Halal Geography Trip to Morocco

A Halal geography trip to Morocco offers your students the chance to discover mountain ranges and desert landscapes, as well as exploring the theories of plate tectonics and water security!

The opportunity to explore landscapes such as the High Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert are ones that your young geographers will never forget. They’ll also visit ornamental gardens built in areas prone to desertification, where they will have the opportunity to learn more about irrigation, water supply and water security.

As well as exploring the geography of Morocco, your students will also love discovering the local culture, with visits to traditional Berber villages, traditional dinners and visits to historic buildings and monuments, including the spectacular Koutoubia Mosque, whose minaret inspired several others in Spain and North Africa.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Flight from the UK to Marrakesh

Transfer to accommodation on arrival and check in

Afternoon

Prayer at a local mosque (perhaps taking one of the Asr prayers, depending on the time of day)

Guided visit through the Jemaa el Fna, past the Koutoubia Mosque (prayer can be taken in this impressive, famous mosque if preferred), into the souks where you'll visit a traditional apothecary to learn about traditional herbs and spices and how they can assist medically and cosmetically

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Walk to a local mosque from the hotel for the final prayer of the day

Day 2

Morning

Full-day excursion to Amizmiz in the lower slopes of the High Atlas, with a stop at the Lalla Takerkoust reservoir to look at large-scale water management

Continue to the Amizmiz countryside to see all aspects of traditional life

Afternoon

Picnic (either in a forest glade or by a local's home)

Group will enjoy encounters with local people (with accompanying guide interpreting), allowing students the opportunity to ask questions and learn directly from locals

Prayers can be taken in the local mosque or in the peaceful countryside

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Walk to a local mosque from the hotel for the final prayer of the day

Day 3

Morning

Full-day excursion to Douar Oulad Elguern - a 'hands-on' day in a traditional village on the Marrakesh Plain

Group will have many opportunities to engage with the daily village activities, as well as meet and interactive with the friendly villagers

Group to be welcomed with a traditional tea ceremony in a typical home salon, followed by a traditional 'second breakfast'

Afternoon

Enjoy a sumptuous lunch, traditionally eaten around a round table using your fingers (although cutlery is also available, if required)

Prayers can be taken at a local mosque or in the peaceful countryside

Evening

Fantasia dinner at Chez Ali with evening meal served under caidal tents

Enjoy traditional Berber entertainment

Day 4

Morning

Visit to the ancient Medersa Ben Youssef Islamic School

Free time for shopping at Marrakesh's souks

Afternoon

Transfer to Marrakesh Menara Airport for return flight to the UK

3 nights' half-board accommodation
Flights inclusive of tax
Coach hire in-resort (for airport transfers and visits)
English-speaking guide throughout the tour
Prayers in local mosques according to your itinerary
4 lunches (2 in local restaurants, 1 in the area of Amizmiz (picnic) and 1 in Douar Oulad Elguern
2 large bottles of water per person per day for the whole duration of the trip
Full-day excursion to Douar Oulad Elguern (including second breakfast and a donation to the Village Association)
Visit to the Medersa Ben Youssef
1 camel per participant for the camel ride in Agafay desert (on the return from Amizmiz)
Free staff ratio 1:10
Itinerary planning service
Detailed final information pack
Vamoos travel app - access your trip documents from your phone or tablet
VAT at current rates to tour operators

Curriculum

A Level

Minerals and rocks
Geomorphic processes
Geochronology
Water and carbon cycles
Characteristics of a distinct ecosystem
Hot desert systems and landscapes
Biodiversity: flora and fauna
Fieldwork
Earth structure and plate tectonics
Water security

GCSE

Characteristics of ecosystems
Biodiversity: flora and fauna adaptations
Water and carbon cycles
Features of drylands and deserts
Physical processes affecting land formation
Erosion, transportation and deposition
Fluvial landforms
Fieldwork - investigating physical environments
Characteristics of plate boundaries
Plate tectonics theory
Water security
Resource management

Accommodation

Hotel Mogador Opera

The Hotel Mogador Opera is located right in the heart of Marrakech, making it the perfect base from which to explore the city and all its attractions. There are 110 fully-equipped guestrooms, some of which boast views across the Atlas Mountains! Among the hotel's facilities are a rooftop pool and indoor pool, a lovely sunny terrace and a wellness centre. And the onsite restaurant offers a wide variety of traditional Moroccan fare!

Educational Activities

Atlas Mountains

Take your students on a full-day excursion to the Atlas Mountain Range which stretches all across northern Africa.

Chez Ali Fantasia

Enjoy a traditional dining experience at the Chez Ali, with a famous cultural show for entertainment.

Djemaa el Fna

Located in the medina, this square is a virtual festival of smells, colours, noise and activity, used by locals and tourists alike.

El Bahia Palace

The Bahia Palace was built in the late 19th century and was intended to be the greatest of its time.

Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret

Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakesh and dates back to the 12th century.

Majorelle Garden

Menara Gardens

Set slightly out of town, the Menara Gardens are one of the area's most photographed settings and offer a pleasant escape from the bustle of Marrakesh.

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.