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CULTURAL FESTIVALS MOROCCO

Discover the cultural richness of Morocco through our alternative group getaways (signature trips, music and folklore festivals and tailor-made trips). We offer proposals for conscious tourism and cultural immersion throughout the Moroccan geography and, especially, in the Sahara Desert, in addition to cooperating with the society of Merzouga for the development of the cultural and feminine sector.

DESERT CARAVAN EXPERIENCE (SERVICES)

DESERT CARAVAN EXPERIENCE

Specialists in tailor-made getaways to the Merzouga desert (Our services)

CONNECTION TO THE MERZOUGA DESERT (from FEZ or MARRAKECH)

We advise you so that your experience is unique and unforgettable and always adapted to your economic needs or travel preferences. - Public transportation (Company "Supratours" from Fez or Marrakech). - Minibus (shared or for groups of travelers). - Car rental (for a more free and personal experience): we can also offer you an accompanying driver service in this case for previously arranged journeys. - Private transportation "minivan" or van with driver (shared or exclusive for groups). - 4x4 with driver/guide

DROMEDARY CARAVAN and SUNSET WALK

Enjoy a camel ride enjoying an unparalleled atmosphere of lights and textures at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dune complex. 2 options: - Camel ride, snack while we enjoy the sunset and return by camel to the riad. - Travel by camel to the camp/oasis to spend the night in the dunes and return in the morning. The return time will be agreed according to the season of the year (adapting to the climate and temperature).

DREAM NIGHT IN THE DESERT and AMAZIGH PARTY

Enjoy a magical night in the desert! We offer different possibilities adapting to your needs: - Khaima in camp (depending on the standing you prefer, we will provide you with the rates): these are located near the riads or around the dune complex of the imposing Erg Chebbi or the nearby Erg Snegui. - Oasis in the Erg Chebbi dunes: offers basic amenities (toilet, kitchen, communal terrace/dining area, shared khaimas and tents). In summer it is 100% advisable to do a bivouac.

TRADITIONAL RIADS

In the Merzouga desert and its surroundings there are numerous accommodation options in traditional riads: lodges at the foot of the dunes, with beautiful views from mounds, in the vicinity of the Black Desert and its stony surroundings full of fossils, in the center of Merzouga, large luxury hotel complexes...Tell us your preferences and we will advise you to stay in the hotel best suited to your needs.

TRADITIONAL HOUSE RENTAL

If you prefer the autonomy of having your own rented house, the privacy with your partner or group of friends, cooking your own food, living immersed in the neighborhoods of the Amazigh community, setting a personalized pace of travel... this is your option!

LIFE and CUSTOMS: THE AMAZIGH FAMILY

We suggest you practice a full cultural immersion in the daily habits and customs of an Amazigh family: making bread, baking it in community ovens, the humility of life in the neighborhoods, sharing an exquisite couscous or tagine in the traditional style, tasting an 'atay' and enjoy a pleasant time talking, get a henna tattoo,... in short... stop time and feel the present moment.

VISIT TO RISSANI MARKET

The market city of Rissani will captivate you with its busy atmosphere on the busiest days: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; and it will transport you to past times. A varied spectacle of smells, colors and textures. Fresh products from the region, spices, natural remedies, crafts, dust, smoke (the relative order in the perfect chaos)... Dates are the main protagonists of the souk along with non-motorized transport, the donkeys. In Rissani we can see a curious example of a large parking area for donkeys and, also, the use to this day of collective means of transport with carts and mules. Another of the city's charms are the street food stalls where you can also taste the traditional Berber pizza, the madfouna. Rissani is the marketing center par excellence of the desert area and is surrounded by an extensive palm grove (Tafilalet oasis), in addition to housing ancient adobe ksars. It also stands out for preserving tiny archaeological remains of the ancient city of Sijilmassa, important for constituting an essential stop on the historic caravan routes through the Ziz valley, without forgetting the existence of the mausoleum of the saint Moulay Ali Cherif, founder of the dynasty. Alawite from Morocco.

A GREAT FOSSILIZED SEA

The territory between Erfoud and Rissani, around the Merzouga desert, as well as the Taouz area in the direction of Zagora by track, is of unparalleled wealth in terms of fossil remains. You can visit museums, cooperatives or stores, but you can also choose to do field work directly prospecting the territory with the help of experts and scholars like Moha Mezane. In this way, we can reconstruct, from archaeological science, the history of the prehistoric landscape of the area of the so-called Black Desert.

KHAMLIA - GNAOUA TRADITION - SAHARA BLUES BAND

The town of Khamlia, which we can find on the Merzouga road towards Taouz, constitutes a precious historical and cultural example of a past marked by caravan routes and the movement of slaves of Sudanese origin. These settled in this nucleus that stands as a safeguard of the healing traditions of Gnaoua music and dance, a spiritual culture, the Bambara, that was assimilated to the beliefs of Islam and that connects us with the ecstasy of liberation and the trance Ancestral traditions that have mutated according to the migrations of their people until they adopt their current essence in symbiosis between animism, Sufism and the cultural substrate of the Amazigh territory (Ait Khabach tribe) in which they are based. Many people come to Khamlia to benefit from the effects of its music and dance since those known as "sand doves", with their healing practice, are considered possessors of the gift of baraka. With Cultural Festivals Morocco you We also offer the possibility of connecting with the musical style of desert touareg blues. Some of our friends at Khamlia belong to the band Sahara Blues and can prepare a magical evening for us with dinner and live music (only for large groups of travelers, with prior reservation) in the courtyard of Dar Gnaoua. An always attractive proposal for musicians with concerns to be able to share experiences and end up promoting a wonderful jam session fusing styles, hearts and letting ourselves be carried away by the fluidity of the present and improvised feeling.

4x4 EXCURSIONS

If you want to experience the authenticity of the desert, you cannot do without taking a 4x4 excursion with a local expert guide. There are multiple possibilities: a fast-paced safari through the dunes that will fill you with adrenaline, a visit to the nomads who live in perfect balance with the territory and its resources, the oasis of Saf Saf, the ancient kasbah of Taouz and its tumuli and prehistoric engravings. , the historic mining center of Mefis near the border with Algeria, Erg Snegui, Lake Dayet Srij where you can occasionally see flamingos or Lake Yasmina, the Portuguese prison in the vicinity of Rissani, the sample of style architecture Land Art near Erfoud, the Jorf khettaras, visiting the Merdani ksar, panoramic view of the Tafilalet oasis from the stony mountains of the Rissani palm grove with its small villages and marabouts,... Authenticity, landscapes, total cultural immersion, adrenaline... .the reality of the desert awaits you! Discover it from its insides! Photograph provided by Youssef Ait Bahaddou ("Desert expert").

QUADS OR BUGGIES RENTAL

Do you have a few hours free? Do you love to experience strong sensations? We put you in contact with trusted companies in Merzouga so that you can take an excursion through the dunes and their surroundings, always accompanied by an expedition guide, who will provide you with total security. Enjoyment is guaranteed!

LOCAL CRAFTSMANSHIP

The desert area is rich in material culture. Traditional clothing embroidered with bright colors and African prints, the common embroidered black veils worn by women in the region, ahroy for celebrations, intertwined belts, turbans, goldwork with symbols of the Touareg tribes (crosses of Agadez), fibulas, bracelets, hands of Fátima (tafaust), fashion accessories to decorate the head from the three large Amazighen tribal areas existing in Morocco, rings with the tifinagh alphabet, etc... If you want to immerse yourself in the world of local crafts and trades, Rissani is the best option. Each area of the market specializes in the manufacture of items for everyday use: the blacksmiths' area, the shoemakers' area, kitchen items made of wood (ladles, bowls...), stalls where we can find authentic relics, ceramics , etc... In Merzouga we also find the Tismarte Women's Cooperative where we can purchase traditional designs of Amazigh clothing and accessories, as well as garments with an innovative touch without losing the essence and tribal style. We like to bet on this cooperative option since it constitutes a center for the empowerment of desert women through their training and introduction into the world of work. All their products are original and made in-house. If you are attracted to the visual arts, and specifically painting, we recommend a visit to the atelier and gallery "Chez les artistes" of Johanna and Lahcen Mahmoudi in the town of Khamlia.

THE MONTH OF WEDDINGS IN THE DESERT ("TAMGHRA TAMAZIGHT")

Starting at the end of August and during the month of September, wedding celebrations in the desert are very common, which usually last three days in which different symbolic acts take place to consummate the definitive union between the spouses and their families. . If you travel in September through the Merzouga region, it will be truly enriching to coincide with one of the festive events that take place during weddings, one of the most emblematic, the ahidous. Many times these events are open to the public despite not having an explicit invitation to attend. If so, we must never forget our attitude of respect and our appreciation towards such examples of local culture.

RECREATION OF THE WIZARDS OF THE EAST

Do you want to experience a magical night with the little ones in the family in the Desert? We can't think of a better occasion than to get involved in a Christmas reenactment of Their Majesties the Three Wise Men of the East. An unforgettable getaway to the Sahara in a luxury camp with all the comforts and every detail considered to make the stay a unique and special moment. Traveling and discovering is the best gift!

SANDBOARDING: SURFING THE DUNES

If you are attracted to snowboarding, in the desert you have a sandy paradise to adapt this modality, enjoy your best descents and have a good laugh with your companions while together you enjoy the sunset.

TREKKING THROUGH THE DUNES

For all those travelers sensitive to the animal cause who prefer to walk through the dunes until they reach the Oasis to spend the night, we offer you the possibility of opting for this option in which we will dispense with camels as a means of transport. We can also combine round trips to the Oasis in a different way, alternating motorized transport (4x4 excursion) and trekking. Finally, if you would like to experience a full immersion in the desert (nomadic life and customs) we can make a plan for several days trekking through the dunes, picnics, night in khaima, visiting the nomads... We adapt with total flexibility to your tastes and preferences.

100 % VEGGIE OR VEGAN

We recognize that Morocco is a country in which meat abounds in its dishes, but if you want to come with us to the desert we will consider the vegetarian or vegan alternative for each traveler, always rising to the occasion, with all our respect and commitment.

PHOTOGRAPHY YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Morocco is a unique country and the possibilities are endless. We can provide you with the service of a professional photographer who allows you to capture all those landscapes, corners, unique moments... always with his personal stamp and working lovingly at the mercy of your tastes and preferences. Photo sessions for weddings, friends' trips, sessions for dancers,... in short, any special occasion you can think of to make your trip a magical experience. Tell us your proposal and we will advise you! Photography: Amar Moutaouakil
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