MORE ABOUT MOROCCO

The beautiful High Atlas mountains are a must see, with endless trails between Berber villages. You also shouldn't miss a trip into the Sahara, to watch the sunset from the top of a sand dune. Camel trekking into the desert and spending the night in Berber or Bedouin tents, with traditional music and food is unforgettable.

Islam dominates the Moroccan way of life. Five times a day you can hear the call from the mosques when it is prayer time. People pray in Mosques, but it is also common to pray in any other place as long as there is a clean subsoil. When there is no clean subsoil people use small carpets to do their prayer. You can find people praying in the souq, in the bus station or just on the street. Friday afternoons are reserved to spend the day in the mosques, or to dedicate the time to the God in another place.

LANGUAGE:
Arabic is the official language of Morocco, although for many it is their second language after Berber. As a former French colony, French is the foreign language of choice with many in Morocco speaking the language very well. French is still the official language of administration and higher education.

English is not widely spoken, but is becoming more and more important to the country.  Since 2002 English is taught in all public schools from the fourth year onwards.

CLIMATE:
The climate of Morocco is very varied depending on the region, but overall has mediterranean weather. In the Atlas mountains it can be much hotter and arid during the summer – even if there’s snow capped peaks on the mountains it can easily be 40 degrees Celsius / 104 Fahrenheit!

Errachidia has a desert climate, The winters are cold, with huge differences in temperature between night and day. Spring and autumn have an average temperature of 25 degrees. The summers are hot. July and August are the hottest months with a temperature of around 40 degrees in daytime. The evenings and nights in summer are very pleasant.

CUISINE:
Moroccan cuisine is delicious! The most popular drink is green tea with mint, which is poured from a height into the glass (this produces the foam on the tea and the pouring technique is as crucial as the quality of the tea itself!) Local specialities include tagine (the name for the special pot that slow-cooks the meat and vegetable dish inside), pastilla (meat pie usually with chicken – it is quite sweet as usually has icing sugar and cinnamon on the top) and couscous.

PLACES TO VISIT:

ERRACHIDIA
Errachidia is situated in between the mountains of High Atlas and the desert. The landscape is beautiful and vast. It is dominated by red coloured mountains and arid fields. In the middle of this dry environment you can find many beautiful oases with exotic palm trees and watering holes.

The region of Errachidia is a cultural and linguistic mosaic. Every tribe, every valley, every village has its own unique characteristics, identifiable by its music, architectural features and its customs. Ethnic diversity is considerable with many races and colours in evidence: the Chorfas Alaouites, natives of the Arabic peninsula mixed with the Berber tribe of Ait Morghad (from the region of Goulmima), the Ait Izdeg (the area around Rich) and the Ait Atta (around Aoufous).

Beside the small cities in the region, there are many villages. Most of them are shaped in a so called ‘ksar’. A ksar is a fortified village. The houses are small, flat, square, have one floor and are made of clay. When you enter a ksar it looks like a covered corridor made of clay. On both sides of the corridor you find the houses which are all connected to each other. The ksours (over 400 ksars and kasbahs) in Errachidia form an impressive chain made of ochre coloured clay and surrounded by lush palm grooves. Ksours are characterised by their adaptation to climatic conditions, their fusion and integration with the surrounding countryside.

MARRAKESH
Marrakesh is an action-packed labyrinth! The main square Djemaa el-Fna, has to be seen to be believed! You won’t know where to look there’s so much going on - from snake charmers, to traditional water-sellers and much much more! Make sure you try the fresh orange juice in the square, it’s great! When you’re in the square, take a walk to the Souq – the maze of covered market streets. A haven for any shopaholic – just be sure to bargain! 

AGADIR AND ESSAOURIA
Agadir is the country’s main beach resort. It doesn’t feel like every other Moroccan city,  as it was totally rebuilt after an earthquake in the 1960’s. The main lure of the city is it’s beautiful sandy bay and sheltered beach.  Essaouria is fantastic for surfing and also has some great beaches. You’ll love the laid back attitude, the coast line and the fantastic ramparts and old town.