Majestic Morocco

Day One

OVERNIGHT FLIGHT - An amazing adventure awaits in a land with centuries old customs and culture. Morocco, the "Gateway to Africa”.

Day Two

ARRIVE CASABLANCA - RABAT - Welcome to Morocco! Upon arrival in Casablanca, proceed through immigration and customs and meet your Tour Director. Travel to Rabat and check into your hotel for a two-night stay. This evening enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers.

Day Three

RABAT - Following breakfast enjoy a guided tour of Rabat, the political and administrative capital of Morocco. Your tour begins with seeing the Mohammed V Mausoleum, the landmark of Rabat. You'll also see the Hassan Tower, one of the oldest incomplete mosques of Morocco. Next visit the Kasbah of the Udayas, Rabat's historic citadel occupies the site of the original Ribat (fortress-monastery) that gave the city its name. Lunch is included this afternoon. The afternoon is at leisure to explore on your own. Dinner is included in the evening at a local restaurant in Rabat.

Day Four

MEKNES & VOLUBILIS - FEZ - Travel to the imperial city of Meknes for a tour where the remnants of three sets of fortifications, ingeniously incorporated into the city roads, emphasize its past importance and glory. See the king's tomb which sits at the heart of what remains of the original imperial city and flanked by the impressive royal granary and the magnificent Bab el-Mansour gate. Next, stop at the Domaine de la Zouina Winery Estate for a tour and wine tasting. See the vineyard and olive grove and taste some of the famed wines accompanied by olive oils, dried fruit and goat cheeses from the region. You'll also enjoy an included lunch at the estate. Next, travel to the ancient Roman city of Volubilis to explore its stunning ruins originally built in 168 AD. These impressive stone arches and columns invite us to take a step back in world history. Only half of this UNESCO site has been excavated. Continue to Fez and check-into our hotel for a two-night stay.

Day Five

FEZ – CITY TOUR - Today you discover and tour Fez, one of the most imperial, timeless and holiest cities in the world and the cultural heart of Morocco, Fez El Bali (Old Fez). The Imperial capital was a renowned medieval learning center and the Karaouine, one of the oldest, still functioning universities in the world is the heart of this vibrant city. You'll see the Al-Attarine Madrasa (Koranic college), a jewel of Hispano-Moorish architecture, built in the 14th century. Then you'll visit the Nejjarine Square, with its beautiful fountain, a mosaic of elaborate tile work, and the Funduq al-Najjarin (Museum of Carpentry). You'll also visit Fez El Jdid (New Fez), founded in the 13th with its Royal Palace, mosques, madrasas (schools), souks and city walls. Next, visit the leather souk with the oldest leather tannery in the world dating back nine centuries. You will visit a clay workshop, the artisan quarters, and other souks in the medieva. Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy exploring the incredible narrow lanes and alleys in the souks that make-up the labyrinth of the city's old quarter, originally founded in the 8th century. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

Day SIx

FEZ - ERFOUD- MERZOUGA - Leaving Fez this morning, we drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains, heading South with a stop in the quiet French built alpine resort town of Ifrane. Enjoy views of verdant cedar forests, volcanic mountains, wind-swept plains, spectacular gorges, and stony desert as we travel along the Ziz Valley before arriving in Erfoud, the gateway to the Saharan dunes. Erfoud was built by the French around 1920 as an outpost and Foreign Legion stronghold and is known for its precious, unique fossils. Continue to Merzouga, the heart of the desert, and travel on the sandy dunes in 4-WD vehicles. Enjoy dinner and an overnight at your luxury desert Camp, your home for the next two nights.

Day Seven

MERZOUGA - Rise early this morning to see the sun rise over the Sahara. After breakfast enjoy ride through the dunes on the back of a camel, an experience you won't soon forget. Next, enjoy an excursion in 4x4 vehicles through the famed Erg Chebbi dunes. Visit some villages in the surroundings area for a glimpse into the Berber culture. Visit the village Tissardmine, where you'll enjoy a lunch in a local restaurant and mint tea with a nomadic family. Next, head to Khamlia, a small village whose inhabitants are slave decedents that brought with them the folkloric aspect of their life through Gnawa music where you'll enjoy a performance. Later, return to the camp and perhaps gather by the campfire after dinner under a canopy of stars.

Day Eight

MERZOUGA - TINGHIR - DADES - Following breakfast at camp, 4x4 vehicles will transfer you back to Merzouga village, where you'll drive to Tinghir and Todra Gorges, the highest and narrowest gorges of Morocco. Situated on the east side of the High Atlas Mountains, the Todra Gorges are recognized around the world as one of the most spectacular canyons. Here, both the Todra and Dades Rivers have carved out deep canyons on a 25-miles stretch through the mountains. After lunch at a local restaurant, we'll drive through the Dades Valley with its majestic sandcastles and incredible rock formations known as Monkey Toes. The route through Dades Valley is also known as "the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs". You'll catch spectacular views of a vast valley dotted with hundreds of ancient fortifications. The sand-colored walls of the Kasbahs may all start to look the same, but each holds a special historical treasure within and remarkable photo opportunities. Continue to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day Nine

DADES -AIT BEN HADDO -MARRAKECH - Depart for Skoura, a quiet little village surrounded by acres of palm groves. See the Kasbah Amridil, originally built in the 17th century and one of Morocco's mosticonic living museums. A historic fortified residence or Kasbah that made an appearance in the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. Next, travel to Ouarzazate to visit Taourirt Kasbah, one of the most beautiful Kasbah's in Morocco. You might recognize the sand-colored houses of this impressive fortified city when you see the spectacular fortress of Ait Ben Haddou, immortalized in such films as Gladiator and the Game of Thrones to name a few. Ait Ben Haddou is a massive fortification made up of six Kasbahs all listed as UNESCO world heritage sites. Spend time in its maze of winding streets until reaching a fortified granary at the top offering amazing views of the valley. We leave Ait Ben Haddou, crossing the High Atlas Mountains via the magnificent Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech. Check-into your hotel for a two-night stay.

Day Ten

MARRAKECH - Enjoy the city tour of Marrakesh, the "Red City", a majestic place filled with palaces, gardens, markets, and mosques. See the Koutoubia Mosque with its 282 foot minaret, an architectural landmark dating back to the late 12th century. Continue to the stunning 19th century Bahia Palace and discover the beauty and artistry of this splendid home built by a powerful Ottoman leader for his Harem. The building includes one hundred and fifty rooms, countless courtyards and interior gardens, a labyrinth of corridors, a Koranic school, hammams, a harem and stables. Next, explore the artisan quarters and the colorful Souks to interact with the colorful characters of Marrakech. Continue to Dar El Bacha Museum of Confluences, built in 1910 a palace whose owner was named Pasha of Marrakech by Sultan Moulay Youssef in 1912, one of the medina's finest examples of Riad architecture. You'll have time to stroll in the famed Jemaa El Fna square, located at the entrance of the Medina, this vast square is surrounded by restaurants, stands and public buildings and various forms of entertainment. See fortune tellers, henna artists, fire eaters, snake charmers, wild dancing costumed monkeys, story tellers, hypnotic medicine-men, musicians, acrobats and more. Enjoy a cooking class at Bennoinas Farm with an executive chef. Learn about local cuisine and culture followed by dinner.

Day Eleven

MARRAKECH - CASABLANCA - Depart Marrakech for Casablanca, Morocco's largest city and economic capital. Begin the city tour of Casablanca where you will see the Hassan Il Mosque, the largest mosque in the country and the 7th largest in the world. Continue to the Ain Diab Corniche for a pleasant stroll along the coast. Your next stop is Mohammed V Square in the city center and the Habous Quarter, one of the oldest areas in Casablanca. The district was built by the French in the 1930s as an attempted solution to the ongoing housing shortage. It marries the best of traditional Moroccan architecture with modern facilities and French ideals. Enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant this evening and with new friends made during your amazing Moroccan adventure.

Day Twelve

CASABLANCA - FLIGHT TO USA - Transfer to the airport for your flight home filled with memories of your Colors.

FB=Full Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner