Program Overview
Join us on this once-in-a-lifetime trip to Morocco! Organized by Sacred Heart Greenwich and Travel For Teens, be ready to dive into a culture like no other. Our trip starts in cosmopolitan Casablanca, where you’ll be able to visit the Hassan II Mosque and get ready for the next seven days in Africa.
On this trip, we will wander through ancient cities, into local households, up to the gorgeous mountain ranges, and winding through mesmerizing souks. This program is about connecting with the country of Morocco, which means we will meet with local schools, learning about current environmental issues affecting the diverse ecosystems of Morocco, and diving into the culture head-first! Dine in a local home and learn about traditional Moroccan life, practice your Arabic and French, ride out into the Sahara Desert on camels for one of the world’s best sunsets, and get ready immerse yourself into this unique country!
This trip is open to all students in French and Arabic classes at Sacred Heart Greenwich – sign up for the trip of a life time today!
During this program, you will…
- Immerse yourself the Moroccan languages and culture
- Learn how to make traditional Moroccan dishes at a cooking class
- Visit the Grande Mosque in Casablanca, the largest mosque in Africa
- Work with the UN in our community service experiences, where we will discuss Women Generational Equality
- Enjoy refreshing cups of mint tea and traditional coffee
- Wander through the Kasbah of the Oudayas in Rabat
- Tour the Medina, or Old City of Fes
- Drive through the Switzerland of Morocco, also knows at the Atlas Mountains, and take in the stunning natural beauty
- Participate in community service at local schools, and even play sports with local teens
- Ride camels to the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert and watch the spectacular sunset
- Enjoy lunch with a local family and learn about life in the rural parts of Morocco
- Meet with an environmental agricultural engineer and dive into the relevant environmental issues in Morocco today
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM THE USA
DAY 2: CASABLANCA > RABAT
Welcome to Morocco! Our trip starts in beautiful Casablanca, where we’ll meet our Travel For Teens counselor and start our adventure!
Enjoy lunch at one of the many French cafés on la Côte, tour the Quartier Gauthier with its stunning boulevards lined by palm trees and chic resident buildings, and visit the Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in Africa and 5th largest in the world, located both above land and water!
We’ll then end the day with a quick journey to Rabat, where we’ll enjoy our first dinner in Morocco and get ready for the rest of our week!
DAY 3: RABAT & COMMUNITY SERVICE
After a long travel day, we’ll enjoy the leisurely morning in Rabat. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, and then we’ll head out to meet for our late morning service and discussion entitled “UN Women Generation Equality”!
Head out for a local cafe experience – try a traditional coffee or mint tea and explore the famous Kasbah of the Oadayas. We’ll wrap up our dinner on a beautiful boat along the Bou Regreg River, followed by our daily briefing and journal time.
DAY 4: FES
Then we’re off, bright and early, after a filling breakfast at the hotel – we’re heading to Fes! After checking into our local riad, we’ll head out to the Medina, where we’ll visit the al Qarawiyyin University, the oldest continually operating higher educational institution in the world according to UNESCO and founded in 859 by a Muslim woman! We’ll also be sure to stop by the Medersa el Attarine to see some incredible examples of Islamic architecture. We may even be able to pick up some local pottery if time allows or stroll through the stunning Andalusian Garden.
Afterwards, we’ll be sure to visit La Ville Nouvella, the former French neighborhood, before we head back to our riad for our local cooking lesson. We’ll be making our own dinner tonight!
DAY 5: ATLAS MOUNTAINS > MIDELT
After our breakfast at the riad, we’ll hit the road – this time heading for the mountains! After boarding our private coach, we’ll take the scenic route through the Switzerland of Morocco, taking in the incredible mountain views, stopping for a coffee along the way.
After arriving in Midelt and checking into our hotel, we’ll visit a local high school, where we’ll learn about the educational system in Morocco. We’ll even fit in a game of basketball with the local teens!
Our day will wrap up with dinner and our classic debrief / journaling time to help us unpack our travel experience!
DAY 6: SAHARA DESERT > MERZOUGA
Today we’ll head out towards the Sahara Dessert, where the landscape will leave you starring at awe at the beauty of Morocco! We’ll board our private coach after breakfast and hit the road for Merzouga, where we’ll be at the southern gateway to the Sahara Desert. Our day would not be complete without a camel ride into the sand dunes for a spectacular desert sunset.
The evening will wrap up with dinner outside our bivouacs, and our nightly discussion and reflection time!
DAY 7: GOURRAMA > MIDELT
Another day, another place to discover – we’ll head out to see more of Morocco! We’ll arrive at our community service work of the day – visiting a local school / child care center.
Right before lunch, we’ll visit a small women’s cooperative and learn more about type of initiative – grab some local goods like honey and saffron to bring home!
For lunch, we’ll be invited into local homes and learn how traditional communities prepare their meals, connecting with the village and sharing a meal together!
Our day continues with a visit with an environmental agricultural engineer, where we’ll talk about the economic development of the area and local environmental problems (i.e. drought). We’ll have the option to hike to an old-style Moroccan home and small mosque on the hilltop.
Finally, we’ll reach our home for the night – Midelt, where we’ll check into our hotel, enjoy dinner, and debrief after our very full day!
DAY 8: MIDELT > FES
Today is the day we work our way back towards the northern coast – we’ll enjoy our daily breakfast and board our coach bound for Fes. After we arrive at our hotel in Fes, we’ll have a free afternoon to grab any last minute souvenirs before our fancy final dinner!
We’ll wrap up the trip with one last shared meal, where we’ll reminisce about our past week in Morocco together!
DAY 9: RETURN TO USA
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Informational Meeting
A TFT representative will give a short presentation and answer your questions.
When: October 20, 2022
Time: 7:30 EST
Click here to view a recording of the 10/20 informational meeting.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Travel For Teens?
We are in our 21st year in the teen travel business and have emerged as the industry leader for teen travel in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. We operate over 100 programs in 47 countries on 6 continents.
Our philosophy: We offer genuine and authentic trips for travelers, not tourists.
Our goal is to engender a passion for learning about other cultures and places through living like a local in that place.
How much is tuition and what does it include?
Tuition for the trip is $3,395, which INCLUDES all breakfasts and dinners, accommodations, transportation, entrance to museums/events, taxes and tips.
Tuition does NOT INCLUDE international airfare, meals not listed in the itinerary, COVID-related expenses (PPE equipment, testing), beverages other than filtered water at meals, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, visas and visa application fees, personal and medical expenses, activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary, excess baggage fees, damage to hotels, expenses related to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. transportation delays or natural disasters), and mandatory trip insurance
What is the Payment Timeline?
Deadline to register: October 26, 2022
$750 trip deposit due within three business days of registration
Deadline for airfare: November 1, 2022
Balance in three installments: November 15, December 15, 2022, and January 10, 2023
How much is airfare? How do the flights work?
Travel For Teens will reserve a group contract for all participants traveling roundtrip from New York (JFK) to Casablanca, Morocco. The exact flight path will be on Royal Air Maroc nonstop flights. The flight cost is projected to be $1000 per person. Families will need to purchase the exact flight themselves directly or purchase it from Travel For Teens by November 1, 2022.
After I register, what happens next?
Once your deposit of $750 is paid, you will receive an email that confirms receipt of your deposit and registration.
In October 2022, you will receive an email that contains your USERNAME and PASSWORD to MyTFT. All forms to be completed by parents and physician as well as packing lists, travel tips, travel insurance information, and other important information can be found on the MyTFT portal (hard copies of the essential legal/medical forms can be mailed to participants upon request). Our contract and release must be signed by all custodial parents (or guardians) and the participant. We will host a second meeting, via webinar in advance of your departure to go over all last-minute questions and details.
Who will be leading this trip from the school?
Convent of the Sacred Heart Greenwich chaperones will be determined in the fall of 2022. The lead Chaperone will be Souad Malih.
Where do we stay?
We will be staying in a mix of three-star hotels and local riads. The names of the accommodations are available to all families once they have signed up.
Single rooms can be requested and will cost $300 additional per person per single.
Note: singles must be requested at the time of registration to be guaranteed.
What are the safety qualifications for our staff?
Our staff members undergo a rigorous hiring process. They receive the same background check as school educators, an extensive training process to go over all safety precautions and protocols, and are required to be certified in CPR and First Aid. We exclusively hire responsible, multi-talented individuals who are safety-minded and are as passionate about teen travel as we are.
Do I need to speak the language?
No, our skilled staff members will help you get around and even teach you a few fun phrases!
Are participants allowed to have their cell phones on the program?
We do allow participants to bring their phones, but we ask that they use it solely as a camera when we are out and about during the day. We want everyone to focus on living in the moment and fully experience each new destination we are visiting without being absorbed in their phones. We ask that participants look at their journey with us as a way to disconnect. When we have downtime at our hotels in the evenings it is okay for participants to use their devices to connect with friends and family back home.