Embark on a journey to Morocco from March 15 to 23, 2025 (9 days / 7 nights)
Experience an initiatory journey through southern Morocco in a small group, accompanied by Imane Lahlou and Catherine Agostini-Salembier, in the spring of 2025. The trip will include health, wellness, and personal development workshops.
THIS JOURNEY IS GUIDED IN FRENCH
2,875.00$ – 4,060.00$
RELAXATION AND REJUVENATION
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
SPIRITUAL WALK
A True Initiatory Experience
A journey into the desert is unlike any other—a space of interiorized moments where words no longer matter, alongside shared experiences. The desert will be our temple, and walking will be our meditation, guiding us back to ourselves and to what is essential. Our stay in the vast desert will also offer a fascinating encounter with the people who have traversed and tamed it for millennia. As you answer the call of the desert, imagine discovering, over a few days, the flavors, Berber songs, and percussion around a campfire under a sky of 10,000 stars. Catherine and Imane invite you on an initiatory journey to the heart of the desert, enriched by the discovery of Marrakech, the ancient imperial city of western Morocco, as well as Ouarzazate, the gateway to the Sahara Desert, located south of the High Atlas Mountains.
“I have always loved the desert. You sit on a sand dune. You see nothing. You hear nothing. Yet something shines in the silence.”
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Highlights
– Discovery of “the red city,” Marrakech
– Workshops led by Catherine
– Workshops led by Imane
Special Experiences
– Couscous in the family home of our guide, Mohamed
– Berber songs and percussion around the campfire under the starry sky
– Excursion to the Valley of Roses
Key Themes of Catherine’s Workshops
Catherine Agostini-Salembier, a woman of wind and sand, who received her “baptism of the desert” in 1983 and frequently responds to its call, will share workshops inspired by her latest book, *”Please Draw Me… a Path of Wisdom! A Return to the Essential”*, published in March 2024 by Éditions Le Dauphin Blanc.
– The journey as a soul-revealer, a return to the self: Who am I?
– Diving into the heart of a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing process
– Reconnecting with your inner child
– Inviting a journey from the head to the heart
– A symbolic ritual to lay down some of life’s burdens
– Developing the art of small steps in the “here & now”
– Connecting with yourself, others, nature, and something greater
Key Themes of Imane’s Workshops
Imane Lahlou, inspired by nature, humanity, health, and science, hails from Morocco, a land where the rhythms, colors, and flavors shaped her childhood and adolescence. Motivated by a deep desire to unite science and consciousness, Imane invites you on this desert journey to forge a friendship with your heart, body, and inner space. Her workshops will explore how to identify your essential needs, listen to, feel, and understand your body, and integrate different dimensions of health into your life.
– A complete overview of the pillars of health
– Highlighting your essential needs and learning to listen to and respect them
– Shedding light on imbalances and decoding their meanings and messages
– Regulating the body, brain, and emotional flow
– Learning to deconstruct stress and transform adversity into opportunity
– Living in harmony with your values, intentions, passions, and what deeply drives you
– Cultivating a friendship with your body, heart, and brain
She is Eurasian, at the crossroads of East and West. She is an ethnotherapist, meditation master, speaker, and writer. She is also a guide for “initiatory journeys” and the founder and director of the Latitude Well-Being Resource Center (www.latitudebienetre.org).At 20, she embarked on an expedition, spending several months living in the Sahara, the Algerian desert, with the Tuaregs in Tamanrasset. It was after meeting a former teacher of the Tuareg classes that she began nomadizing with the legendary blue men, the guardians of Silence. Following the slow pace of the camels, she traversed the vastness of the ochre dunes, the aridity of the regs, and the oueds, undertaking various raids in a 2CV in the heart of the crystalline massif of Hoggar and the Tassili N’Ajjer. Subsequently, her passion for the desert intensified. She explored the Atacama Desert in Chile, Wadi Rum in Jordan, the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, the Sonoran Desert in the United States, and more.She enjoys finding herself on the fringes of these unknown worlds, in constructions reduced to the essentials in a landscape of nothingness, where the food is frugal, in the company of the humility of the lords of the desert, who are “rich in their poverty, sated by their frugality.”The desert, a return to the source of worlds, a return to the essential…
A woman inspired by nature, humanity, health, and the sciences, she is originally from Morocco, a country where rhythms, colors, and flavors shaped her childhood and adolescence. Inspired by a deep desire to unite science and consciousness, Imane invites you during this desert crossing to weave a bond of friendship with your heart, your body, and your inner space. The themes explored during the workshops will allow you to identify your essential needs, listen to, feel, and understand your body in order to nourish and integrate the different dimensions of health into your life.
Departure from Montreal at 9:35 PM, overnight flight to Casablanca.
Arrival for a stopover in Casablanca at 9:10 AM. Departure from Casablanca at 11:55 AM, arriving in Marrakech at 1:00 PM (schedules subject to change). Welcome and transfer to your Riad and check-in. Guided tour of Marrakech, the “Paris of the Sahara,” as described by Winston Churchill. First, stop at the Koutoubia Mosque, an ancient monument built during the reign of the Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (1184 to 1199). This monument inspired other buildings such as the Giralda in Seville, Spain, and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. Then, discover the Jemaa el-Fna square at sunset in the evening.
Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a visit to the Majorelle Garden, a tourist botanical garden with around 300 species over nearly one hectare, an Art Deco villa labeled “Maisons des Illustres” since 2011, and a museum of Berber History. Lunch at a typical Moroccan restaurant, then return to the Riad for a nap or rest time. Tea at La Mamounia hotel in the afternoon, followed by dinner at the home of Mohamed, your guide.
Breakfast at the hotel. Around 7:00 AM, transfer by minibus with a driver and guide for a 7-hour drive crossing the Tizi-N-Tichka pass. Between Marrakech and Ouarzazate, the winding road of Tizi N-Tichka traverses the majestic High Atlas Mountains over nearly 200 km. Following the meandering road, we ascend above the green hills of the Oued Zat to reach the Tizi N-Tichka pass, perched at 2,260 meters above sea level. The view from this peak and the surrounding elevation are simply breathtaking. Stop at the magnificent fortress of Aït-ben-Haddou. The village, a prime example of earthen architecture, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Visit the Kasbahs, then head to Zagora, passing through the village of Agdz. Arrival in Zagora.
After breakfast, transfer by 4×4 to the desert, crossing the Draâ Valley. Visit the Quranic library and the traditional pottery of Tamegroute. Lunch in M’Hamid. Arrival in the afternoon at the camp. Night in a tent under the starry sky.
After breakfast around 7:00 AM, depart with the guide, the camp, and the camels for a meditative walk in the Sahara Desert and to discover nomadic life. Picnic under the Tamaris trees, shrubs perfectly adapted to the arid desert, before continuing the meditative and contemplative walk in the heart of the desert in the afternoon. Arrival at the camp at the end of the day. You will witness the preparation of sand bread by the nomads and enjoy traditional Berber folklore while savoring good tea around the fire under the starry sky.
After breakfast, transfer by 4×4 to the city of Skoura, the first stop on the road of the 1,000 kasbahs between Ouarzazate and Tafilalet. According to legend, it was founded in the 12th century under the Almohad dynasty. The palm grove derives its name from the Berber tribe that lived there at that time. Check-in at the hotel, then experience a traditional Moroccan Hammam.
After breakfast, visit the Amridil Kasbah, one of the most prestigious historical sites in southern Morocco. Recognized by UNESCO, this citadel stands out for its large size, beauty, architecture, decorations, height of towers, and the oasis surrounding it. Depart for an excursion in the Rose Valley, one of the most majestic spaces in southern Morocco, where the sweetness and fragrance of roses meet the desert dunes.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight. Departure from Ouarzazate at 10:20 AM, arriving in Casablanca at 1:35 PM. Departure from Casablanca at 4:55 PM, arriving in Montreal at 7:35 PM (schedules subject to change).
**Itinerary subject to change – Exclusive tour, all rights reserved**
Pricing
Early Bird: $3,665 per person (double occupancy). Receive a $100 Early Bird discount if you register before January 15, 2025.
Regular Price: $3,765 per person (double occupancy)
*Spiritours offers pairing options. If we are unable to find a pair for you, Spiritours will cover additional fees for registrations made more than 60 days prior to departure. However, Spiritours reserves the right to pair travelers even during the trip if necessary.
*All prices are based on the exchange rate as of August 9, 2024.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES
– Round-trip flights: Montreal-Marrakech and Ouarzazate-Montreal with Royal Air Maroc (or similar)
– Accommodation in superior Riad (double occupancy)
– Breakfast and lunch each day at the Riad
– Air-conditioned modern minibus for the tour / 4×4 in the desert
– French-speaking driver/guide
– Local guides in Marrakech, Zagora, Skoura, and Ouarzazate
– Couscous in the family home of your guide, Mohamed
– Desert bivouac (hiking, camp setup, guide, camels, and cooks)
– Berber songs and percussion around the campfire under a starry sky
– Unlimited mineral water at meals and in the desert
– Entrance fees to monuments
– Hammam entrance fee
– Excursion to the Valley of Roses
– Luggage handling at the airport and hotel
– Services and teachings from Imane and Catherine
– All taxes
THIS PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE
– Travel insurance (see registration form)
– Meals not mentioned
– Beverages other than mineral water
– Optional excursions
– Hammam massage fees
– Tips of approximately $100-$150 USD per person for desert guides
– Personal expenses
– Contribution to the Compensation Fund for Travel Agents’ Clients (currently free)
*Spiritours holds a travel license in Quebec.
Registration
Registration Deadline: January 15, 2025 (60 days before departure or when maximum capacity is reached). You may register after this date, but an additional fee may apply.
How to Register: You can sign up on our website (see the top right of the travel page) or download and fill out the PDF form and send it with your deposit of $750. Early registration is encouraged as spots are limited. Please include a photocopy of your passport with your registration (for international trips only).
Travel Insurance: To get travel insurance, please contact us to inquire about your premium.
Number of Participants
Minimum 10 – Maximum 15
Required Documentation: All Canadian travelers going to Morocco must have a passport valid for six months after the planned return date. No visa is required for Canadian or French citizens.
For More Information, Please Contact:
Frédérique Lafont
(514) 374-7965, ext. 207
frederique.lafont@spiritours.com
How can we go to the bathroom in the Moroccan desert?
There are no dry toilets in the desert. Therefore, you need to go to a private/hidden spot, such as behind a dune. We recommend bringing biodegradable brown paper bags to place your used toilet paper in, which we burn at the end of the day.
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Do we sleep under the stars during the nights in the desert?
You have two options: sleeping in the shared Berber tent or in an individual tent.
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How can I wash myself in the desert?
We suggest bringing wet wipes to clean yourself every day. Keep in mind that the desert climate is dry, so we don’t sweat much. Some outdoor or sports stores also sell soap sheets, which can be a good alternative.
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Is the water drinkable?
The Berber team provides us with enough potable water to drink. We refill our individual bottles every morning and during breaks on the walk.
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Should I get hiking boots or walking shoes for the trip?
It’s a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer to walk with boots that provide better ankle support, though they are warmer. Others prefer walking shoes or comfortable sports sandals with socks.
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Do I need to be fit to sign up for this trip?
We walk about five hours a day at a fairly slow pace, and the camp moves every day. If needed, you can take a break on a camel, but there aren’t enough camels for everyone as they carry the equipment and luggage. However, you should be able to walk for about two to three hours without any issues for several consecutive days. We cross rocky deserts and sand dunes.
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Please note:
As we move at the whim of Mother Nature, the excursion must adapt accordingly. Every day, the camp is moved, and we walk for four to five hours. The pace is slow and silent to allow for introspection while contemplating the breathtaking landscapes, accompanied by the sound of the wind and the Berber songs sometimes offered by the camel drivers.
A camel is always available to give you a short break. Each day begins with a beautiful breakfast at sunrise. In the evening, a brief meditation session will be offered to help you relax, recover from the walk, and prepare inwardly for the sharing of the day’s experience, followed by a delicious dinner prepared by Mohamed and his team, to be enjoyed under a magnificent starry sky.
At night, you can choose from different options: the large Berber tent can accommodate 10 people, or you can sleep in small individual tents or under the stars. We offer preparatory meetings before each departure. Additionally, we propose a group-sharing meeting about a month after the return.
“I have often dreamed of a long walk in the desert. What attracted me to this caravan was the idea of walking through time rather than distance: then someone suggested putting the watch deep in the bag. The perfect recipe to lose my bearings! Experiencing the fullness of these moments in complete trust, thanks to an experienced, generous team of guides who respect everyone. Waking up to the sound of Berber songs, tasting food perfectly suited to our activities, feeling immense gratitude towards the camels that lighten our load… I have often dreamed of a long walk in the desert: and I dream of returning! Inch Allah!”
– Johanne L. Pierrefonds, QC.
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“The beauty of the landscape and the cities visited. The welcome and the singing of the Berbers. The opportunity to find solace in this unique space conducive to reconnecting with oneself and in communion with others. Everything was perfect and fabulous.”
– Brigitte L., QC.
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“The desert provided me the opportunity to take the time for intensive introspection, thanks to our attentive and generous Berber guides. The desert is ideal for experiencing a complete letting go that happens naturally in a place rich in hope and serene energy. For me, the desert experience was the most powerful and significant sharing I have had in my life so far. An open-mindedness without limits, without judgment, but rather intensely welcoming, comforting, and liberating.”
– Josée G., Sherbrooke, QC.
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