Jane Wilson joins an escorted tour with Riviera Travel to remote villages in the Atlas Mountains and to the bustling city of Marrakesh, avoiding the hissing snake charmers.
The conical lid of my tagine released the smells of local spices from the Medina I had visited the day before. Hidden inside this iconic earthenware dish onions coated in turmeric danced around chicken thighs sprinkled with ginger, cinnamon and saffron threads awaiting the finale of the caramelised apricot topping. I sipped saffron tea before tucking into my creation of the day. This creative cookery course at La Maison Arabe Restaurant was one of the optional immersive experiences on an escorted tour to Marrakesh and the Atlas Mountains with Riviera Travel.
The tour
Packed with culture, history and fun, our group of forty guests enjoyed guided excursions each day on this six-day mid-haul escorted tour.
There was a mint tea ceremony with Fatma in her traditional house tucked away in the High Atlas Mountains with homemade bread and dishes of honey, oil and freshly made butter. This half-day tour provided a peep into the traditional, simple way of life of the Berber tribes, the indigenous people of North Africa, distinctive in their brightly coloured scarves in the Ourika Valley. (I was surprised to learn that 60% of Moroccans are Berbers). During the 50-minute coach drive we watched landscapes transform from sun-scorched deserts to snow covered mountains with the highest peak in the distance, at 4,167m. We witnessed dry river beds, rural villages like mini Lego pieces tucked into deep valleys and huddles of irrigated trees and blossoming groves. And we passed a sign saying ‘Handmade Wellness’ – this is where the city people escape the heat into the mountain villages, to laze across coloured cushions by the meandering river. We did too.
Essaouira
The full day excursion to this 15th century coastal port town, was three hours each way. Passing orange groves and camels (one hump and two), we stopped to experience and support the Afous Women’s Cooperative which was set up by the government to help women in rural areas become independent. We were welcomed by the high-pitched traditional ululation greeting sealed with genuine smiles before a demonstration of the handmade production of the versatile, and beneficial Argan oil, known here as liquid gold. This area is one of only three places in the sub-Saharan region of Morocco where the trees grow due to the composition of the soil and, dependent on the way the oil is made, the products are for cosmetic or culinary purposes. Culinary Argan oil helps to lower cholesterol while cosmetic Argan oil, hydrates the skin and scented with orange blossom, it smells amazing. (I bought both). Essaouria is a harbour town on the Atlantic coast, with a medina, (old town), protected by 18th-century seafront ramparts. It gets windy so great for surfing and sailing but buffeted by three km of beach and good fish restaurants, naturally. The narrow passageways overflow with wooden carvings laid on rugs, tagine dishes by the dozen, shaded by hanging carpets. It’s an arty place with a hippy scene so don’t be surprised to hear Bob Marley renditions in the main square.
The Medina in Marrakesh
Be prepared for the bustle and bedlam of Marrakesh’s main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa in the Medina. This has seen slaughter of animals and punishment of criminals, a place where the caravan of camels made their stop from the journey across Africa. Today, it’s a cacophony of entertainers and sellers, jingly arms bargaining silver bracelets and a fusion of food stalls creating a blend of aromas while the piercing shrill heralds the tradition of snake charmers hissing incantations and where I took a detour. Weaving through arched passages we were accompanied by the lilting notes of a reed flute from somewhere inside this walled city. We brushed shoulders with women in kaftans, men in striped djellabas, some in tasselled Tommy Cooper style hats passing chunky wooden doors studded with metal. The dusty atmosphere was only noticeable when the sun beamed a light through a gap in the alleys. The cobbled pavements were uneven, a few holes here and there, but Riviera guides were quick to point out the trip hazards.
Five times a day, the hypnotic, rather mournful voice rose above this heartbeat of Morocco as the muezzin called the faithful to prayer from the Koutoubia Mosque. The mosque’s minaret has been standing guard over the old city since the 20th-century and is Marrakesh’s most famous landmark. For an unforgettable sight, take a seat at one of the terraced restaurants with the group for a drink to toast the sun set as it lowers behind the minaret.
Botanical Garden & Palm Trees
From chaos to calm, the tour continued to the peace and tranquillity of the fashionable Majorelle Garden, enclosed by walls with pathways past cacti and bamboo, small but exclusive. The French painter Jacques Majorelle formed this garden as a sanctuary and botanical ‘laboratory’. In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé purchased it. It’s not surprising that this is close to the wealthy Palmeraie area with its villas, and golf course which attracts the likes of the Beckhams and the Clintons. Situated at the edge of the city’s northern section, this is Marrakech’s oasis of 100,000 palm trees.
The Palaces
The excursions also included the extensive Saadian Tombs surrounded by Moorish architecture and the Bahia Palace which was once believed to be the world’s most beautiful palace with lower areas of orange groves in symmetry. The Badi Palace was designed as a showcase of luxury, featuring Italian marble, gold leaf from Sudan, and onyx from India, decorated with intricate mosaics, marble columns, and ornate carvings. The palace was also home to the Sultan’s harem, which included over 500 women.
And Relax
With time to relax in the afternoon except on the full excursion day, I indulged in a traditional Hammam in the hotel’s spa. Dark and atmosphere, I lay on a slab of marble for my body to be cleansed, heated up in a steam room, back on the slab for a black soap exfoliation and then a full relaxing massage with the reputable Argan Oil – bliss, Moroccan style.
The Hotel
We stayed at the four-star Grand Plaza Hotel with 185 guest rooms each spacious, decorated and styled to reflect the region with carved arches above the bed, a frieze wall covering on one side and a spacious balcony to soak up the views of the pool atrium within the hotel or the Theatre Royal and impressive rail station outside. There are several bars and restaurants. The pool restaurant serves excellent salads and Moroccan dishes. The main restaurant serves a buffet for breakfast and dinner which includes a mix of Mediterranean and typical Moroccan dishes dining inside or al-fresco around the pool. The hotel’s spa has rooms for massage, facials, hand and foot treatments and two Hammams offering the traditional ritual.
The tours are designed to be accessible with a professional guide and a helpful, informative Riviera tour leader to ensure each guest is comfortable and eager to ensure solo travellers are included. This is a taster of Morocco, the city, the coast, the mountains and an immersion into traditions. One guest marvelled at the mosaics saying, “this inspires new designs for my patchwork hobby”. Another guest impressed with the cuisine added, “I’m swapping my dry fryer for a tagine!” And me, I had already packed a tagine full with packets of spices and a few bottles of that magic Argan Oil.
Next steps
Six-day Marrakesh and The Atlas Mountains escorted tour. Visits and tours include a guided tour of Marrakesh, featuring the Saadian tombs, souks, the Jemaa el-Fnaa square, and the Jardin Majorelle Gardens; a visit to the coastal town of Essaouira; and the Atlas Mountains.
For departure dates, costs and more information call Silver Travel Advisor on 0800 412 5678.
