YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE® Morocco Sahara Odyssey 2022 Small Groups: 8-16 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 13) Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler, At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Morocco Sahara Odyssey itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these: There’s something mystical about the whispering sands of the mighty Sahara that beckons to me, daring me to uncover the cultural treasures that lie within the Morocco’s expansive desert, dotted with riads and colorful Andalusian-style courtyards. But what continues to draw me back to Morocco is its people, many of whom descended from the Berbers who controlled the desert for centuries and preserved some of Africa’s richest traditions. You’ll meet some of them and get a firsthand look at their daily lives when you spend A Day in the Life in Asfalou Village, a mountainside town where you’ll meet a local bricklayer and his family. After exploring their farm and sharing a meal together, you’ll also have the opportunity to visit the Imik Smik Women’s Association, supported in part by Grand Circle Foundation, where you’ll learn how they are trying to change their lives and those of the young women in their community. In this historically patriarchal society, I was saddened to learn how conservative mindsets within the country’s power structure continue to form an obstacle for women in Moroccan culture, but after hearing from a local activist who has worked to reform the country’s laws to help guarantee equality for women, I remain hopeful for the future. You’ll have a chance to meet this activist, too, and learn about how she has spent her life and career fighting for equality and a more intimate understanding of the issues affecting the lives of local women. The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 8-16 travelers (average 13) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can. To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests. So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Morocco Sahara Odyssey adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925. Love and peace, Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel P.S. For further peace of mind, please know that we are EXTENDING our Risk-Free Booking Policy through 12/31/21. Learn more at www.oattravel.com/risk-free-booking. USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler 2 CONTENTS A Letter from Harriet Lewis ................................................................2 The O.A.T. Difference......................................................................4 The Freedom to Personalize Your Experience ................................................6 Grand Circle Foundation...................................................................8 The Leader in Solo Travel ..................................................................9 MOROCCO SAHARA ODYSSEY ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: Your Adventure at a Glance: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Moroccan Culture ....................... 78 and What’s Included ..................... 10 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ........ 12 Shipping & More ........................ 83 Optional Tours .......................... 33 Pre-Trip Extensions ...................... 35 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY Post-Trip Extensions ..................... 44 Morocco ................................ 86 Dates & Prices ........................... 55 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 86 Morocco: A Brief History ................. 86 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Spain................................... 88 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. 56 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 88 No Visas Required ....................... 56 Spain: A Brief History .................... 88 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ......... 57 Tunisia ................................. 90 Vaccines Required ..................... .. 59 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 90 Tunisia: A Brief History ................... 90 Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Guidelines..................... 62 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 65 RESOURCES Optional Tours .......................... 66 Suggested Reading ...................... 93 Communicating with Home from Abroad . 66 Suggested Film & Video .................. 95 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . 68 Suggested Packing Lists .................. 70 Electricity Abroad ....................... 73 Climate & Average Temperatures .......... 75 O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures.......................................................... 98 Notes.................................................................................. 99 Map ................................................................................... 103 3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in Morocco This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled. SMALL GROUPS: 8-16 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 13)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 16 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are visiting, hospitality. so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the stories, food, OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES customs, hidden treasures and more. With 36 regional offices around the world, we are perfectly poised to leverage our local AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS relationships to deliver an excellent experience Engage with local people through visits to and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ by our team in Marrakesh. studios; school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more. Connect with local people as you explore the Fez Medina Venture into the sandy oasis of the Sahara on camelback 4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY Enriching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Morocco Sahara Odyssey adventure. GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) VISIT the country’s power structure form an ever- GCF was established in 1992 to help change present obstacle to continued progress. people’s lives in the world where we live, work, A DAY IN THE LIFE and travel. To date, we have pledged or donated Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like $200 million worldwide. to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s You’ll see GCF’s work in action when we visit find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an the Imik Smik Women’s Association, an exclusive, immersive experience that places you organization that aims to create workshops in the heart of a community where you’ll meet and programs that teach girls and women various people where they live, work, and play; how to sew, read, cook, develop healthcare visit the neighborhood school; lend a hand with and further education that otherwise daily chores; and break bread with our hosts. would not be available. Sponsored by Grand This adventure includes A Day in the Life of the Circle Foundation, the Imik Smik Women’s mountainside village of Asfalou where we’ll Association currently generates funding by meet a local family and get a firsthand look selling bread, pastries, and couscous to local at everyday life as a Berber in rural Morocco. guesthouses in the village. We’ll explore the property and lend a hand CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS with some of the daily chores, such as crafting Every culture has its joys and achievements, bricks, tending crops, feeding