morocco

morocco

SILK ROAD EXPEDITIONS

13 Day Cultural Excursion with On Site Art Workshop
September 21st - October 4th 2026

Ancient Echoes

An ArtMythos Journey through Ink, Fabric
& Story along Morocco’s Ancient
Silk Road Route.

 

You’re Invited!

An Art + Travel Journey from Marrakech to the Sahara 

Scroll Down For Full Itinerary

Step into a land where every shadow tells a story and the wind carries ancient whispers across desert sands. Join mixed media artist, storyteller, and guide Robyn McClendon for a soulful 14-day journey through the heart of Morocco - where fabric, ink, and myth entwine across timeworn caravan routes. We begin in the ochre glow of Marrakech, where scents of spice and orange blossom awaken the senses and the rhythm of the medina stirs the soul. From there, we follow the path once taken by desert traders - through palm-draped valleys, over the peaks of the High Atlas, and into the golden stillness of the Sahara.

At the center of our journey lies a sacred pause: a 4-day immersive workshop held in the secluded atelier of Kasbah Aitisfoul, nestled at the edge of the dunes. Here, you’ll dive deep into Gelli printing, staining, scripting, and stitching on fabric, crafting a travel journal that unfolds like a myth. This MOST -inclusive experience invites you to travel not just across Morocco’s landscapes - but into your own mythic terrain. We’ll weave our way through timeless souks, hidden kasbahs, mountain passes, and moonlit desert nights. Along the way, your hands will be guided by the textures of place and the rhythm of your own story unfolding.

Come walk the inked path, trace and stitch your own story into the fabric of Morocco.

 


13 day excursion with a
4 day art workshop in the Sahara…

Guided Tour and Gel Printing Book
Workshop in Morocco

The Journey of a Visual Anthropologist: 

a Lush Book Journal, Layered with Incredible Gel Prints and Ephemera!

In this special four day artist workshop in the Sahara, we will explore Morocco through the lens of visual anthropology, becoming artists who collect, interpret, and transform the signs and textures of a place into living works of art. Our vessel for this journey is the Gelli-dori, a unique book structure I have developed that is at once a junk journal, a travel journal, and a serious book as art form.

The Gelli-dori is intentionally designed to be lush and expandable, a book you can stuff with layers of imagery, textiles, ephemera, photographs, and fragments of the world you encounter, and it still flexes beautifully to hold it all. It is a structure that accommodates abundance. To prepare, participants will receive a pre recorded video tutorial before departure, showing how to build the Gelli-dori. This way, you will arrive in Morocco with a primed book, ready to receive the treasures of our journey.

Once in Morocco, we will spend four immersive workshop days filling this structure with:

  • Gel prints inspired by Moroccan motifs and colors

  • Collage and mixed media techniques

  • Textiles, fibers, and fragments gathered from our travels

  • Photography, drawing, and watercolor studies

  • Symbolic imagery that connects us to the visual history of Morocco and beyond

Together, we will explore how the act of gathering and layering as visual anthropologists helps refine your unique artistic eye, personal color palette, and expressive language across mediums.

 
 

What You’ll Experience

• Visual Anthropology for Artists Learn how to sharpen your eye to capture the symbols, colors, and cultural details around you— whether in ancient tilework, worn doorways, graffiti, or textiles. These moments become the raw material for your art.

• Gel Printing in the Field With a small gel plate (5x7 or 6x6), travel-sized paints, and simple tools, you’ll create accents and layers that bring your Jellidori pages to life—without overwhelming your pack or workspace.

• The Artist’s Camera Use your cell phone or camera not just to take photos, but to see like an artist. I’ll show you how I capture fragments—textures, crops, and unexpected angles—that later become collages, color palettes, or motifs in larger works.

• Color Palettes of Place Every artist sees differently. You’ll learn how to pull unique palettes from the environment—your palette will be completely different from a fellow traveler’s, because your eye crops what speaks to you.• Collage & Ephemera Storytelling• Layer your Gellidori with collected ephemera, prints, photographs, and textures. This is how your travel experience becomes a living mythos—your personal story told in symbols, images, and words. 

 
 

Why Morocco?

Why Morocco?

Morocco has long been a crossroads of cultural exchange. Marrakesh itself is a place where North Africa, Europe, and the East meet, its markets, textiles, ceramics, and architecture bearing the imprint of centuries of travel and trade.

When I think of the Silk Road, I see its connective tissue reaching not only into Central Asia, but westward into the Mediterranean, where Morocco, Portugal, and Venice became key nodes of exchange. Venetian silks, glass, and gold all tell stories of traders moving across these routes, stories mirrored in Morocco’s own rich traditions of pattern, dye, and ornament.

In Marrakesh, we will step into this living history. We will visit markets and ateliers, gathering images and inspirations, then return to our journals to transform them into a personal archive of our journey, a Silk Road of the self.

 
 

The Silk Road Journaling Circle

In addition to our daily excursions and workshops, we will gather in the evenings for Silk Road Journaling Circles, informal communal sessions over dinner where participants can share pages in progress, exchange ideas, and dive deeper into the meanings of symbols and iconography in our work.

What You Will Experience

Alongside the four day immersive workshop, the full fourteen day journey gives us time to:

  • Collect imagery, textiles, and objects from souks and artisan studios

  • Participate in photo walks through Marrakesh’s streets, gardens, and historic quarters

  • Document architectural patterns, tilework, and textures that inspire journal entries

  • Share inspiration and techniques in community with fellow artists

What You’ll Leave With?

By the end of this workshop, you’ll return home with:

  • A richly layered Gelli-dori journal, brimming with the colors, textures, and spirit of Morocco

  • A deeper understanding of how to use travel as fuel for your studio practice

  • A fresh well of imagery and ideas that can inform future paintings, prints, or mixed media works

  • A sense of connection to Morocco’s history, to the Silk Road’s artistic echoes, and to a circle of fellow artists

 

Itinerary

Itinerary

 

Day 1: Marrakech
Monday, September 21, 2026

ARRIVAL
Plan to arrive in Marrakech by early afternoon, where you’ll be greeted at the airport and transferred to our hotel. We’ll begin our journey together with a warm welcome tea.

For those arriving early, an escorted wander through the medina offers the perfect first glimpse into Marrakech’s vibrant rhythm.

As evening falls, we’ll gather for a festive Welcome Dinner Party - a rooftop celebration beneath the Moroccan sky to share stories, laughter, and our first delicious meal together.

Day 2: Marrakech
Tuesday, September 22, 2026

A WANDER

BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM

After breakfast, we set out for a day of discovery. Our first stop is Le Jardin Secret, a tranquil oasis nestled within the heart of the Medina — once an 18th-century palace, now lovingly restored into a serene public garden.

After lunch, we’ll continue our wanderings with a guided tour of the ancient Medina and souks, where artisans still shape wood, metal, leather, and clay using age-old techniques passed down through generations.

As evening falls, we’ll gather for dinner at a local restaurant, sharing stories of the day and the colors, textures, and scents that make Marrakech so unforgettable.

Day 3: Ouarzazate
Wednesday, September 23, 2026

ARTISNAL CONNECTIVIY

BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
Today we leave behind the hum of Marrakech and begin our ascent through the High Atlas Mountains, winding our way across the legendary Tizi n’Tichka Pass — a route of breathtaking switchbacks and sweeping views. As we cross over, Morocco transforms before our eyes: from fertile valleys to ochre peaks and the first whispers of desert beyond.

Along the way, we’ll stop to explore ancient Kasbahs and small mountain villages, each telling stories of trade, craftsmanship, and connection across centuries.

By late afternoon, we arrive in Ouarzazate, often called the gateway to the Sahara, where red earth meets open sky. Settle in for the night and feel the rhythm of this cinematic town — a crossroads of artisans, storytellers, and dreamers.

Day 4: Aitisfoul
Thursday, September 24, 2026

ALLEY OF THE DRAA

BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
This morning we journey deeper into Morocco’s wild heart, tracing the path of the Draa River Valley — a ribbon of life winding through the desert, lined with millions of date palms and ancient earthen Kasbahs. Along the way, small artisan villages reveal the quiet rhythm of desert craft and tradition.

We’ll stop in Zagora for lunch, where the air begins to shift — softer, warmer, carrying whispers of the Sahara.

By late afternoon, we arrive at Kasbah Aitisfoul, our home in the desert — a sanctuary of stone, silence, and stars. Settle in and breathe in the stillness. Tomorrow, we begin our creative workshop and the next chapter of our journey

 

Day 5 - Day 8: Aitisfoul
Friday, September 25, 2026 to Monday, September 28, 2026

4 day mixed - media workshop with Robyn

Settle into the rhythm of desert life — slow mornings, creative afternoons, and evenings beneath the stars. Over the next four days, we’ll immerse ourselves in a mixed-media workshop led by Robyn, exploring layers of texture, story, and self-expression through paint, print, fabric, and found materials.

During our time together, we’ll also venture into the nearby village for the Souk to Tagine Experience — joining locals in the weekly market to select ingredients and return to Aitisfoul for a hands-on cooking class with Chef Mohamed, blending community, color, and cuisine.

DAILY WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

8:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast
10 am - 1:30 pm: Workshop
2 pm - 3:00 pm Lunch
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm Workshop

The Studio will remain open after hours if anyone wants to keep their hands occupied. 

The workshop will be held at our host and Guides, Michelles, atelier on the wild edge of the Sahara at Kasbah Aitisfoul, a 10 metre air - conditioned studio . . .
 

Day 9: Dunes of the Sahara
Tuesday, September 29, 2026

SUNSETS & CAMELS

BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
Today we trade roads for desert tracks, setting out in 4x4s across ever-changing landscapes — wide riverbeds, stony plateaus, and distant mountain silhouettes guiding our way. As we journey deeper, the world softens into sand and silence.

By afternoon, we reach the dunes of Erg Chegaga, far from any village, where the vastness of the Sahara opens before us — golden, endless, and alive with shifting light.

We’ll take a camel ride into the the dunes, climbing to the crest just in time to witness the Saharan sunset, where sky and sand meet in hues of amber and rose.

As night falls, we gather around the drums and fire, dining beneath a canopy of stars before retreating to our luxury desert tents — lulled to sleep by the rhythm of wind and distant song.

Day 10: Taroudant
Wednesday, September 30, 2026

MAKING TRACKS

BREAKFAST 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

We rise with the desert light, the dunes painted gold in the early sun. After breakfast, we begin our journey westward, tracing a path through shifting landscapes — from soft sands to the rugged plains of the stony desert.

Our first stop is Foum Zguid, where we’ll pause for lunch before continuing on to Taznakht, a town famed for its vibrant Berber carpets and artisan cooperatives. Here, women still weave the stories of their tribes into wool and color — patterns that echo the mountains and stars.

By evening, we arrive in Taroudant, a walled town often called the grandmother of Marrakech for its ochre ramparts and ancient soul. We’ll settle into our hotel and share dinner together — a quiet night to rest and reflect on the journey so far.

Day 11: Marrakesh
Thursday, October 01, 2026

TRAVELING BACK TO ‘KECH

BREAKFAST 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

After breakfast, we begin our return journey — watching as the desert hues soften into the greens and terracotta tones of the plains once more. By afternoon, we arrive back in Marrakech, where the familiar hum of the city greets us like an old friend.

Once checked in, the day is yours to unwind — perhaps a dip in the pool, a quiet tea on the terrace, or simply a slow wander through the courtyard gardens.

This evening, we’ll gather for a casual dinner, sharing reflections, laughter, and the threads of memory that have woven us together on this journey through Morocco.

Day 12: Marrakesh
Friday, October 02, 2026

RELAX AT THE COUNTRY CLUB

BREAKFAST 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

After breakfast, we’ll head to a beautiful country club oasis on the edge of the city — a serene space to rest, reflect, and savour our day together.

Spend the afternoon lounging by the pool, wandering the lush gardens, or exploring the boutique shops tucked within the grounds. For those who wish, a traditional hammam and massage can be arranged in advance (optional and not included in the retreat package).

We’ll enjoy a leisurely lunch under the trees before returning to our hotel in the late afternoon — refreshed, renewed, and carrying with us the gentle rhythm of Morocco’s warmth and wonder.

Day 13: Marrakesh
Saturday, October 03, 2026

SOAKING & SHOPPING SOIREE

BREAKFAST 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

After breakfast, we return to the heart of Marrakech’s Medina, where the winding alleyways and vibrant souks invite us to lose ourselves in color and craft. Wander through stalls filled with handwoven textiles, brass lanterns, spices, and treasures that tell the story of Morocco’s artisans.

Following lunch, the afternoon is yours — continue exploring, revisit your favorite shops, or simply relax and enjoy the city at your own pace.

As evening falls, we’ll gather once more for our farewell dinner, raising a glass to new friendships, shared laughter, and the unforgettable journey we’ve woven together across Morocco.

Day 14: Marrakesh
Sunday, October 04, 2026

FAREWELL…FOR NOW

BREAKFAST 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Our final morning together arrives softly. After breakfast, guests will depart for their airport transfers or continue on to onward adventures - carrying with them the colors, scents, and memories of Morocco.

As we part ways, may the desert stillness and the hum of the souk linger in your heart - threads of inspiration to be woven into your days ahead.

Until we meet again, inshallah.

B’lisama

 
 
 
 

THE INVESTMENT

$6400 usd

This is a 14 day all inclusive Art of Travel Experience

including a 4 day mixed media workshop with Robyn McClendon in Morocco.

All rooms are twin share occupancy. (Single room supplement extra $1400 usd, limited availablility).

$2000 USD NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT IS DUE UPON ENROLMENT.
IF WE DO NOT MEET OUR MINUMUM NUMBERS YOU WILL BE REFUNDED YOUR DEPOSIT.

12 participants

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT OF $300.00 USD FOR ALL REGISTRATIONS BOOKED BEFORE NOVEMBER 22, 2025

 

PLEASE NOTE: 

There will be no refunds for this trip due to the planning and logistics involved.
When you register be sure to know all you can about travelling to Morocco.

** Airport pick-up is only for indicated dates.  Should you plan to arrive earlier to stay at the hotel you will be responsible for your own transfer fees.  We can help you arrange your transfer and extra night if required.

TRIP AND PRICE DETAILS

You will be sent a list of supplies to bring after registration.

***Please do not book flight without cancellation insurance until we send you an email confirming that we have met our numbers and you can go ahead.

Deposit $2000.00 USD - non refundable due upon registration.

Balance payment is due: June 1, 2026 (Invoice will be sent out 30 days prior with transfer details.)

PASSPORT

Foreign visitors wishing to travel to Morocco should be in possession of a passport valid for at least 180 days. 

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM our guide MICHELLE

 

  • You are required to get travel medical insurance, there are many companies but we use World Nomad.

  • Trip cancellation insurance strongly recommended.

  • Morocco can be overwhelming for the first time visitor. It is for the traveller who is open to new cultures, and is willing to have plans delayed, or a schedule which may shift. Flexibility is essential and participants should not be fearful travellers; being open to the diversity is all part of the experience and fun.

  • This is for the person who wants to travel to Morocco with the safety of a group; it is for the adventurer, the person who wants to feel all their senses in this amazing country.

  • If you have specific allergies (i.e. peanuts, wheat, gluten, dairy, etc.), it will be harder, but not impossible, for you to find food that suits your needs. We are unable to cater to any specific dietary issues - you will need to manage this. All meals will have vegetarian courses.

  • Consult a doctor, nurse or health care provider, or visit a travel health clinic preferably six weeks before you travel. (side note: If you have any pending health concerns you should contact your health care provider prior to registration).

  • A note on Fitness & Well Being: Our Moroccan journey involves full days of exploration - walking through medinas, steep stairways, and uneven terrain. Many Roads and sites have no elevators and our daily step count can be fairly high. A moderate level of fitness and mobility is important to enjoy the experience fully. We recommend both preparation with walks and regular activity before travel.

  • Please use your judgment when deciding if this trip is for you - when travelling with a group each members ability can impact the group greatly!