Classic Expedition ot Morocco
As time goes by, isn’t it time you explored the legendary wonder and romance that is Morocco! Experience the extraordinarily beautiful imperial cities of Rabat, Fez and Marrakech. Discover the natural wonder of the largest sand dunes in Morocco, the Atlas Mountains and the spectacular Todra Gorge. Throughout, you will be welcomed into private homes of artists, architects, ex-diplomats and enjoy the exotic luxury of palace hotels.
Days 1 /2 - New York/Casablanca/Rabat
Board your overnight flight to Casablanca. Upon arrival the next morning, you will be greeted by your Classic Escapes representative and driven to the Imperial city of Rabat. The capital of Morocco, this beautiful city is the residence of the King. Visit the Kasbah des Oudaias and a Kasbah constructed by the Almohads in the 12th-century. Enjoy a welcome dinner at your gorgeous hotel. LA TOUR HASSAN MERIDIEN. (Meals Aloft, D)
Day 3 - Rabat
This morning, cross the river to the old city of Sale and visit the AMESIP Foundation to see how creative solutions are being implemented to care for neglected children, and donate supplies to aid in their education. Continue to the private museum of the Dar Belghazi family, where you will see rare antiquities, such as manuscripts, embroidery, ceramics and jewels. After your tour, join them in their home located on the top floor of the museum, for a delicious traditional lunch. This afternoon, explore enchanting Rabat, as you stroll through its maze of streets, where modern and ancient structures reside side-by-side. In the heart of the city stands the Tour Hassan, the last vestige of an unfinished mosque. Behind its marble columns, the Mohammed V Mausoleum engenders solemn respect and serene contemplation. LA TOUR HASSAN MERIDIEN. (B,L)
Day 4 - Rabat/Meknes/Volubilis/Fez
Drive to the Royal City of Meknes, the megalomaniacal creation of Moulay Ismail. The city had over 50 palaces, with almost 18 miles of walls and 20 gates. Visit Moulay Ismail Mausoleum and the horse-breeding center at Haras with its superb Berber and Arabian horses. Continue to the extensive Roman ruins of Volubilis, before you drive to Fez. The capital of Morocco for more than 400 years, Fez is the oldest of the Imperial Cities, established in 789, and the most complete medieval city of the Arab world. Home to the country’s oldest university, it is Morocco’s leading cultural and religious center. Your hotel was built in 1879 as the pleasure dome of the Grand Vizier to the Sultan. PALAIS JAMAI HOTEL. (B,L)
Day 5 - Fez
Entering one of Fez-el-Bali’s fourteen gates is like stepping back a thousand years into a maze of winding streets lined with tiny workshops of 30,000 craftsmen. Visit the Kairaouine Mosque, one of the oldest universities in the world and the 14th-century Medersa Bou Inania. At Dar Batha Museum, see the finest examples of local arts and crafts. Explore Merinides Tombs for an overview of the old city. Visit the home of Moroccan architect Mr. Sever for a short talk on the Andalusian architecture of Fez. This evening dine as guests of the Abbadi family. PALAIS JAMAI HOTEL. (B,D)
Day 6 - Erfoud
Verdant cedar forests give way to volcanic mountains and wind-swept plains as you drive across the Middle Atlas range to Midelt. Pass fortified mud and straw villages and descend into the spectacular Ziz Gorge. The landscape becomes more arid, broken only by the lush oasis of Ziz Valley. Those who wish to sleep in a hotel will stay at Erfoud. For a true taste of Berber life, sleep in a private tent at the Dunes of Erg Chebbi, the largest sand dunes in Morocco. The typical Bedouin camp draped with beautiful carpets has two single beds in each tent with portable shared toilet and shower facilities. Enjoy a traditional dinner in the main tent with entertainment by local Bedouins. PRIVATE TENT AT DUNES OF ERG CHEBBI or BELERE HOTEL. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Erfoud/Rissani/Sijilmasa
Travel by camel to the dunes and watch as the sun rises over the desert. Both groups reunite at Erfoud for lunch and continue to the ancient desert town of Rissani – gateway to the Sahara Desert. For a thousand years this was the principal trading post for caravans from the Niger River. Near Rissani see the mausoleum and Roman ruins of Sijilmasa, the ancient capital of the caravan route. Visit a palmary and marble factory where embedded in the polished marble you’ll find ammonites from the Jurassic period and trilobites from the Ordovician to Devonian periods. BELERE HOTEL. (B,L,D)
Days 8/9 - Erfoud/Tineghir/Ouarzazate
Drive through lunar like landscape to Tineghir, one of the largest and most beautiful oases in Morocco. Enjoy lunch while gazing out over the canyon walls of nearby Todra Gorge, one of Morocco’s most spectacular landscapes. Continue along the southern edge of the High Atlas Mountains towards Ouarzazate. En route, stop at the oasis Kelaa Mgouna, famous for its Persian roses and the manufacture of rose water perfume essences. Arrive in Ouarzazate, an astonishingly varied environment of burning sands, snow peaks, palm groves, lofty ksours, walled villages and sumptuous Kasbahs. Visit the medieval fortress of Ait Benhaddou, which guarded the trading route to Timbuktu. The stunning beauty of this once thriving Kasbah has been immortalized by Hollywood in more than 20 films, including the legendary Lawrence of Arabia. BERBERE PALACE. (B,L)
Days 10/11 - Ouarzazate/Marrakech
Continue your drive along the River towards the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains. Descend back onto the edge of the desert and the famed red-colored, imperial city of Marrakech, situated in an oasis of more than half a million palm trees. Your beautiful hotel is where Churchill met Roosevelt for the Casablanca Conference in 1943 and Marlene Dietrich’s Morocco was filmed. The next day visit the 12th–century Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahya Palace and one of the finest Moroccan museums, the Palace of Dar Sis Aid. Stroll the labyrinth of streets of the Souk to the bustling Jemaa Lena Square. LA MAMOUNIA. (B,L; B)
Day 12 - Marrakech
Enjoy the view of Marrakech from the romantic pace of a horse-drawn carriage. Travel to the Still Basin of the Menara Park. Continue on to the Majorelle Garden, a splendid villa now owned by the French couturier Yves Saint-Laurent, housing a museum. This afternoon shop and explore the souks of Marrakech on your own. Enjoy cocktails at a private home before a farewell dinner at your hotel. LA MAMOUNIA. (B,D)
Day 13 - Marrakech/New York
This morning, you are escorted to the airport for your flights home. (B, Meals Aloft)
YOUR CLASSIC EXPEDITION INCLUDES:
- Roundtrip air transportation from New York
- Superior accommodations as indicated (with the exception of the optional tent at Erfoud).
- All meals as specified in the itinerary.
- Complimentary bottled water throughout.
- Land Rovers for sightseeing from Erfoud.
- Deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach throughout.
- Services of a highly-trained English-speaking guide.
- Private visits to homes and museums as indicated in itinerary.
- All applicable hotel tips and taxes, plus gratuities for baggage handling.
- All entry fees to visited monuments.
- Complimentary backpack, baggage tags and passport wallet.