A 10-day retreat with Jenna Rubaii

Day 1 – Arrive in Casablanca
Arrive in Casablanca and meet your Cultural Caravans team. At a relaxed welcome dinner, get to know your fellow travelers and Jenna. She’ll introduce the spirit of the retreat: you can sing boldly, join a refrain, keep a rhythm, or simply listen.
Overnight: Casablanca

Day 2 – Casablanca to Chefchaouen
Visit the Hassan II Mosque before traveling north to Chefchaouen. Settle into the blue city and enjoy an evening at your own pace after the journey.
Overnight: Chefchaouen

Day 3 – Songs of Chefchaouen
Explore Chefchaouen’s winding streets on a guided cultural walk. Later, meet local musicians to hear music rooted in the region, learn about its devotional traditions, and join in a familiar local song. Jenna will help the group find an easy way into the singing, whether through a melody, a refrain, or a shared rhythm.
Overnight: Chefchaouen

Day 4 – A lesson in melody, then on to Fes
Spend the morning with a respected local music teacher for an accessible introduction to Arabic musical scales and maqamat. Hear how a melody changes in feeling as you listen and sing together. In the afternoon, travel to Fes.
Overnight: Fes

Day 5 – The sounds and flavors of Fes
Discover Fes on a guided walk through its historic medina, then follow your senses on a food tour. Make time to listen to the sounds of the city, from its busy streets to its quieter corners.
Overnight: Fes

Day 6 – An introduction to Issawa music
Meet local musicians for an introduction to the rhythms, voices, and traditions of Issawa music. Hear them perform, learn about the place of music in their community, and take part in a guided rhythm session. Later, Jenna brings the group together for an informal sing-along.
Overnight: Fes

Day 7 – Travel to Marrakech
Travel to Marrakech by train or flight, depending on availability. The rest of the day is yours to rest or explore. In the evening, gather with Jenna for a relaxed musical check-in and revisit a song the group has enjoyed along the way.
Overnight: Marrakech

Day 8 – Meet the musicians of Gnawa
Spend time with local Gnawa musicians. Listen to the guembri and percussion, learn about the music’s history, and explore its rhythms through a welcoming, hands-on session. No musical experience is needed.
Overnight: Marrakech

Day 9 – Make a guembri
Meet a local instrument maker and discover the skill and care behind the guembri. Take part in a guided making experience, then enjoy free time in Marrakech. Later, Jenna invites the group to share favorite musical moments from the journey.
Overnight: Marrakech

Day 10 – A final celebration in the Agafay Desert
Enjoy a leisurely morning before heading to the Agafay Desert. As the sun sets, gather for dinner beneath the open sky. Local musicians will help lead a drum circle, bringing the group together in one final shared rhythm. Jenna will then lead one of her favorite songs, with everyone welcome to sing, play, dance, or listen. Celebrate the people you’ve met and the music you’ve made together.
Overnight: Agafay Desert

Best known for starring as Mary Magdalene in the Olivier Award-winning 50th Anniversary tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar, Jenna Rubaii brings powerhouse vocals and emotional depth to every stage. Praised by the LA Times for how she “powerfully enchants while she performs,” she captivates audiences with every note. Jenna was featured in the Original Broadway Cast of Groundhog Day, and toured internationally, starring in Green Day’s American Idiot and as Stephanie Mangano in Saturday Night Fever. She has performed at the Tony Awards, sung for two U.S. Presidents, and has entranced audiences from London’s Hammersmith Apollo, Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, The Kennedy Center, and beyond.