May 24 – 31, 2025
A Culinary Adventure to Morocco hosted by award winning cookbook author Cheryl Alters Jamision. We’ll feast on exotic Moroccan dishes and enjoy cultural experiences in wildly atmospheric settings.
Menu
May 24 – 31, 2025
A Culinary Adventure to Morocco hosted by award winning cookbook author Cheryl Alters Jamision. We’ll feast on exotic Moroccan dishes and enjoy cultural experiences in wildly atmospheric settings.
Morocco as a former French colony retains a strong French flavor along with its own distinct identity. I suggested Marrakech as a new destination to four-time James Beard Foundation award-winning cookbook author Cheryl Alters Jamison with whom I have formed a successful partnership by offering “Excited About Food” culinary tours to the south of France. It seemed natural to go beyond French borders to offer exotic gastronomic and cultural experiences. She loved the idea !
This second edition will bring you to wildly atmospheric settings and all manner of Moroccan dishes are on the menu, from homey preparations to elegant chef-style cuisine.
You’ll be staying at a the fully privatized 4 star the elegant and sophisticated Riad Elegancia with spa, pool and gym located within the walls of the medina, the old fortified central part of the city.
Saturday, May 24 WELCOME TO MOROCCO
You will be picked up at Marrakech airport for a 15-20 minute transfer to the Riad . At 6pm, welcome cocktails will be served while Cheryl will provide an overview of Morroccan cuisine followed by a poolside dinner at the Elegancia’s sister hotel, the ornate 5-star La Maison Arabe.
Sunday, May 25 MARRAKESH
Our local guide will take us for a guided tour of Marrakech which will include the major historical and architectural sites such as the Majorelle Gardens, the Yves St. Laurent Museum and Morocco’s history told through an immersion sound-and-light show. After lunch on a rooftop , you’ll be taken for a walking tour to the secret places of the Medina. Dinner will be at the confidential Café Litteraire, a superb 17th century riad, which has preserved painted ceilings of rare beauty.
Monday, May 26 FOOD & MORE FOOD
Today will be your first Moroccan cooking workshop where you will be greeted by a historian and Moroccan food expert for an introduction to the history of the gastronomic culture. We’ll make bread, learn about spices and teas followed by a hands on cooking workshop and lunch in the gardens of the sophisticated Maison Arab country club Your foodie day will end experiencing an early evening Night Market street food tour in the Medina with a local food expert guide.
Tuesday, May 27 ESSAOUIRA, WINE & ARGAN
Today will be our day trip to the Atlantic port city Essaouira. We’ll enjoy lunch at a French ex-pat’s winery (from Chateauneuf du Pape). After lunch,you’ll be taken for a guided tour of peaceful Essaouira where you will succumb to the charm of this historical and multicultural seaside town. On your way back to Marrakech, you’ll be welcomed by two sisters in their home to experience the production of the traditional moisturizing argon oil. You’ll have free time this evening for dinner.
Wednesday, May 28 ARTISANS & AGAFAY DESSERT
In the morning, our guide will take us for a walking tour to the Medina and the artisans’ district to learn how all the major handicrafts , elaborate mosaics, and painted pieces are crafted. First will be a cooking demo of a very special dish called Tanjia that will be baked in a traditional communal oven for lunch after the artisans tour. We’ll have time to relax after lunch before our ride to the Agafay desert for a grand sunset dining experience .
Thursday, May 29 OURIKA VALLEY, SAFFRON PARADISE AND COOKING WORKSHOP
Safran Paradise in Ourika Valley is a privately owned organic saffron farm where we will learn all about the rare and delicate saffron plant. Women from the nearby Berber village will prepare our lunch with local ingredients including saffron of course ! We’ll enjoy a special saffron ice cream dessert at André Heller’s Anima Garden where we’ll stroll to admire sculptures by renowned artists including Pablo Picasso. Not far away is the potager (kitchen garden) where Chef Tarik will greet us for a cooking workshop followed by dinner with local entertainment.
Friday, May 30 SOUKS AND HAMMAM
You can’t leave Marrakesh without shopping in a souk and being pampered at the hammam, luxuriating in meticulously crafted and ancestral treatments. A Riad Elegancia signature hammam, scrub and massage will be arranged for your holistic well being. A buffet lunch and Moroccan wine tasting experience will await you by the pool and our farewell dinner will be at the fabled 5-star La Mamounia.
Saturday, May 31 FAREWELL
Time to bid farewell to Morocco. Breakfast and airport transfers
Deposit
To secure a place on our tour, we ask that you fill in our reservation form, which indicates that your 30% deposit will be required on reservation. The balance will be due 2 months prior to the tour.
Discounts : A 150 euro discount is valid for early birders (to December 31, 2024). Benefit from an additional 100 euro discount if you bring along a friend or family member .
Included
All meals indicated in the program including wine, gratuities (guides, restaurants) and taxes, professional tour facilitator/guide, activities and entrance fees as indicated in program, fully privatized accommodation in an exquisite Riad in the Medina, airport transfers, transportation in a mini coach, vans and jeeps.
Not Included
Round trip airfare to Morocco, any personal souvenirs or purchases, additional wine, beer or spirits beyond what is offered at meals, travel insurance (highly recommended) and trip medical coverage (required for travelers over 50 years of age).
Terms and Conditions
If insufficient numbers of participants register for the tour or in the event of conditions deemed unsafe for our clients, the tour may be cancelled or postponed. While we endeavor to operate all trips as described, we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary owing to circumstances beyond our control or for more interesting and exciting opportunities. Any changes will be of similar or superior quality and content.
Cancellation Policy
This is a package group tour and non-refundable with no refunds even in case of injury or illness or personal emergency. Cancellation must be notified by email to nancy@absolutelysouthernfrance.com. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance including medical assistance and cancellation. If you get sick from Covid or any other disease, before the trip departs or during it you will need to have your own medical and trip cancellation insurance to cover any costs incurred.
Payment
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
Travel with insurance – and rest assured
Check out SquareMouth, insurance specialists that compare coverage, including Covid, from 19 reputable providers. Just select what best suits you (Covid-19 cancellation, Covid-19 medical, cancellation, interruption, medical evacuation…) . Prices are reasonable and well worth it for a stress free trip.
Arrival and Departure
You will be welcomed on arrival by Nancy and Cheryl for a cocktail at your Riad followed by the welcome dinner at 6:30pm at la Maison Arabe . Your transfer from the Marrakech airport to the Riad Elegancia is included on May 24, 2025 . At the end of trip on May 31, 2025 , we will provide transfers to Marrakech airport. When searching for flights, check out Skyscanner which compares flights and prices from numerous airlines. European low cost airlines flying to Marrakesh are Easy Jet, Ryan Air and Transavia.
What to Pack
Phone chargers, medication, clothing for hot weather, a swim suit, sun screen, comfortable walking shoes, a head scarf and/or hat. Laundry service is available. Amenities, iron and umbrella in every room.
Health
This tour is “physically active.” You may be on your feet, walking and standing, for over an hour, indoors and outdoors, rain or shine. That means if you need help climbing in a tour bus or if you are winded after walking 50 feet, Nancy has other tour options you may want to explore.
Accommodation
You are staying in the luxurious fully privatized boutique hotel and spa Riad Elegancia in Marrakech.
Weather
Temperatures should be pleasant. We expect clear sunny skies with average daytime temperatures between 29C / 83F and overnight lows of 15C / 58F.
Additional Services
Nancy McGee of Absolutely Southern France is happy to assist with roommate matching as well as pre and post tour travel planning. Please advise if you will require additional nights at the hotel.
Morocco as a former French colony retains a strong French flavor along with its own distinct identity. I suggested Marrakech as a new destination to four-time James Beard Foundation award-winning cookbook author Cheryl Alters Jamison with whom I have formed a successful partnership by offering “Excited About Food” culinary tours to the south of France. It seemed natural to go beyond French borders to offer exotic gastronomic and cultural experiences. She loved the idea !
This second edition will bring you to wildly atmospheric settings and all manner of Moroccan dishes are on the menu, from homey preparations to elegant chef-style cuisine.
You’ll be staying at a the fully privatized 4 star the elegant and sophisticated Riad Elegancia with spa, pool and gym located within the walls of the medina, the old fortified central part of the city.
Saturday, May 24 WELCOME TO MOROCCO
You will be picked up at Marrakech airport for a 15-20 minute transfer to the Riad . At 6pm, welcome cocktails will be served while Cheryl will provide an overview of Morroccan cuisine followed by a poolside dinner at the Elegancia’s sister hotel, the ornate 5-star La Maison Arabe.
Sunday, May 25 MARRAKESH
Our local guide will take us for a guided tour of Marrakech which will include the major historical and architectural sites such as the Majorelle Gardens, the Yves St. Laurent Museum and Morocco’s history told through an immersion sound-and-light show. After lunch on a rooftop , you’ll be taken for a walking tour to the secret places of the Medina. Dinner will be at the confidential Café Litteraire, a superb 17th century riad, which has preserved painted ceilings of rare beauty.
Monday, May 26 FOOD & MORE FOOD
Today will be your first Moroccan cooking workshop where you will be greeted by a historian and Moroccan food expert for an introduction to the history of the gastronomic culture. We’ll make bread, learn about spices and teas followed by a hands on cooking workshop and lunch in the gardens of the sophisticated Maison Arab country club Your foodie day will end experiencing an early evening Night Market street food tour in the Medina with a local food expert guide.
Tuesday, May 27 ESSAOUIRA, WINE & ARGAN
Today will be our day trip to the Atlantic port city Essaouira. We’ll enjoy lunch at a French ex-pat’s winery (from Chateauneuf du Pape). After lunch,you’ll be taken for a guided tour of peaceful Essaouira where you will succumb to the charm of this historical and multicultural seaside town. On your way back to Marrakech, you’ll be welcomed by two sisters in their home to experience the production of the traditional moisturizing argon oil. You’ll have free time this evening for dinner.
Wednesday, May 28 ARTISANS & AGAFAY DESSERT
In the morning, our guide will take us for a walking tour to the Medina and the artisans’ district to learn how all the major handicrafts , elaborate mosaics, and painted pieces are crafted. First will be a cooking demo of a very special dish called Tanjia that will be baked in a traditional communal oven for lunch after the artisans tour. We’ll have time to relax after lunch before our ride to the Agafay desert for a grand sunset dining experience .
Thursday, May 29 OURIKA VALLEY, SAFFRON PARADISE AND COOKING WORKSHOP
Safran Paradise in Ourika Valley is a privately owned organic saffron farm where we will learn all about the rare and delicate saffron plant. Women from the nearby Berber village will prepare our lunch with local ingredients including saffron of course ! We’ll enjoy a special saffron ice cream dessert at André Heller’s Anima Garden where we’ll stroll to admire sculptures by renowned artists including Pablo Picasso. Not far away is the potager (kitchen garden) where Chef Tarik will greet us for a cooking workshop followed by dinner with local entertainment.
Friday, May 30 SOUKS AND HAMMAM
You can’t leave Marrakesh without shopping in a souk and being pampered at the hammam, luxuriating in meticulously crafted and ancestral treatments. A Riad Elegancia signature hammam, scrub and massage will be arranged for your holistic well being. A buffet lunch and Moroccan wine tasting experience will await you by the pool and our farewell dinner will be at the fabled 5-star La Mamounia.
Saturday, May 31 FAREWELL
Time to bid farewell to Morocco. Breakfast and airport transfers
Deposit
To secure a place on our tour, we ask that you fill in our reservation form, which indicates that your 30% deposit will be required on reservation. The balance will be due 2 months prior to the tour.
Discounts : A 150 euro discount is valid for early birders (to December 31, 2024). Benefit from an additional 100 euro discount if you bring along a friend or family member .
Included
All meals indicated in the program including wine, gratuities (guides, restaurants) and taxes, professional tour facilitator/guide, activities and entrance fees as indicated in program, fully privatized accommodation in an exquisite Riad in the Medina, airport transfers, transportation in a mini coach, vans and jeeps.
Not Included
Round trip airfare to Morocco, any personal souvenirs or purchases, additional wine, beer or spirits beyond what is offered at meals, travel insurance (highly recommended) and trip medical coverage (required for travelers over 50 years of age).
Terms and Conditions
If insufficient numbers of participants register for the tour or in the event of conditions deemed unsafe for our clients, the tour may be cancelled or postponed. While we endeavor to operate all trips as described, we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary owing to circumstances beyond our control or for more interesting and exciting opportunities. Any changes will be of similar or superior quality and content.
Cancellation Policy
This is a package group tour and non-refundable with no refunds even in case of injury or illness or personal emergency. Cancellation must be notified by email to nancy@absolutelysouthernfrance.com. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance including medical assistance and cancellation. If you get sick from Covid or any other disease, before the trip departs or during it you will need to have your own medical and trip cancellation insurance to cover any costs incurred.
Payment
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
Travel with insurance – and rest assured
Check out SquareMouth, insurance specialists that compare coverage, including Covid, from 19 reputable providers. Just select what best suits you (Covid-19 cancellation, Covid-19 medical, cancellation, interruption, medical evacuation…) . Prices are reasonable and well worth it for a stress free trip.
Arrival and Departure
You will be welcomed on arrival by Nancy and Cheryl for a cocktail at your Riad followed by the welcome dinner at 6:30pm at la Maison Arabe . Your transfer from the Marrakech airport to the Riad Elegancia is included on May 24, 2025 . At the end of trip on May 31, 2025 , we will provide transfers to Marrakech airport. When searching for flights, check out Skyscanner which compares flights and prices from numerous airlines. European low cost airlines flying to Marrakesh are Easy Jet, Ryan Air and Transavia.
What to Pack
Phone chargers, medication, clothing for hot weather, a swim suit, sun screen, comfortable walking shoes, a head scarf and/or hat. Laundry service is available. Amenities, iron and umbrella in every room.
Health
This tour is “physically active.” You may be on your feet, walking and standing, for over an hour, indoors and outdoors, rain or shine. That means if you need help climbing in a tour bus or if you are winded after walking 50 feet, Nancy has other tour options you may want to explore.
Accommodation
You are staying in the luxurious fully privatized boutique hotel and spa Riad Elegancia in Marrakech.
Weather
Temperatures should be pleasant. We expect clear sunny skies with average daytime temperatures between 29C / 83F and overnight lows of 15C / 58F.
Additional Services
Nancy McGee of Absolutely Southern France is happy to assist with roommate matching as well as pre and post tour travel planning. Please advise if you will require additional nights at the hotel.
