Itinerary

This tour starts at 2:00PM in Casablanca. Your flight should arrive no later than 12 noon on October 27.

Day 1: At your arrival at the Casablanca Airport, you'll be met by a private chauffeur who will assist you with luggage and transfer you to our luxury hotel in the center of Casablanca, by the beachside promenade. Originally a Phoenician settlement - Anfa, then a Berber town, today Casablanca is a modern city, representing the vibrant Moroccan culture. In the afternoon, we'll take an introductory walk through the city and visit the impressive Hassan II mosque, second only in size to Mecca. In the evening, we'll meet for a traditional Moroccan dinner, where you'll get to know other women joining us on this tour, and afterwards, we'll stop for drinks at Rick's Cafe.
Meals: D

Day 2: On our first full day in Morocco, we'll visit Rabat, the first of Morocco's Imperial Cities and the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. Rabat, on Morocco's northern coast and facing the Atlantic Ocean, is an intriguing mix of the region's past glories and modern marvels. We'll visit the Palais Royal, the Hassan Tower and the Mohammed V Mausoleum, and in the afternoon, we'll travel to the medieval city of Fez, our home for the next four nights.
Meals: B, D

Day 3: The oldest of the Imperial Cities, Fez is the symbolic heart of Morocco, its spiritual and cultural capital. Today, we'll explore this medieval walled city, as we take a private guided tour along the ancient labyrinth streets, past the crumbling grandeur, to the historic medina and the Royal Palace, while absorbing the visually fascinating culture, intoxicating scents and colors of this rewarding city.
Meals: B, L

Day 4: Meknes, the youngest Imperial City was founded in the 11th century, and is known as the Moroccan Versailles. We'll visit the Bab El Mansour Gate, dating back to 1752, and complete with its Corinthian columns, the Medersa Bou Inania, a theological College founded during the reign of the Merenid Sultan Abou El Hassan, circa 1340. In the afternoon, we'll visit the impressive and well-preserved site of Volubilis, one of the Roman Empire's most remote outposts, dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
Meals: B, L

Day 5: Moroccan cuisine is one of the most fascinating in the world, and Fez is the capital of Moroccan cooking. Today, we'll spend the day preparing Moroccan dishes during a private cooking class. We'll start with the morning visit to the souk to gather the necessary ingredients, then enjoy an authentic cooking experience. We'll prepare traditional appetizers, main dishes and desserts, then enjoy lunch at a Moroccan home, a riad, beautifully restored and featuring all the modern amenities. We'll return to the hotel in mid-afternoon, and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Meals: B, L

Day 6: Today, we'll journey south through the Middle-Atlas Mountains, a Berber country of high, windswept plateaus and forests of giant oak, cork and cedar. We'll stop in Ifrane, a French-style winter ski resort, then continue to the friendly Berber town of Azrou, a handicrafts center set among steep volcanic hills. We'll travel through the cedar forests, complete with resident monkeys, and through the Ziz Valley, dotted with date palm trees, to a small town of Erfoud on the edge of the Sahara. We'll spend the night in a beautiful Kasbah style hotel, surrounded by stunning desert landscapes.
Meals: B, L, D

Day 7:  This morning, we'll explore the historic 8th century caravan town of Rissani, visit the fairytale Tafilalt Oasis, then continue to the village of Merzouga, set among the magical landscape of drifting sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. We'll spend the day exploring the Sahara Desert, riding camels into a fantastic sunset, then settle for the night in a traditional Berber camp. We'll enjoy Berber entertainment and dinner cooked over the bonfire before falling asleep under the starry skies of the desert, or in a comfortable Berber tent.
Meals: B, L, D

Day 8: Our journey will now take us west, as we travel past lush palm, olive and almond groves, tiny villages and magnificent kasbahs, until we reach the Todra Valley on the remote eastern side of the High Atlas Mountains. We'll take a leisurely walk in the spectacular surroundings of the Todra Gorge, where the Todra River carved out a canyon into the pink cliff walls of the mountain. The path follows an icy river flowing through the gorge, and we'll pass by several kasbahs built into the gorge. In the afternoon, we'll arrive in the Dades Valley, where we'll stay in another beautiful kasbah.
Meals: B, L, D

Day 9: Today, we'll continue towards the Valley of Roses and the resort town of Ouarzazate, featured in many movie sets. We'll visit the carefully restored Taourirt Kasbah on the eastern edge of town, with its labyrinth of tightly packed houses and stately towers in the ochre color representative of southern Morocco. We'll also visit the tranquil, photogenic village of Ait Benhaddou, and its fortified and richly decorated Kasbah which is one of the most spectacular sites in Morocco. In the afternoon, we'll continue across the High Atlas via the Tichka Pass to arrive in Marrakech.
Meals: B, L, D

Day 10: The city of Marrakech is located in the middle of a lush oasis. Our guided morning walk will introduce us to this fascinating Imperial City. We'll visit the Bahia Palace, with its gardens and harem quarters, then we'll enjoy some leaisurely time among the rich variety of exotic plants set against the cobalt blue of Majorelle Gardens. After kunch, we'll have free time to shop for local crafts in the souks or wander through Jemaa El Fna Square, famous for its market stalls, food vendors, performers, snake charmers, acrobats, storytellers and musicians.
Meals: B, L

Day 11: In the morning, we'll travel to the whitewashed village of Essaouira on the Atlantic Ocean. Originally made famous by the Romans who came here to collect the purple dye from local shellfish to use in their senatorial robes, then a pirate community, the village was the happening place again in the colorful 1960s. One of the most charming villages in Morocco, it sits on a rock promontory overlooking the raging Atlantic Ocean. We'll take a leisurely tour of the historic center, visit the colorful fish market and a women co-op producing the priced aran oil. There will also be time to relax on the beach, visit silver merchants and boutique art galleries, before returning to Marrakech.
Meals: B, D

Day 12: After breakfast, we'll transfer to the Marrakech airport for your flight back home.
Meals: B

This tour ends on November 7, at 8:00AM, in the Marrakech Airport. Please schedule your flight back after 10:00AM.

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