelly massacred them, mounting spears with their heads on top on the city walls. The most characteristic aspect of the Berber language may well be the tradition of oral history that is kept alive to this day. A language without a script relies on storytelling to pass down over the generations what is central in their thinking. Today on the Djemaa el- Fna square in Marrakech, you can see how everyday, listeners crowd together around the storytellers, spell-bound by their fantastic stories. In Berber culture, storytelling carries a lot of weight. To persuade a Berber, it is more important that you are a fluent speaker who can utter a harmonious flow of words, than dishing up a wealth of facts. Another remarkable group is that of the Haratin, the black inhabitants of the southern oases. They, too, have been brought up speaking a Berber dialect, although they are not part of a Berber clan. The Haratin are placed low in the hierarchy and rarely intermarry with other groups. Probably, they are older residents than the Berbers however, they could also have descended from black people who accompanied the caravans from the south, as traders or as slaves. Sultan Moulay Ismail imported over ten thousand people from black Africa to bodyguard him, following the example of the Ottoman Sultans. In Marrakech it is the Haratin who you can see performing acrobatics and dances to gnaoua rhythms.
Landscape Morocco is located in the northwestern corner of Africa. The African continent is separated from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar. At the narrowest point, a mere 14km divides these two vastly different worlds. On the west coast along the Atlantic Ocean, you find the Meseta, the low-lying fertile coastal plain bordering the Atlantic Ocean, which gets so much rain that it is virtually entirely farmed. It is also home to the main cities: the big port of Casablanca, the capital Rabat, the royal cities of Fès and Meknes and the exotic royal city of the south, Marrakech. In the east, three widely different mountain ranges form a giant barrier against the Sahara Desert. These are, from northeast to southwest, the Middle Atlas, the High Atlas and the Anti Atlas. While the first two mountain ranges and the Rif Mountains came about in the Tertiary, as a consequence of the collision between the European and African continental plains, the Anti Atlas range is much older one of the oldest in the world actually. Fossils found in the younger mountain ranges prove that the Rif, Middle Atlas and High Atlas were pushed up from the sea bottom. The High Atlas range towers high above the other mountain ranges, with the Jbel Toubkal (4,167m, 13,750ft) as North Africa s highest peak. To the east and south of these mountains lies the mighty Sahara Desert, interrupted by the occasional green oasis along rivers rising in the High Atlas. Background Info Livelihoods Morocco is still very much an agricultural country, with almost half of the population depending on agriculture and livestock husbandry for a living. In the western coastal plain and along the Souss River, there is some modern large-scale agriculture producing for exports, but the larger part of production is still derived from peasant farmers. They produce predominantly for their own family, selling the rest at the local market. Among the activities on the farms is agriculture, animal husbandry, spinning yarn and processing it into clothing, blankets and carpets. Among the main agricultural products are wheat, millet/sorghum, oats, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, melons, tomatoes and vegetables. In the mountains, small quantities of nuts, plums, apples and pears are grown, and the oases offer a great number of dates. Livestock numbers include 20 million sheep, roughly 5 million goats and 3 million cows. Also, poultry is held everywhere, in particular chickens and turkeys. Up to this day, hundreds of thousands of donkeys, mules and to a lesser extent horses and camels provide the means of transport. Officially, the agricultural sector contributes a mere 15% of the national product, but this includes only the traded part of the harvest. Along the coast, fishing is an important livelihood base, and Moroccan fishermen bring home the biggest catch of sardines in the world. The main fishing ports are Tangier, Casablanca, El Jadida and Agadir. Thanks to the large sediments of phosphates, the mining of this ore makes Morocco the largest producer in the world. Phosphates are used to make artificial fertilizer. Small amounts of natural gas, coal and oil exist as well, although the amounts produced are nowhere near the country s needs. Even with water, the country has severe shortages at most times of the year. The past decade was the wettest ever in recorded history, and for the first time in ages the groundwater level has gone up instead of down. Approximately one sixth of the population earn a livelihood in industry and crafts. The industrial sector is simple and processes mainly raw materials from agriculture, fisheries and phosphates mining. Building products for residential construction, such as bricks, cement and concrete iron, are important in a country where the population keeps growing. For tourists, handicrafts are interesting. Morocco has one of the most varied craft product ranges on offer in the world, a sector that has almost disappeared in the more developed economies. Carved leather, painted china, silver and golden jewellery, processed wood and tiles are among the most important products in this sector. By now, a considerable banking sector has come about and other services are beginning to develop. The tourism sector in particular provides a good number of jobs and hard currencies, but it is not the stable and reliable motor of the economy the country would hope for. As a result of the Gulf War, tourism came to a nearly complete halt, although strong growth has occurred since. Likewise, the Islamic attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001 caused a major blow. The population is incredibly friendly and does not bear a grudge against foreigners, as we can attest from our travelling experiences recently. Apart from tourism, the money transferred by hundreds of thousands of relatives living abroad is of great importance to the country s economy. Architecture The central place for prayers in an Islamic country is the mosque, where believers come together to pray and listen to preaching, particularly on Fridays. In Morocco these holy places are rarely open to nonbelievers. The structure and layout of a mosque is based on a common pattern, that of the prophet s house in Mekka. From the outside, the minaret is the most conspicuous element of the mosque. From
this tower, a call for prayer is issued. In Morocco, the square minaret of the 800 years old Koutoubia Mosque has served as the model for many minarets, including those of the modern Hassan II Mosque. The most important religious buildings that allow access to non-believers are the Quran schools or Medersa (medressas). In these often richly decorated buildings, theology and Islamic law have been taught from the early days of Islam. The most beautiful examples of these medressas originate from the Merinidian Period. Marrakech, Meknes and in particular Fès are home to the most important of these. Highly characteristic for all buildings in Morocco are the tiny windows and doors - the consequence of the extreme heat and cold and the need to defend. In large parts of the country, the agadir played a central role in the village. The agadir is a mostly square fortress with thick walls and turret holes, which served as a fortified warehouse for grain, weapons and valuables, as stables for the animals and in times of siege, as a refuge for the villagers. More often than not, the agadir is also a marabout, a grave of a saint. The spiritual protection is convenient. The most conspicuous building in the mountains and Southern Morocco is the ksar (plural: ksour), a rectangular, loam fortress with battlements and defence towers at each corner. Some of the ksour are known to have held up to a hundred families, the equivalent of more than 1000 people. Often the word kasbah comes up in this context. Kasbah is the generic name for all forms of fortified residence that exist in Morocco. Art and crafts Islam rendered visual art in a western sense, paintings, drawings and sculptures, virtually impossible, through the ban on depicting people and animals. Only literature manifests more freedom. Creativity has found its outlet in the decoration of buildings and domestic objects. When it comes to the embellishment of everyday utensils such as pots and pans, jewellery, furniture and carpets, Morocco ranks among the most remarkable countries. In the whole of Africa there is no country that has such a vivid tradition in arts and crafts! When you visit this country you will be delighted to stroll around the workshops and admire the carpets, jewellery, china and worked leather objects made there. PRACTICAL INFORMATION Arrival information It is wise to take it easy the first day you are in Morocco. Take time to acclimatize. The change of climate and culture can have quite an impact. Let the country and the atmosphere sink in, and do not plan much for the first day. That way you will be ready to take in this beautiful country at its best. Time differences Morocco operates on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This means that throughout most of the year the time in Morocco is the same as in the UK. This is not the case during the summer period when it is 1 hour behind.
Money Money: The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). At the start of 2010, one euro was approx. 11,11 dirham. For the latest conversion rates, look at www.oanda.com. The dirham is made up of 100 centimes. There are coins worth 5, 10, 20 centimes, and 1/2, 1, 5 and 10 dirham, and notes worth 20, 50, 100 and 200 dirham. In the major cities, using the bigger notes is no problem, but it is not wise to bring only 200 dirham notes when visiting oases or small villages. Always have coins at hand. Banking: We advise you to withdraw the larger part of your budget from one of the many cash machines now in Morocco. Do take care that the symbol on the cash machine matches the one on your card. Make sure you have enough dirham on you for when you will not be in a larger city for a few days. You can also take traveller s cheques or cash. Traveller s cheques are protected against theft but can sometimes be difficult to change, particularly outside major city centres. Hefty commission for changing travellers cheques can also be applied, so always have some hard currency as back-up.. Of course you can also change pound or euro notes in the larger tourist places. It is also possible to withdraw money with a credit card, but is relatively expensive. They can be useful in the more upmarket hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. NB: American Express cards are not widely accepted in Morocco. Please note Scottish Pound notes, Canadian Dollars and Australian Dollars are often not recognised in Morocco and can be difficult to change. Pounds Sterling, Euro or US Dollars are the best currencies to carry. Bargaining To arrive at a reasonable price, you will generally have to bargain in shops, markets but also for taxis. (However, taxis are obliged to have a meter with night rates.) In particular when buying more expensive souvenirs, you will have to allow time (preferably a few days, for half an hour a day). Your opening bid will typically be one third of what the salesman asks. However, this does not apply to gold, silver and gemstones, as here the margins are much smaller. It is important to understand that the salesman will first try to estimate how much he can ask. Sometimes, salesmen ask a ridiculously high figure. In that case, it is best not to start bargaining but just to walk away. It is also good to note that until you have mentioned a price, it is easier to step out of the bargaining process than after you have done a bid. You can feel tremendously pressurized to buy, but remember that the salesmen are among the best actors in the country, so whichever emotions they come up with, make sure you come out with your best result. Two other hints to boost your bargaining success: when you really like something, do not show it but express a mere casual interest, almost lack of it. Also, it makes things easier to first ask yourself what value you attach to the object in question and go for that price, rather than wanting to pull off the lowest possible price. Pocket money The pocket money we recommend is the minimum to pay for your meals, drinks, optional excursions, entry fees, local airport taxes and tips. Clearly, the amount that you spend depends on your personal purchasing behaviour, and for this reason expenditure on souvenirs is not included in the recommended pocket money. We suggest an amount of 200-250 per week.
Luggage and clothing Bring a pair of well worn-in walking boots and a pair of flip-flops - that is all your feet will need. In the months of April to October, summer clothing and a sweater for cool evenings will do perfectly. In the winter months (from December to February), evenings, nights and mornings can be cold, especially in the north, the mountains and the desert. When travelling in this period, take a warm jacket, rain gear and a fleece jacket. It is wise to bring a good pair of sunglasses from home, in Morocco these are expensive. Otherwise, remember the following: sun-tan lotion and after-sun lotion, disinfectant gel, toiletries, travel first-aid kit, hat or scarf, camera or video camera, (spare) camera batteries or film, penlight, pocket knife (do not put in hand luggage during the flight!), lighter, a small amount of snacks or sweets that are individually packed, alarm clock, towel, pen and paper, books, valid passport, sufficient cash, copies of passport and travel insurance (keep separately from the originals), air tickets, a travel insurance pass with the emergency number, diary with important addresses, travel guide. Please pack in a canvas bag or a backpack, not a hard suitcase, as those are inconvenient to transport. Bring, a small daypack or a shoulder bag for your daily hand luggage. To keep your cash and papers safe, take a money belt to wear underneath your clothes. In Morocco, women are not supposed to go out in showy clothes. Better to wear skirts and pants below the knee and shirts and t-shirts with (short) sleeves. For ladies, a hat or headscarf is also advisable, and it protects you against the sun. Following this dress code will keep you from attracting unwanted attention from Moroccan men. Outside the big cities, women are not supposed to walk around alone. Electricity Morocco has 220 volt, 50-hertz alternating current. Power-cuts are rare. In the High Atlas, the Jbel Siroua and the Jbel Saghro some villages do not yet have power. Safety Crime: Morocco is not an unsafe place per se and tourists are only sporadically affected by crime. Most people are honest, however, the average income is now less than one tenth of that of people in Western Europe. For many, it is not easy to get by. Tourists regularly become the victims of pickpockets in the big cities. Besides, clever swindlers operate in the country. In general, you can be sure you have met a crook, when someone sits next to you on a pavement café and starts a conversation, and you happen to run into the same person again in another place, where he asks a small favour. It may be the person is trying to find out where you keep your money, to enable an accomplice to rob you soon after. Do not change a large note in someone s presence, and have some small change ready to pay for your coffee, rather than pull out an ostentatious purse or wallet. Do not leave valuables in hotel rooms; keep money, passport and other important papers in a flat money-belt close to your skin or ask reception to lock them away, so not to tempt pick-pockets. Women travelling: Some Moroccan men view European women in a different way. The traditional image of a Moroccan woman is that of a covered person avoiding the looks of men in order not to rouse their desires. From this point of view, a woman does not belong on the street unless accompanied by a chaperon (this may be a child). Most women from Western Europe do not reflect this image, nor do a growing number of Moroccan women from the major cities in Morocco. Some guys may take a short skirt or eye contact to be an invitation to make overtures. Those who do not want to run the risk would be wiser to travel with a companion. In case someone makes unwanted advances, be sure to act in a very assertive and clear way, but without being offensive. Particularly in a busy place, chances are that those around you will support you. Health Below is a general primer on health for all our trips to the Middle East (Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Syria and Jordan). If some attention is paid to hygiene and skin care, one should enjoy good health, apart from some harmless intestinal problems. Food and Drink :Tap water is not suitable for drinking; it is better to drink mineral water. In small eatingplaces, it is better not to order salads or fruits that have been prepared in advance. In the cities, it is wise to eat in busy places. Do not eat ice creams, except in expensive restaurants. Wash your hands well before eating, even if it is a snack. Sun and Heat :Sunburn can be a major source of problems. The sun is bright and temperatures can