| Trips Detail : |
Day 1 Arrive Casablanca
Arrive to Casablanca at anytime where a Gap Adventures representative will meet you at the airport to ensure a smooth arrival. There are no activities planned for the day, leaving you free to enjoy this beautiful city at your own leisure. With its art deco buildings, french colonial buildings, the Old Medina and its great restaurants and entertainment, there is plenty to keep you busy!
We overnight in Casablanca.
Day 2 Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis, Fez (B)
This morning we head to Rabat to explore this beautiful capital city. Discover the Mohamed V mausoleum and the Hassan Tower, the exteriors of the Royal Palace and the Chellah Gardens. Why not weave your way through the whitewashed streets of the Kasbah, listening to a local musician, stopping for mint tea overlooking the blue water below. Making our way through the rolling hills to our next stop is the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the best preserved Roman ruins in Morocco. Once an important Roman town situated near the westernmost border of Roman conquests, in 1997 Volubilis was listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site. Wandering through the deserted streets where chariots once passed, you can envision the vibrance the town once held. Have your local guide explain about life in the old Roman Empire - peering into old bathhouses, marvelling at the still-present mosaic floors and gazing up at the towering marble pillars.
We continue on for an afternoon tour of the charming city of Meknes. Meknes is one of the four Imperial cities and its name and fame are closely linked to that of the Moroccan Sultan Moulay Ismail, who made Meknes the center of his empire and built many of the monuments that remain today. Lose yourself in the fantastic olive markets or the massive Roua stables that once held 12,000 horses. Make sure your camera is ready as you marvel at the Bab Mansour, ornamented gates that surround this ancient city. We move on to Fez, where we spend the night. We overnight in Fez.
Approx travel time: Casablanca to Fez, 7 hrs
Day 3 Fez (B)
Today is a full day of sightseeing in Fez, including the Nejjarine Fountain with its intricate tile work, the exteriors of the Royal Palace and the medina (old city); designated by UNESCO as World Heritage site for being one of the best preserved living medinas in the world. Wander the various quarters for the famous tanneries, dyers, leatherwork, brass, gold & silver, and finish with the Bou Inania Medersa with its view over this sprawling and breathtaking town.
The ancient medina of Fez lies in a bowl created by the surrounding Zalagh mountains. The city was founded during the 8th century by Moulay Idriss, who lies buried deep within the medina at the shrine (zawiya) bearing his name.
Today the old city houses some 187,000 people. The new city of Fez, built by the French during their Protectorate of Morocco, lies a few kilometres to the west and has the feel of a French provincial town, with its cafés and wide boulevards. By contrast, the medina has tiny winding pedestrian streets of cobble-type bricks, some alleys only just wide enough for a donkey to pass through. Finish off the night with some famous Moroccan mint tea and a shisha!
We overnight in Fez.
Day 4 Erfoud, Merzouga (B,D)
Continue to watch the scenery of this diverse country change as you head over the Middle Atlas mountains with its cedar forests and through the ski area of Ifrane into the desert regions, through the vast palm groves of the Ziz Valley and right up to the majestic Saharan sand dunes. We spend the night in an comfortable kasbah style desert hotel at the edge of the desert.
We overnight in Merzouga, enjoying local style food for dinner at our hotel.
Approx travel time: Fez to Merzouga, 7hrs
Day 5 Todra Gorge, Boumalne (B,D)
Our day of natural beauty and breathtaking landscapes starts with a morning sunrise excursion in 4 x 4s to get lost in the sea of orange sand dunes of the Sahara desert. Get your Tour Leader to teach you how to wrap a turban and take photos perched atop a dune with no one for miles around.
The rest of the day takes us through a stone desert to the breathtaking Todra Gorge followed by a visit to the Tineghir palm grove. We head to our final stop of Boumalne du Dadès for dinner and well deserved night's rest. We overnight in Boumaine.
Approx travel time: Merzouga to Boumaine, 4 hrs
Day 6 Dades Gorge, Ouazazate, Ait Ben Haddou (B,D)
We start the morning with a visit to the Dades Gorge and continue on through the verdant Dades Valley along the "Route of a 1000 Kasbahs" to Ouarzazate for a short visit of this former Foreign Legion stronghold and current home to the Atlas Film studios, the set for dozens of films throughout the years including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. We continue on to the village of Aït Benhaddou. Aït Ben Haddou is a wonderful example of a kasbah, a type of fortress or palace. Carefully restored over the years and now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site it is now considered to be one of the best preserved kasbahs in Morocco. A few families still call the kasbah their home, but the majority of locals have gradually moved to the nearby settlement. During our visit to the Kasbah, lose yourself in the narrow, winding passageways and feel the magical atmosphere of this incredible structure.
Dinner and overnight in Ait Benhaddou.
Approx travel time: Boumaine to Ait Benhaddou, 2 hrs
Days 7-8 Marrakech (B)
Travel to Marrakech through the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2200m in the High Atlas mountains, on winding mountain roads with breathtaking views over the highest peaks of Morocco. Arrive in Marrakech by the end of the morning, where there's plenty of time to head into the maze of tiny streets and alleyways of the ancient medina. Tourists and locals alike find everything they desire in the souks, whether it’s spices, traditional jalabas and slippers, or famous Moroccan lanterns, the selection here is exhaustive, and don’t forget to bargain, it's definitely part of the fun. On the morning of Day 8, we embark on an historical visit of Marrakech, including the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the Koutoubia minaret. The afternoon is free for you to wander the souks, get a henna tattoo or sample the famous local orange juice. There is also the possibility to visit the Terre des Jeunes Marrakech project.
Our final dinner will be at the famous food stalls in Djemaa el Fna square where your Tour Guide will help walk you through the process of ordering all the local delicacies, feasting like a local, while you soak in the sights and sounds of the square's activities. Relax and watch the acrobats, fortune tellers, story tellers and snake charmers recalling an era past.
We overnight two nights in Marrakech.
Approx travel time: Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech, 4 hrs
Day 9 Depart Marrakech (B)
You are free to depart at any time today. Please note that check-out time from the hotel is normally mid-morning, but luggage storage facilities are available. We are able to organise extra post-trip accommodation if you wish to extend your stay for a few more days. Please ask at the time of booking.... |
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