Regal Morocco Day 1-2: Casablanca-Rabat
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Riad Oudaya
After your arrival in Casablanca, drive to Rabat to stay at
Riad Oudaya, an authentic and romantic guesthouse—an oasis of serenity
in the bustling medina of Rabat.
Spend the next day sightseeing with a private guide to explore
the superbly preserved relics of Rabat’s Moorish past. The city's most
famous site is the Tour Hassan, the incomplete minaret of the great mosque
begun by Yacoub al-Mansour.
Alongside is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the present king's
grandfather.
The Kasbah des Oudayas, built on the bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean,
houses a former palace which is now a museum of traditional art. Beyond the
city walls are the remains of the ancient city of Sala. Also known as Chella,
it has Morocco's best Archaeology Museum.
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Regal Morocco 2008Book
now!
Availability: Ongoing
Cost: $8,500 per person
Coastal Extension: $2,000 per person
Beneficiaries: Yed El Henna Association
Association Merzouga
Travel to alluring and intricate Morocco,
now being rediscovered as a multi-faceted destination.
This journey includes a discovery of Morocco’s
outstanding architecture and desert hospitality, as
well as visits to special community efforts to promote
sustainable development. You will return ambushed by
the beauty of this country and stimulated by the warmth
and animation of its people.
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Logistics
Trip costs include:
All taxes and government levie; Meals, accommodation
and activities as shown in the above itinerary; Transport in a luxury
Mercedes Minivan (Vito) with English speaking driver and 1 4x4 in
the desert (non English speaking driver); Services of English speaking
guide for all sightseeing; Bottle of mineral water in the car every
day; Porterage
Trip costs exclude:
Drinks during the meals; All items of personal nature
such as telephone, laundry; Travel insurance and Visa costs; Gratuities
for drivers and guides (discretional, about 10US$ per day per driver
and same for the guides)
Passports
On arrival in Morocco, holders of U.S. passports must
have in their possession a signed, valid passport that will remain
valid for at least 6 months beyond the completion of this trip.
It is also imperative that your passport has enough blank pages
(excluding amendment pages) available for entry and exit stamps
issued when entering and exiting immigration points.
Health & Insurance
No vaccinations are required for entry to Morocco.
Check with your health care provider regarding the
terms of your coverage (or lack of coverage) outside the United
States, including emergency medical evacuation. We recommend that
all travelers purchase adequate trip cancellation/interruption,
medical and baggage insurance—and carry the details of their
coverage on tour. Your property, possessions are carried at your
own risk.
Dress
Conservative casual clothing will be most useful for
daytime touring. Bring clothing you can layer; especially in Morocco,
temperatures can vary widely in the course of a day. Moroccan standards
of dress are conservative. Swimsuits should be worn at the pool
only, and women should avoid tight, short or revealing clothing.
While you may wish to change to “smart casual” clothing
at dinnertime, Moroccan restaurants generally do not require a more
formal standard of dress.
If you will be visiting mosques or other religious
sites please note that these places require conservative dress.
Both sexes should cover their arms, legs and shoulders. Women must
cover their heads with a scarf when entering a mosque.
Note: Laundry Service is generally available at your
hotels.
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Regal Morocco Day 13 - 16: Coastal Extension to the Atlantic
Day 13, 14: Oued Massa
Ksar Massa
After breakfast in Marrakech, take a morning flight to Agadir
(1 hour) where you will be taken on Oued Massa (40 Km South of Agadir). You
will reach Ksar Massa in time for lunch.
Between the desert and the Atlantic Ocean, Oued Massa offers
dramatic sceneries where the desert falls into the sea.
Spend a day discovering the bird sanctuary and relaxing by
the ocean.
Day 15: Essaouira Palais
L ’heure Bleue
After breakfast, you will drive along the coast to Essaouira.
This town is the most popular of Morocco's coastal spots. Essaouira
has a beautiful beach that curves for kilometres to the south. Those who've
had enough haggling and jostling in the big cities will be glad to hear this
town can be summed up in one word: relaxing. The forts of the old city are
a blend of Portuguese, French and Berber military architecture, and their
massiveness lends a powerful mystique to the town. The Skala du Port, designed
to protect the town's sea, has good views and was also where Orson Welles
shot some of his film Othello.
Day 16: Essaouira – Marrakech or Casablanca (departure)
This morning, you will drive to either Casablanca (6 hours)
or Marrakech (3 hours) for your flight back home.
Depending on flight schedule, you may overnight in Casablanca
Sheraton or Marrakech.
Regal Morocco Day 8: Erfoud - Ouarzazat - Skoura
Dar Ahlam
Enjoy the drive through the eastern slopes of the Atlas Mountains and arrive
at Tinerhir oasis with its green valley of palms and local villages. Drive
north to the impressive Todra Gorge, then west along the Dades Valley to Skoura
nearby Ouarzazat, for an overnight stay and dinner at the hotel.
Day 9-10: Toubkal Kasbah du Toubkal
Enjoy an orientation drive this morning in Ouarzazate, famous for its film
studios, and a visit of the Kasbah de Taorirt. Next to Ait Banhaddou, a Kasbah
famous as a film location. Pass through picturesque villages surrounded by
craggy mountains while motoring towards the 7,414-foot-high Tizi-n-Tichka
Pass in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains.
Each new twist in the road leads to a different, more dramatic landscape.
Leaving the pass behind, the landscape gradually changes to a green mantle.
Stop for lunch at the red city of Marrakesh and continue to the High Atlas
Mountains.
Toubkal at 4,167 meters, is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains and in
North Africa. It is located 63 km south of the city of Marrakech in the Toubkal
National Park. The first ascent by Europeans was on 12 June 1923 by the Marquis
de Segonzac, V. Berger, and H. Dolbeau. Trekkers usually approach the mountain
from the road-end village of Imlil.
Qualified local guides can be hired, as well as mules for a day trek higher
into the mountains
NB : 1999 saw the formation of an ‘umbrella’ association of all
the villages in the Imlil valley, which has given the region more credibility,
and ‘clout’ with the local administration. “The Association
of the Valleys of Imlil”, as it has been named, contains representatives
of most the individual village associations. This has been done to provide
more uniformity and direction for projects and proposals in the region.
Regal Morocco Day 6-7: Erfoud
Ksar Jallal
Drive through the Saiss Valley into the High Atlas passing mud-brick Berber
villages before descending into the palm groves and slopes of the Ziz Gorge
and on to Erfoud, one of the largest oases in all of Morocco located on the
edge of the Sahara.
The next day visit the historic 8th century caravan towns of Rissani and
the desert ruins of Sijilmassa. Finish your day with a 4WD trip into the Sahara
where you may ride a camel, climb some of the smaller dunes or just marvel
at the changing colors of the dunes as the sunsets.
While in Merzouga, visit an association called "Association Merzouga"
involved in sustainable tourism with projects on agriculture to refrain the
expansion of the
desert sands; preservation of the local culture and monuments; and
activities for youth including reading and writing.
Regal Morocco Day 11-12: Marrakech
Kssour Agafay
Drive to the ''Red Pearl'' and Imperial City Marrakech and discover
its mysteries: the Koutoubia minaret, the Saadian Tombs and the Bahia Palace,
and the Menara garden. Enjoy the Medina, Djemaa El Fna square and its snake-charmers,
story-tellers,acrobats, and free time for shopping in the fascinating souks.
Sleep in a 500 year-old aristocratic residence; it took two
years and 100 expert local craftsmen to restore this luxury Marrakech Riad
to its former glory.
Spend the following day outside Marrakech “Kasbah Agafay”
countryside. Visit the local village and school nearby and meet the analphabet
Berbers when having courses. *
A light lunch and lie by the pool , a relaxing massage is available
to finish your trip.
* Program of responsible
tourism supported by Association Yed El Henna for Human development.
Day 13: Marrakech - Departure
Breakfast at the Riad and transfer to Marrakech Airport.
Regal Morocco Day 3-5: Fez-Meknes-Volubilis
La Maison Bleue
Step back in time and discover the most imperial of all cities.
Fez is timeless and one of the least untouched and secretive cities in the
world. Once the capital of Morocco, it remains the undisputed religious, artistic
and intellectual centre of the country.
Explore the 9,000 narrow lanes and alleys that make up the labyrinth
of the city’s old quarter. Visit the historic Nejjarine Fountain, fine
palaces, mosques and madrassahs (Koran Schools) that are dotted throughout
the city.
Meet with a local association dedicated to the city preservation
and architectural restoration.
Travel to Meknes, one of the Imperial Cities of Morocco where
the monuments reflect the splendour of this 17th century city. Visit Bab Mansour
gateway, the granaries and stables of the great Moulay Ismail and his mausoleum.
Continue to the Roman ruined city of Volubilis with its beautifully
preserved mosaic’s dates largely from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD,
although excavations have revealed that the site was originally settled by
Carthaginian traders even earlier.
