In October, our Year 10 and 11 Geography students embarked on an unforgettable six-day adventure through Morocco. It was truly an unbelievable experience for both students and staff, and certainly a big change from the autumnal weather in the UK!
The trip began in the mountain village of Imlil, nestled in the foothills of the High Atlas. Students trekked along paths leading towards Mount Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak, passing terraced Berber villages and walnut groves along the way.
The experience offered a first-hand look at rural mountain life and sustainable tourism in action. The students got to enjoy freshly made Moroccan tea and dates looking out over the waterfall landscapes.
From the calm of the mountains, the group travelled across dramatic landscapes to the ancient Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its mud-brick kasbahs and as the backdrop for films such as Gladiator and Game of Thrones. After exploring this remarkable example of traditional Moroccan architecture, students continued on to Ouarzazate, where they visited a film studio and learned about how tourism and media are transforming the local economy. Students got to walk inside the film sets of The Mummy and many others!
The journey then ventured south into the Sahara Desert, where students swapped buses for camels and rode across golden dunes to a Berber camp under a vast canopy of stars. Evenings were filled with traditional music, local food, and reflection on the incredible
contrasts within Morocco’s diverse environments. That morning, students scaled up sand dunes to look out over the Sahara at sunrise, something they will always remember.
What an incredible trip!
