Mesmerizing Morocco | October 22nd, 2024
$6299 $5999 per person
⭐⭐⭐⭐+
*Prices are CAD per person, based on 2 people sharing
*Based on a minimum of 12 passengers. First come, first served!
*SMALL GROUP: ONLY 12-18 PASSENGERS!
*Single Supplement: Add $1900 CAD (Single Rate: $7899 CAD); Maximum 2 singles available (if you’re a single traveler and looking to be matched up with a roommate, of the same gender, please reach out to us for details).
*Arrival into Casablanca is October 23rd, 2024. Pre-night with transfer and breakfast available at a rate of $179 CAD per person based on double occupancy.
BOOK BY MAY 31ST, 2024 (OR UNTIL SOLD OUT) AND SAVE $300 CAD PER PERSON!
Mesmerizing Morocco
October 22-November 7, 2024
After a successful small group departure in Morocco (October 2023), we’ve now released this new departure date with some additional enhancements! Also, based on rave reviews, we have secured our same tour guide for this new departure date.
There is something about Morocco that mesmerizes you. Everyone who travels here falls in love with this country. Morocco has plenty to offer, including medieval cities, the maze-like Medina’s, local open-air markets, Riads, mosques and minarets, the Sahara Desert, the Arab & Berber culture, the Atlas Mountains, Roman ruins, the Moroccan cuisine and the beautiful Islamic architecture/monuments. One day you will be staying in a traditional Riad (a Moroccan house or palace) in the Medina to riding a camel in the desert where you stay at a luxury camp/tent in the desert. Another day, you will be enjoying Moroccan tea in the red city of Marrakesh to next, dodging donkeys to get to a leather tannery in the holy city of Fez!
Including Casablanca (1 Night), Chaouen (2 Nights), Fes (3 Nights), Erfoud (1 Night), Merzouga (2 Nights), Boumalne Dades (1 Night), Ouarzazate (1 Night), Marrakech (3 Nights), Casablanca (1 Night)
Highlights:
- In Casablanca you will visit the impressive Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world.
- Spend 2 nights in the “Blue City”, built on a mountainside. Chefchaouen is a city with unique vibes. Its unique charm gives an impression of unreality as if you are walking around in a dream, and with its blue rinsed houses the whole city seems to be bathed in azure.
- In Fes, have lunch at Medina Bis during your tour, located in the center of the old medina of Fes – the restaurant Le Medina Bis makes the gastronomy of Fes a philosophy! With an extraordinary Arab-Moorish architecture, you will taste the royal couscous, the tagine, the pastilla… and all kinds of traditional dishes from the region.
- Camp out in a luxury tented experience for 2 nights – from the Merzouga village where you will be transferred by 4×4 cars into the sand sea of the Moroccan desert, and you will camp on the edge of the Sahara Dunes.
- Drive through Tinejdad, Tineghir and the Todra Pass in the beautiful 1,000 Kasbah Valley to El Kelaa des Mgouna where the palm trees are replaced by orchards and irrigated gardens.
- You will stop by Ouarzazate and visit Oscar studios, where movies such as Gladiator, Babel, Kingdom of heaven, or series like Prison Break, Game of Thrones and many more productions were filmed.
- Visit Ait Ben Haddou, which is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
- In Marrakech, dive into the maze-like Medina with its colorful alleyways and the Souks with their shimmering colors and oriental smells a discovery of the most colorful souks in the north of Africa. Then conclude the day with a sunset drink overlooking the exciting Jamaa El Fna Square.
- Have a farewell dinner at Rick’s café, in a nostalgic atmosphere of the Casablanca movie, embellished with an onsite pianist.
- And much more!
What’s Included:
Group arrival/departure transfers* | Private transfers and transportation on tour | 15 nights accommodation at hotels & riads (and desert camp) as indicated in day by day itinerary | Inclusive of hotel tax, hotel service charges and includes daily breakfast as mentioned hotels (or similar) | Sightseeing with Local English speaking guide | Entrance fees | Meals as specified (29 meals): 15 daily breakfasts at hotels, riads & bivouacs / 3 Lunches at local restaurants and picnic lunch in the desert / 11 Dinners (6 dinners in hotels/riads/bivouacs; 5 dinners in local restaurants including a farewell dinner at Rick’s café in Casablanca) | Fresh Bottled mineral water on board while touring | All tips for luggage carrying, guide, driver | Local taxes and permanent services.
*GROUP ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE TRANSFERS INCLUDED – If flights are booked outside of when the majority of the flights arrive/depart, then a $50 CAD per person cost will apply.
Not included in price:
Round trip International Airfare | Cancellation and Out of Country Medical Insurance | Other items not listed in itinerary
Payment Terms & Conditions:
*Deposit: $500 CAD per person non-refundable deposit due upon reservation. If you cancel by February 1st, 2024 you will receive $250 per person refund and the remaining $250 deposit will convert to a Trip Merchant Journeys Future Travel Credit valid for travel for 2 years beyond the original date of travel. After February 1st, 2024, $500 CAD is non-refundable.
*Final Balance: Due by July 15th, 2024 (100% non-refundable after final payment)
Call for assistance: 1-800-481-9739 ext. 3
Mention Group Booking Number: TMJMOR24
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Destination
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Arrival City
Casablanca, Morocco -
Departure City
Casablanca, Morocco -
Activity Level
This tour includes moderate physical activity. The itinerary blends some longer days with shorter days and more leisure time. Walking tours, as well as walking slightly longer distances, up stairs, or on uneven walking surfaces should be expected. -
Passenger Limit
12-18 Passengers Only
1
Tuesday, October 22, 2024: International Departure
Depart Canada and take flight to Casablanca, Morocco!
2
Wednesday, October 23, 2024: Casablanca Airport – Casablanca
Upon arrival in Casablanca you will meet your English speaking guide at the Jetway holding a sign with your name (or Trip Merchant Journeys) signage. Once you have your luggage, you will be escorted to your transfer vehicle and your Trip Merchant Morocco representative will take you on a light tour of Casablanca which includes Mohamed V Square, United Nations Square and the Arab League Park. Continue to visit the impressive Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world.
Check-in at your hotel and getting prepared for the evening dinner at La Sqala, founded in 2002 and located behind the ramparts of the old medina in a fortified bastion from the 17th century, the Moorish restaurant-café offers typically Moroccan cuisine with fresh, high-quality products as well as a living space and cultural activities, where everyone can enjoy the sumptuous Andalusian garden and attend an oriental music recital.
Overnight at Hotel.
Check-in at your hotel and getting prepared for the evening dinner at La Sqala, founded in 2002 and located behind the ramparts of the old medina in a fortified bastion from the 17th century, the Moorish restaurant-café offers typically Moroccan cuisine with fresh, high-quality products as well as a living space and cultural activities, where everyone can enjoy the sumptuous Andalusian garden and attend an oriental music recital.
Overnight at Hotel.
Meals Provided: Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Idou Anfa (http://www.idouanfahotelcasablanca.com/)
3
Thursday, October 24, 2024: Casablanca – Rabat - Chaouen
Buffet breakfast at your hotel.
Meet with your guide and drive 1 ½ hours to Rabat. An additional local guide will escort the group for better service. You will have sightseeing tour of this capital city of Morocco which includes the medina, the picturesque Kasbah of the Oudayas and the Oudaya Gate, built during the Almohad dynasty and the Oudaya Museum of berbere arts and crafts.
You will also visit the incomplete Hassan mosque with its well-preserved Tower built also by the Almohads at the end of the 12th century and Chellah of the Merinids from the 13th century.
Continue with your guide for 4 ½ hours drive to the blue city of Chaouen, built on a mountainside. Chefchaouen is a city with unique vibes. Its unique charm gives an impression of unreality as if you are walking around in a dream, and with its blue rinsed houses the whole city seems to be bathed in azure.
Overnight at the riad.
Meet with your guide and drive 1 ½ hours to Rabat. An additional local guide will escort the group for better service. You will have sightseeing tour of this capital city of Morocco which includes the medina, the picturesque Kasbah of the Oudayas and the Oudaya Gate, built during the Almohad dynasty and the Oudaya Museum of berbere arts and crafts.
You will also visit the incomplete Hassan mosque with its well-preserved Tower built also by the Almohads at the end of the 12th century and Chellah of the Merinids from the 13th century.
Continue with your guide for 4 ½ hours drive to the blue city of Chaouen, built on a mountainside. Chefchaouen is a city with unique vibes. Its unique charm gives an impression of unreality as if you are walking around in a dream, and with its blue rinsed houses the whole city seems to be bathed in azure.
Overnight at the riad.
Meals Provided: Breakfast
Accommodation: Lina Riad & Spa, Chefchaouen (https://linaryad.com/)
4
Friday, October 25, 2024: Chaouen
Breakfast at the riad.
You’ll meet your guide & additional local guide then leave for the discovery of the beautiful city of Chefchaouen, called the pearl of the north. The beautiful city of Chefchaouen brims with attractions. First, the inescapable Medina with its famous narrow winding alleys is an opportunity to mingle with the local people and to smell and taste delights; from freshly baked bread to skillfully prepared tagines.
The medina developed around the fortress, which has a square plan and is flanked by bastions and quadrangular towers. The main tower of the Kasbah is distinguished by its architectural structure and function. It has three floors, the last of which is a large covered terrace accessible through restored doors.
An ethnological museum was installed in the left wing of the Kasbah and was inaugurated in 1985. It exhibits essential elements of Moroccan heritage such as typical musical instruments, pottery, sculptures, embroidery and weapons which would have used to defend the fortress.
Chefchaouen with its unique geographical position, breathtaking nature, and small size, is a paradise for walkers.
Overnight at the riad.
Meals Provided: Breakfast
Accommodation: Lina Riad & Spa, Chefchaouen
5
Saturday, October 26, 2024: Chaouen – Ouazzane - Fes
Breakfast at your riad.
Start your trip to Fes, on the way stop in Ouazzane a well known in Morocco and the Islamic world as a spiritual capital, it was the place for many of the pillars of Sufism. It was also known as "Dar Dmana". Many Moroccan Jews consider Ouezzane to be a holy city and make pilgrimages to venerate the tombs of several marabouts (Moroccan saints), particularly Moul Anrhaz, the local name of Rabbi Amram Ben. Diwan, an 18th-century rabbi who lived in the city and whose burial site is associated with a number of miracles. Ouazzane is a town in northwestern Morocco, with a population of around 60,000, located on the southern margins of Jebala country. It is built amphitheatrically on the northern flank of Jbel Bouhlal and the southeastern flank of Jbel Bouakika, at an altitude of 614 meters and is protected from Atlantic influences by the surrounding mountains of medium altitude. It benefits from a sub-humid Mediterranean climate characterized by a dry summer with varying temperatures and a cold to mild winter, which makes it a dream destination with its superb mountains and plateau. The city has been artisanal for almost 4 centuries, it is home to several craft corporations run by more than 5,000 artisans and 3 artisanal cooperatives so that you can bring good artisanal souvenirs with you.
Arriving in Fés, have a panoramical visit with a tour of the ancient ramparts, and the beautiful façade of the Royal Palace. Continue to the atmospheric old Mellah (Jewish Quarter) in Fes el Jedid, just north of the Royal Palace. Throughout this compact district, the lanes are lined with fine (though highly dilapidated) examples of early 20th-century houses, which were once home to the vibrant Jewish community of Fes. Then drive to Borj Sud for a wonderful view of the expanse of the Medina of Fes.
Check in and overnight at the riad.
Start your trip to Fes, on the way stop in Ouazzane a well known in Morocco and the Islamic world as a spiritual capital, it was the place for many of the pillars of Sufism. It was also known as "Dar Dmana". Many Moroccan Jews consider Ouezzane to be a holy city and make pilgrimages to venerate the tombs of several marabouts (Moroccan saints), particularly Moul Anrhaz, the local name of Rabbi Amram Ben. Diwan, an 18th-century rabbi who lived in the city and whose burial site is associated with a number of miracles. Ouazzane is a town in northwestern Morocco, with a population of around 60,000, located on the southern margins of Jebala country. It is built amphitheatrically on the northern flank of Jbel Bouhlal and the southeastern flank of Jbel Bouakika, at an altitude of 614 meters and is protected from Atlantic influences by the surrounding mountains of medium altitude. It benefits from a sub-humid Mediterranean climate characterized by a dry summer with varying temperatures and a cold to mild winter, which makes it a dream destination with its superb mountains and plateau. The city has been artisanal for almost 4 centuries, it is home to several craft corporations run by more than 5,000 artisans and 3 artisanal cooperatives so that you can bring good artisanal souvenirs with you.
Arriving in Fés, have a panoramical visit with a tour of the ancient ramparts, and the beautiful façade of the Royal Palace. Continue to the atmospheric old Mellah (Jewish Quarter) in Fes el Jedid, just north of the Royal Palace. Throughout this compact district, the lanes are lined with fine (though highly dilapidated) examples of early 20th-century houses, which were once home to the vibrant Jewish community of Fes. Then drive to Borj Sud for a wonderful view of the expanse of the Medina of Fes.
Check in and overnight at the riad.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Riad Dar Lys, Fes (https://www.darlys.ma/fr/)
6
Sunday, October 27, 2024: Full Day of Discovery in Fes
Breakfast at the riad.
You will be met at the Riad at 9:00AM for your full day tour in Fes.
We start our Discovery of Fes by a panorama view from BORJ SUD and then visit the famous pottery district. Fez pottery is often covered with a white glaze and decorated in a cobalt blue that has become known as the Blue of Fes.
After a ride along the ramparts, we do a walking tour of the labyrinth of the medina (UNESCO World Heritage) with its colorful street of dyers and brass workers at es-Seffarine. Walk through the winding streets of the great al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University; journey into the past to the magnificent Mosque and Medersa el-Attarine, the Kissaria Draz and tanneries on the bank of Oued Fes.
During the day, have lunch at Medina Bis during your tour, located in the center of the old medina of Fez restaurant Le Medina Bis makes the gastronomy of Fez a philosophy! With an extraordinary Arab-Moorish architecture, you will taste all kinds of traditional dishes from the region.
Continue to the Nejjarine Museum inside a wonderfully restored funduq, an ancient inn used by travelling merchants who stored and sold their goods below and took lodgings on the floors above. Centered on a courtyard, the rooms are given over to displays of traditional craftsmen’s tools, chunky prayer beads and Berber locks, chests and musical instruments. Everything is beautifully presented, although the stunning building gives the exhibits a run for their money. The rooftop café has great views over the medina. Photography is forbidden near the exhibits but is allowed in the courtyard and from the rooftop.
Return to your hotel for overnight.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Riad Dar Lys, Fes
7
Monday, October 28, 2024: Fes – Mekness- Volubilis – My Idriss Zerhoun
Breakfast at the riad.
You will be met at the riad at 9:00AM for your full excursion tour in Mekness, Volubilis & My Idriss Zerhoun.
Volubilis is an ancient Berber city, then Romanized, capital of the kingdom of Mauretania, located in the plain of Saiss in Morocco, on the banks of the Rhoumane wadi, a river in the suburbs of Meknes. Meknes is not far from the holy city of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun where rests Idriss, founder of the Idrisid dynasty.
Explore the remains of the 2,000 year old complex. Continue to Moulay Idriss to discover one of Morocco's holiest cities. Take a stroll through the narrow streets of the small town where Moulay Idriss I introduced the religion of Islam in 789 AD. Then depart for Meknes, founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military camp.
Meknes is a city located in the north of Morocco. It is renowned for its imperial past, with relics such as Bab Mansour, a huge arched gate and mosaic tiling. The gate leads inside the old imperial city. The mausoleum of Sultan Moulay Ismaïl, who made the city his capital in the 17th century, includes courtyards and fountains. To the south, the vast Heri es-Souani complex once housed stables and food warehouses.
Enter the medina and see some of the city's monumental gates and be captivated by the ornamental decorations of Hispano-Moorish architecture. While touring the city walls, stop at the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (founder of the Alaouite dynasty and Sultan at the time, when Meknes was the capital).
Come back to Fes by the end of the afternoon, spend time at leisure and get prepared for the 3 course dinner at the prestigious Palais Faraj.
Overnight at the riad.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Riad Dar Lys, Fes
8
Tuesday, October 29, 2024: Fes - Erfoud
Breakfast at the riad.
08.00 : You will need to make an early start this morning for a full-day drive to southern Morocco.
On the road to Erfoud, you will see the city of Ifrane, where the American University is located that was built by the Sauds. a charming and unexpected town/ski resort famous for its Alpine climate and European-style houses. With its neat red roof houses and lake- studded parks it has more of a Western feel. Built by the French in the 1930’s, Ifrane was an attempt to re-create a European alpine-style resort. Look out for the Barbary Macaque, an endangered species and the only African monkey living north of the Sahara.
Explore Azrou, a beautiful Berber village built at an altitude of 1250 meters and the home of the Amazigh tribes, the first inhabitants of Morocco. A little further, the best preserved cedar forests of Morocco (endemic trees of Morocco), where one can see Barbary monkeys jumping branches of the trees. Explore the town of Ifran or the “Little Switzerland” as you cross the flowered paths and European-style architecture of this picturesque little town.
Continue driving to Midelt, well known in Morocco as the capital of Apple, very rich area for the diversity of its agriculture mainly Apples.
Erfoud, situated among the impressive sand dunes of the Sahara Desert, is one of the largest oases in Morocco.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Xaluca Maadid (https://xaluca.com/fr/kasbahhotelxaluca)
9
Wednesday, October 30, 2024: Erfoud – Erg Chebbi
Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your guide and driver and head to Merzouga village where you will be transfer by 4x4 cars into the sand sea of the Moroccan desert. You will travel approximately 1 ½ hours to reach the camp on the edge of the Sahara Dunes just a few miles after Merzouga.
After settling into your bivouac tent, you will have the opportunity to explore the area further.
Complete privacy is guaranteed at the camp.
The site is surrounded by torches and the ground is covered with antique Moroccan rugs. There will be a bonfire in between the tents and the whole camp site will be lit with candle lanterns and oil lamps.
Sleeping Tent: Furnished with comfortable mattresses, sheets, Berber blankets, towels, Moroccan wood chest … Everything for your comfort.
Sanitary: Each tent has its own separate shower with warm water, WC.
Food facilities: 1 kitchen tent, 1 restaurant tent, a small area for the bar
Two menus are suggested, and guests can choose on the spot.
Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Erg Chebbi Desert - Desert Luxury Camps (https://www.desertluxurycamp.com/)
10
Thursday, October 31, 2024: Full Day 4 X 4 Safari in Merzouga Dunes
Breakfast at the camp
Go for a full day 4x4 excursion at the Moroccan Sahara, you’ll stop by the Bedouin village and get to know more about their lifestyle, while enjoying the Moroccan tea ceremony and trying Tafernout local bread.
The Sahara region which extends over a significant part of the Kingdom is known for its desert and limited rainfall. Life is hard there, but it continues to welcome the indigenous population, the Bedouins who have become accustomed to the rigidity of life in the desert.
This population, which practices nomadism, is characterized by its ancestral habits and customs which concern the different stages of life of the Sahrawis, from birth to old age, including religious festivals and ceremonies as well and they stand out for their hospitality and their sense of family and solidarity.
Continue to the Mfis mines, in the high plateau and offer breathtaking views of the Erg and Hamada. They are located on one side of Erg Chebbi near a small military village.
Open-air mines are still active today and Berber workers venture into shafts more than 30 m deep every day.
We continue to Hassi Labied and discover the ancient underground irrigation system “Khettaras”, we will follow the virgin river, through which the Paris-Dakar passed, to reach Khamilia, 15 km from Taouz, where the road ends. You can listen to gnaoua music, the traditional music of the descendants of the first freed sub-Saharan slaves.
Right after, leave for a lunch in one of the Sahara oasis, a private outdoor setup will be waiting for you.
At the end of your day excursion, finish it up with a Camel ride in the Sahara, just like it was for hundreds of years enjoy the sunset and spend the rest of the day admiring the Sahara and relaxing enjoying one of the calmest places in earth.
Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Erg Chebbi Desert - Desert Luxury Camps (https://www.desertluxurycamp.com/)
11
Friday, November 1, 2024: Erg Chebbi – Rissani – Tinghir - Boumalne Dades
Breakfast at the camp
Then drive through Tinejdad, Tineghir and the Todra Pass in the beautiful 1,000 Kasbah Valley to El Kelaa des Mgouna where the palm trees are replaced by orchards and irrigated gardens. Roses for making perfume are the specialty of El Kelaa des Mgouna. Paris, the famous perfume by Yves Saint Laurent is made from the extract of these roses. You will find some nice shopping here for rose products such as rose water, body milk, dried petals etc.
On the way to Boumalne, you will visit the breath taking gorges of Todgha and Dades, a nature creation that extends over fifty kilometers along its wadi in an enchanting oasis, to form around Tinghir the Todra Gorges, the most spectacular gorges in Morocco to visit on a trip to the south Moroccan.
On a walk in the heart of the oasis valleys of southern Morocco you will encounter breathtaking landscapes of canyons and gorges. The gorges are the most spectacular. They begin after the palm grove of Tineghir.
Dinner and overnight at the riad.
12
Saturday, November 2, 2024: Boumalne Dades – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou
Breakfast at the hotel
After checking out of your hotel, you will head to Ait Ben Haddou, but first, with your guide, you will stop by Kasbah Amridil, held up for several centuries, thanks to the tenacity of the owner family who did not abandon this Amazigh architectural treasure. Built at the end of the 17th century by Mohammed Nassiri El Haskouri, a scholar and descendant of Sidi Mohamed Ben Nacer, the famous founder of Zaouia Naciria in Tamgroute, Kasbah Amridil originally housed a small brotherhood which provided education principles of Islam and learning the Koran. A dimension, which you will notice during your visit, and which is integrated into the architecture of the Kasbah through the pavilion reserved for students and the room dedicated to prayer.
You will arrive to Ouarzazate and visit Oscar studios, where movies such as Gladiator, Babel, Kingdom of heaven, or series like Prison Break, Game of Thrones and many more productions were filmed.
Then continue on the way to explore the ancient Kasbah complex of Ait Ben Haddou, an impressive 11th century structure, declared by UNESCO to be an historical treasure. A photographer’s wonderland, Ait Ben Haddou is still home to five families. Recent movies made at Ait Ben Haddou include "Gladiator", directed by Ridley Scott; and "Alexander", directed by Oliver Stone.
Arrive to your hotel, check in, dinner and overnight there.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Ksar Ighnda Hotel, Ouarzazate (https://ksarighnda.com/)
13
Sunday, November 3, 2024: Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech
Breakfast at your kasbah.
Drive to Marrakech through the High Atlas Mountains at Tizi N’Tichka Pass (6,600 feet). Arrive at Ait Ourir village at the foot of the High Atlas mountains, then cross the fertile countryside of the Haouz Plain to the pearl of south.
Arrive in Marrakech and check-in at your hotel, spend some time to relax and enjoy your riad.
Meals Provided: Breakfast
Accommodation: Palais Tara & Spa (https://www.palaistara.com/)
14
Monday, November 4, 2024: Full Day in Marrakech
Breakfast at your riad.
Meet with your guide then leave for a full day discovery of the pearl of the south.
Between tradition and modernity, Marrakech is the promise of unequalled sensations, Marrakech showers its visitors with its splendour and diversity, you just have to leave the ramparts to be immersed in modern Morocco, the red city offers you a complete change of scenery. You’ll start your tour with an outside visit to the Koutoubia Mosque, sister tower to Seville's Giralda, the minaret of which has become the symbol of the city. Then you’ll visit the Saadian Tombs, which are one of the only remnants remaining frames of the Saadian dynasty that reigned over the golden age of Marrakech. In the early 18th century, Sultan Moulay Ismail had in fact decided to remove all traces of the magnificence of this dynasty ordering the destruction of the remains.
Afterwards, you’ll go for a walk through the Mellah ,the Jewish quarter, which became home of a thriving community of native and Spanish Jews, famed for their rabbinical schools and scholars. Moreover, you’ll go for a visit to the recently built Bahia Palace (19th century), which is often inhabited by His Majesty's guests, and its succession of rooms finely decorated in Arabic style, and gardens and Riad planted with orange and jasmine trees. Next, you’ll leave the old medina and be immersed in modern Morocco, you’ll visit the breathtaking Majorelle gardens and the Yves Saint-Laurent museum.
Enjoy lunch at the rooftop terrasse of Le Jardin restaurant, a modern Moroccan restaurant that emphasizes local, fresh and seasonal ingredients, and offers traditional cuisine and international dishes with a Moroccan twist.
After your lunch, visit the museum Dar El Bacha, Dar El Bacha is a stately home built in 1910. The building was the residence of Thami El Glaoui, appointed Pasha of Marrakech by Sultan Moulay Youssef in 1912.
Renovated by the FNM and opened in 2017, Dar el Bacha is a museum that represents a fine example of traditional Moroccan architecture, with its fountains and orange trees in the central courtyard, its traditional lounges arranged all around and its hammam.
The building is the typical example of the riad consisting of a garden surrounded by six rooms on its four sides. A majestic place, magical in its architecture and the beauty of its ornamentation. Dar El Bacha has seen Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and more recently Meryl Streep and Owen Wilson, among others.
Then go for a dive into the maze-like Medina with its colorful alleyways and the Souks with their shimmering colors and oriental smells a discovery of the most colorful souks in the north of Africa. Your journey concludes at the renowned Djemaa El Fna Square, a popular entertainment area where at the end of the afternoon, storytellers, snake charmers, tooth-drawers and dancers appear to entertain the crowd in a scene that is pure street theatre.
Let’s try the famous snails soup at the square. Particularly popular in Marrakech, snails can be found everywhere in the Jemaa El Fna square. This flavorsome broth is supposed to have restorative and digestive benefits. This is almost reason enough to try. If that weren’t tempting enough, however, these distinctive chocolate brown snails are tender with a delicious savory taste. They are served in a broth bursting with flavors and spices.
Dinner at La Terrasse des épices, an open-air terrace restaurant, offering a moment of relaxation and pleasure. At nightfall, it is a timeless dinner, under the stars of Marrakech, which is offered to you with the famous Koutoubia by night. An experience that will bring together the finest qualities of Morocco: a warm welcome of standing, Moroccan and Mediterranean fusion cuisine including the most famous specialties of the city.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Palais Tara & Spa (https://www.palaistara.com/)
15
Tuesday, November 5, 2024: Day at Leisure in Marrakech (Or Optional Essaouira Day Trip)
Breakfast at your hotel
Day at leisure to relax or go for the last shopping spree.
Get prepared for the dinner, at the BÔ ZIN a restaurant that invites you to spend an unforgettable evening with a festive and exceptional atmosphere.
A special universe that elegantly combines luxury and well-being, to offer you a chic address par excellence and a perfectly exclusive dining experience.
Make yourself comfortable in one of the prestigious restaurant lounges or in the lush exotic garden, then treat yourself to a special moment where dream and reality are alike...
The chef's specialties offer you a real journey around a world of multiple flavors, which delight the most demanding taste buds.
Overnight at your hotel.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Palais Tara & Spa (https://www.palaistara.com/)
OPTIONAL TOUR: Essaouira Day Trip (more details to follow)
16
Wednesday, November 6, 2024: Marrakech to Casablanca
Breakfast at your riad.
You will be transferred to where it all started, Casablanca, evening at leisure, to enjoy the city and the hotel amenities.
Evening, enjoy a romantic farewell dinner at Rick’s Café restaurant with Casablanca movie’s ambiance.
Savor a fine farewell dinner at one of the most iconic restaurants of the city, Rick’s Cafe that is totally inspired by the notorious Hollywood movie “Casablanca”. The restaurant take you back in time to the 1940’s with it’s Oriental and occidental decoration. Savor a gastronomic meal while you enjoy the variety of music played on spot.
Overnight at Hotel.
Meals Provided: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Idou Anfa (http://www.idouanfahotelcasablanca.com/)
17
Thursday, November 7, 2024: Departure Day
Breakfast at your hotel.
Pickup from your hotel then you’ll be transferred to Casablanca Airport depending on the flight timing.
Today will be your final day in Morocco. You did it, a 15 night monumental journey across Morocco’s vast and captivating landscape. Surely, you’ll leave with many unforgettable memories and stories that’ll last a lifetime, in addition to some new friends.
Meals Provided: Breakfast
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