Morocco is where I first grieved my dad after his death. Where I cried sitting on a dune in the Sahara Desert as the endless stars twinkled above me and I wondered what life would be like without him by my side.

See, I got the travel bug from my parents, who always seemed to find ways to show me that there was more out there, whether that meant driving to a national park or taking me out of school for an adventure.

I had always imagined both of my parents with me when I envisioned adulthood, especially traveling. We had so much left to do.

But, as I learned the hard way, we could all die tomorrow and my life would have to encompass missing him through the dark days and also through my joy.

I’ll always remember grief in Morocco. But I’ll also remember the best tasting orange juice I’ve ever had in my life, so sweet and fragrant that I would stop, to get some from street vendors, almost every day on my way home from class. I’ll remember the hospitality of a thousand cups of tea, sweet and strong, presented in an almost endless stream upon arrival, departure, and in friends homes. I’ll remember celebrating my birthday in Marrakech 15 years after my first trip to Morocco, still as enthralled as I was back then.

It’s also where 73% of you said you wanted to travel in this year’s Group Trip Survey I sent out. So, since September 7th of this year, I’ve been planning out the best Morocco experiences I could work up with the help of my team and the global travel company that I use to host my trips.

First up, I’ve completely revamped how I organize Morocco trips. In the past I hosted one long, jam-packed trip that took us from North to South. It was incredible, but exhausting. I felt like we were always in the car on the road to the next stop.

In the spirit of giving us all some space, I’ve now split it up into two itineraries, Morocco North and South, so they don’t feel nearly as rushed.

Planning these out has encompassed dozens of emails, far too many nights researching stops, last minute comparisons when the exact hotel I wanted wasn’t available, and so much more. But we made it!

So let’s slow down together.

This food-and-crafts adventure is designed to get you into the mix, with your own hands! We’ll take a pottery workshop, calligraphy session, and a cooking class all while exploring incredible restaurants. We’ll try camel burgers and pastilla (a perfect sweet-savory pie), wander the legendary Medina of Fes with plenty of time to shop, and dive into a street food tour in Marrakech’s iconic Jmaa El-Fnaa.

This trip is for you if you want to eat well, get lost (on purpose) in Morocco’s most vibrant medinas and come home with a custom leather jacket or two.

This food and culture focused trip takes us from the bustling city of Marrakech, into the Sahara for a glamping experience, through the High Atlas Mountains, for tea with an Amazigh family, and even stopping at a rug cooperative for a chance to shop one-of-a kind goods, directly from local vendors! We’ll of course eat well, taking a cooking class and enjoy so many local bites. A few light hikes are included that are not strenuous. You just need to be steady on your feet and able to walk for a couple of hours.

This trip is for you if you want to eat well and step outside of the city to explore desert horizons, Amazigh culture, and bring home a rug or two.

Take a look at everything I’ve shared about Morocco and see if it’s calling your name. I’ll see you on the road!