Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - How do you get to stay in a Berber village?

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)

- Africa & the Middle East (https://www.fodors.com/community/africa-and-the-middle-east/)

- - How do you get to stay in a Berber village? (https://www.fodors.com/community/africa-and-the-middle-east/how-do-you-get-to-stay-in-a-berber-village-104324/)

How do you get to stay in a Berber village?

I'm the one who keeps posting these last few questions. We've decided to spend our limited time in country, 9-10 days, by spending 2 days in Fez area, go to Marrakech and spend 3 days and then figure out how to stay in a Berber village with a family. We arrive in Cblanca midnight Sat. night. upcoming. Tks in advance for your responses!

Drat!! I had a perfect solution for you. I hope you had fun. Vix

Hi rick I am going to Marruecos in December, would you please let me of your findings when you come back, I also want to stay in a Berber village... If their are as friendly as Beduins in Egypt you will have no problems.. I was even invited to a weeding while there. enjoy

so how do you get into a berber village. We will be arriving in Fez about June 14th, and plan to spend a couple of weeks in Morroco. It would be great fun to stay in a black tent, or with a family in a red brick hut ???? How do we do this. We will be going to Meknez, Fez, and Marakech (SP). Also, can we rent a car and drive from Fez to Marakech, or is it better to take the train, and if so, is there an overnight train to be arranged. We have attempted to locate an overnight train to Marakech from Fez buthave been unable to find such a connection. The train schedule lists many destinations, but this is not one of them. While in Marakech, we would like to stay near the open market place where the water sellers etc. and the entertainers work into the evening. ANy suggestions on a good clean and reasonably priced place to stay? Last but not least, of course we plan to purchase a few trinkets, and will be very careful that what we buy is shipped to us, but not by the merchant who sold it to us. Do you have any suggestions on how best to handle this shipping either through UPS, etc. and where can we locate these offices. (We have been told that it is very often true that what you buy is not what you get after shipping, we want to be sure that what w buy IS what we get).

Bruce - as for returning home with "trinkets"...I don't know if you're planning on big trinkets or small, but if you can take them on the plane with you rather than shipping, do it! It might be a pain, but you'll know where your stuff is, be responsible for it and save money in the process. Have a great time!

We stayed with a Berber family while in Morocco through http://www.imilchil-travel.com/ It was an extraordinary experience to find out people live without hairdryers and TV, and very happily!

send an e-mail to [email protected] - Below is the e-mail I received from them. Dear Elaine, I am Mohamed, the one who would take you to do Day in the Life of a Berber. In this situation we will go into a Berber home you will get to work beside the people there and learn about the culure. I will be with you the whole time and so I can transtate and explain things to you. Some of the things you will get to do :- - learn to make some moroccan food, tagine and maybe couscous, - wear some berber clothes to blend in with the villagers, - help to bring water from the well with the donkeys, - learn some Berber folk dancing. - Make and cook bread in a clay oven, - do some language training so you can communincate more with the other berbers. -We can do a Donkey Trek for an additional 20dh per donkey -A Short walk, on which it is very likely that you will get invited into other homes, - Maybe go to a hemem (a traditional Berber Sauna room), - Paint your hands an feet with henna, a traditional Berber skin dye, that lasts for about 5 weeks. There will be other things going on. It will be a neat and very cultural experience. The price for this is 930 dh per 24hr period. This includes your accomadation and food. Some of the money goes to the owner of the home that you are staying in and to a couple of extra Berbers that will help to teach you things as well part of it goes to High Country to cover our staff expenses. We usually try and bring groups into different homes so that different familys can earn something. This year is going to be a very hard year for most moroccans because of the drought and especially for people in the small villages that make their living off the land. So the opportunity to do this with them is also a great blessing to them. Transportation is seperate. The village is near Imin Tanout, on the main road to Agadir from Marrakesh. It takes 1hr30min driving from Marrakech. You can travel by taxi, and I can order this for you, it costs 150dh to 200dh/ 6 people one way. Please, feel free to contact us for more informations. My phone no is: 068 51 59 15. The office: 044 45 48 47. I have also included a Microsoft Word document of other ideas you could do. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. Please let us know whether you like any of these ideas and whether you would want to stay the night, or even 2 nights, you are welcome. Best regards. Mohamed

we invite you has to decouvrir very beautiful villages typically berbere, to live with sharing very beautiful moments. this village is 100 kilometre fare from marrakech in the high atlas , TELOUET very fomous with hi a wonderful castel kasbah .if you wont to know more about telouet here is web site www.lexicorient.com .if you need more info e mail me all the best telouet with a famous kasbah (castle)