ABOUT
KANTARA TOURS
FROM RUGS TO TRAVEL
The road to Kantara Tours was paved in Moroccan Rugs.
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Alia Kate launched Kantara Tours in 2019 after more than a decade of living, working, and traveling in Morocco. She first visited Morocco in 2005; lived and worked in Rabat for a year and a half in 2006; and started Kantara | Moroccan Rugs in 2008 as a way to source Moroccan rugs and work directly with women weavers.
Over the years, Alia became very familiar with the country, its languages, and customs. While most of her rug buying trips were solo adventures, she is particularly fond of traveling with other people. She loves connecting travelers to the Moroccan communities, artisans, and entrepreneurs that she deeply admires. She loves seeing the country through the perspectives of fellow travelers.
At this point, she's led all types of trips to Morocco -- from student tours, to photographers shooting on location for their clients, to groups of adult travelers. In her off time, she moonlights as a Morocco Expert on Smithsonian Journeys trips to Morocco.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We aim to stay in as many hotels and restaurants that are Moroccan-owned. This is the best way to support local economic development.
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We meet artisans throughout Morocco and have opportunities to buy directly from the source. We learn their stories, eat meals with them, and spend time with their families.
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We have the utmost admiration for the Moroccan guides and drivers we work with. They are experts in Morocco's history, culture, and geography.
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We eat our way through Morocco, sampling all of the local dishes. We eat couscous on Fridays as its customary to do and learn about each region's unique food traditions.
