Incredible Moroccan Wanderer Experience

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.