Morocco 9 day cultural tour

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

Our ground agents in Morocco have a Travelife Certification with Excellence, the first of its kind in Morocco; giving priority to acting responsibly in the protection of the environment as well as the participation in the local development. To do this they make sure they reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of all their activities, employing a team in internal sustainability management to increase awareness towards more responsible behaviour.

Some methods implemented include:
• Avoiding unnecessary business travel and giving preference to more sustainable transport options for employees and clients.
• Aiding locals by purchasing locally made goods and ethically planted foods
• Taking active steps to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact within their organisation by reducing paper use, using sustainable inks, waste recycling, minimizing electrical and water usage where possible, responsibly disposing wastewater, using environmentally friendly cleaning products.
• Using accommodation which has international sustainability certification and properties that are committed to improving their sustainability performance.

ENVIRONMENT

We choose small independent properties that reduce their environmental impacts by water reduction, plastic reduction and recycling and using traditional building materials.

This trip supports preserving natural sites by using expert local guides, entrance fees and raising environmental awareness. Such as during the visit to Ouzoud Waterfalls, the highest in Morocco, and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Meknes, known for its rich cultural heritage and well-preserved historic sites.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Accommodation during this trip is in locally owned Riad’s which are traditional Moroccan houses or palaces with an interior courtyard. This gives guests a true sense of history and culture of Morocco and connection to the local community with guidance on the best places to visit and eat nearby, whilst also supporting the local community through employment and such local recommendations.

During this tour there are many historical site visits where cost for these tours go towards supplying local guides, entrance fees and to the economy in visits to souks, medinas and local produce and crafts markets. These local cultural experiences, from visits to bustling markets, to exploring old traditional villages, all support the local economy.

Whilst in Marrakech you have a tour of the Medina with a local guide where all proceeds go straight to the community. Go to the bustling Djemaa-el-Fna to see acrobats, story-tellers, water sellers, dancers, and musicians and take food from the local food stalls.

In the “Blue City” of Chefchaouen, stop for a tasting of goat’s cheese with a local artisan in the place made famous for this soft, creamy cheese. Explore the town of Essaouira, its ramparts, and its lovely street of thuya craftsmen, the lively port, colourful souk the medina and the Squala.

Take a sightseeing tour of Fes, and discover traditional trades such as metal and leather working, ceramics, silk, tapestries, and sculpting still practiced in local workshops. Whilst in Fes see a different side of Moroccan life as you are warmly welcomed into the home of a local family for dinner to enjoy Moroccan dishes as you chat with your hosts about life in Fes.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

We select ground agents and accommodation that employ Moroccan staff and contribute to the local economy by giving preference to local goods and services and using locally owned accommodations. They include local projects within the itineraries they help us to design that will be of help the community. They also book local certified guides who present the culture and customs, speak about history and traditions, providing indigenous actions of cultural visits, and any benefit go to local communities and associations in charge.

Every year, 2.5% of its yearly profits are donated to local charities such as Amagar in Atlas, a remote village where there is no source of income. Through offering support in such areas, they are able to give opportunities to people who are often excluded or marginalized, and in Amagar, women have created a Cooperative to create their own income by seling local produce of their region such as olive oil, plants and herbal tea. Another charity they contribute their profits to is an orphanage in Marrakech called Centre Fourtou.

They are involved in numerous corporate social responsibility and Environmental Conservation projects including partnership with a local Not-for-profit Association in the area of the Atlas Mountains whose objectives are:
• Promotion of schooling in the area
• Participation in the improvement of the infrastructure
• Participation in the development of agriculture in the area
• Sensitising and mobilisation of the inhabitants, especially young people and the rural woman
• Sensitising with the safeguarding of the natural resources.
• To come to assistance of the rural woman (to fight tale illiteracy, to improve its way of life).

One option is to assist with the building of a school in a remote village paint and refresh the local school building. And equipping the local school for adult learners, assemble tables & chair or help to build some benches with cement and stones in the local schoolyard.