Moroccan Wanderer | Morocco | Nordhoff

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Experience both village life in the high Atlas Mountains and city life in Marrakech on this cultural service
program. Learn about everyday life in a more remote region of Morocco by working with local
organizations on education, health, and cultural preservation initiatives. These service projects provide
important exchange between our students and locals, while investing positive energy and resources into
the ongoing development projects in rural Morocco. After the village, explore the bustling city of
Marrakech and bargain your way through the famous souqs and streets in the square. Take note of the
stark contrast between urban and rural life before heading back to your home country.

Day 1: Get settled in the High Atlas Mountains

Arrive in Marrakech where your enthusiastic Rustic Pathways leaders will be waiting to meet you outside
of customs. Drive to your community service village where you’ll have a hearty dinner and brief orientation
of the surrounding area. In the evening, come together as a group for an orientation discussion about the
week ahead, expectations in the village, and an introduction to the local culture.

NOTE: If Flights get land after 5pm, we’ll spend the night in Marrakech and won’t drive to the village. For
safety reasons, we do not drive to this specific location when it’s dark.

Day 2 - 4: Community Service Projects

Rise and shine for your first full day in Morocco! Breakfast will be served daily at 7:30am and the group
will have informal language lessons in Moroccan-style Arabic, darija. While we’ll just cover the basics,
making an effort to learn the local language is a great gesture of respect for the local people.

Each morning after breakfast, embark on a short hike to the service projects site. We’ll return to the guest
house for lunch around 1:00 PM each day. After a relaxing qiloola (nap), spend the afternoon continuing
to make headway on the community project before ending the day with another Moroccan feast. All
service projects are carried out in a grass-roots approach after careful consultation with local leaders and
associations in each location. Considering that service initiatives in the village are ongoing, we will be
able to identify our specific service goals right before your program starts.

Some of our nightly activities may include debrief discussions, journaling in your travel notebook, group
games, cultural activities, such as cooking class, and even maybe a traditional hafla (party)! Come
prepared with questions about politics, religion, and Berber culture.
Overnight: Four nights total in the guesthouse of the community service village.

Days 5: Explore Marrakech and the Vibrant Markets

Explore Marrakech and its bustling souqs full of fascinating wares—everything from magic boxes to
ostrich eggs and whale vertebrae. Visit Bahia Palace, and an authentic spice shop. Conclude your day
with dinner in Jemaa El-Fna square. The mosque will sound a call to prayer as smoke from kabob stands
billows overhead in this frenetic market.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with as a
group, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own corner of the world. During or after
their closing discussion on the last night or last morning, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and
powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to
process and share with their communities back home.

Overnights: Marrakech riad.

Day 6 | Departure Day

Sabahul khair (good morning)! Wake up to the sounds of the historic Koutoubia mosque Adhan Pack your
bags and head to the airport for your flight home.
We genuinely hope your time spent here, the experience you’ve shared, and the things you’ve reflected
on will stay with you for a lifetime. Ma’salaama!

Flight details: TBD

Program Details

Program Includes:
● 5 nights of accommodation
● All meals all days
● All ground transportation
● Rustic Pathways fulltime international and local guides
● All activities as detailed in your itinerary
● Rustic Pathways 24-hour emergency support throughout program
● ISOS Global emergency evacuation and medical services
● All airport taxes and departure fees
● All fees, community service donations, and guide tips

An Important Note About Availability and Schedule Changes:

Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time.
Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in
the schedules of various external operators or partner organizations, changes due to weather or safety
concerns, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of a new activity for an old activity.
The itinerary shown here provides our best projection of the daily schedule for this program. As with any
travel program, some changes may occur.