We’ve been out on the road this year…. a lot. At half-time on 2019, our trotters are worn smooth, and it’s time to take stock. The pictures above flooded my inbox when I naively wrote to our planning team to ask for a few shots from recent research trips. I was struck by the awesome […]
Taking a trip down Memory Road just got a lot more sandy. And adventuresome. This epic 6-night road trip, much more romantic when given its French title, La Route du Sud, will take you to some of the most remote and captivating areas of Morocco. I undertook the Route not long ago, thinking that after decades of living and […]
So, it would seem according to the recent pronouncement of one particular world leader, that I live in shithole country. Mind you, while I won’t pretend I wasn’t surprised, I’m not particularly bothered. Shitholes can have some real appeal. To describe the country I’ve moved to (or back to, I should say, since I previously lived many years in […]
When you visit a country for the first time, especially one that is completely foreign to any past experience, you tend to focus on a specific detail. You find comfort in this detail, and make a point to learn as much as you can about it. Using this method, you can comfortably learn more about […]
This little corner of Northern Africa is one of our favourite places to plan in. Why? Because there’s nowhere else in the world quite like Morocco. Here are a few of our top reasons to visit: 1) Get the blues—Pink may be the navy blue of India (as Diana Vreeland, fabled former editor of Vogue, […]
Mint tea in Morocco is everywhere: every visitor is bound to get an offer of tea, whether from a rug dealer or in a local’s home, and it would be rude to refuse. All business transactions, receptions, ceremonies, and celebrations involve tea in Morocco; it’s the sign of hospitality as much as it is the […]
When my mom texts me, she refers to me as “Nomad”. It started as a typo that her phone autocorrected, and stuck due to my longstanding travel addiction. When I rode a camel into the Sahara Desert to meet some real nomads this summer, she found it highly amusing. Traditionally, the nomadic Berbers in Morocco […]
Every November, for the past years, we’ve attended a remarkable travel show in Marrakech—PURE Life Experiences. It’s where we go to take the pulse of the travel industry (oh no, did I just use that word?), meet with some of the hotels and people we work with, and sniff around for new and noteworthy places. […]
Okay, so you haven’t quite gotten around to planning that late December holiday getaway. You don’t need more guilt heaped on your work-weary shoulders. But you do need some help. The Christmas to New Year’s travel window is a busy one, so there’s no more time to waste. Here’s a rundown of of what could […]
Lodge-to-lodge trekking out of the Kasbah du Toubkal gives you access to some of the most beautiful parts of the Atlas, remote rural communities, and sweeping other-worldly landscapes. The well-known Kasbah du Toubkal has been doing up lodges, scattered in the hills and valleys around Imlil, which the lodge uses to put together multi-day treks beginning and […]
Any traveller to Morocco will inevitably come across these lonesome shrines dotted across the landscape of the Maghreb, from Tetuan to Tan-Tan. These “Marabouts” are the final resting places of Islamic holy men, “saints” if you will, although Islam officially frowns upon the concept. Morocco being Morocco, however, has traditions that stretch back before the arrival of […]
What: Lamb tagine with prunes Where: Ourika Valley, Morocco When I think of prunes, I don’t normally think of dinner. However, this gem of a dish brought me around to say the least. Juicy chunks of fresh lamb braised to perfection in a quintessential (and unbelievably delicious) Moroccan tagine. The prunes virtually melt from the slow cooking, […]
If you find yourself lost in a city, seek higher ground to get a little perspective. And if there’s a pool atop that higher ground, you might as well relax in it for a little while. Where: Heure Bleue Palais Why: There’s no need to explain it; we all know why the rooftop pool is so cool. But […]
As I laid in the hammam at Riad Fes, my thoughts now turned to survival. Steam hissed angrily from the walls, the intense heat unbearable. Beads of sweat flowed into rivers, puddling up on the hot marble beneath me. My vision blurred, breathing became increasingly difficult in the heavy humid air. I wasn’t sure how much […]
Any region that includes the word Sahara instantly suggests a high degree of nothingness. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, Morocco has a totally unexpected slice of magic. Not only is it surprising to see what’s on your plate, it’s always a mystery where you’ll actually find it. Where: Dar Ahlam, Skoura, Morocco What: Rice balls […]
Under the watchful eye and pursed lips of the head dada (traditional Moroccan female cook), I was sweating bullets and tripping over my own hands and feet, even when doing something as basic as peeling a carrot. Really. I thought the cooking class we had scheduled at Dar Les Cigognes was going to be a […]