Explorers Academy field project

Morocco Expedition

France - Spain - Morocco - High Atlas - Sahara
Group size : 9-18 .   Duration: 4 weeks ex Perpignan.
3 weeks ex Casablanca.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: To give participants an opportunity to practice team leadership, guiding, learn the true meaning of ecotourism, gather overland travel experience, encounter different foreign cultures, and enhance mutual understanding.

The expedition is camping based, and cooking and other expedition duties are shared between team members on a rotating basis.


MOROCCO, ATLAS, SAHARA

If you take the expedition in continuation of an Explorers Academy course in the South of France, you will be travelling with the expedition truck across Spain en route to Morocco. Optional joining points are Malaga in south of Spain and Casablanca in western Morocco.

Morocco is truly a different world, the friendly Berber population, the colourful markets, good food, many different tribal cultures, and unspoilt areas in the southern part of the country.

We enter the African continent after a short ferry crossing (1½ hrs) from Algeciras to Ceuta and drive south along the Atlantic coast, visiting the capital and the imperial city Rabat and Casablanca en route.

After Casablanca we leave the coast behind and head for the colourful Marrakech. An old, imperial city, with the Djema El Fna market, where camel caravans used to come in from the Sahara, Marrakech is a place worth spending a few days, and this is where the real Morocco begins. From Marrakech we detour to some of the lesser known villages in the foot hills of the High Atlas. Here we find the genuine, hospitable Berber people. Please remember that you are a guest in their country, and respect their culture, and they will welcome you into their homes. When visiting small villages it is a good idea to divide into small groups, or make individual visits. If you bring a few gifts along from Europe for such occasions, it is easier to accept their genuine hospitality.

In the past we have been able to arrange either a village party or a football match in this area, to make the visit memorable both for the team and for the locals, before we cross the High Atlas over the 2,000 metre Tizi n' Tichka on the way to the edges of the Sahara. Near Ouarzazate there is another opportunity to visit villages for those who seek cultural exchange, and perhaps find or buy a few semi-precious gemstones, which are in good supply in this part of the mountains. After Ouarzazate we travel along the southern edge of the Atlas mountains to visit the Todra Gorge, a 300 metre deep gorge with its own spring and a few small hotels, where we can camp on the roof, as the mountain forms a natural roof above. Then we head southwards into a spectacular desert scenery, to visit the oasis towns of Erfoud, Rissani and beyond.

On the way back to Europe we cross the High Atlas again, then the Middle Atlas and the Rif Mountains. As we travel north we pass through Er-Rachidia, the scenic Ziz gorge, the impressive cedar forests, where we can camp in the wilds and have a special barbecue, ( the cedar wood adds flavour to the meat) and visit the bustling, historic city of Fes or Meknes. Participants flying back from Casablanca will have a day of debriefing before leaving. The rest of the group travels up to Tetouan and Ceuta for the crossing to Spain.

We now take the Mediterranean coast road through Spain. Algeciras - Malaga - Almeria - Alicante - Valencia - Barcelona, stopping to see places of interest from time to time, such as for example the picturesque Port Lligat, where Salvador Dali lived.

We cross the Pyrenees and - after a day of debriefing and a farewell party, the expedition ends at Perpignan in the South of France. Connecting travel to London and other destinations from either Perpignan or Barcelona. Or you could stay in the South of France, if you wish to join our next course…

THE EXPEDITION TRUCK:

Our truck is much more than a means of transport. It also serves as a base-camp, classroom, kitchen, shelter and safety - it will be your home for the duration of the expedition, and you will grow to be very fond of it.

We use a quality Mercedes Benz 12-ton truck, purpose built to our own specification, based on 25 years of expedition experience.

The truck is equipped with inward bound bench seats providing good all round vision, roof rack with external roof seats for viewing and photography off road, roll up sides for the best visibility, individual luggage compartments with padlocks, food and equipment lockers, a large stainless steel water tank and an external gas cooker and kitchen awning.

The truck is equipped for up to 26 participants plus driver and expedition leader, and it carries a number of 2-man tents, convertible sleeping arrangements and all the cooking gear. On this expedition we carry 2 mountain bikes, which may be freely used by the team. The group size is normally limited to 18 participants plus leader and course instructor.

Depending on the number of participants another vehicle may be used, such as a minibus or a Land-Rover. The advantage of a smaller vehicle is that we are able to go further off the beaten track, which - in that case - compensates for having to do without the facilities of the truck.
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

COST: The 4-week expedition based adventure travel course costs £1,500 ($2,000) inclusive of overland travel, camping based accommodation, 3 meals a day, tuition, driver and leader/instructor.
A 25% deposit is payable with your application to join, and the balance is payable 30 days before departure. Please refer to the Guidelines and Conditions on the back of the application form for further details.

NOT INCLUDED : Connecting travel, personal travel insurance, visas, museum entrance fees and personal spending money. The question of spending money is difficult to advice on, it is very individual, but you should not need to bring a great deal, since all the group meals are paid through the kitty.

VISAS: Presently no visa requirements for NZ, UK and EU passport holders, AUS need a visa for France and Spain, but presently not for Morocco. A valid passport, and visas as required, is the responsibility of the individual participant.

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT: You should bring a sleeping bag, closed cell foam mat, a water bottle, a torch, a Swiss knife, practical warm clothing as well as light summer clothes. Winter temperatures vary a lot in the desert and mountain areas, from pleasant 20-25 C (70-77 F) during the day, down to freezing at night. You are welcome to call us for advice if you are in doubt about what to bring. There is plenty of storage space on the truck, but you may accumulate a few souvenirs en route, so please limit you luggage to one kit-bag, plus sleeping bag & foam mat and a small day sack.

JOINING INSTRUCTIONS: Exact joining instructions will be mailed, faxed or emailed to you with confirmation, but if you are travelling prior to the starting date, please telephone us at least 48 hours before the departure date.

No date has been set for the next expedition. Similar expeditions have been undertaken in the past (since 1973). Read as example only. This expedition can be organised any time of the year if you create your own group.

Go to Application form

We recommend a visit to Professor Jim Miller's images of daily life in Morocco

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