Moroccan Escapade
A
grand 20 days with a comprehensive touring of this North African
Kingdom
Experience
the romance of old Morocco everywhere on this 14-day tour, in ancient
kasbahs standing sentinel against invaders, along the winding lanes
of the medinas of Fez and Marrakech, the seaside towns of Essaouira
& Agadir , and in your very lodgings, palaces and venerable
homes that have been brought to life again as Riads, combining the
best of Arab hospitality with the appointments of fine boutique
hotels.
Compare with the 14
day edition or
the 11 day version
Day 1 - Marrakech ( arrive any day - private touring)
You'll land at the airport of fabled Marrakech. Our local staff will
greet you and usher you directly to your accommodations at La Maison
Arabe ( or similar upscale Boutique Riad/Hotel such as Jardin de Medinah
, subject to availability at the time we receive your booking),
where a traditional welcoming mint tea and a fruit basket await you.
Your personal requirements and relaxation are foremost.
 Day
2 - Marrakech (BD)
This morning you'll take a private tour of Marrakech by horse-drawn
carriage. You'll see the Koutoubia, the landmark mosque of the city,
and perhaps you'll note its similarity to its sister tower, the Giralda
of Seville, in Spain. You'll continue to the Bahia palace, built in
the nineteenth century, with room after stately oriental room of intricate
plasterwork and finely detailed columns, and sedate hidden gardens.
Finally, you'll see the Majorelle Botanical Gardens of Yves Saint
Laurent, planted with trees and flowers from all over the world. 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. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 3- Marrakech (BD)
Morning at leisure. Late afternoon,we'll escort you to the Palm grove
on the outskirts of Marrakech for a wonderful experience of camel
riding at sunset. Before we head for our gourmet Moroccan dinner with
staff in traditional dress, Gnaouas singers and dancers , their music
reflect both Arabic and African influence-, Arabo-Andalusian music
well serenade us , the evening will culminate with the traditional
Belly dancer performance,gourmet Moroccan food.
DAY4
- Trek in the High Atlas Friday
(BLD)
After
breakfast in you hotel, leave to Amizmiz, 54 Kilometers from Marrakech.
On the way you will see the Oumnast Kasbah then the Lalla Takerkoust
Dam built between 1929 and 1935 with it man made lake. It will take
you about an hour to reach Amizmiz , a typical Berber village , we
tour the Kasbah and the "Mellah" (Jewish quarter). Every Tuesday an
important country market is held, where all the villagers from the
area come for their weekly shopping and gossiping... You can buy there
interesting Regragra potteries. Your guide will welcome you in his
home for a traditional Berber breakfast then you will start your hiking
first through Sidi Hossein valley to reach Tizi Oughourane. On the
way you will see picturesque landscapes of the Atlas mountains , Berber
villages with their houses built in stone and earth. After a typical
lunch accompanied by mint tea, you will come back to Amizimiz by a
different itinerary and be transferred back to busy Marrakech by late
afternoon. Remainder of the day at leisure enjoy a delicious dinner
at the hotel.
.
DAY
5 - OURZAZATE (BD)
Morning departure
to Ouarzazate crossing the Atlas Mountains and its striking scenery
through the Tizi N'Tichka Pass at an altitude of more than 2000 meters
Before reaching Ouarzazate, visit of the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, a
wonderful site now protected by UNESCO, having served as natural decor
to numerous films shooting. It is an area of crumbling Kasbahs grouped
among patches of wheat fields, terraced orchards, olives and date
palms. It ascends a small mountain and is surmounted by an « Agadir
» (grain storage tower) giving it an epic scale. Dinner at hotel.
DAY
6 - ZAGORA & TAMEGROUTE (BLD)
Starting bright and early, we traverse the Draa Valley with its six
palm forests forming grand ribbons of greenery across the flat valley
floor. Thanks to the proximity of the river, cereals, henna, vegetables,
fruit and date palms are cultivated, either on the floor of the valley
or on stepped terraces. We arrive in Zagora around noontime.
After lunch, we embark on an excursion to Tamegroute to view
the illuminated Korans, with holy verses inscribed on gazelle-skin
parchment, the oldest dating from the 13th century. We'll also visit
the Potters' Yard and huge Tinfou Dune before returning
to Zagora and our hotel.
DAY
7 - Marrakech (BL)
After breakfast we drive back to Ourzazate , enjoy lunch at one of
the hotels, then on to Marrakech for the night .
DAY
8 - OURIKA VALLEY, THE POTTERS VILLAGE OF TAFZA (BL)
This morning, we'll head 30 kilometers outside of Marrakech to
the lush valley of the Ourika River, which winds down from the peaks
of the High Atlas, through clusters of mud-walled houses. Our visit
coincides with one of the regular market days, and we'll walk among
the stands of butchers and vegetable-sellers, merchants of cereals
and olive oil, itinerant blacksmiths and sellers of patent medicines
and herbal remedies. A barber sets up shop with nothing more than
a scissors, hand clipper, and stiff wooden chair, an open-air eatery
offers hot food freshly prepared on a brazier. We'll continue to Tafza
to see how vases and lamp bases are made in home workshops, and to
view quartz and amethyst and other minerals of the region. We'll be
received for tea in the customary local manner. We'll meet up with
local villagers at a well, help to draw water, and join in preparing
a Berber meal of soup, tanurt (bread), and tajine (meat and vegetables
cooked in a clay pot). Our hosts are modest local persons who will
appreciate offerings of useful small items, such as pencils or notebooks,
or even small treats, such as candy. We'll return to Marrakech through
the stunning scenery of the valley. Dinner at the hotel.
Day
9 - Marrakech (BD)
Morning tour of the local souks and bazaars, a shoppers paradise.
Remainder of the day at leisure.
Dinner at a charming local restaurant.
DAY
10 - Marrakech - Culinary Experience and a home hosted dinner
(BD)
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 11- Marrakech/ Taroudant (BD)
In the morning we drive to Taroudant crossing the Tizi N’Test pass.
Upon arrival in we check-in at the Palais Salam hotel , a charming
former Pacha’s palace. In the afternoon tour the charming old town
of Tarouadnat . With emphasis on the local souks and jewelry . We'll
enjoy dinner tonight at the hotel.
Day 12 -TAROUDANT (BD)
Day at leisure , maybe to enjoy this unique
palace /hotel, facilities or take a day trip on camels or horses into
the desert with a lunch box ( optional). Dinner at the hotel.
Day 13 - AGADIR / IMOUZZER IDA OUTANANE (BD)
Morning departure for Imouzzer Ida Outanane. We cross the Anti Atlas
mountain range, with palm groves, green valleys and narrow gorges
- before reaching the village & waterfalls of the "Bride's Veil"
with its small lake surrounded by olive groves. Dinner and overnight
accommodation at the Cascades hotel.
Day 14 - IMOUZZER IDA OUTANANE / ESSAOUIRA (B)
Drive to Essaouira, a a charming fishing harbor. Renowned for
generations for its production of "Murex", a small shellfish used
to make the purple dye for Roman togas, Essaouira is now a very active
fishing harbor , with some Portuguese character who settled here in
the 16th century. Later on Sultan Mohamed Ben Abdellah used
it as a base for his corsairs. Today, protected from the sea and the
wind behind its commanding fortified medieval walls, Essaouira shelters
a flourishing craftsmanship in marquetry, working wood with ebony,
mother of pearl and silver thread to make tables, chessboards, caskets
and bracelets. Enjoy a seafood lunch, before heading back to the hotel.
Overnight accommodation in a suite at Riad Al Madina.
Day 15- Essaouira (B)
Full days of relaxation at this sleepy small town by the sea.
Day
16 - Essaouira (B)
Half day walking tour of the old souks and town. Remainder of
the day at leisure.
Day 17 -Fez (BD)
We'll escort you by private air conditioned car/van heading for Casablanca,then
on to Fez by car , where you'll be met and ushered to La Maison Bleue
( or similar high end boutique Riad / Hotel - subject to availability
at the time we receive your booking), the Blue House. This superb
nineteenth-century home is the seat of the Abbadis family, one of
the forebears of which was an eminent astrologer, lawyer, and professor
at the Karawiyine University. It has wooden doors and its walls are
covered with blue Zelliges. Its fountain is one of the most sumptuous
in the city. La Maison Bleue offers five royal suites as well as a
junior suite, and fully three dining rooms where Moroccan specialties
may be appreciated. A Hammam (Moroccan steam bath) is available to
guests. La Maison Bleue is literally one of the most prominent of
houses in Fez, affording commanding panoramas of the old town from
its terrace. You'll be welcomed with a traditional mint tea,and a
fruit basket. Your dinner is at La Maison Bleue.
Day 18 -Fez (BD)
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. In the evening it's dinner and a show, with a difference.
The food is Moroccan-style, of course; and the show is a fascinating
view into Moroccan life, including a traditional wedding ceremony,
Arabo-Andaluisan music, and an enticing performance by a belly dancer.
Day 19 - Fez- Moroccan Culinary Delights (BD)
Spend a day in appreciation of Moroccan pleasures. In the morning,
you'll join a demonstration of Moroccan cuisine, known around the
world. You will have tasted Tajine, harissa, couscous, and much more.
Now you'll learn more about how these plates and sauces are prepared,
and of the many influences that have created the national cuisine.
In the afternoon, you will savor the benefits of the, the Hammam traditional
relaxing and restorative steam bath. Your farewell dinner will be
set at La Maison Bleue.
Day 20 -Departure from Fez (B)
You'll be escorted to Fez Saiss airport, where you'll board your Royal
Air Maroc flight for Casablanca, and onward travel to arrive in New
York the same day. Bon Voyage.
Rate per person in double in US$ 5915.00
Rate per person in single in US$ 7050.00
Your
tour includes:
-
All transportation and / or domestic air in Morocco , including
tax as per itinerary
-
All airport transfers in Morocco as described in the tour itinerary
-
Accommodation as described, ( always subject to availability,
we keep the right to use alternative hotels within same category).
Welcome mint tea, roses, and fruit basket upon arrival at La Maison
Arabe and La Maison Bleue.
-
Meals
as indicated: cB = Continental breakfast; L = set-menu lunch;
D = set-menu dinner
-
Ground
transportation in chauffeured, air-conditioned Mercedes Benz automobile
or where applicable chauffeured four wheel drive Turbo Land Rover.
Half-day horse-drawn carriage tour in Marrakech. Services of licensed
English-speaking guide and entrance fees to sites visited. Camel
ride in Marrakech palm grove.
- Hammam
session (where available)
Dar Donab Boutique Hotel
Not
included:
- Personal
expenses .
- Trip
interruption and cancellation insurance .
- International
air fare from/to your home country .
The
grace and splendor of the Orient, traditional Arab hospitality, and
the fine service and amenities of a boutique hotel all come together
in the Moroccan Riad
Riad"Gardens
of Medina" in Marrakech
new hotel of charm - Les « Jardins de la Medina »
A
former Royal property, where the mother of the late King Hassan
used to live few years back. It is located close to the Royal Palace
in Marrakech, with a superb Andalusian style garden planted with palm
trees, lemon & orange trees. You'll enjoy the old charm of the original
Riad, even after its transfer into a modern hotel/Riad. « Les Jardins
de la Medina », The new French owners did employ local artisans when
they refurbished, restored & repainted the Riad. All work was done
in cooperation with the Marrakech Dept. of Historical Monuments. From
the old Royal Riad you 'll still be able to enjoy the original Grand
Salon of the 19 th century, the bar and the reception [meeting) room.
Around the fabulous Andalusian gardens new spacious rooms were built,
thus profiting from the calmness and the coolness of the surrounding
fruit trees. All rooms are refitted marrakchi architectural style,
the rooms offer all the comfort and luxuries as do modern hotel rooms:
balcony, solarium and corner salon for most, air conditioning, satellite
TV, Internet access, safe, minibar… The Riad services do include:
hammam, salon de massage, swimming pool heated toute l’année, parking,
money exchange. One room is handicap friendly.
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