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Regal Morocco Day 1-2: Casablanca-RabatBook now!
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.

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.

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.