Highlights of Morocco
| Resort: | Highlights of Morocco |
| Operator: | |
| Destination: | Africa, Morocco |
| Price From: | £1384.00 |
OverviewGet to know the vibrant culture and colorful backdrops that are distinctively Morocco. Dine at Ricks Caf, the mythical saloon from the 1942 film Casablanca. Spend time in the ancient imperial city of Meknes. Explore Fes, one of the holiest cities in the world, including a walking tour in the Medina, where donkeys and mules laden with goods still walk the ancient market. Make your way through the Sahara Desert by jeep before boarding your camel for your ride to your nomad camp. Travel the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. In Marrakech, get a true taste of Moroccan hospitality during lunch with a local family and tea with a Berber family in their home. End with dinner in a palace. Enchanting Morocco will dazzle you with its deep history, unique atmosphere and welcoming people. ItineraryDay 1: Overnight FlightEmbark on an alluring Moroccan adventure overflowing with centuries-old customs and colorful culture. Day 2: Casablanca, Morocco – Tour BeginsYour tour begins in Casablanca. Take a short drive to the city center for a brief stop at the impressive Hassan II Mosque, a stunning, high-tech, architectural masterpiece. Arrive at your hotel and enjoy time to relax. Gather tonight with your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at Ricks Caf, the mythical saloon from the 1942 film Casablanca. Day 3: Casablanca – Meknes – FesYour first stop on todays journey is the ancient imperial city of Meknes. Lush rolling hills studded with ancient olive groves await you in this cultural city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. After lunch, explore the port of Bab El Mansour and Bab El Khamis before continuing on to the ancient ruins of Volubilis. Uncover the well-preserved remains of Roman palaces, baths, soaring arches and magnificent mosaics. Tonights dinner features traditional Moroccan delights, prepared and served by the family who owns the riad where you are staying. Day 4: FesDiscover Fes, one of the holiest cities in the world. This enchanting city takes you back in time. Learn of its historical importance as a center of government, philosophy, medicine and religion while on your fascinating panoramic tour, including the Medersa Bou Inania, built in 1325. See the Jewish Quarter, the city ramparts and the gates of the palace. Take to the streets for a walking tour in the Medina. Founded in the 9th century, it is home to one of the oldest universities in the world. Amid the cobbled alleyways of this ancient market youll see donkeys and mules laden with goods walking alongside buyers. Spend time at the famous leather tanneries, a honeycomb of vats exploding in an array of brilliant color. Day 5: Fes – Midelt – ErfoudToday you will learn about MonkeyWatch, a conservation program dedicated to protecting the Barbary macaques that thrive in the forests of Ifrane National Park. You will have the opportunity to feed these unique creatures. Continue on toward Erfoud, making a stop in Midelt. Your overnight is in a kasbah. Day 6: Erfoud – Sahara Desert Expedition – MerzougaYour day begins at Erfouds fossil factory and museum where they turn fossil rocks into decorative items. Then, travel to the Saharaoui town of Rissani. Get a true taste of the region when creating homemade stuffed bread with potato, meat, onion and Moroccan spices. Jump into a 4×4 vehicle and make your way to various nomadic villages of the Sahara before arriving at the edge of the dunes. Pause to enjoy a cup of tea by the pool before boarding your camel for your ride to a nomad camp. Traverse the stunning fine sands of Merzouga as the red sun falls toward the horizon. Later, learn how to bake bread under the sand nomad style. As night falls, listen to intoxicating Berber drum music and song during the traditional pouring of mint tea followed by a delightful Moroccan feast. Sleep in a luxury tent and experience an unrivaled sense of tranquility in the serene desert. Day 7: Merzouga – Todra Gorge – Boumalne du DadesReturn to the edge of the dunes via camel. Then, set out for Erissani to begin the journey to Todra Gorge. Spend time in the Jewish quarter where you may choose to sample some local favorites at a bakery. Next, follow the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. These fortress-like kasbahs rise up like turreted sandcastles along the ancient trading route. This region is one of the most vibrant destinations. Along the river valleys, palmeries and burnished mud-brick homes light up in the desert sun. Day 8: Boumalne du Dades – High Atlas Mountains – MarrakechDrive through the Valley of Roses, stopping en route at a local cooperative for coffee. Then, its on to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Ksar Ait-Ben-Haddou, an impressive feat of Moroccan architecture. Continue along the High Atlas Mountains following the Tizi n Tichka Pass. This scenic route brings you through lush oasis valleys and past imposing mountains. Pause along the way at a Berber village before entering the exotic city of Marrakech. Day 9: MarrakechExplore Marrakech and its ancient El Bahia Palace where today, a sentry of nesting storks stand guard. Enter the royal Saadian Tombs, explore the vibrant and historic Jewish Mellah, and see the majestic 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque. Tour the ancient city wall, passing by the Royal Palace and Marrakesh palm grove. Savor lunch in the home of a local expert and his family and get a true taste of Moroccan hospitality. Then, enter the 9th-century walled Medina and enjoy time to mingle with the locals as you shop at the ancient market. Day 10: MarrakechThis morning, select the ingredients for your culinary workshop that takes place on the rooftop of the charming Kasbah Omar, located in the middle of the old Jewish Berber village. Join a Berber family in their home for a traditional cup of tea and a taste of the real Berber life. After lunch, experience another Moroccan tradition at a henna workshop. Afterward, meet an artist and discover some of her work before heading to the souk for last minute shopping. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner. Day 11: Marrakech – Casablanca – Tour EndsA morning transfer brings you back to Casablanca to connect to your flight home. |
