School Geography Trip to Morocco and the Sahara

Journey from the bustling souks of Marrakesh into the High Atlas, before descending into the Drâa River Valley and the Sahara Desert for an unforgettable night in a Bedouin camp.

Want your next geography school trip to make a lasting impact on your students? Then this is it.

On your geography trip to Morocco and the Sahara Desert, you’ll not only see incredible geographical features, but you’ll discover their impact on the people (and everything else) that live there.

You’ll experience North African, Berber and Bedouin culture at the same time, making this a trip with a huge cultural impact too.

You’ll have unforgettable experience after unforgettable experience, from seeing how Berber women still shell argan nuts by hand to extract the precious oil, to spending a day in a rural village to find out the impact that climate change is having on that community.

And let’s not forget that once-in-lifetime opportunity to ride out into the desert on the back of a camel, before enjoying an indescribable desert sunset followed by a traditional tagine and an evening enjoying drumming and singing amid the dunes.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Flight to Morocco

On arrival, transfer to accommodation and check in

Afternoon

Guided tour of Marrakesh's Medina

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Day 2

Morning

Visit to an Argan oil co-operative in the High Atlas

Afternoon

Visit to Aït Benhaddou

Evening

Overnight in Ourzazate

Day 3

Morning

Visit to the Draa River Valley

Afternoon

Enjoy a camel ride to the Bedouin camps in the Sahara Desert

Evening

Overnight at a Bedouin camp in the Sahara Desert

Day 4

Morning

Visit to Tamagroute or Atlas Studios

Afternoon

Visit to Zaouite Inkkal village

Travel back to Marrakesh

Evening

Overnight in Marrakesh

Day 5

Morning

Visit to Douar Oulad Elguern village

Afternoon

Transfer to airport

Return flight to the UK

3 nights' half-board accommodation in 3* hotels in Marrakesh and Ourzazate
1 night's accommodation in Bedouin tents in the Sahara Desert
5 lunches included (4 in restaurants and 1 in Douar Oulad Elguern)
ATOL protected return flights to/from Marrakesh
Airport taxes and air passenger duty at current rates
All ground transportation as per the itinerary (including airport transfers in Morocco)
English-speaking guide throughout the tour
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)
1 camel per participant for the camel ride in the Sahara desert
Free staff place ratio 1:10
Itinerary planning service
Detailed final information pack
Vamoos travel app - easy access to your travel documents on 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

Key Stage 3

Geological timescales and plate tectonics
Rocks, weathering and soils
Weather and climate

Accommodation

Bedouin Camp in the Sahara Desert

Spend an unforgettable night in the Sahara Desert at a traditional Bedouin camp, either at Merzouga or Zagora (Zagora offers the opportunity to reach the camp by camel). You'll watch one of the most beautiful sunsets you'll ever see, before enjoying a traditional tagine dinner, followed by traditional drumming and singing. In the morning (if you rise early enough), you'll be treated to an epic sunrise, before getting stuck into a cold breakfast ahead of your return journey from the desert.

Hotel Ibis Ourzazate

You'll really feel like you're in the desert in this beautiful, traditional Moroccan-style hotel. Not far from the Atlas Studios, the Hotel Ibis Ourzazate is spacious, with meeting rooms, a swimming pool and a sun terrace to enjoy. All guestrooms benefit from air-conditioning and private bathroom facilities. In the morning, you'll be able to fuel up for the day with the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. Plus, there's WiFi throughout.

Hotel Wazo

The lovely 4* Hotel Wazo is located just to the north of Marrakesh, offering your group the chance to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre in the evenings, while still being just 20 minutes from the Medina and 30 minutes from the airport. The hotel benefits from a large reception and spacious lobby (ideal for gathering before heading out for the day) and a swimming pool (please note that there's no lifeguard). This hotel offers a more family-friendly, resort feel, making it a lovely choice for school groups visiting Marrakesh. All guestrooms feature private bathroom facilities.

Hotel Majorelle

Just a stone's throw from the lush Jardins de Majorelle and only 30 minutes from the airport, the Hotel Majorelle is the perfect base for your school trip to Marrakesh. Guestrooms all benefit from air-conditioning and private bathroom facilities. A buffet-style breakfast is served each morning, with pre-selected meals served to tables in the evening.

Educational Activities

Medersa Ben Youssef

Visit this iconic madrasa nestled in the heart of Marrakesh's Medina.

Tamagroute

Explore the settlement of Tamagroute, where locals have come up with ingenious ways to protect themselves from the stifling heat of a Moroccan summer.

Drâa River Valley

Find out how this valley makes agriculture possible in this part of Morocco.

Medina, Marrakesh

Explore the beating heart of Marrakesh - one that also happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Aït Benhaddou

Explore this impressive 11th-century fortified settlement, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Douar Oulad Elguern

Spend a day experiencing life in a traditional Moroccan village and see the effects of climate change on a rural population.

Argan Oil Co-Operative

Visit an argan oil co-operative run exclusively by Berber women.

Cultural Activities

Atlas Studios

Enjoy a visit to this film studios nestled between the mountains and the desert.

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.