osun expeditions
Thoughtful Journeys into the Last Wild Places
OSUN Expeditions are immersive journeys through the world’s most remote and resilient landscapes —
led by architects, explorers, and storytellers who believe that travel can be a form of preservation.
Each expedition is a living classroom.
We travel slowly, listen deeply, and learn from the wisdom carried in local craft, architecture, and ritual.
Whether crossing deserts with nomads or meditating in mountain monasteries,
our goal is not to consume, but to understand — and to protect what remains wild.
Morocco
Our Current Expeditions.
-
Desert Architecture & the Draa Oasis
Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Base: Kasbah des Caïds – Tamnougalt Oasis
Cost: From $3,200 per person (all-inclusive, Marrakech departure)
Focus: Vernacular architecture, cultural immersion, desert ecology
Overview:
This is the soul of OSUN — a journey through Morocco’s ancient caravan route, where sand, palm, and earth converge. You’ll live and learn inside the Draa Oasis, exploring how architecture and ecology intertwine. From restoring earthen kasbahs to sharing fireside meals with local families, this week bridges past and present in one of the world’s most storied deserts.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Marrakech to Agdz via the High Atlas; settle at Kasbah des Caïds.
Day 2: Orientation & earthen building workshop with local craftsmen.
Day 3: Visit historic ksour of Tamnougalt; evening storytelling.
Day 4: Camel trek into the dunes; desert dinner under the stars.
Day 5: Study oasis irrigation systems and date-palm farming.
Day 6: Photography and sketching day; sunset reflection walk.
Day 7: Return to Marrakech.
Add-ons: Optional extra night at the Kasbah for rest or writing.
-
Atlas Mountains & the Village Builders
Duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights
Base: Aït Bouguemez Valley
Cost: From $2,850 per person
Focus: Stone architecture, Berber culture, mountain ecology
Overview:
A journey into Morocco’s “Happy Valley,” where ancient villages cling to green terraces beneath snow-capped peaks. This expedition combines highland hikes, architecture walks, and quiet evenings by the fire. You’ll learn the logic of dry-stone masonry and the artistry of life at altitude.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Marrakech to Aït Bouguemez; welcome dinner.
Day 2: Village walk and architecture study tour.
Day 3: Participate in a local building workshop.
Day 4: Hike to a mountaintop granary; picnic and journaling.
Day 5: Cultural evening with music and tea ceremony.
Day 6: Return to Marrakech.
Add-ons: Optional overnight in a traditional mountain guesthouse.
-
Sacred Courtyards of Marrakech
Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights
Base: Dar Lara House, Marrakech Medina
Cost: From $1,950 per person
Focus: Artisanship, design, sacred geometry
Overview:
Behind every carved door in Marrakech lies a world of geometry, water, and light. This short, design-focused retreat immerses guests in the spiritual foundations of Moroccan craftsmanship. Meet zellige tile masters, tadelakt plaster artisans, and explore hidden riads with a local architect.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Arrival, welcome dinner at Dar Lara House.
Day 2: Architectural walking tour + zellige tile workshop.
Day 3: Visit artisans’ quarter and Majorelle heritage sites.
Day 4: Morning hammam & rooftop reflection breakfast.
Add-ons: Extend to the Draa Oasis for a 10-day combined journey.
-
The Cradle of the Earth — Morocco’s Geological Heartlands
Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Base: Dades Gorge, Jebel Saghro, and Erfoud Region
Cost: From $3,500 per person
Focus: Geology, fossil exploration, landscape studies
Overview:
Venture through Morocco’s ancient crust — where the mountains tell stories older than time. Discover fossil beds, crystal caves, and canyons carved by vanished seas. You’ll walk among trilobite quarries, sleep in desert lodges, and learn to read the earth’s memory in stone.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Marrakech → drive to Dades Gorge.
Day 2: Geology briefing + gorge exploration.
Day 3: Jebel Saghro volcanic range + fossil site visit.
Day 4: Transfer to Erfoud fossil mines; fossil workshop.
Day 5: Visit desert crystal caves & nomadic communities.
Day 6: Desert night camp — star viewing + sand meditation.
Day 7–8: Return to Marrakech via Ouarzazate.
Add-ons: Fossil polishing or geological sketching workshop.
-
The Sky Above the Sahara — Astronomy & Desert Silence
Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Base: Erg Chigaga Dunes, Southern Morocco
Cost: From $2,950 per person
Focus: Astronomy, cosmic navigation, desert spirituality
Overview:
Under Morocco’s purest skies, this is an expedition into stillness. Guided by astronomers and Berber star-gazers, you’ll learn celestial navigation and mythic astronomy. Evenings unfold in silence — constellations mirrored across dunes, and the sound of wind shaping sand.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Marrakech → drive to M’hamid; desert orientation.
Day 2: Astronomy session and night observation.
Day 3: Camel trek + astrology and storytelling circle.
Day 4: Meditation sunrise walk + desert photography.
Day 5: Return to Marrakech.
Add-ons: Optional astrophotography session or night-time dune camp.
-
Lost Kingdoms of the South — Archaeology of the Draa Valley
Duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights
Base: Tamnougalt and Zagora
Cost: From $3,200 per person
Focus: Archaeology, history, anthropology
Overview:
Trace the forgotten trade routes that once connected North Africa to Timbuktu. Explore crumbling fortresses, prehistoric carvings, and the ruins of desert kingdoms. You’ll collaborate with local archaeologists and historians preserving this fragile heritage.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Marrakech to Tamnougalt; orientation at Kasbah.
Day 2: Visit petroglyph sites and early granaries.
Day 3: Archaeological mapping in the ksour.
Day 4: Desert day trip + storytelling under the stars.
Day 5: Visit museum in Zagora.
Day 6: Return to Marrakech.
Add-ons: Combine with Draa Oasis Expedition for full immersion.
Namibia
Our Current Expeditions.
-
The Elemental Adventure
Duration: 10 Days / 9 Nights
Base: Windhoek → Swakopmund → Spitzkoppe → Epupa Falls
Cost: From $5,200 per person
Focus: Adventure, aviation, rock climbing, rafting, exploration
Overview:
For those drawn closer to the edge - this is Namibia’s wild heart. Leap from planes, climb giant granite, fly across the Skeleton Coast, and raft through canyons. Guided by pilots, climbers, and river guides, this expedition immerses you in the raw elements of air, earth, and water - pure, fearless Namibia.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Windhoek arrival and orientation dinner.
Day 2: Scenic drive to Swakopmund; sunset over the Atlantic.
Day 3: Skydive above the desert and ocean.
Day 4: Charter flight along Skeleton Coast with local bush pilot.
Day 5: Drive to Spitzkoppe; sunset hike among granite peaks.
Day 6: Rock climbing & ancient San rock art exploration.
Day 7: Transfer north through Kaokoland to Epupa Falls.
Day 8: White-water rafting on the Kunene River.
Day 9: Himba cultural immersion; fireside reflection.
Day 10: Return flight to Windhoek.
Add-ons:
Bush pilot intro course (Swakopmund)
-
The Celestial Desert - Astronomy & Solitude at Wolwedans
Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights
Base: Wolwedans, NamibRand Nature Reserve
Cost: From $2,950 per person
Focus: Astronomy, meditation, storytelling
Overview:
Sleep under one of the clearest skies on Earth - Namibia is a certified dark zone. This quiet retreat blends science and soul — guided by astronomy oriented guides who share constellation knowledge. Observe galaxies through telescopes, meditate beneath the Milky Way, and rediscover the stillness of the desert night.
Itinerary Snapshot:
- Easily Combined with any other Osun Tour
Day 1: Arrival at Wolwedans; sunset orientation.
Day 2: Morning desert hike; evening stargazing with telescope.
Day 3: Day of silence and reflection; night photography session.
Day 4: Dawn meditation and departure.
Add-ons: San storytelling fireside evening or private yoga under the stars.
-
Fire & Stone - Geological Wonders of Namibia
Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Base: Damaraland & Sossusvlei
Cost: From $3,800 per person
Focus: Geology, fossils, desert landscapes
Overview:
Walk through the raw geology of the Namib — the world’s oldest desert. From the petrified forests of Damaraland to the blood-red dunes of Sossusvlei, this expedition reveals how time, wind, and fire have shaped the planet. Perfect for lovers of science, landscape, and stillness.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Windhoek → drive to Damaraland.
Day 2: Geological fieldwork and petrified forest visit.
Day 3: Twyfelfontein rock formations and ancient fossils.
Day 4: Transfer to Sossusvlei; sunrise dune climb.
Day 5: Sesriem Canyon exploration and sketching.
Day 6: Photography morning and reflection evening.
Day 7: Return to Windhoek.
Add-ons: Rock sketching or geological photography course.
-
Rivers of the Zambezi
Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights
Base: OSUN Zambezi, Caprivi Strip
Cost: From $3,600 per person
Focus: River architecture, ecology, cultural immersion
Overview:
Explore the lush Caprivi wetlands — a world where the rhythm of life follows the river. Learn how Lozi and Mbukushu communities design stilt houses that rise and fall with the flood. Canoe among elephants, cook on river islands, and experience harmony between people and water.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Fly from Windhoek to Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Strip.
Day 2: Introduction to wetland ecosystems and stilt architecture.
Day 3: Field immersion with Lozi builders and basket weavers.
Day 4: Canoe journey through the floodplains; wildlife tracking.
Day 5: Conservation architecture and community design workshop.
Day 6: Storytelling night with local elders.
Day 7: Return to Windhoek.
Add-ons: Wildlife photography course or mindfulness retreat extension.
-
Skeleton Coast & the Wind-Built World
Duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights
Base: Shipwreck Lodge & Wolwedans
Cost: From $4,200 per person
Focus: Desert architecture, conservation design, aerial exploration
Overview:
An architectural and naturalist expedition across Namibia’s surreal coastal desert — where sand, wind, and sea converge. Visit lodges crafted from driftwood, explore shipwreck-strewn shores, and fly low across dunes that melt into the Atlantic.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Windhoek → drive to Skeleton Coast; orientation at Shipwreck Lodge.
Day 2: Dune and coastline exploration; photography session.
Day 3: Desert ecology and architecture talk with local designers.
Day 4: Transfer to Wolwedans; sustainable lodge design workshop.
Day 5: Sunrise hike and aerial tour by bush plane.
Day 6: Return to Windhoek.
Add-ons: Scenic flight training or photography masterclass.
-
Himba Homesteads
Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Base: Epupa & Kaokoland
Cost: From $3,950 per person
Focus: Cultural anthropology, vernacular architecture, desert survival
Overview:
Live among the Himba and Herero — two of Namibia’s most resilient desert cultures. Learn how they construct villages perfectly adapted to the elements, using ochre, mud, and ancestral geometry. This journey invites you to observe daily rituals, body art, and architecture shaped by the wind.
Itinerary Snapshot:
Day 1: Windhoek arrival → flight north to Opuwo.
Day 2: Orientation & cultural introduction.
Day 3–4: Field immersion in Himba homesteads — design, ritual, and photography.
Day 5: Visit Herero settlements; discussion on cultural adaptation.
Day 6: Safari day through Kaokoland’s wild terrain.
Day 7: Reflection & community farewell dinner.
Day 8: Return to Windhoek.
Add-ons: Ethnographic photography or journal-keeping workshop.