Day 2 - CASABLANCA & OUARZAZATE Wednesday (BD)
Our international flight arrives in Casablanca. After completing customs and immigration formalities, we connect with our domestic flight which takes us over the Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate, on the verge of the desert. Our staff takes us to our hotel, the Kenzi Belere (or similar). In the afternoon, wander as you like through this historic Moroccan town at the edge of the desert before enjoying dinner at our hotel. You'll want to get to bed early in preparation for an early departure for the desert tomorrow.

Day 3 - ERFOUD & WADI ZIZ Thursday (BLD)
We arise and set out early on the Route of 1000 Kasbahs (desert citadels), visiting the Kasbah of Taourirt and passing villages where life has changed little since the 12th century: Kelaa des Mgouna, Boumalene du Dads, Tinerhir. We stop next at Erfoud for lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we navigate unpaved desert tracks through the Wadi Ziz (Valley of the Gazelles) to reach the northern flanks of the Erg Chebbi (erg: area of shifting sand dunes) to rendezvous with our caravan. Tonight we enjoy our first desert sunset and night sky, not to mention the cool, pure breezes that waft through our tents.

Day 4 - INTO THE DESERT! Friday (BLD)
We load our camels with the dawn and set out into the Erg Chebbi south of the Tafilalet Valley. The sand mountains of the erg hide scattered oases marked by groves of date palms and other greenery. We hike along the crest of the Bouighd dunes, enjoying the elemental atmosphere and spare but intense beauty of the Sahara. In the afternoon, we set up camp next to some zeriba (palm-frond shelters built by nomadic tribesmen), ready for another desert sunset and the camaraderie of a campfire under the splendid stars.

Day 5 - TO THE ARAMINE DUNES Saturday (BLD)
Our camel train picks up the historic Route of 1000 Kasbahs and follows it to the Aramine Dunes, where we make camp in anticipation of our third night under desert skies. As our quartermaster brews traditional mint tea, volunteers help the camel drivers to dig for water for the camels, and collect wood for the campfire.

Day 6 - ERG CHEBBI TO BOUIKNIOUN Sunday (BLD)
Our caravan tracks a sinuous path through the desert, following a series of valleys and passes through the towering mountains of sand. If you like, clamber up to the windblown crests of the dunes for spectacular views and photos of these alluring natural formations, and indeed of the entire region. As night falls, we set up camp at Bouiknioun, the "Twin Palm Grove."

Day 7 - MERZOUGA & RISSANI Monday (BLD)
Our caravan crosses a pass in the midst of the erg and descends to Wadi Ziz, the valley of the Ziz River which flows from the snowcapped Atlas Mountains. We stop for a rest at the village of Tanamoust where we enjoy lunch with a local family--an exclusive feature of this Travel in Style adventure. (You may want to bring a small hospitality gift such as a T-shirt or cap to present to our host family.) After lunch we drive in four-wheel-drive vehicles along a dirt track to Rissani and Boumalne, where we check in at the Tizerouine Kasbah, a modest three-star hotel without air conditioning. Some of us may be lucky enough to stay the night in the hotel's few rooms which are cut right into the living rock; others will have simple but adequate rooms with private bath.

Day 8 - DADES GORGE, MGOUN VALLEY & SKOURA Tuesday (BLD) We drive through the Dades Valley in our four-wheel-drive vehicles, stopping to visit the huge local kasbah, and to sip glasses of mint tea with a local family. We continue on a dirt track across the plateau and through desert gorges to discover the Mgoun Valley. From Kelaa Dees Mgouna, we return to the Route of 1000 Kasbahs and head for Skoura, where we have lunch with a local nomad family to learn about the region and their daily lives. By late afternoon we reach Ouarzazate, where we check in at our hotel.

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Day 9 - CASABLANCA Wednesday (BD)
This morning we fly back to Casablanca, the commercial capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, to visit the majestic new Grand Mosque of King Hassan II, second only to the Great Mosque at Mecca in size. We continue on a panoramic tour of the city, ending up at our hotel (Le Littoral or similar) for a final dinner together.

Day 10 - MOROCCO/USA Thursday (B) After breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport for your nonstop flight back to New York, and home.

Saharan Caravan departs weekly from New York on Tuesdays , except during summer month : Jun - Aug.

For west coast cities, suggest Air France via Paris or British Airways via London : Air fare add on : $250

Your tour includes:

• Round-trip airfare from New York City (JFK) to Casablanca and Ouarzazate, including tax

• All airport transfers in Morocco as described in the tour itinerary

• Hotel and tenting accommodations as described in the itinerary, including tax, service charge, and continental breakfast daily

• Meals as indicated: cB = Continental breakfast; L = set-menu lunch; D = set-menu dinner

• Three 1-1/2-liter bottles of water daily for five days during the desert portion of the tour. You may purchase additional bottles of water (about US$1) on Day 2 if you wish

Expedition Notes:

CARAVAN ACCOMMODATIONS: Our caravan crew sets up camp each night: two-person tents equipped with 4-inch (10 cm)-thick foam mattresses. (Participants at the single rate occupy the tent alone.) We choose our campsites on the basis of scenic beauty and the availability of pasturage and water for our camels.

CARAVAN MEALS:
Meals are prepared in camp or enroute by our caravan crew and/or by local families, and served in a dining tent. A typical meal on the first evening in the desert usually includes soup, veal kebab, tajine of vegetables, cheese, fruit, and mint or herb tea. On subsequent days no meat is served as there is no way to preserve it. The menu on later evenings usually includes soup, pasta, vegetables, rice, and tea. Lunches include salads and fruit. Refreshing afternoon tea and cookies are served at 4 PM daily.

YOUR CAMEL:
One camel is provided for every participant. Your camel also carries your personal baggage (see Baggage). Additional camels carry the caravan's equipment (tents, field kitchen, etc.).

CARAVAN CREW:
A mountain guide, with an assistant, accompanies every caravan, along with a support team of camel drivers, cooks and helpers.

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT:
We make it ourselves around a campfire, lit each evening (weather and wind permitting).

BAGGAGE: Your baggage will be strapped onto your camel each day, so we strongly suggest that you bring only one big, soft, supple, sturdy duffle bag (no hard-sided or hard-edged suitcases). Also bring a day-pack to carry sunscreen, sunglasses, snacks, camera, binoculars, water bottle, windbreaker, etc.

  Here's our recommended list of things to bring:

• Ski or thermal clothing, particularly for tenting in the desert, where evenings and early morning can be quite chilly (particularly in October, April and May)

• Polar fleece jacket or woollen sweater

• Windbreaker

• Two pairs of trousers, one light, one heavier

• One pair longish Bermuda shorts

• Track or training suit for tent time and sleepwear

• Two long-sleeved shirts to cover your arms and shoulders from the intense sun

• Several sets of underwear

• Supple but sturdy jogging or walking shoes, well broken in (NOT brand new); lighter tennis or regular shoes; sandals for wear in camp and in your tent

• Four or five pairs of socks (it's very important to take good care of your feet as they will be carrying you several hours each day)

• Linen or straw sunhat, visored cap and/or headscarf

• North African scarf for wrapping as a turban to protect against the sun, cold wind and dust
  
  - particularly useful in case of dust storms

• Water bottle with screw top, minimum two-liter (half-gallon) capacity

• Good sunblock cream or lotion

• Miscellaneous personal items:
  - good sunglasses with UV protection, in a sturdy case

  - spare pair of prescription glasses, if you wear glasses

  - pocket knife

  - pocket flashlight, with spare batteries and bulbs

  - small portable washbowl

  - insect repellant

  - moist towelettes

  - plastic bags (large and small) in which to pack your clothing, bedding, etc. to keep sand and dust out

  - toilet paper

  - bathroom tissues

  - personal first-aid items

  - matches (for burning paper refuse when we break camp)

   

  

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Please carry your important travel documents (passport, insurance contract, etc.) in a watertight pouch, preferably on your person (neck pouch, money belt under your clothing, etc.).

TRAVEL/MEDICAL INSURANCE:
Travel and medical insurance is required, and is not included in the rates. We will send you the necessary forms and information. All tour participants must show proof of travel and medical insurance in order to participate in the tour. You must carry a copy of your travel/medical/repatriation insurance contract, with your detailed personal data, with you during the caravan trip.

SANITARY FACILITIES:
A shower tent (unheated water only) is set up each night at camp, as are two basic toilet tents (Men and Women).