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Luxury stay & Spa Experience at the new & luxurious Sofitel Mogador Essaouira
DAY
5 - Marrakech
Our local staff will drive you back to Marrakech and your accommodations
at a Riad ( Riad Slitine or similar) or a hotel ( based on your choices
) , where a traditional welcoming mint tea and a fruit basket await
you. Your personal requirements and relaxation are foremost. This luxurious
yet delightful Riads are usually a former palace , mansion, or large
residential house restored to 1930s , 1940s grandeur. The Riad classical
plan is :
substantial walls and orientation to a central patio with venerable
trees provide a haven of peace in the midst of bustling Marrakech. Guests
are accommodated in usually only five - ten guest suites, each with
sitting area and the finest oriental appointments, fireplace ( subject
to the category you choose) ,air conditioning, and European-style dining
room ( subject to the category you choose) . Some are with private terraces
that provides a secluded window on the active life of romantic and mysterious
Marrakech.
DAY
6 - Marrakech (B)
You'll spend today seeing Marrakech, including the Koutoubia, the landmark
mosque of the city. Perhaps you'll note its similarity to its sister tower,
the Giralda of Seville, in Spain. You'll continue to the Saadian Tombs,
and the Bahia palace, built in the nineteenth century, with room after
stately oriental room with intricate plaster work and finely detailed
columns, and sedate hidden gardens. In the afternoon, you'll discover
the old city and always-lively Djemaa El Fna Square, populated by water
sellers, magicians, peddlers, politicians, and animal tamers, who carry
on an endless flurry of activities straight out of the middle ages. If
you have a spare moment, the souks of Marrakech will always keep you entertained.
DAY 7 - Marrakech - Culinary Experience and a home hosted dinner (cBD)
This morning you'll ride through Marrakech in a horse-drawn carriage.
One
of the special ways of understanding a culture is through its cuisines--not
only sampling exotic tastes, but experiencing the preparation of dishes,
how they figure in ritual and ceremony, and how they have grown out of
the earth and traditions, we'll proceed to the Ecole Hotelière,
Marrakech's own hospitality & Culinary Academy and training school,
for a demonstration of the preparation of pastry-style doughs. We'll stay
for a lunch of salads, tagine of Maghdour kebab, and refreshing fruits.
Later, we'll call on you to take you for your sunset camel ride, in the
13,000 acres of palm groves around Marrakech. You'll finish the day with
a memorable experience of Moroccan hospitality, dinner in the home of
a Marrakech family in the old Medina.
Complimentary
Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals,
you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T
shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This
evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right
into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech l! You'll be invited
to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties,
you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of
life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new
friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once
the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have
more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet
evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.
DAY 8 - MARRAKECH, CASABLANCA, RABAT, MEKNES, FEZ (BL)
We'll pick you up in the morning and take you to the Marrakech railroad
station. Tickets in a first-class compartment and lunch are provided.
You'll roll in comfort through stunning mountain scenery to Casablanca.
Once you detrain, we'll escort you to visit the Hassan II Great Mosque,
a monument to Moroccan artisanry and architecture. Then we'll continue
to Rabat, the capital of the kingdom, where we'll stop at the mausoleum
of Mohamed V, built in the Spanish-Moorish style, and at the nearby Hassan
Tower. We'll continue by way of Meknes to arrive in the evening to Fez,
and your accommodations at the Dar Ghalia Riad. A welcome mint tea and
a fruit basket await you. In the heart of the Medina, the old city of
Fez, Dar Ghalia is a palace that dates back to the seventeenth century,
restored and selectively modernized to provide both traditional surroundings
and modern comforts. The architecture of Dar Ghalia has been respected,
resulting in a range of accommodations, from double rooms to apartments
to suites to a Douiria, or separate guesthouse, with its Hammam, a traditional
steam bath. A Moroccan-style breakfast is included, and other meals may
be taken in the dining room, or on the terrace, with its superb panorama
of the Medina.
Dar Ghalia deluxe suite or similar hotel / riad
DAY 9 - FEZ (BL)
Full day tour of Volubilis , once the capital of the Roman province of
Mauritania Tingitania. We'll have lunch en route, and continue to Moulay
Idriss, the picturesque shrine village named for the founder of the kingdom,
who is interred here. In the evening, you'll attend a Sound and Light
show in the Medina of Fez, in which illumination and jets of water along
with words help portray the history of the city.
DAY 10 - FEZ (B)
Put on your walking shoes this morning for a trip in time back to the ninth century, as you explore the old city of Fez. Its Medina and its labyrinth of souks have been declared a world cultural treasure. Your afternoon is free for relaxation or shopping or further exploration as you wish. Later, you will savor the benefits of the Hammam, the traditional relaxing and restorative steam bath at Dar Ghalia.
DAY
11- FEZ -or Casablanca - (B)
We'll
call on you early in the day and escort you to Fez Saiss airport, where
you'll board your flight to begin your journey home. If
you plan to fly out from Casablanca , then we 'll be glad to arrange
for a flight or a private car / driver Fez / Casablanca , depending on
your flight departure time, with no additional charge .
Add an extra night in Morocco . Click here if you plan to extend to Tangiers
& leave by ferry to Spain.
Rates are per person in US $
| In Triple Occupancy |
US$
3950.00
|
| In Double Occupancy |
US$
4080.00
|
| In Single Occupancy |
US$
4720.00
|
For
a private tour, based on two participants, starting on any day of the
week , year round
Please add $150 per person to any of the above rates
Bring the Kids to Essaouira
Your tour includes:
Not included:
Henna
party ( For ladies only ) :
One of the "insiders" excursions into Moroccan culture, a chance to attend
a henna party, the painting of hands and body r with this natural red
dye is a symbol of joy at weddings and regarded as a way to enhance one's
beauty , if interested in attending a Henna party , please let's know
in advance.
Click here for the 8 day edition with 2 nights Sahara camping
