Morocco27/06/2011-03/07/11

» About Equity Travel

» Health & Safety

» Educational visits and attractions

» Accommodation

» How much and who can go?

» What happens now

» Travel tips

» FAQ’s

Agenda

About Equity Travel» Established Since 1991

» Group Tours Specialist – Over 370 Tours Per Year Carrying over 14,000 Passenger

» Effective Safety Management System

» Financial Protection

» Fully Accredited ABTA / ATOL / STF and IATA

» Comprehensive Travel and Medical Insurance

» 24-Hour Emergency Telephone Number whilst ON Tour

» 18 Years of Experience to deliver Safe, Tailored and » Successful Tours

» Our experienced Head Office Team has in-depth » knowledge of all the destinations we feature and » can design the perfect trip to meet your curriculum needs.

» Extensive Variety throughout Europe and the World, from Short breaks to Multi-centre tours

Health & Safety

Health & Safety Policy Statement – Tour Programmes.

The Directors of Equity Travel regard safety as paramount and must take priority over all other objectives. They have assumed responsibility for the development and implementation of the Safety Management System to ensure that all measures are taken so that clients are assured of a high level of safety throughout all of its tour programmes.

All of our hotel have full up to date Health and Safety Audits to make sure they are to the required standard for all our school groups.

Find out more about the health and safety online at www.equityschooltravel.co.uk

Health & SafetyMember of the STF (School Travel

Forum) All full members of the STF adhere to a rigorous

Code of Practice and Safety Management Standards that are extremely verified each year.

ABTA Equity Travel is a member of ABTA (Association of

British Travel Agents) which is dedicated to raising standards of quality, safety, service and financial security. You can be sure that when you book with Equity Travel all you arrangements will be in the best hands and you are protected financially by our ABTA bond.

ATOLFor your complete peace of mind the air tour and flights are arranged by Equity Travel are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.

IATAis a protection to the airline – so its an industry protector. It means we can work together with the airline and issuing our own tickets. This makes us much more competitive.

Marrakech

Marrakech is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat. It was known to early travellers as "Morocco City" and prior to the reign of Moulay Ismail Marrakech was the capital of Morocco.

The city has the largest traditional market (Souk) in Morocco and also has one of the busiest squares in Africa and probably the world; Jemma El Fna. The square bustles with acrobats, storytellers, water sellers, dancers, and musicians. By night the square is filled with food stalls, becoming a huge open-air restaurant.

Educational visits and Attractions

D’jemaa El Fna

D’jemaa El Fna is a square and market place in Marrakesh’s medina quarter (old city). The origin of its name remains unknown: it means Assembly of the dead in Arabic, but as the word djemaa also means mosque in Arabic, it could also mean Place of the Vanished Mosque, in reference to a destroyed Almoravid mosque, or it could mean The Mosque of Eternity or The Mosque of Annihilation or perhaps The Mosque at the End of the World.

Educational visits and Attractions

Koutoubia Mosque

The Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakech. The minaret was completed under the reign of the Almohad Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (1184-1199) and was used as the model for the Giralda of Seville and for the Hassan Tower of Rabat.

Educational visits and Attractions

Qoubba Almoravid

The Qoubba Almoravid founded in Marrakech in 1064, is the last vestige of the Almoravids. The Qoubba ("dome" in Arabic) was the center of ablution for believers going to the mosque.

The complex active for several centuries, was also one of the first fountains of the city of Marrakech and thus ensured the supply of water to the people and their animals.

Educational visits and Attractions

Saadiens Tombs

The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back from the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were only recently discovered (in 1917) and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. The tombs have, because of the beauty of their decoration, been a major attraction for visitors of Marrakech.

Educational visits and Attractions

El Badi Palace El Badi Palace meaning the

incomparable palace, is located in Marrakech, and it consists nowadays of the remnants of a palace built by the Saadian king Ahmad al-Mansur in 1578.

Ouarzazate

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Ouarzazate, is a city and capital of Ouarzazate Province in the Souss-Massa-Draâ of southern-central Morocco. As of 2004 it had a population of 56,616. Ouarzazate is located at an elevation of 1,160 metres in the middle of a bare plateau, south of the High Atlas Mountains. To the south of the town is the desert. The town is chiefly inhabited by Berbers, who constructed many of the prominent kasbahs and building for which the area is known for.

Educational visits and Attractions

Todra Gorge Todra Gorge is situated on the remote east side of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The last 600 metres the Todra gorge are the most spectacular as the canyon narrows to a flat stony track as little as 10 metres wide in places with sheer and smooth rock walls up to 160 metres high on each side. The tiny glacier stream is something of a misfit and the river which once filled the gorge can only be imagined. Local people live in the area and can be seen with their small donkeys, or herding camels.

Educational visits and Attractions

The Sahara Desert The Sahara ("The Great Desert") is the world's largest hot desert. At over 9,400,000 square kilometres (3,630,000 sq mi), it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The only larger desert in the world is Antarctica, classified as such due to very low precipitation rates. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean.

Merzouga

Merzouga is a small village in southeastern Morocco.

The village is most famous for Erg Chebbi, a Saharan erg, and it is for this reason a part of the itineraries of many tourists visiting Morocco. Merzouga also has the largest natural body of water in Morocco.

Accommodation

7 days, 6 nights

2 nights at Marrakech Hotel

2 nights at Quarzazate Hotel

1 night at Merzouga Hotel

1 night in Sahara Desert (Berber Tents)

How much and who can go?

• The trip is open to all students in Year 6,7 and 8

• The cost will be approximately £669 per student (subject to currency

fluctuations and air fares at time of booking).

Included in the Price:

• Accommodation as outlined (Min 3* Hotels. Twin/Triple Ensuite Rooms. Hotel Swimming Pool). • Return flights from a London airport (Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton or Stansted). • Transport by Luxury A/C Seat Belt Fitted Autobus.• All Airport Transfers.• English speaking Tour Manager and Guide for the duration of your tour.• Sahara Desert Camel Trek with overnight Bivouac.

Evening entertainment.• Entrance fees.• City and Venue Specialist Guides.• Special Evening Dinners as indicated in itinerary.• All airport taxes and security charges.• UK Airport Assistance • Fully comprehensive insurance, including Party Leaders' Liability Cover and Emergency Expenses. • Party Leaders’ Portfolio consisting of travel guide and resort information where available.

Not Included in the Price:

• Meals en route (unless stipulated in the itinerary).• Drinks with meals other than

breakfast.• Soft drinks, bottled water

(except at meals), snacks, personal toiletries etc.

Travel Tips – Vaccinations,

Currency and VisasThe recommended vaccinations that you should have

before travelling to Morocco are Typhoid and Hepatitis A 2 weeks before travel.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/africa/morocco.shtml The currency Morocco

is the Moroccan Dirham.Please check if your Nationality requires a visa and

inform us. http://www.morocco.com/essentials/visas-

passports/

FAQs

• There is a large amount of information on the Equity website www.equityschooltravel.co.uk

• The School is always welcome to contact you Equity Tour Co-ordinator with questions about your tour.

Contact

Abercorn SchoolTel: 0207 723 700

Staff Contacts: Mr. R. Mitchel or Mr. D. Landi

Equity Travel Ltd1 Jubilee Street

BrightonEast Sussex

BN1 1GETel: 01273 648248

(Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:15)Fax: 01273 889989

E-mail: tours@equity.co.ukWeb: www.equityschooltravel.co.uk