2023 Fordham Preparatory Morocco Cultural Journey
| Travel Dates: | June 9, 2022 - June 20, 2023 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$3,390 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Confirmed Airfare: | $1,292 |
Important Reminders
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What to Expect
Please read through all of the information below. More details will be added as your departure draws closer.
Itinerary
We do everything possible to abide by itineraries as originally planned, but decades of experience teaches that we must be flexible in our planning. Changes to a trip’s schedule are uncommon, but Walking Tree reserves the right to make adjustments to programming in the best interest of the group.
| DAY | LOCATION | DESCRIPTION | LODGING |
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| June 9 | USA - Sevilla | Today the group will depart the USA and cross the Atlantic Ocean! | Airplane |
| June 10 | Sevilla | After breakfast, the group will receive an orientation with the group program leaders. In the afternoon, we'll explore the city, including the impressive cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried. After a lunch of tapas we'll go up to the "Setas de Sevilla" to take in the impressive views. In the evening we'll prepare our own authentic Spanish dinner in a cooking class! | TOC Hostel Sevilla |
| June 11 | Sevilla | Today, we spend the morning visiting an olive farm nearby Sevilla, where some of the finest organic olive oil in the world is produced. In the afternoon, we will come back to Sevilla and have a dinner of delicious tapas. | TOC Hostel Sevilla |
| June 12 | Sevilla - Tangier | After breakfast we catch a ferry to Tangier, Morocco. Upon arrival we'll settle into our riad, a traditional Moroccan guesthouse, and do some exploring in the old quarter of the city. | Hotel Etoile Du Nord |
| June 13 | Tangier | Today we'll explore Tangier, one of the most famous cities in all of North Africa which is a hub of culture, language, food and religion. We'll wander the Medina, the historic market and experience the dazzling array of sights, sounds and smells. In the evening, we'll have a truly special traditional meal accompanied by live Gnawa music, which is a surprisingly funky tradition. | Hotel Etoile Du Nord |
| June 14 | Tangier - Chefchaouen | After breakfast we'll board a bus for the idyllic mountain town of Chefchaouen. This village is painted almost entirely in blue and, with its centuries-old cobblestone streets, offers one of the most photogenic locations imaginable. We'll spend the day exploring Chefchaouen and marveling at all this tiny hamlet has to offer. | Hotel Tarek |
| June 15 | Chefchaouen | In the morning we'll embark on a day-hike through the nearby Rif mountains, enjoying a picnic lunch in one of the most beautiful places in all of Morocco. We'll return to town in mid-afternoon to rest before a traditional Moroccan dinner. | Hotel Tarek |
| June 16 | Chefchaouen - Fes | After breakfast and checkout, the group will travel to Fes. Fes is listed as a World Heritage Site and is believed to be one of the world’s largest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas). It’s maze-like medina houses the University of Al Quaraouiyine which, founded in 859, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the world. The city is also known as the “Mecca of the West” as well as the “Athens of Africa”. Upon arriving late afternoon, the group will check into their riad. Students will dine in a 250-year old courthouse that has been restored into a cultural zone called Cafe Clock. | Riad Salam Fes |
| June 17 | Fes | After breakfast at the riad, the group will enjoy a half-day city tour with a local expert. Students explore the medina’s many artisans’ quarters and the famous tanneries. The group will also get to see Fes’s religious and historical heart! The highlight of this day will be the Medersa Bou Inania. It originally functioned as both an educational institute and as a congregational mosque. It was founded in AD 1351-56 by Abu Inan Faris and is widely acknowledged as an excellent example of Marinid architecture. It is known to be the most elaborate and beautiful of all Merenid monuments. | Riad Salam Fes |
| June 18 | Fes - Casablanca | After breakfast the group will travel to the western port city of Casablanca! Upon arrival, students will settle in our hotel. In the afternoon, we will have time to explore downtown and see the city's French colonial legacy and Mauresque architecture, a blend of Moorish style and European art deco. Afternoon will consist of free time to explore artisan markets before dinner. | Hotel Club Val d'Anfa Casablanca Ocean View |
| June 19 | Casablanca | After breakfast around mid-morning, students will start their Moroccan adventure by visiting the Hassan II Mosque; the largest mosque in Morocco and the 13th largest in the world (its minaret is the world's tallest at 689 ft.). The walls are composed of handcrafted marble and the roof is retractable; it also stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean, allowing worshippers to pray over the sea. Students will take a guided tour inside the mosque and then pair up in groups to photograph and explore it’s stunning exterior architecture. After our final dinner in Morocco, we will head back to the hotel to prepare for our international departure tomorrow. | Hotel Club Val d'Anfa Casablanca Ocean View |
| June 20 | Casablanca - USA | Today we'll depart for the airport to catch our international flight home. | Your own bed, eventually! |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing group accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, locally operated, clean and safe. We inspect each partner hotel to ensure they meet these standards.
TOC Sevilla
TOC Sevilla is situated in an exclusive modern building at the heart of the city and is surrounded by the main places of tourist interest. This is a modern and hi-tech hotel, includes security technology with fingerprint room access control system, 24/7 Reception, safes for your personal belongings and other features, such as free Wi-Fi, kitchen, main living room, and a playroom.
Hotel Etoile Du Nord
Etoile du Nord hotel is among the first 3 star hotels in Tangier; established in 1993, it is located in the city center only 1.5 km from Tangier Beach. This hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms, some overlooking the Boulevard de Paris. It also has a meeting room, a small lounge area with a TV. in the Lobby. A Wi-Fi internet connection is available free of charge throughout the hotel.
Hotel Tarek
Hotel Tarek is located a 10-minute walk from the medina in Chefchaouen, and offers a furnished terrace with mountain views. Thi hotel offers the air-conditioned guest rooms that include a private bathroom, a TV and a telephone. A traditional Moroccan breakfast is served every morning and free Wi-Fi is provided.
Riad Salam Fes
Hôtel Club Val d’Anfa Casablanca Ocean View
Hôtel Club Val d’Anfa Casablanca Ocean view is situated 50 m from the beach in Casablanca. Guest rooms at the Club Val are equipped with a TV, a marble bathroom and have a balcony. They look out over the ocean or the garden. It offers free Wi-Fi and is set in peaceful gardens with a swimming pool and ocean views.
Group Flight
| Type | Carrier Name | Carrier Code | Flight Number | Departure Airport & City | Departure Date and Time | Arrival Airport & City | Arrival Date and Time |
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Outbound
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TAP Air Portugal
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TP
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202
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EWR – Newark International Airport, Newark, United States
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June 9, 2023 at 5:40 PM
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LIS – Lisbon Airport, Lisbon, Portugal
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June 10, 2023 at 5:30 AM
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Outbound
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TAP Air Portugal
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TP
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1106
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LIS – Lisbon Airport, Lisbon, Portugal
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June 10, 2023 at 7:25 AM
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SVQ – Seville Airport, Sevilla, Spain
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June 10, 2023 at 9:30 AM
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Inbound
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Lufthansa Airlines
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LH
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1331
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CMN – Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca, Morocco
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June 20, 2023 at 01:15 AM
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FRA – Frankfurt Airport, Frankfurt, Germany
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June 20, 2023 at 05:40 AM
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Inbound
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Lufthansa Airlines
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LH
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400
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FRA – Frankfurt Airport, Frankfurt, Germany
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June 20, 2023 at 11:00 AM
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JFK – John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, United States
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June 20, 2023 at 01:45 PM
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Once your flight schedule has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.
Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.
Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.
We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.
FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION
Air travel can be unpredictable. Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc. Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route. Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night. Our primary role will be to keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a quick and effective resolution.
Host Community and Project Details
Packing List
What follows is a sample packing list, which will be updated for each program. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on hikes, weekend excursions and shorter activities.
“Less is more” is a packing tip we encourage for all our travelers. The below list should cover everything you would need, but we frequently hear that travelers feel “overpacked” if they follow all of our suggestions. Know yourself and what you are comfortable traveling with. We suggest bringing only as much as you would be able to carry on your own.
What to wear in Morocco?
The answer to this varies widely. You are not required to dress in one way or another. People that live in Morocco dress in a wide variety of ways and do not expect visitors to dress as they do. With that being said, it is always a good idea to dress more modestly than you may at home.
For female students and parents: The most common question we get “is there a dress code for women in Morocco?”. How to dress in Morocco as a woman is a question that plagues a lot of female visitors. You do not need to dress the same as local women. Morocco has no laws on dress codes regarding what women must wear. Morocco is an Islamic country, so it is more on the conservative side and it’s better to dress a bit more modestly than you usually do. In large cities like Casablanca, local women dress in a wide variety of styles. You’ll see short shorts and tank tops; you’ll also see full body veils. In more rural communities, like Chefchaouen, it is highly advisable to cover up more. Wear longer shorts or pants and skip the tank tops (or at least drape a large scarf over your chest and shoulders when you are in smaller communities). There is a strong likelihood that you will attract unwanted attention the more exposed you are.
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CLOTHES:
TOILETRIES: Please bring all your basic toiletries that you would normally travel with. In case you need a guideline, below are things not to forget:
MISCELLANEOUS:
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Support Team
At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find the the team members involved in the preparation, planning and execution of your program.
Emory University – B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History
Luke’s path to student travel began in Mexico, during a year abroad in Mexico and Central America. This formative time led him to join an international volunteer program which, after graduating from college, sent him to the small village of San Gerardo de Rivas in south-central Costa Rica. Welcomed by the loveliest of host families, his experience in this tiny town is directly connected to the beginnings of Walking Tree five years later. His love for travel still burns bright, and today he’s lucky to have a wife and daughter who are equally passionate about exploring the world. Settled in Denver, he adores his family and colleagues, skies whenever possible, and is a devoted fan of all Colorado sports teams.
Earlham College – B.A. International Studies, Minor in Economics
Born and raised in Guatemala in a big family, JP spent seven years living and studying in the U.S., where he was exposed to highly diverse communities. He worked as a Wilderness Leader guiding expeditions across the American Southwest and later attended Earlham College in Indiana after completing the International Baccalaureate in New Mexico. His passion for international affairs led him to study abroad in China and travel extensively throughout Asia and beyond. To date, JP has visited 33 countries, often combining travel with service projects and cultural immersion experiences. Today, he is based in Costa Rica and works full time with the Walking Tree team. Outside of work, he enjoys photography, art and design, hosting friends and travelers, and planning road trips across Costa Rica and Latin America.
Hillary Mora
Program Leader
Said Ait Said
Morocco Country Director & Program Leader
ISTA NTIC Syba Ofppt, Marrakech
Said is from a Berber village in the High Atlas Mountains, but was raised in Marrakech, Morocco. In 2013 he started managing touristic accommodations and excursions for travelers in Morocco. He currently lives in Marrakech with his wife and two children. They are a combination of Berber, Moroccan and American; speaking English, French, Arabic and Tamazighit. They enjoy traveling and embracing their multi-cultural lifestyle!
Stafford Jackson
Morocco Country Director
University of Arizona
Stafford was raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and then graduated High School in Dallas, Texas. After attending the University of Arizona, she set off traveling with her sister through Southeast Asia, Europe and Northern Africa in 2013. After traveling through Morocco, she fell in love with it and decided to make it her home a year later. She has been living in Marrakech since 2014 with her husband and their two children. When she is not coordinating student travel excursions to Morocco for Walking Tree Travel, she is the English Foreign Language Coordinator for a private school in Marrakech. She enjoys cooking, baking, photography and taking family vacations!
Group Roster
Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.
- 1 Aiden Rosario
- 2 Alexander Jensen
- 3 Brandon Schnetzer
- 4 Cameron Harris
- 5 Carter Remhild
- 6 Carter Schlumberger
- 7 Christian Stiker
- 8 Gaspare LoDuca
- 9 Graydon Crabtree
- 10 Hunter Denfeld
- 11 Jack Silkowski
- 12 Jake O'Keeffe
- 13 Jayden Carvajal
- 14 Jennifer Muller
- 15 Kailer Sato
- 16 Luke Curtis
- 17 Martin Robertson
- 18 Matthew Castaneda
- 19 Matthew Cipriani
- 20 Milo Priddle
- 21 Moussa Ahmed Reynoso
- 22 Nico Conte
- 23 Omar Ward
- 24 Ryan Nocerino
- 25 Steven Pettus
- 26 Thomas Gallagher
- 27 Thomas Healy
- 28 Toban Doody
Blog and Communication
During travel we work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blog posts and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program. Students regularly contribute to these posts, providing families back home a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will be notified when the first update is posted, after which we recommend checking in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this webpage.
Assuming your school allows the use of cell phones, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants access WiFi at different moments in the program, allowing them to communicate directly with home. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.
GLC Curriculum
Walking Tree has developed a curriculum of activities meant to help travelers get the most out of their trip before departure, during travel and after they return home. These simple and engaging activities are meant to spark discussion, frame experiences, and prepare participants to travel ethically and effectively both on this trip and on future adventures.For more information about student learning objectives and the format of the curriculum, click on the ‘learn more’ button below.
To view and complete the Pre-Program Activities, visit our online portal at the button below.
Standards of Behavior
In order to run a safe and successful program, it is vital that travelers are prepared to be on their best behavior and bring enthusiasm and interest to each and every day. A communal atmosphere of trust and mutual respect is the foundational. As such, all individuals participating on a Walking Tree program are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of personal conduct.
IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL
- Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Associating with participants while they are in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety. This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE
- Getting a piercing or tattoo.
- Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
- Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
- Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
- Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
- Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
- Breaking group rules.
These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.
Health and Safety
We strongly recommend visiting the CDC Morocco website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before traveling.
Our in-country staff meticulously prepare for all programs. Walking Tree receives regular updates from the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to proactively stay ahead of any potential security concerns. Our in-country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families through in-depth interviews and visits, and stay informed about important current events in the region.
Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in comprehensive leadership training. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff, and U.S.-based staff.
We collect medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we can meet every student’s needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues not listed during your initial registration process. Leaders and in-country staff are prepared to respond promptly to any mental, physical, or emotional health concerns and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.
Insurance
While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel can be unpredictable. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) provision. Detailed explanations of plan options can be found via the link below.
To provide travelers and families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry. Begin by getting a quote here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage that includes CFAR, you must purchase the plan within 14-21 days of your first payment to Walking Tree. Be careful when you read the tenets of the policy to ensure you understand the required timeframe for purchase. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight. Please reach out to us with questions.