Journey Beyond Travel

03/02/2025

Ramadan Mubarak to all our Muslim friends! Morocco celebrates the first day of this Holy Month on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Those of you traveling around will get to experience the spirit of unity, sharing, equality and love. You can read up on it here:

Are you on the fence about visiting Morocco during Ramadan? Don't be! Ramadan is a wonderful time to visit and have a unique cultural and religious experience.

02/24/2025

The latest from our owner and managing director Lucas M Peters, Writer ✍️… a lot about the life of travel writing if you missed out!

Moon Travel Guides

Lucas Peters is an award-winning writer, photographer, and travel expert with a portfolio that includes hundreds of travel articles, radio interviews, and podcasts. As the author and principal photographer of various travel books published by Moon Travel Guides (Hachette Book Group), Lucas has produ...

02/14/2025

A Love Story as Timeless as the Atlas Mountains ❤️✨

Many cultures have their own legend of forbidden love—Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde—but in Morocco, we have the tale of Isli and Tislit, a love so deep that it shaped the very landscape of the country.

According to legend, Isli, a young man from the Ait Brahim tribe, and Tislit, a beautiful woman from the rival Ait Iaaza tribe, fell madly in love. Their families, bound by long-standing conflict, forbade their union. Desperate and heartbroken, the lovers escaped to the high mountains, where they wept for their doomed love. Their sorrowful tears formed two stunning, mirror-like lakes—Lac Isli and Lac Tislit, forever preserving their tragic story in the heart of Morocco’s Middle Atlas.

It is said that after their passing, their tribes, moved by the depth of their love, ended their feud and allowed future generations to marry freely. To this day, the Imilchil Marriage Festival is held each year, bringing together young Berber men and women from surrounding villages in search of love, soulmates, and lifelong companionship.

Whether you believe in the legend or simply marvel at the beauty of these lakes, Isli and Tislit stand as a reminder that true love can shape destinies—even move mountains.

💌 This Valentine’s Day, let Morocco inspire your own love story! Whether it’s a romantic escape to the Sahara, a magical night in a riad, or an adventure for two in the Atlas Mountains, Journey Beyond Travel can help you craft an unforgettable journey.

📍 Have you visited the lakes of Isli and Tislit? Or do you have your own romantic travel story in Morocco? Share it with us in the comments!



Photo credits: Draa-Tafilalet Regional Office of Tourism

02/05/2025

Hey all! Lucas M. Peters here! I don't know if you all know the Travel with Hawkeye show, but when my new book, Grand European Journeys with Moon Travel Guides was released, Hawkeye was kind enough to have me on, share some laughs, and talk travel.

Here is a link to tune from your phone or computer or wherever you're reading this!: https://omny.fm/shows/travel-with-hawkeye/a-conversation-with-travel-writer-lucas-peters-on

Journey On!
Lucas

Episode 257 - Travel Writer Lucas Peters, who has written the new book Grand European Journeys, 40 Unforgettable Trips by Road, Rail, Sea and More, joins us for a no holds barred conversation about travel, adventure and romance.

01/29/2025

Perhaps one of the things that first comes to mind when one thinks about Morocco is color. Plenty of color! Wander around and you’ll find surprising little colorful streets like this one in Fez. Joyful to say the least!

01/15/2025

Hey all! If you love a good guidebook, Moon Travel Guides has a deal where you can sign up and save 20% off any title! There are a TON of really interesting destinations... but maybe start with Lucas M Peters, Writer and one of his books, like Grand European Journeys, if you haven't already!

https://www.moon.com/titles/lucas-peters/moon-grand-european-journeys/9781640497542/

Journey On!

Get inspired and get ready for adventure with the ultimate guide to Europe’s best trips! Moon Grand European Journeys: 40 Unforgettable Trips by Road, Rai...

01/14/2025

Happy Amazigh New Year! Today is the first day of year 2975 in the Amazigh agrarian calendar. A day to shed light on the diversity of Moroccan identity, and the intricacy, richness and beauty of its Amazigh heritage. A day to celebrate the earth and the human. Today we pay tribute to this great Amazigh lady, Raissa Sfiya (1946 - 2017) - a poet and singer of love and land. She started singing when she was 13 years old, in her village of Telouet (many of you would have driven past it on the way between Ouarzazate and Marrakesh). Her love for music and poetry gave her the strength to break into a musical context where women singers were looked down upon. She sang until her last breath. We had the privilege to listen to her beautiful voice in 2014. You can check out the video we filmed on our YouTube channel.

01/14/2025

From our good friends High Atlas Foundation!!!! Happy Amazigh New Year!!!

🥳 🎉 Happy Amazigh New Year!
💙 💛 💚 Aseggas Ameggaz
ⴰⵙⴻⴳⴰⵙ ⴰⵎⴻⴳⴰⵣ 2975 ⵣ

We celebrate Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year, a beautiful tradition deeply rooted in history, culture, and a profound connection to the land. It's a time to honor Morocco's rich Amazigh heritage with joy, gratitude, and a spirit of unity. May this year bring peace, happiness, and abundant blessings to all.

01/13/2025

Tomorrow marks the year 2975 in the Amazigh New Year! Find out all about the traditions and more here on our blog, with writing and a few select photos from our own Lucas M Peters, Writer.

Discover the traditions and music of Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year celebrated in Morocco and across North Africa

12/21/2024

It's that time of year!!!! We have our annual few holiday posts that are not only a ton of fun, but have a few interesting ideas we think as well!

https://www.journeybeyondtravel.com/blog/morocco-gift-guide.html

Journey On!

From small stocking stuffers to larger gifts for the kids, the kids at heart and those with big hearts. This is JBT's Morocco Gift Guide.

12/18/2024

In the spirit of the holidays, we put together this really fun Moroccan-based gift list that you can share with your friends and family!

Our list supports tons of locally produced goods. There are no Amazon links here! The only way to get most of this stuff is in-country. So keep it handy, print it out, or pass it on to a friend of yours coming to Morocco!

Check it out: https://www.journeybeyondtravel.com/blog/morocco-gift-guide.html

Journey On! And Happy Holidays!!!!

From small stocking stuffers to larger gifts for the kids, the kids at heart and those with big hearts. This is JBT's Morocco Gift Guide.

11/30/2024

The little joys of dolce far niente while getting lost in the Moroccan oases.

11/20/2024

Look who’s giving a travel talk this morning at in Marrakesh! We’re so happy and proud of for representing and shedding light on our role in shaping tomorrow, today!

11/19/2024

Morocco has been getting quite a bit of rain this week. Such a blessing after 6 years of drought. We hope it will fill up the underground water systems, the reservoirs and the dry lakes. This beautiful rainbow that came out today over the Ouirgane Valley gives us so much hope! 🌈 🌧️ ☀️

11/13/2024

Throw in a few people, some camels, many sand dunes, some blue skies…. A caravan. This is how we live our unique and exclusive salt road experience, very off the beaten path.

10/29/2024

“Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” - Ibn Battuta.

10/23/2024

If you’re in Asilah, definitely check out Asilah Forum Foundation’s exhibit by Asilah native artist .melehi The way he uses charcoal and acrylic to convey movement is mesmerizing. Also, the tiles are gorgeous!

10/06/2024

I forgot to tell you! As I’ve been traveling the Upper Adriatic and Baltics for the upcoming Rick Steves' Europe Monday Night Travel show, I am posting little reels on Instagram! Head over there to see some in-the-moment takes!!!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucas_m_peters/profilecard/?igsh=cDFoMjFvYjR6ZGg=

Register for Monday Night Travel on Oct 7th at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern here: https://facebook.com/events/s/monday-night-travel-grand-euro/1058529162567875/