Going Roque
OCTOBER 22 - NOVEMBER 6, 2026
ACE MCCASLAND
To go rogue; is to loosen the grip of the ordinary, to step into places where color, light, and texture live larger than life.
Morocco offers exactly this: the cobalt glow of Chefchaouen’s alleys, the ochre canyons of the Dades Gorges, the silence of the Sahara broken only by wind across the dunes. Each day becomes both an exploration and a gathering — of impressions, sensations, and the kind of inspiration that only comes from walking into the unfamiliar with open eyes.
This retreat threads the adventure of travel with the alchemy of making. After days on the trail and under desert skies, we arrive at the Nomad Atelier on the edge of the Sahara, a place where time slows and creativity quickens. Here, Ace will guide you in four days of fearless play — torch in hand, metal at the ready, shaping not just jewelry or objects, but memories transformed into form. Morocco’s landscapes will not remain outside of you — they will be carried home, fire-forged, in what your hands create.
Here, the road and the workshop meet - an invitation to surrender to Morocco’s wild beauty, and to let its spirit live on in the art only you can make.
Come ready to wander, ready to create, and ready to go rogue!!
Join us one this almost all-inclusive 16 Day adventure in Morocco.
michelle x
Hi I am Ace and I love to play with fire . . .
I love to design wildly different, eclectic creations to celebrate the wildness in your restless and adventurous spirit. That is how this all began, you know: a woman, a road, a sense of adventure, and a yearning for discovery. Having grown up on a farm in Oklahoma, my passion for the outdoors started early, a wild child running in fields of wheat, riding my horse bareback through the grasslands. When an opportunity struck to hit the road and explore the rest of the country, I loaded my car with a few necessities (a tent, a Nikon, a change of clothes), and hit the road I did. Expansive landscapes were revealed: mountains, canyons, mesas, ocean, deserts, rivers, beauty never experienced before. I became breathless, insatiable. My world expanded from flat to voluptuous, from passive to dynamic. For years, I camped and explored and hiked and rafted and howled at the moon and camped some more. Being passionate about sharing with others my discovery of this astounding beauty of the rugged and raggedy western landscape of the US, I guided and drove tours for Green Tortoise, an adventure travel company, traveling across the United States, Mexico, and Central America in vintage 1956 tour buses.
But really, what the heck does this have to do with jewelry? All this exploration was a search for experience and authenticity. Although I lived life creatively, I did not settle down to explore creating art until my early forties, when I picked up a torch, melted the heck out of some copper, played with bits of silver, and a new expression of passion was discovered.
My work does not imply adventure. My work is an adventure. It is about pushing limits, peeking around the next bend, peering towards the horizon. It is about bouncing in a truck on a dusty, wash-boarded back road to anywhere. It is about grit and rust and edginess and messy hair and embracing the art of imperfection. It is about being a little afraid of the darkness, but knowing the moon will be there to light the way. It is about not only discovering yourself, but becoming yourself.
Are you ready? Ready to join me on this exquisite and jagged journey? Let's hit the road!
Artfully yours,
Ace
WORKSHOP DETAILS:
Going Rogue
an exploration of fire and flow... and breaking the rules
let’s gather on the wild edge of the Sahara for four days of creativity in an absolutely stunning and serene setting. i will share with you some of my unconventional approaches to metalsmithing. how to add depth and texture to a piece with hollow forms. how to add movement with a variety of hinge options. how to create a rustic, beautifully textured chain. for focus, i will be demonstrating a way of creating a hinged bracelet, with stones and hollow forms, that can also be hung from a chain as a pendant, however, you can put these pieces together as it calls to you. i want you to integrate your experience and your story into your creation.
we will learn a few necessary rules, then i’ll show you how to go rogue, breaking those rules with pizazz as a way of expressing your own creative voice. we will be embracing the art of imperfection, and the art of creating a lot from a little with the minimal amount of tools we will be bringing with us.
as we travel through this wild and unique landscape, i wonder: what will catch your eye, grab your senses, take your breath away? what will stimulate all five senses as we wander throughout Morocco together, noticing textures, colors, scents, and sounds?
i will encourage taking time for journaling and/or sketchbooks, for telling each other our stories, and time to simply sit and breathe and feel.
and as we breathe in this ancient culture, leaving behind preconceptions, meandering off the beaten path, and lying on our backs on warm desert sand gazing into a midnight sky so full of stars we gasp, let’s open our souls, to ourselves, and to each other, howl at the waning moon, and play with fire.
won’t you join me on this wild and fiery journey?
Ace x
Itinerary .
Itinerary .
Nota Bene: this is a prospective itinerary. It is subject to modest modifications, dependent on local weather, new opportunities and the desires of the group.
BLD REFERS TO THE MEALS THAT ARE INCLUDED - BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER
Day 1: Casablanca
Thursday, October 22, 2026
arrival day,
Upon arrival you will be met at the airport, or train station and transferred to our hotel.
Upon check in the afternoon you will be free as to allow for the arrival times of others. Depending on your arrival details, you may have time to explore your surroundings. Take a stroll along the Boulevard de la Corniche, the beach promenade that follows the Atlantic, the home to the stunning Hassan II Mosque.—the tallest structure in Morocco.
We will gather at 6 PM for a meet & greet, followed by a Welcome Dinner together.
D
Day 2: Chefchaouen (5 hrs)
Friday, October 23, 2026
Chefchaouen
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
We begin the day in the port city of Casablanca, Morocco's largest metropolis and its commercial hub. We will visit the stunning Hassan II Mosque, which accommodates up to 25,000 worshipers; its minaret stands as the tallest religious structure in the world and the only mosque that non muslims can visit in Morocco.
Carry on north and we will watch the landscape change from flat plains and rolling hills to the rocky terrain of the Rif Mountains. The "Blue City," Chefchaouen is made up of narrow, winding streets and blue-washed buildings, enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and friendly locals.
BLD
Day 3: Chefchaouen
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Chefchaouen
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9AM
Our day in Chefchaouen will be spent exploring the Medina, visiting the Kasbah and Ethnographic Museum, and enjoying the central Plaza Uta el-Hammam. We will begin our morning with a walk through the circular Plaza Mohammed V and the historical Bab El Ain, then head to the main square in the afternoon to visit the Kasbah and its museum before further exploring the blue-painted streets. We will hike to the abandoned Spanish Mosque to enjoy a SUNSET view over Chefchaouen as the sun sets behind the mountains.
BLD
Day 4: Chefchaouen to Midelt (6.5 hrs)
Sunday, October 25, 2026
midlet
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
The drive from Chefchaouen to Midelt is a scenic journey through the Middle Atlas Mountains, characterized by a dramatic landscape shift from the Rif Mountains to rugged, high-altitude terrain. A highlight is driving through the Rif Mountains, which offers opportunities to see the Cedar Forests and, with luck, the barbary monkeys in their natural habitat.
Tonight we will spend the night to break up our journey
BLD
Day 5: Midelt to Dades Gorges (5 hrs)
Monday, October 26, 2026
Dades Gorges
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
Between Midelt and the Gorges unfolds one of Morocco’s most cinematic journeys, a winding passage through cedar forests, ochre valleys, and timeworn fortresses that whisper of caravans long past. This is not just a drive, but a journey through Morocco’s living history — a slow unfolding of beauty between mountains and memory.
A hike through the Dades Gorges invites quiet awe — red rock walls towering above, ancient strata glowing in the sun, and the gentle sound of water threading its way through stone. It’s a landscape sculpted by time, where each step feels like walking through the earth’s own memory.
BLD
Day 6: Dades Gorges to Aitisfoul (5 hrs)
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
aitisfoul
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
We start our travel day with an early morning easy hike and enjoy the natural beauty of this area. We will travel south towards the desert pausing for lunch en route and marveling at everyday life as we pass Berber villages, endless date palms. After the day's long scenic drive, we settle into our simple guesthouse on the wild edge of the Sahara to begin our workshop together with Ace.
BLD
Day 7: Aitisfoul
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Workshop days
Daily Workshop Schedule
8:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast
10 am - 1:30 pm Workshop
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Lunch
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm Workshop
THE STUDIO WILL REMAIN OPEN AFTER HOURS IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE WORKING INDEPENDENTLY.
BLD
Day 8: Aitisfoul
Thursday, October 29, 2026
workshop day 2
Daily Workshop Schedule
8:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast
10 am - 1:30 pm Workshop
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Lunch
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm Workshop
THE STUDIO WILL REMAIN OPEN AFTER HOURS IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE WORKING INDEPENDENTLY.
Following class we will build a simple Tagine with our resident local chef Mohamed.
BLD
Day 9: Aitisfoul
Friday, October 30, 2026
workshop day 3
Daily Workshop Schedule
8:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast
10 am - 1:30 pm Workshop
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Lunch
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm Workshop
THE STUDIO WILL REMAIN OPEN AFTER HOURS IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE WORKING INDEPENDENTLY.
BLD
Day 10: Aitisfoul
Saturday, October 31, 2026
workshop day 4
Daily Workshop Schedule
8:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast
10 am - 1:30 pm Workshop
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Lunch
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm Workshop/Clean up!
Following breakfast we will have our last studio day with Ace.
BLD
some words from a repeat client . . .
Beautifully unpolished, thoughtfully curated and intensely real, Michelle’s journeys always immerse you in the deep soul of the country.
I always come home profoundly changed and expanded, her expansive knowledge and curiosity illuminates and feeds the soul, I left a piece of my heart in the Sahara, and can hardly wait to return to experience the simplicity and intense beauty again that Michelle provides so wonderfully.
LESLEY WHALLEY
Day 11: Erg Chegaga
Sunday, November 1, 2026
walk the dunes
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
After breakfast we will make our way to the dunes where we will take a desert trek with a local and experience the vastness on foot. where the vastness of the Sahara opens before us — golden, endless, and alive with shifting light.
We’ll take 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.
BLD
Day 12: Aitisfoul
Monday, November 2, 2026
wake up & journey back
BREAKFAST 8 AM - 9:30 AM
After breakfast we will start the journey back and if we are lucky (and if we can find them) stopping for a visit and enjoy tea with the nomads.
This afternoon back at Aitisfoul it will be time to shower and pack up, as tomorrow we will begin our journey to Ait Ben Haddou to spend the night as we ascend the desert on our journey up to Marrakech.
BLD
Day 13: Aitisfoul to Ait Ben Haddou
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
kasbah ait ben haddou ,
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
Following breakfast we will be loading up as we make our way back up the trade route to Marrakech, stopping mid way to spend the night. We will be joining a local family for lunch.
We will be staying in a local guesthouse tonight and enjoying a sunset walk at Ait Ben Haddou.
BLD
Day 14: Ouarzazate to Marrakech
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
journey onward, Marrakech
BREAKFAST 8 AM | DEPART 9 AM
Following breakfast we will continue our journey over the High Atlas Mountains, to the fascinating "Red City” of Marrakech. Enroute we will stop at an Argon Collective to see how the infamous oil is made in Morocco.
We will stop for a local lunch prior to arriving and checking into our Riad for the evening.
BLD
Day 15: Marrakech
Thursday, November 5, 2026
souking in Marrakech,
BREAKFAST 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Today, we begin to unearth the secrets of Marrakech, starting in the medina, the old walled section of town that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at its architectural, including the soaring Koutoubia Minaret. Later, we will walk Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakech's main square, populated by orange juice stalls and vendors, Following lunch you may choose to either wander alone or join me as I take you to a few my favourite merchants in the souks.
Farewell dinner this evening.
BLD
Day 16: Marrakech
Friday, November 6, 2026
Blisama, farewell… for now
BREAKFAST 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Transfer to the Marrakech airport and board your international flight home, or join an onward adventure!!
m x
THE INVESTMENT
This is a 16 day all inclusive Art of Travel Experience, including a 4 day workshop with Ace McCasland in Morocco
$7295 USD (Twin Shared Room)
Single Room Supplement $1800 USD (Limited Supply)
$2000 USD NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT IS DUE UPON ENROLMENT
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT OF $300 USD ON ALL REGISTRATIONS UNTIL December 15, 2025
12 Participants
BALANCE PAYMENTS DUE JUNE 22, 2026
TOTAL AMOUNT || $7295USD
$6995 USD
DEPOSIT || $2000 USD
TOTAL AMOUNT || $9095USD
$8795 USD
DEPOSIT || $2000 USD
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.
**PLEASE DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHT TO MOROCCO WITHOUT CANCELLATION INSURANCE PRIOR TO RECEIVING AN EMAIL TELLING YOU THAT WE HAVE MET THE REQUIRED MINUMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ADVENTURE. THE CALL DATE IS SET ON OR BEFORE MAY 01 2026. 12 PERSON MAXIMUM. IF THE MINIMUM NUMBERS ARE NOT MET YOU WILL BE REFUNDED YOUR DEPOSIT.
** Pick-up/Drop offs transfers are only for indicated dates. Should you plan to arrive earlier to stay at a hotel you will be responsible for your own transfer fees. We are happy to help you arrange your transfer and extra nights accommodations before or after if required.
TRIP AND PRICE DETAILS
You will be sent a list of supplies to bring after registration. Please do not book flight until we send you an email confirming that you can go ahead. If you should decide to please purchase cancellation insurance in the case of not meeting the required numbers of participants to move ahead with this adventure.
Deposit $2000.00 USD - non refundable due upon registration. BALANCE PAYMENTS ARE DUE JUNE 22, 2026. AN EMAIL WILL BE SEND OUT WITH A BALANCE INVOICE.
PASSPORT
Foreign visitors wishing to travel to Morocco should be in possession of a passport valid for at least 180 days.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
You can read our full Terms and Conditions here. They are also available during registration and must be accepted to complete your booking.
What’s included
transfers to and from Airport on arrival and departure days
lodging (all double occupancy will have 2 beds) unless you have paid a for a single private room.
all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner (2 courses) including water, coffee & tea.
*Additional beverages and all alcohol - will be at your own expense, and to be paid directly to the establishment.
water will be available to refill your refillable water containers, on the van/additonal bottles of water will be available for purchase
english speaking guide
welcome swag bag
4-day desert workshop with Ace McCasland
transportation throughout the trip, entrance fees and sightseeing attractions as per itinerary
many amazing memories
What’s NOT included
airfare and travel costs to and from Morocco
transfers other than arrival or departure days are available at extra cost to you
travel medical Insurance (mandatory)
trip cancellation insurance (strongly advised)
water, coffee and tea (other than what is provided during meals and in the van) soda, juice, smoothies, and alcoholic beverages
optional activities
SUPPLY LIST: will be sent out after registration
additional nights lodging or any add - on escapes
a gratitude kitty of $200 USD will be collected on our start date to distribute on your behalf to the many lovely people that work behind the scenes and directly with you to make this journey a beauiful experience,
personal spending money & optional shipping if required.
the curator *
the curator *
All our hand curated adventures are personally led by myself and our local team who help bring everyday to life with their insider knowledge.
We do our best to take care of most, so you’ll never have to carry a suitcase or deal with language barriers as you will always have our guide and myself by your side – freeing you up to enjoy this amazing adventure.
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM 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!
Shokran
Should you have any questions prior to registration
please email me here.
Frequently asked questions . . .
