Travels around the world 2009-2024
Exploring our beautiful planet

Expeditions with high-school students

February 28, 2010  —  Morocco
Road from Marrakech to Ouarzazate - Morocco

When I was in Morocco, I guided two groups of high-school students for their after-school trip. In both cases, the custom-tailored trip was the same and involved many activities in the country.

After the students have landed, we take a transport to go from Marrakesh to Ouled Driss with a night in Ouarzazate. It's a long drive through the Atlas Mountains in order to reach the Moroccan desert.

Ouarzazate - Morocco
Ouarzazate - Morocco
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Ouled Driss

Ouled Driss - Morocco

Here we are in Ouled Driss, a town at the edge of the biggest desert on the planet, the Sahara Desert. It extends over nearly 30% of Africa and at its stretches 5000 km from east to west.

Ouled Driss has a very nice casbah where we attended to a tea ceremony. In olden days, casbahs were used as fortresses or citadels.

Ouled Driss - Morocco
Ouled Driss - Morocco
Ouled Driss - Morocco
The casbah.
Ouled Driss - Morocco
The casbah.
Ouled Driss - Morocco
Tea ceremony.
Ouled Driss - Morocco
Ouled Driss - Morocco
Ouled Driss - Morocco
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Trek in Erg Sahel

M'Hamid El Ghizlane - Morocco
Preparations of the dromedaries before departing.

The first activity is a trek in the Erg Sahel. An erg is a region of the desert covered with dunes. Even though we are far away from the deep desert, the area visited is fantastic and the dunes are spectacular.

The trek is a mix of walking and dromedary riding, and we sleep two nights in the desert.

Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Our local team.
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
The wind is strong, stirring up the sand.
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
The sand is blown by the wind.
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
The tent where we eat our meal.
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
The meal for the dromedaries.
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Abdellatif, our Moroccan guide (on the left) and one of the camel drivers.
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Berber music around the fire.
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
Our cook Mohamed (on the right).
Trek in Erg Sahel - Morocco
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Tamnougalt

Tamnougalt - Morocco

Tamnougalt is a small fortified village with a ksar dating from the 16th century.

Tamnougalt - Morocco
The fortified village of Tamnougalt.
Tamnougalt - Morocco
The entrance of the ksar.
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
The terrace of our hotel.
Tamnougalt - Morocco
The hotel.
Tamnougalt - Morocco
Tamnougalt - Morocco
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Atlas Cinema Studio

Atlas Studios - Morocco

The region of Ouarzazate has several cinema studio, and we visited one of them. Atlas Studio has seen the filming of some well-known movies; The Jewel of the Nile, The Living Daylights, Gladiator, Game of Thrones, etc.

I must admit that I didn't recognize any movies by looking at the decors, but the students identified several of them and it was fun to associate a set with a movie.

Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
Atlas Studios - Morocco
In many cases, there is only a facade. Behind, it is a mess of scaffolding.
Atlas Studios - Morocco
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The ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou

Aït Benhaddou - Morocco

The buildings of the ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou date from the 17th century, but it was still founded in the 11th century. It is entirely built with pisé and with wooden boards; pisé is a compressed mix of clay and straw. It is classified as a World Heritage Site.

Aït Benhaddou - Morocco
View from the highest point in the ksar.
Aït Benhaddou - Morocco
Aït Benhaddou - Morocco
Making of pisé bricks.
Aït Benhaddou - Morocco
Aït Benhaddou - Morocco
Aït Benhaddou - Morocco
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Les Terres d'Amanar

Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco

A site surrounded by magnificent landscapes where the students could enjoy activities such as aerial bridges, zip lines, and tree climbing (Accrobranche).

Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
A happy group at the end of the day.
Les Terres d'Amanar - Morocco
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Essaouira

Essaouira - Morocco

Essaouira is an interesting port city on the Atlantic Coast. At the heart of it stands an old rampart build by the Portuguese in 1506.

Starting from town, we also did a kayak excursion to the Mogador Island where lies the ruins of an ancient mosque, prison, and surveillance bastion.

Essaouira - Morocco
Essaouira - Morocco
Essaouira - Morocco
Essaouira - Morocco
Essaouira - Morocco
Essaouira - Morocco
Essaouira - Morocco
Essaouira - Morocco

Mogador Island

Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
The island is 1.5 km from Essaouira.
Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
The old bastion.
Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
The prison.
Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
The mosque.
Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
The mosque.
Mogador Island - Essaouira - Morocco
The mosque.
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Biking in the Asni Valley

Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
Asni Valley - Morocco
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Biking in the Ourika Valley

Ourika Valley - Morocco
Ourika Valley - Morocco
Ourika Valley - Morocco
Ourika Valley - Morocco
Ourika Valley - Morocco
Ourika Valley - Morocco
Ourika Valley - Morocco
Ourika Valley - Morocco
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Marrakesh

Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco
Marrakesh - Morocco