Sustainable Travel in Morocco with Journey Beyond Travel

Atlas Mountains landscape shot
Merzouga Sahara Desert Dune in Morocco beautiful golden sahara desert swooping upward beautiful sahara desert picture
Moroccan women of different generations gather to talk wearing shishias, the local hat of the region
Khamlia Gnawa Group, Khemlia Gnawa Group, Sahara Gnawa, Sahara Gnawa Group, Morocco Gnawa Music, Morocco Desert Music, Sahara Desert Music
Zephyr three years old chasing donkey at the Darna farm in Tangier Morocco

When we first started Journey Beyond Travel, over 15 years ago, we promoted what we called “ethical travel.” Our idea was to have as much thought and care go into our tours as possible.

  • We paid the highest salary in the country to our guides and drivers. More than a “living wage,” we wanted to give them a “thriving wage.”
  • We not only encouraged, but matched dollar-for-dollar any carbon offsetting.
  • We chose accommodations based on how they treated and paid their staff, as well as if they recycled gray water, reduced waste, used solar power, and did everything possible to create what we now know as a “sustainable” accommodation.
  • We supported projects and people that gave value to the community, trying as best to sustain those that make what we do so special and to give outlets for those in more disadvantaged situations.

The buzz words have changed over the years. “Sustainable” and “Regenerative” travel have taken over. At their heart, though, it’s what we’ve always done and are continuing to do!

  • We’re proud to say that we still pay the highest wages to our staff of any tour operator in the country.
  • We now have a partner and system in place to more-than offset the carbon emitted from every traveler who chooses Journey Beyond Travel.
  • We continue to review accommodations and select only the most ethical and who do everything possible to create a happy environment for their employees and warm welcomes for our intrepid travelers.
  • More than ever, we are finding new ways to support projects near and dear to our hearts that are making a true impact in Morocco and around the world.

Journey Beyond Travel has always had a central goal of supporting local causes, associations, and initiatives throughout the country, especially in the places our travelers visit. Our founders were Peace Corps volunteers and our staff have spent years in the NGO sector, working for UNESCO, volunteering time with local initiatives and orphanages, and doing their best to make our planet a better place.

We are proud to be members of the ATTA, the International Eco-Tourism Society, and are certified in Sustainable Community Development and Sustainable Tourism Management.

We’ve highlighted a few initiatives, causes, and associations below. Some we are officially partnered, others we support at more of a grassroots level, and still others are very private causes done on a one-on-one level (i.e. assisting with medical bills or emergency surgery) that is part and parcel of what we do here in Morocco, though we don’t wish to use any of these people individually as they have had a hard enough life as it is. In a word, we are not into poverty porn, but we do aid the impoverished as we can.

A percentage from each one of our tours goes directly to these projects.

Scroll down to find out more.

High Atlas Foundation

We were very excited to pilot a program beginning in 2021 with the High Atlas Foundation to not only offset carbon, but give back to the grid for each tour we facilitate. We’ve taken the time to account for our travelers comprehensive carbon footprint, from the types of food they eat and electricity they use, to the carbon cost of their international flights and on-the-ground transport. We’re proud to say that not only are our tours now carbon-neutral… in fact, in traveling with us, you’ll be giving back to the grid!

Additionally, as we’ve done since 2011, we will continue to collect donations from travelers at the time of booking a trip that goes directly to the High Atlas Foundation. We match all donations made by our travelers.

The High Atlas Foundation works with locals to plant trees and with sustainable initiatives. Find out more here: https://www.highatlasfoundation.org

Our Morocco, an anthology to benefit the Morocco Library Project 

Our Morocco Anthology Tahir Shah Richard Hamilton Saeida Rouass Myronn Hardy Hazim Azghari Dina Benbrahim Amina Lahbabi Lucas Peters Alice Morrison Suzanna Clarke Gerald Loftus Lynn Houmdi

Few would argue that literacy, the basic ability to read and write, are one of the true ways to improve a person’s socioeconomic situation. Since 2014, we have worked with the Morocco Library Project to help them build and staff over 50 libraries in the most distant, rural regions of Morocco.

Of this partnership, we are proud of our work in putting together an anthology of diverse writers, both Moroccan and non-Moroccan alike. 100% of the proceeds of this anthology go to support the Morocco Library Project, helping literacy where it is most needed.

Fair Trade Program in Morocco

After much planning, Journey Beyond Travel is proud to announce that we’ve been selected as the exclusive parter of The Anou – a fair trade revolution taking place in Morocco. The initiative has already received overwhelming kudos for bringing shoppers directly to artisans, both online and off, and for the empowerment of local communities, artisans, and families. Feel free to read more about Anou and the JBT partnership for all the details. Initially, JBT will be sharing information about Anou, including an pre-departure informational packet, with our travelers so that they will be able to access certified ‘Fair Trade’ centers throughout the country on our trips.

Education for All

In 2013, we started helping with Education for All (EFA) by allocating funds that go directly to this organization each year. Additionally, we do our best to promote the organization’s efforts to our travelers in hopes of sponsorship for girls. We are proud to support such initiatives for education in Morocco – this one focusing on offering housing and support for girls from rural communities. We plan on increasing our donations to EFA and if you’d like to offer a helping hand, read more in our in-depth article about Education for All. Do feel free to contact us for any details.

Village of Khemlia

Since we began, we’ve had travelers visit the village of Khemlia, just past Merzouga. In every trip we do, we donate directly to a village. The locals here pride themselves on their Gnawa music and put on a quite a show and sell their CDs after a performance.
Adventure Travel Trade Association Member
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Proud Members of ATTA

We are members of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, one of the most renowned travel organizations in the world. We represent some of the planet's top outfitters in Morocco.

Ecotour Travel Provider
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Eco-Tourism Provider

Journey Beyond Travel works hard to ensure that each trip we do meets modern environmental standards. At the grass-root level we promote ecotourism projects throughout the country.

Eco-Tourism Society
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Focused on Sustainability

We promote sustainable and responsible travel in Morocco. Our niche of offering high-quality tours ensures low impact on the special places you'll visit with our team.