THE ALL NEW TOUR.........

IT’S NOW DONE, DUSTED AND HAPPENING…………

I have just returned, exhausted but elated, from the final recce for the all new EASTERN MOROCCO TOUR.  Exhausted because together with A’hammed I completed the 3000 km round trip in just 7 days [that’s because we managed to cover what will be 3 leisurely tour days for every 1 day of rapid recce] during which time we re-evaluated the route, confirmed locations and approved details.

This entirely new tour now comes with a new and well deserved title……….

“AMAZIGH SAFARI ”

Why the change in name?  There are a couple of good reasons but perhaps the most prevalent being the obvious overriding background and culture of the local population we met on the route …….. The Amazigh, better known as Berber [Free Men]…….. The free spirit, their pride and the overwhelming welcome we encountered on route was both powerful and sobering.

The Berber Flag..........The three bands represent: Blue.....The Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Green: Nature and the Mountains. Yellow represents the sands of the Sahara Desert.

The "Yaz" symbolizes the "Free Man" which as mentioned earlier i.e. the Berber word Amazigh, the name for themselves. Red symbolizes the colour of life and also the colour of resistance. The Berber Flag as a whole is a symbol of the entire Amazigh people, living in harmony on thier own land.......Tamazgha. 

On inquiry the initial tour information will be deliberately vague. Commercially…… [Yes, although passionate about Morocco and what we do, we are a business] we are very aware that there are those who do and will continue to follow in our footsteps [we are now in our 37^th year]. But perhaps more importantly we are entering a remote and unaffected region of Morocco that is almost totally without a “Tourist Culture” and are hoping that whilst we will ourselves run very limited tours in the area we are determined not to contribute to a future and perhaps inevitable influx ………. anyway, formal campsites are all but non-existent and we want to keep our own and very exclusive camping locations exactly that……..exclusive!

Of course full information and exact details will be made available to confirmed client when booking.

So, perhaps just a few pictures and brief notes taken on the recce will do for now…………

I know……that loose fitting [but cool] track-suit does make me look a tad overweight…….but that IS the ALGERIAN border in the background.  It was a strange and emotional  experience, not unlike many years ago when I was looking over the Berlin Wall, watching and listening to the calling and waving from both sides of the border………..very sad really.

Plus aside of being within yards of ALGERIA was the availability of cheap “imported” fuel…..Diesel was about 20p per ltr. The filling stations were not up to much!! 

Come on, be honest, overnight locations [two different] like this doesn’t come much better. Breaking waves of the Mediterranean, traditional fishermen and yes, night-lamping fishing trips can be arranged. And of course the evening menu is that fresh it’s still flapping.

Another exclusive…….. As welcome guests of a Forestry Commissioner and his family both the experience and location is overwhelming.

I am not easily impressed but this location has left me speechless and I can’t even type an adequate description ……… Said to stretch for over 3kms underground with lakes and rivers this truly awesome natural wonder, the largest and deepest cave system in North Africa, is accessed by over 500 steps down a HUGE 275 mtr funnel ……..just think about it! Yes, tours of various lengths can be arranged…….I did the first 100 steps decent.

This view is from an overnight location just 400 yards from the ALGERIAN border, but around 400kms south of the earlier one.

Both the stark simplicity and genuine welcome offered by this Berber family [personal friends of A’Hammed, our staff member] is humbling and will have a lasting effect.

A reminder…….. This exclusive DESERT DETOURS  “ AMAZIGH SAFARI ”  is a small group tour that  will run only twice a year. Our first tour meets later this year, on the 11th Sept, and at this moment has just ONE vehicle place available.  The exact 2014 dates have yet to be confirmed but will depart mid-May and early-September and be around 17 days duration [in Morocco] with ongoing options.

It should be noted that this tour involves more than a few locations with NO or VERY LIMITED facilities……. 

With confirmed bookings taken BEFORE the launch interest is clearly high…..so don’t wait, contact the office for more information and booking details.