DISCOVER MOROCCO IN RIADS
Day 1 Casablanca - Rabat
Meet your driver at Casablanca airport and transfer to nearby Rabat, capital of Morocco. Rabat, known as the ‘White City’, owing to its whitewashed narrow streets, its beautiful houses with overhanging balconies and ornate doors of multicoloured mosaics. Rabat’'s most famous landmark is the Tour Hassan, which overlooks the bridge to Sale. Overnight.
Day 2 Rabat - Meknes - Fez
Breakfast. City tour of Rabat visiting the entrance to the royal palace, the impressive Mohammed V Mausoleum and Tour Hassan. Continue to Meknes and city tour with local guide including the Bab El Mansour Gate, Hari Souani stables and the old Medina. Arrival in Fez, the intellectual, religious and artistic capital of the kingdom. Overnight.
Day 3 Fez
Breakfast. Full day sightseeing tour of the medieval city of Fes. Visit the medina, the heart of the old city, with its fascinating souks, tanneries, artisan quarters and remarkable Islamic architecture. Overnight.
Day 4 Fes - Azrou - Erfoud - Merzouga Dunes
Breakfast. Early departure to Azrou, a Berber village known for it’s handicraft cooperative. Continue via Midelt and the route carved by the Ziz River, passing many fortified villages to arrive in Erfoud. Late this afternoon we have included a Sunset Desert Excursion by special 4x4 vehicles to the spectacular Merzougan sand dunes. Dinner at your hotel and Overnight.
Day 5 Erfoud - Tinerhir - Ouarzazate
Breakfast. Drive to Tinerhir via Rissani to visit the ruins of Ksar Abbar. Departure along the Tinejdad road with its spectacular Kasbahs. Visit of the famous Todra Canyons. Continue to Ouarzazate via El Kelaa M’gouna and the most beautiful of all the valleys, the Dades valley. You will spend the next two nights in your lovely kasbah hotel at the edge of a lake, away from the hustle of the town. Overnight.
Day 6 Ouarzazate
Breakfast. Tour of Ouarzazate including the Tourirt Kasbah, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Morocco and Tifoultout Kasbah with its remarkable views over the valley. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight.
Day 7 Ouarzazate - Marrakech
Breakfast. Morning visit of Ait Ben Haddou. The village of Ait Ben-Haddou has one of the most exotic and best preserved kasbahs in the whole Atlas region. The town has been the setting for as many as 20 films, notably Lawrence of Arabia and Jesus of Nazareth. Much of the village was rebuilt for the filming of the movies. Continue on, crossing the High Atlas mountains via spectacular Tizi-n-Tichka pass to finally arrive in Marrakesh. Overnight.
Day 8 Marrakech
Breakfast. Full day sightseeing tour of Marrakesh including the Koutoubia Minaret, Menara Gardens, Saadian Tombs and Bahia Palace. Explore the souks and the famous Djemaa El Fna Square with its array of food and entertainment including fire- eaters, fortune tellers and snake charmers. Includes dinner and Arabian show this evening. Overnight.
Day 9 Marrakech
Breakfast. After breakfast and check-out from your hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for departure to your next destination. End of services.
RABAT
Capital of the Kingdom of Morocco since 1912, Rabat is an elegant and quiet city. Populated since since the third century AD, it has housed a Phoenician port, later Carthaginian and finally Roman. With open spaces overlooking the ocean, Rabat is a very pleasant to enjoy walking to the quiet rhythm of this city, where the main tourist attractions are located in the historical center, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
CASABLANCA
This city of nearly 7 million inhabitants, is located on the Atlantic coast is one of the largest artificial ports in the world and the largest port in North Africa. It is considered the economic and commercial center of Morocco and hosts international companies based there. Architecture varies from Art Deco to avant garde modern, with many period pieces. The French influence guarantees great cuisine and there is even a highly regarded replica of “Rick’s Café” from the Bogart/Bergman movie (surprisingly NOT a tourist rip-off!). But not cheap.
FEZ
Long noted for its extensive shops of exotic and varied products, Fez has not one but two Medinas and the oldest continuously operating university in the world, founded in 859 AD. The impressive architecture of its old quarter has earned the city the nicknames of “The Athens of Africa” and “The Mecca of the West”. Steeped in tradition and culture, Fez has to be one of Moroco’s most charming cities.
ERFOUD - ER RACHIDIA
Located in the valley of the river Ziz, in the palm grove of Tafilalet, it is a small modern city and administrative center of the zone. This city is the starting point of excursions to the desert, especially to the impressive Dunes of Merzouga.
OUARZAZATE
Uarzazate or Ouarzazate also known as The Desert Gate, is a city in southern Morocco. Uarzazate is the capital of the province of the same name, which is part of the Sus-Masa-Draa region. It is frequented by tourism because of its proximity to the Atlas Mountains and the Draa River valley. In times past, Uarzazate was a small crossing point for African merchants trying to reach northern cities of Morocco and Europe. During the French period, Uarzazate grew considerably as a city, being an administrative center.
MARRAKECH
Known as the Red City from the color of the old city walls, Marrakech is one of the world’s most atmospheric cities. Jemaa El-Fnaa Square is probably the busiest square in all of Africa, adjacent to the Medina, filled with fire-eaters, belly-dancers, snake charmers, acrobats and what can seem like hundreds of other kinds of street entertainers, all competing for attention from the crowds. The adjacent souks offer merchandise of every variety imaginable. There are architectural marvels around every corner: intricately carved archways, ornate mosques, exotic gardens. Marrakech’s location, at the edqe of the Saharan desert and the high Atlas mountains (often snowcapped) only adds to the alure.
Hotel or Similiar
HOTELS COMFORT
Riad Dar El kebira, Rabat
Riad El Yacout, Fes
Xaluca, Erfoud
Les Tourmalines, Ouarzazate
Riad Amina, Marrakech
Novotel, Casablanca
HOTELS SUPERIOR
Villa Mandarine, Rabat
Riad Fes, Fes
Berbere Palace, Ouarzazate
Riad Kniza, Marrakech
Le Doge, Casablanca
Xaluca, Erfoud
Private arrival and departure transfers
8 nights in your choice of COMFORT Class accommodations: First Class hotels and Riads; or SUPERIOR Class accommodations: Luxury hotels and Riads.
8 Moroccan breakfasts
1 dinner in Erfoud
1 dinner and Arabian show in Marrakech
Private transportation with English speaking driver/escort throughout. (Optional step-on English speaking guide, in addition to your English speaking driver-escort is available for an additional charge - Consult Petrabax)
Sunset Desert excursion to the Merzouga sand dunes
Private sightseeing as indicated with local English speaking guides
Entrance fees to monuments in Fez and Marrakech
Local tax
Call 800-634-1188 for price quote
Petrabax
Petrabax is also a leader in Spanish language escorted tours of Europe, Middle East and the Orient.
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