Summer High School Programs in Morocco with Rustic Pathways

I went to Morocco with Rustic Pathways the summer after my sophomore year of high school. Having been to China with them previously, I was worried that nothing could compare to that amazing experience. However, I was proven wrong very quickly. My group was small for the program, as we only had 10 students, but I think that made us all much closer than we would've been had we been in a larger group. The students and leaders were amazing, and made my trip so much more special. The leaders really cared about us, but were also genuinely interested in being with us, and even befriending us. That was a huge perk, because it made us all more comfortable with each other. The things I got the opportunity to do were amazing as well, like riding camels across the Sahara Desert, or teaching English to small town kids. The program helped me face some of my fears, but I always felt safe and cared for. The places we stayed were beautiful and well thought out. Everywhere we went was chosen perfectly and genuinely fascinating. My travels with Rustic Pathways have been the best experiences of my life, and I am so grateful to be able to do them during the summer.

As an avid traveler, photography pushes me to communicate with and capture the stories of locals in different countries. Photography empowers me to break barriers that language and different cultural norms put up and allows me to tell the stories of different countries to my community at home. I aim to showcase the lives of individuals throughout the world, to create less fear and more interest in differences. Eyes, expressions, and stories have the power to surpass the extremists shown through media and make connections between citizens of the world accessible to all. During my two weeks in Morocco, I was guided through the history and culture in a way that made my photos come alive. Not only did my photography significantly improve but I was able to humanize a culture that I only imagined before. Through Rustic, I made incredible friends and my trip left me wanting to learn, listen and travel to so many more places throughout the world.

On this trip we traveled all over the beautiful country of Morocco, we met so many amazing and kind people who were so willing and excited to tell us about their lives and culture. We got to try some really good food and learn a lot about islamic culture. The leaders were incredibly friendly and helpful. I made lots of amazing friends along the way and grew so much as a person. This trip really gave me great insight into other ways of living and the service really impacted me and I will remember it forever. This trip was great for high school students because it was very active including camel riding and zip lining. It was packed full of adventure and education and really gave you amazing insight into the country that you wouldn't get elsewhere. I am very grateful to have experienced this.

This trip was absolutely incredible; the two weeks wasn’t enough. The friends I made were kind and supportive and our group instantly clicked. The trip itself was rigorous in travel throughout the country but utterly worth it. The people in Morocco are kind and caring, and the culture is beautiful and accepting. I would absolutely recommend this trip to anyone looking for a marvelous adventure and wonderful learning experience about a truly beautiful country. Overall this trip was unforgettable; both the country itself and the incredible people I got to meet along the way. Hearing the stories of the many people we met during the trip were incredible and so eye-opening, there were so many people that I will always remember and cherish. يلا حبيبي!

My experience on Rustic Pathway’s Moroccan Wanderer was one that offered self-reflection and discovery through adventure and learning about Moroccan culture. Jumping from city to city, we covered what seemed like all of Morocco in only two weeks. Being able to spend time in a different atmosphere every day allowed incredible adventure and experience. We stayed in incredible housing; each place had its own unique Moroccan authenticity and story. We are incredible food that was mostly very authentic, consisting of tajine and delicious khobz (bread). We met many local families and men and women who shared their stories with us and taught us the importance of Moroccan culture. Rustic Pathway’s Moroccan Wanderer is an incredible trip and I highly recommend it.

My trip to Morocco with Rustic Pathways was amazing. Even for the nervous traveler, it was just over a week and your constantly doing things. The service was really impactful for me and lasted just a couple days. After the service you do lots of fun activities such as zip lining, riding camels, surfing, and more. I loved how the group size was pretty small because it allowed you to really bond with the whole group and make some great friends. The leaders were great too, they were supportive whenever needed and were just really fun people. Two of the leaders, being from Morocco were very knowledgeable about the culture and history so that was awesome. Overall, this trip had a large impact on my life, helping me build some solid life skills and I was able to better find myself as a person

Moroccan wanderers with Rustic Pathways is an amazing experience. Even for the nervous traveler, it’s just over two weeks and your constantly doing things. The service aspect had a huge impact on me, and was definitely my favorite part. Everything after the service project was all fun, riding camels, zip lining, surfing, and more. I also loved that the group size is a little smaller because you really get to bond with the whole group and make some great friends. The leaders were great too, the were really supportive if needed, and just really fun people. Two of them being from Morocco, were very knowledgeable on the culture and history which was pretty awesome. Overall, this trip helped me build up some solid life skills and find myself more as a person in the world.

This summer was the best summer of my life and I owe it all to Rustic Pathways. If I could give a higher rating than 10, I would.

First of all, I never would have considered going to Morocco, had I not traveled with Rustic Pathways in the past. After doing two prior trips, I realized I wanted to go somewhere that was unlike any place I would ever go. Morocco hit that on the nose.

From the first day at the quaint guesthouse in Sbiti, I knew I was in for an incredible journey. Doing service there opened up my eyes to a whole new world. It brought me the greatest amount of joy to see the smiles on the village kids' faces as we helped build them a new part of their school. From the casual high five to an elaborate handshake that they taught me, I will never forget them.

Next, we embarked on our journey to the Sahara, stopping at Ait-Ben-Haddou, the filming site of Gladiator. Though the journey took two days it was far beyond worth it. The Sahara is the coolest place I have ever been to! We were all jovial as we sat atop camels and admired the massive sand dunes all around us. We tried our hand at sandboarding, (which I was pretty good at) and stayed up talking and staring at the stars for hours. I cannot stress enough how amazing this place was and the whole time there I was just in awe.

From the Sahara, we made our way to Marrakech, but not without stopping in Dades and at Terres D'Amanar. The drive through Dades Gorge was breathtaking and I had an amazing time on the zip lines and ropes course at Terres D'Amanar. When we got to the Red City, I was immediately impressed by the bustling Jemaa El Fna Square. From the hundreds of vendors to the snake charmers it was such an exciting place to walk around. Our time in Marrakech was spent shopping in the medina, eating great food, and viewing the historical sites.

We finished the trip in the European feeling town of Essaouira. Here we had two super fun surfing lessons on a perfect beginner beach. We spent our final night buying gifts for each other for "Secret Tzatziki" and then ended with a super posh restaurant with great food and live music, the perfect ending.

The leaders were so knowledgeable and fun, yet safety was their number one priority.

Once again, this trip was the best trip of my life. The entire group became so close so quickly and we still talk every day, 3 months later. This program is an absolute must if you want lasting memories and friendships.