Jamaâ El Fna

Djemaa el-Fna square sits alongside Marrakech’s boisterous medina, and during the day suffers when compared to the lively souks nearby. But daytime is not the point of this place. An evening circuit of the square, when its in full swing, and it can seem like all human life is here: the music of snake charmers fills the air; medicine men sit, their exotic wares laid out in front; human pyramids; boxing matches; soothsayers; tattooists; musicians – the list goes on and on, and then on some more. The entertainment doesn’t stop - one of the joys of the square is that what you’ll see will vary from night to night, but it’ll always be eye-poppingly exciting, and quite unlike anywhere else you’ll ever visit. In the middle of the madness are food stalls serving up cheap and delicious grub. Fill up on the chaos, then on couscous



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Where can i find infos about organized trip morocco ?

Where can i find infos about organized trip morocco ?

i plan to go to morocco, i need to know where can i find info about organized trips in morocco ?

Organized Tours 

Because many travelers have limited time and resources, organized adventure-travel packages, arranged by tour operators abroad or in Morocco, are a popular and time-efficient way to enjoy activity- and time-specific trips such as climbing Jebel Toubkal or weeklong biking and hiking tours. It's also a good way to experience an activity within a broader sightseeing itinerary.

Group travel can produce several advantages over independent travel. The most obvious is having all your accommodations and transport prearranged, and some (if not all) of your meals included in the cost of a package. Reasonably experienced and professional tour operators should also be able to transport you to each destination or activity without the snags and long delays that those traveling on their own can encounter in Morocco. As an added bonus, you'll have the opportunity to meet like-minded travelers. Joining an organized mountain-trekking tour will usually include prearranged porters or muleteers to carry extra equipment -- sometimes even your own backpack. Dedicated independent travelers will no doubt point out that it always costs extra for the convenience of having all your arrangements handled, and paid for, in advance.

In the best scenario for organized active vacations, group size is kept small (10-16 people) in comparison to the large, escorted bus tours, and tours are conducted by qualified guides knowledgeable about a particular activity. I've mentioned when specific tours or activities are led by specialists, such as naturalists, professors, and the like. Be sure to ask about difficulty levels when you're choosing an active tour. While most companies offer "soft adventure" packages suitable for those in decent (but not necessarily phenomenal) shape, others focus on more strenuous activities geared toward athletic and seasoned adventure travelers.

Moroccan-based operators dedicated to adventure travel are still very thin on the ground, and those that are involved are usually either owned by non-Moroccans and also have a base outside the country, or are activity specific and are therefore mentioned in this chapter under each specialist activity. Other local companies that pertain to adventure-travel specialists are really just general-interest tour operators that have caught on to this particular market and offer a few activities only when specifically requested, and usually within a much broader base of general sightseeing tours. However, it's worth noting that many tour operators contract their ground operations to a locally based outfit that then deals with even smaller operations (such as guides and muleteers for mountain trekking), resulting in some of your tour cost trickling down to the Moroccans themselves.

Tour Operators

Andante Travels (tel. 01722/713800; www.andantetravels.co.uk) has been organizing archaeology and ancient-history tours from their U.K. base since 1985. Their group sizes are small and accompanied by both a tour manager and a specialist lecturer. Their current Morocco offering explores the prehistoric engravings and paintings in the Souss Valley and Anti-Atlas, accompanied by two North African rock art specialists.

Biotrek Adventure Travels (tel. 866/246-8735 toll-free or 540/349-0040; www.biotrektours.com) was created by Sunny Reynolds, a professional photographer, in 1991. The company organizes tours to countries including Morocco, India, Tanzania, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Trips depart from Washington, D.C., and groups are never more than 10 people.

Dragoman Overland (tel. 01728/861133; www.dragoman.com) is based in the U.K. and operates grass-roots tours in their own overland-style trucks through Africa, the Americas, and Asia. The tours are usually camping oriented with group participation, and the trucks are self-sufficient with cooking equipment, water tanks, and tents. They have a 2-week round-trip from Marrakech that is specially geared toward families, with a combination of camping and hotels. The tour visits central Morocco attractions such as the Aït Ben Haddou kasbah, the Dadès Valley, and the Erg Chebbi desert dunes, along with the Western High Atlas village of Imlil and the Atlantic port city of Essaouira. Morocco is also included in their 5-week overland from Malaga, Spain, to Dakar, Senegal.

Epic Morocco (tel. 020/8150-6131; www.epicmorocco.co.uk) is a small U.K.-owned, Marrakech-based tour operator. Owned and managed by Anglo-French couple Charlie Shepherd and Melodie Selvon, they specialize in high-quality, small-group mountain biking, walking, and horse-riding tours in Morocco. They offer a fascinating "Walking with Nomads" experience, which accompanies a family from the Aït Atta tribe as they make their annual migration with their flocks to greener pastures in either the High Atlas or Jebel Sarhro mountain regions. Other tours offer hiking and biking combinations, or they can tailor-make tours to suit.

Explore! Worldwide (tel. 0870/333-4001; www.explore.co.uk) is a U.K.-based operator specializing in small-group adventure holidays worldwide (currently more than 300 tours to more than 130 countries). Their tours cover a wide range of styles, accommodations, and themes such as cycling, trekking, astronomy, and history, as well as dedicated family adventures. They currently offer 18 trips in Morocco, ranging from 5-day mountain treks to a 10-day itinerary that takes in Andalusian Spain.

Imaginative Traveller (tel. 0800/316-2717 toll-free or 01473/667337; www.imaginative-traveller.com) is a U.K.-based outfit specializing in small-group adventure travel worldwide. Their tours come in a range of styles catering to everyone from the independent-minded to the connoisseur traveler. They offer 13 itineraries in Morocco, some of them led by their own leaders and some by local guides. The 15-day "Morocco Caravan" is a good mix of trekking and sightseeing, with plenty of free time for exploring.

Intrepid Travel (tel. 1300/364-512 toll-free or 03/8602-0500; www.intrepidtravel.com) is an Australian-based adventure-travel specialist that has been taking travelers off the beaten track since 1989. They offer small-group tours for individuals, couples, and families, with varying levels of comfort and activities. Their current selection includes a dozen tours within Morocco, which include trekking, cycling, and photographic and general-interest itineraries, along with a few other tours combining a visit to Morocco within a larger tour of southern Europe or North Africa.

Journeys International (tel. 800/255-8735 toll-free or 734/665-4407; www.journeys-intl.com), based in the U.S., offers small-group (4-12 people) natural-history tours guided by naturalists. Trips include an 8-day "Morocco Imperial Cities" tour, which gives you an in-depth look at the country's cultural and historical centers, and a more general 12-day "Discover Morocco."

KE Adventure Travel (tel. 800/497-9675 toll-free in the U.S., or 0176/877366 and 1303/321-0085 in the U.K.; www.keadventure.com) is a leading independent adventure-travel specialist offering a range of tour styles to more than 140 destinations worldwide. Their Moroccan itineraries are unique and diverse, ranging from an 8-day camel trek for families to a 15-day trekking/white-water rafting combo.

Nomadic Expeditions (tel. 0870/2201718; www.nomadic.co.uk) is a U.K.-based company offering overland-style, group-participation tours in Morocco. Clients travel in self-sufficient overland safari trucks, complete with all cooking and camping gear and a driver and tour leader. Eight- and 15-day round-trip itineraries depart Tangier regularly from May to October, and there's also an 8-day round-trip from Marrakech that visits central Morocco and is hotel based rather than camping.

Wilderness Travel (tel. 800/368-2794 toll-free or 510/558-2488; www.wildernesstravel.com) is a U.S.-based tour company specializing in cultural, hiking, and wildlife tours worldwide. Their 15-day "High Atlas Trek" travels from Casablanca to Marrakech via the Central High Atlas, and includes a 6-day trek around the Aït Bou Guemez Valley, with an optional 4-day extension to climb Jebel Toubkal. There's also a 15-day "Camels to Casbahs" tour from Casablanca to Marrakech via central Morocco and Essaouira. These two tours are arranged with tiered pricing (the cost varies according to group size). They also offer a 10-day private tour from Casablanca to Marrakech via central Morocco, with an Essaouira extension.

World Expeditions (tel. 888/464-8735 toll-free in the U.S., 866/606-1721 toll-free in Canada, or 020/8545-9030 toll-free in the U.K.; www.worldexpeditions.com) is one of the world's original adventure-travel companies, organizing Himalayan treks since 1975. Their tours typically offer general-adventure tours as well as activity-specific trips such as sea kayaking, cycling, trekking, and mountaineering. They are highly regarded for their responsible tourism and environmental philosophies, and offer three tours in Morocco consisting of a 13-day trekking/sightseeing combo, a 14-day general sightseeing itinerary, and a combination of the two.

Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/morocco/3871010019.html#ixzz2LWr6APWu

You can arrange your trip in your home country or once you are in Morocco you can arrange there, but Google Morocco Trips you will find many tour operators offering you the choice to suit your budget and itinerary.

Takchita move

caftan blonch 2013 takchita move

The traditional caftan is made out of silk or cotton and can be worn both by women and by men. Below you can read about one of the types of caftans, the Moroccan version.

If you’re looking to buy Moroccan caftans and clothes, you can get the Best deals from here


 



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Moroccan Wedding Theme – Scents & Colours of North Africa

Moroccan Wedding Theme – Scents & Colours of North Africa

Just back from my holiers (well, a month ago now) in Marrakech and if there is one place that offers decorative inspiration in spades it’s Morocco – from the scents and spices of the souk, to the ornate carvings and colourful lanterns that define Moroccan interior design, it’s a place that gets your imagination and creative juices flowing.

So today we thought it would be fun to put together an inspiration board around the idea of a Moroccan Wedding Theme, drawing together some of the elements that combine to create the colourful aesthetic of the North African nation including those all important lanterns that have been seen at weddings all over…


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Ghriba Lbahla almonds and sesame mmhhh

Ghriba Lbahla almonds and sesame mmhhh

How are you all

So in a few days it will be our Id al-Adha Feast of Sacrifice and said party said some goodies to share with family, friends and neighbors and I started one of the most popular sweets in small and large but the most difficult to do and succeed.

My husband and my kids love it for years and every time I return from Morocco I brought back with me or someone in my immediate family comes to me I asked them that we find especially succulents in a bakery not far from my parents in Casablanca, and the last time I asked my father if he could asked the owner of the pastry recipe that Ghriba if sandblasted and slush, I confess that I thought she would refuse, but because my father is a loyal and good customer and he explained that it was for me who lived so far to often buy her, so she accepted it and c as I have the secret recipe of a professional and I can tell you that it is a killer!

 

I also sought advice from a friend who has already done well and I'll let you see the results and also noted the recipe you need to keep!

 

   

Ingredients for almost a hundred Ghribas

500 g flour

250g sugar

250g butter

2 sachets of yeast (10g 2 times)

125g lightly toasted sesame seeds

125g blanched almonds and ground very fine pitch

A pinch of salt

Very little oil to pick up the dough.

Preparation

Start by mixing the flour with the sugar, pinch of salt, ground almonds and sesame seeds. Then add the melted butter slowly kneading the mixture well for at least 10min.

If your dough does not pick up a ball add a little oil while working until you get to make small balls of dough.

Put your dough well covered in the fridge for a night or a few hours at least.

(A friend who succeeded his well Ghoribas told me last night that she did not let them cool but fashioned live! But as I do the dough last night just before asking and that I intended to finish this morning So I still have left in the fridge until morning!)

Remove dough 2 hours in advance. Work the dough again to warm it with your hands and then add the two packets of yeast and rework a good 10 minutes.

as my dough was a little crumbly (definitely my flour absorbs too much) I added a little oil while kneading the dough and hop was perfect!

Make small balls the size of a walnut and place good enough apart on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ° first by placing the plate on top of the oven for 15 min and then once Ghribas will be well placed nicely cracked plate in the middle and leave another 5 minutes in the oven.

Some people prefer to leave enough blondes, but I prefer when it is lightly browned but not too much!

So what do you think of my Ghoribas?

I found the Top and my husband who rafolle told me they are better than the cake lol

Soon for other goodies ...

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Morocco religious intolerant

Customs and Religion
Moroccans are religious people. Islamic practices affect all aspects of life, especially in more remote communities. As in all Islamic communities the call to prayer will be heard several times a day. During the holy month of Ramadan (which takes place at a different time each year), Moslems fast from daybreak till sunset. This fast puts a great strain on them as they will often rise at 4am to have breakfast. In towns some shops in the Ramadan month are closed for long periods during daylight hours and also at dusk many shops close for an hour while the fasting population have their meal.

Woman are relatively free in Morocco, most walk around without veils and take part in all aspects of life. Non-Moroccan women should be sensitive to traditions concerning dress. In particular shorts and short skirts and low-cut dresses are considered provocative and should be avoided in towns or villages. When swimming a full bathing costume is strongly recommended for women except for private hotel pools or wild beaches. Men should also avoid bearing themselves too much except in the more informal desert surroundings. In towns shorts are acceptable for men except when visiting religious sites or if invited to visit an Arab family. When passing or receiving any item, in particular food, the right hand should be used.
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Could you tell me how I can travel to Morocco for less?

Could you tell me how I can travel to Morocco for less?
Dear reader,I am in search of a cheaper way to reach Morocco.Do you have any tips?Thank you.


Our recent Real Deal on Morocco for Less really ticked off an ex-pat who lives in Morocco and blogs at Cat in Rabat. In a post titled, Morocco for More, she writes that it's outlandish for us to consider $125 a day per person to be a "budget" trip. She says $125 a day isn't budget travel, especially for a place that's not as expensive and popular as, say, many Western European destinations.
Cat in Rabat makes a larger point, too: Even if we had really wanted to plan a budget trip to Morocco, we'd be hard pressed to succeed. Here's why:
Morocco is not a cheap country. And not that it should be--although it would be nice if it were--but there is an expectation that, as a developing nation, it is. Or ought to be. In truth, some things are cheap: rent is cheap (although rents are on the rise), local transportation (with the exception of domestic airfares) is still cheap, and anything made of leather is risibly inexpensive, but it pretty much ends there. Between holiday housing developments sprouting like poisoned mushrooms along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines and the Western predilection for building guest houses and renovating derelict ryads in Morocco's medinas, real estate is starting to go through the roof. All this, in conjunction with the hoards of cash-carrying tourists disembarking from cut-throat European airlines, is serving to not only test the local infrastructure but to ensure that prices will go up up up.
Meanwhile...the blogger Morocco Savvy makes the following comment:
Worse yet, their site says "The Real Deals." Travel around Morocco, even for my slightly older and slightly picky parents, still averaged around $125 a day--FOR TWO! As for myself--unless I'm stuck in a 4-star hotel paid for by the conference I'm attending and forgot to eat dinner so must order the nasty 75dh chawarma that isn't even really a chawarma but more like chicken and cabbage in a baguette--travel around Morocco is more like 125 DIRHAMS [$15] a day.
Hmm...Well, as the guy who wrote the Morocco for Less piece, I was surprised by these reactions. Here's my response:
1) As always, "budget" is in the eye of the beholder. Not every package Budget Travel's editors recommend will be right for everyone. We know that some travelers are willing to pay a little more for an escorted trip to avoid having to research reputable companies that offer activities such as a mountain-bike ride or a nine-hour hike through the mountains of the Tamatert Valley. And some travelers like the idea of a tour company using its size to make sure that an activity, such as a valley tour, will happen at an appointed day and time. Yet if you're an independent soul who prefers simple, or ineffable, pleasures, by all means, know that you can enjoy many aspects of Morocco for as little as about $10 a day. Many travelers have done it, and if you're one of the travelers who have, feel free to share your travel suggestions by posting a comment below.
2) If this package costs too much per day at $990 for eight-nights (plus airfare and some meals), then consider instead a 20-night tour of Morocco that costs only $1,218 (including a local payment of $408, but excluding airfare and all meals). This latter deal, which Budget Travel spotlighted in its July issue, works out to about $61 a day. The cheaper-per-day trip is best for travelers who feel comfortable navigating Morocco on their own. The more expensive-per-day trip will provide assistance to help you maximize your time in the country by arranging in advance for bike rides, tent stays, and sightseeing. Why does the one trip cost twice as much per day? The extra cost is to help ease your way into a country that has a very different culture than America's--and an unfamiliar language to boot. (There's additional value provided by this package, too. Keep reading to find out.)
3) I passed along the criticisms of the trip to Intrepid Travel, the company that offers the package. Spokesperson Dyan McKie offered a detailed response. Here's one point she makes:
We use local operators who help us piece together some of the arrangements like our Camel Safaris into the desert, the mountain biking, etc. We could probably do it cheaper if we did it ourselves but as Intrepid's number one core value is Responsible Travel. It wouldn't be very responsible of us not to support the locals. Therefore, we use their local services, even if it costs us more money.
Dyan also points out another advantage to spending a extra money on an Intrepid Travel package, instead of piecing together an itinerary as a backpacker. For a single traveler such as herself (who is female and doesn't speak Arabic nor French), getting around Morocco is not as easy as it might seem to some people. Intrepid specializes in making solo travelers comfortable in its small groups. It doesn't charge a single supplement, unlike most tour package companies. And in a country like Morocco, Intrepid's group leaders can make female travelers feel more culturally comfortable--and culturally aware of how their actions are received locally.
Finally, Dyan added one relevant note. Intrepid Travel's package includes a homestay with a Moroccan family.
Independent travelers can't just turn up to someones home in remote areas and ask to stay. (Though I am sure the very experienced traveler has but generally travelers wouldn't.) We offer them a once in a lifetime experience.That's cheaper than the budget hotel but we like to support the family while we are staying with them. Allowing their children to get an education, assisting in farming and agricultural support, etc. Again this is in accordance with our core values--we want to give our clients that special experience but don't take for granted that these families who are letting us into their lives.
In hindsight, I realize that I should have included more of the above details when I described the value of this package. I'll know better next time. And if any reader still thinks I'm in need of correcting, please post a comment below. Thanks.


Read more: http://www.budgettravel.com/blog/can-you-enjoy-morocco-on-a-budget,9243/#ixzz2LWsSahkc

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