Day 1:
Depart from JFK New York airport on Royal Air Maroc for your overnight flight to Casablanca.
Day 2:
Upon arrival at Mohamed VI airport in Casablanca, our staff will meet you, assist you with customs and then escort you to the hotel. After that, you will tour the city of Casablanca including the gateway to the royal palace, the new town, and the Mahkama de Pasha’law court. You will also tour the suburb of Anfa, scene the famous Casablanca Conference between Roosevelt and Churchill in 1943, then drive along the Corniche of Ain diab to the city hall and the old Medina to visit the second biggest Mosque in the world’ The Hassan II Mosque’.
Day 3:
After breakfast, you will continue to Rabat where you will visit the Oudaya Kasbah, which is the “heart of the military history” of Morocco. The kasbah is named after a Bedouin tribe that came into Morocco in the 13th century. We continue our tour, visiting the Hassan Tower with its Mausoleum and see the beautiful Chella Gardens which houses a famous historical ruin in Morocco. The Chella Gardens are also home to many interesting bird species. The city tour will be with an official English speaking guide who will take to visit the Old Town (Ancienne Medina) and the Mellah (old Jewish Quarter) .
Day 4:
Depart for Fes. The road to Fes takes us along a beautiful stretch of farmlands where olives, grain, vegetables and grapes are grown. Before arriving to Fes you will visit Meknes and Volubilis. Volubilis is the sight of the famous Roman ruins left from the Roman Empire’s most southern outpost. Meknes is the site of the first Arab dynasty created by Moulay Ismail and has the Medersa Bou Inania and the Bab Mansour, the Gateway to Moulay Ismail Palace. This leads us into the Heri es-Souani, the horses stable and granaries. Upstairs is a rooftop garden and cafe with a great view of the city. Arrive into Fes, check into the hotel.
Day 5:
After breakfast you will begin your visit of “the oldest living Medina in the world” with an official tour guide. You will tour the Medina with its “souks” (markets) stopping at the gateway of the Royal Palace, the 9th-century Karouine Mosque and University. You will visit the tomb of the city founder, Moulay Idris II. Lunch will be at one of the traditional restaurants in the old Medina. After lunch you will continue to explore the Najarine Fountain, the gateway of the Bab Boujloud, the old harem gardens and the Batha Museum. On the way back to the hotel, we will stop to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.
Day 6:
Depart to Erfoud across the cedar forest in the Atlas Mountains, stopping at the mountains villages of Ifrane and Azrou to see this beautiful area that the French once built their vacation homes in. Along the way we will see the Berber monkeys who live and frolic in this area. Before descending to the Ziz Valley, we will stop for lunch in Midelt. You will arrive in Erfoud by the sunset and check into the hotel Kasbah Asma, which is situated in the middle of the Tafilalet Valley.
Day 7:
The morning will be free for rest, enjoying the swimming pool and have time to get ready for the Sahara Desert Adventure. After lunch you will visit the little town of Erfoud which is famous for its authentic fossils, as well as the fossil factories which produce many beautiful and unusual handcrafted items. You will continue through the “hammada” to get to the highest dunes of Merzouga, where you will meet our Bedouin nomad camel team members and exchange your Landrover for Camels. After 2-1/2 hours riding, you will arrive at our camp in an oasis. Enjoy a Saharan dinner around the campfire and the Sahara drumming with the Bedouins. You will be mesmerized by the desert night sky with its unclouded view of the stellar constellations.
Day 8:
You will rise early to see the beautiful sunrise, have a traditional nomad breakfast and pack your gear to ride the camels back to the Landrover. You will travel across the desert landscape and see many fortified villages in the magnificent palm gardens of the Ziz Valley. Arrive in to Tinghir, you will stop for lunch in the heart of the spectacular Todra Gorge, with its huge, breathtaking red cliffs. It is a paradise for mountain climbing. After lunch, take a small hike through the canyons and explore the area. In the afternoon, you will drive back to Tinghir and check into the hotel.
Day 9:
After breakfast, you continue to Ouarzazate via the “Road of One Thousand Kasbahs” which crosses the Roses and Dades Valleys you will stop for lunch in The beautiful Dades Gorge. After lunch, you will arrive into Ouarzazate and check into the hotel.
Day 10:
After breakfast you will visit the old part of the town, where you will see the beautiful Kasbah of Taourirte and have lunch at the Kasbah Restaurant. In the afternoon you will drive to the oasis of Fint where you will meet with village chief. He will bring you to his home to drink Moroccan tea. Within this oasis there are 50 families that still live there. They were originally coming with their caravans of camels from Mali across the Sahara desert and decided to stay in this “small paradise on earth” as they call it. You will be surprised by the way they live and you will learn about the first people who arrived in North Africa. They will let you take pictures, visit all the houses, and they will teach you how to make Moroccan tea.
Day 11:
Depart for Marrakech, you will drive through one of the highest passes in the country, the Tizi-n-Tishka, which is 2260 meters at the top. On the way, you will see the traditional Berber farmers using the terraced style of planting on the mountain sides. You will visit the famous Ksar of Ait ben Hadou, which has been declared the site of a UNESCO project for restoration of its ancient architecture. It also serves as the setting for many movies such as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “the Jewell of the Nile”. Arriving to Marrakech you will check into the Hotel .
Day 12:
There is much to see in this great city which Winston Churchill called “the most beautiful place in the world at sunset”. You will visit the Koutoubia Mosque and its Minaret, the hidden tombs of the Saadian dynasty, the Menara Gardens and Pavilion, the Bahia Palace, the ben Youssef Medrassa and chapel of el-Baaiyn. Entering into the souk you will see some of the age old art guilds at work. Finally, you end up in the famous place “Djemaa-el-Fna” with its circus atmosphere of itinerant dancers, jugglers, acrobats, storytellers, soothsayers, snakecharmers, medicine men and public scribes.
Day 13:
After breakfast, you will continue to Essaouria through the forest of the unique Argane oil trees. Arriving to this little romantic city that was originally settled by the Portuguese, you will visit the Mellah, which is the originally Jewish quarter of the town. Enjoy the seafood and the ambiance of this special city. Your hotel will be on the beach.
Day 14:
After breakfast, you will return to Marrakech. The rest of the day will be free to explore the rest of this exotic city walking through the souk. Tonight you will enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner and the Arabian Fantasia show at Chez Ali.
Day 15:
ou will wake up early in order to have breakfast and depart for the Menara Airport where you bid farewell to Morocco. Departure with Royal air Maroc to New York via Casablanca.
