A journey to meet the Amazigh culture in Morocco (January 2023)
Yennayer is very widespread in the Berber world. it is the Amazigh new year and is considered as national celebration in Morocco. Next 2023 January 12th will correspond to the first day of the Berber new year 2973. We will be operating bespoke discovery tours around that event for small private groups or families, offering them the possibility to get in touch with the local Berber people in the Souss Massa region near Agadir, including meet some artists in the berber villages and learn more about the Berber lifestyle and culture. This is an original tour allowing use of local (but secured) transportations giving more time for travellers in the Berber villages for a much closer proximity. Let’s unveil the program below:
Day 1 – Your country of origin > Marrakech or Agadir airport (possible continuation flight to Agadir)
There are now many lowcost companies linking European cities to Agadir or Marrakech. Our guide will meet the group at airport then transfer to Taroudant on a deluxe minibus with driver ; Dinner and overnight in a riad in Taroudant medina or at Palais Salam hotel.
Day 1 – Taroudant
Breakfast – Guided visit of Taroudant Medina alleys and souks especially the tannery – experience an old cafe where locals usually take tea and prepare it themselves – transfer to Tiout Oasis – lunch in berber home – discover the nature and the kasbah overlooking the village – back to Taroudant for dinner and overnight.
Day 3 – Taroudant > Idaougnidif
Breakfast – transfer using local taxis to Ait Baha (tea break by the small Dam in Ait Baha), continue to IdaouGnidif villages and then to kasbah Tizourgane on the top of the mound overlooking the villages – welcome by mr Jamal, a local habitant engaged in taking care of the Historical fortification by transforming one of its houses to a guest house – lunch in the kasbah – afternoon will be dedicated for some hand work at the kasbah to restore a wall and some gardening (possibly plan to plant some olive trees) – optional visit of a women’s cooperative in the village – back to the kasbah for dinner with a guest from the village : one of the Berber deans of the village to tell us the history of the region and the kasbah. Overnight
Day 4 – Idaougnidif > Tafraout > Awmerkt camp
Breakfast – morning will be dedicated to some hand work in the fortification and the gardens around it to help restore a wall or plant trees and see the irrigation system … lunch in the kasbah – in the aftrnoon walk along the valley Idaougnidif until we find some old taxis or 4×4 santana usually by Berbers as common mean of transport in the area – transfer to Idikl then to Aoumerkt desert area where Belgian artiste Jean Verrame made a munumental artwork painting huge granit rocks in 1985 – there the old taxis will leave us and we stay with our guide and cook in a berber bivouac (camp) in the middle of granite rocks – enjoy sunset then dinner and overnight in camp.
Day 5 – Awmerkt camp – Aguerd Oudad – Tafraout
Breakfast in the rocks – find enough bikes avialble and discover the painted rocks – to your info, in Aoumerkt there was filmed a very known movie called « Black Stallion returns » and also a music clip of the Cameroonian WES calld « Awa Awa » – then drive bikes through sinuous offroads to Aguerd Oudad village (known by its natural monument the Napoleon’s Hat) – Once in Aguerd Oudad – we will be invited in a local berber house and have a cooking class with the berber lady – lunch by berber family – after that visit argan cooperative – then continue bike drive to Tafraout and check in to a hotel in town (either 3stars hotel Salama overlooking the souk or 4* hotel Les Amandiers with pool above overlooking the town ) – dinner and overnight
Day 6 – Tafraout
Breakfast – walk in Tafraout town and have a coffee with one of the Amazigh artists painter, poet and novelist and discover his works – lunch with artist in one of the restaurants in Tafraout – free afternoon at the hotel for relaxing … dinner and overnight in hotel
Day 7 – Tafraout – Ammeln Valley (for the Berber’s new year’s Eve celebration)
Breakfast – transfer to Ammeln valley at 7km from town , Ammel is a series of Berber villages clung to the foot of Lkest mountain – check in to a local guest house in the village – typical lunch in the guest house – afternoon we can plan a visit of a school in the village and exchange with the young students and see how they learn (maybe plan to give students some gifts such as scolar material ) … Visit one or two villages in Ammeln Valley including Annamer blue spring and Azerwadome cultural house – in the evening, get ready for the soiree and celebrations of Id Yenayer (Berber New years eve) including dinner and folklorik dance (more details to be announced later) – overnight in same guest house –
Day 8 – Ammeln Valley – Izerbi – Aoukerda – Igmir – Tamanart
Breakfast – new 4WD cars with drivers will be come to pick up group from the guest house – drive to Tahala (visit the rock engravings at Tiremtmat) continue drive to Ait Wafqa to the canyons and oasis of Aoukerda and Igmir – lunch by Berber guest house – visit – continue to Tamanart and visit the Berber village, the oasis and the Jewish cemetry, dinner and overnight in small Guest house in Tamanart –
Day 9 – Tamanart – Ifrane Anti-Atlas – Guelmim – Sidi Ifni – Mirleft – Tiznit
Breakfast – drive early straight on asphalt (desert landscape) to Ifrane Anti Atlas , see the old kasbah Ait Hdidane, then to Guelmim – then to Sidi Ifni on the Atlantic coast – fish lunch on the beach side – then to Legzira beach popular with paragliders .. continue to Mirleft – then to Aglou beach and to Tiznit
Day 10 – Tiznit – Massa – Tifnit – Agadir
Breakfast – visit the medina of Tiznit and discover the silver artisans in the souk , meet old artisans to tell History of the Berber jewellery – drive to Isbouya little desert then to banana river to the Dam Youssef ben Tachefine offering a wonderful view – lunch in a Berber restaurant – continue to Massa , Sidi Rbat and along the Sous Massa National Park (bald Ibis, Oryx desert Antilop – North African Ostrich…) then to the fishermen village called Tifnit (possible to have a stop and little competition for the group : draw and paint materiel at Tifnit to make individual art about the journey ) , then drive to Agadir but before entering the city , have break at Equestrian club Lamzar where to enjoy a horse ride and tea / coffee at the sunset time ) , at this place the best paint can be elected to have a Berber award. Continue to hotel in Agadir for dinner and overnight (we will let you choose category of hotel either 4* or 5* beach resort …)
Day 11 – Agadir or Marrakech , departure
Breakfast – in the morning , minibus transfer to airport in Agadir or Marakech for departure flight. end.
NB . this itinerary can be adapted of course depending on travellers will or on flights plans etc.. there can be more or less days in the Berber villages or more days for stay in a resort in Agadir or visiting Marrakech at the end.
Price : on request. Plz provide info on number of travellers and travel period. contact us >> here . thank you!
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