Magical Morocco's Imperial Cities

On arrival at Casablanca Airport, we will be met and transferred to our hotel. 

The rest of the day is at leisure to relax and discover your surroundings before dinner will be together in the hotel this evening where you will ahve the opportunity to meet the rest of your tour group and you Tour Director, to talk about the upcoming tour in more detail.

After breakfast we adventure out to experience the romance of Casablanca for ourselves. Today we enjoy a city tour in the company of an experienced guide. From the bustling Central Market to city squares and the modern city districts, we will gain a real feel for this city. We will also visit the famous Hassan II Mosque, located on the coast. This is the largest mosque in Morocco and its minaret is the tallest in the world!
We enjoy lunch together in a typical, local seafood restaurant in the nearby elegant coastal area known as La Corniche and then enjoy a litle free time to follow your own interests in this picturesque setting.

This morning we depart Casablanca and make our way to Rabat, Morocco's current capital city and the official residence of King Mohamed VI. On our city tour we pass the Royal Palace and the glittering Mausoleum of King Mohamed V, whose opulent tomb chamber is resplendently decorated and also contains the tombs of his two sons. Located next to this is the Hassan Tower with beautiful and intricate motifs and designs covering its façade. This would have been the minaret for the Hassan Mosque which was never completed by the ruler, Yacoub al-Mansour, who died and then construction was abandoned.

We will have time for lunch at leisure before contintuing from from here to Fez. Dinner will be together in the hotel this evening.

This morning will be dedicated to exploring and getting to know more about the history and culture of Fez with our experienced guide. We visit the great Medieval Medina, Fes el Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where traditional industries such as tanneries, soap making, textiles, flourmills and oil processing still flourish.

We will visit a couple of the ancient courtyard Madrassas, the al-Attarine Madrasa which stands at the entrance of a spice and perfume market and the Bou Inania Madrasa, the only one in Fez with a minaret. The tour will end back at the hotel where we will have some free time to get some lunch and freshen up before our afternoon walking tour to visit the Zocos (Souks/Markets) and the new medina of Fes-el-Djedid.

This evening we will have a special dinner with entertainment together in the medina.

We depart Fez early this morning for the short drive to Meknes, a scenic hilltop city surrounded by the largest and longest walls in Morocco! Here we will visit the famous Bab El-Mansour, the grandest of all imperial Moroccan gateways with arches, marble columns and original green and white tiles. We will also visit The Royal Stables of Meknes which are a feat of ingenuity as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the past they provided stabling for 12,000 royal horses!

From here we will continue to the Ruins of Volubilis for a short visit and tour. Excavated by the French in 1915, these Roman ruins date back to the 3rd century AD and are some of the most notable in North Africa.

We will continue the drive through the ever changing Moroccan countryside to Marrakesh for the next 3 nights, arriving in the evening. After checking-in to our base in the bustling town, dinner will be together in the hotel this evening.

On our guided tour of Marrakesh this morning, we will visit the Saadian Tombs, located next to the mosque of the Kasbah, rediscovered and restored in 1917. We will also visit the El Bahia Palace and Gardens, built in the late 19th century and intended to be the greatest palace of its time. 

In the afternoon, we gather together again with our experienced guide, we will visit the Zocos (Souks) and the world famous Jemaa el-Fna Square and Market place in the old town for some last minute souvenir shopping!

Tonight we will enjoy traditional Moroccan hospitality at Chez Ali 'Fantasia', the place of 1001 Arabian nights! Enjoy a sumptuous dinner and a memorable show in Berber tents- belly dancers, acrobats, riders, fireworks and folk music are on the menu!

Today's final excursion will be to the Ourika Valley, a spectacular valley among the Atlas Mountains. The mountain chain runs along northern Africa, forming a natural border between the Mediterranean and Atlantic coast and the Sahara Desert. 

We will enjoy beautiful landscapes, from walnut, weeping willow and poplar trees, to its mountains and rocks varying in colour from red to green. Despite it being so close to Marrakesh, this beautiful lush green valley is definitely one of the best preserved valleys in Morocco.

The Berbers, the local people of the valley, continue to keep their customs and traditional way of life alive and we will get the opportunity to visit a typical Berber house. The families often open their home to visitors who wish to enjoy their surroundings.

We will have lunch together in the Ourika Valley before heading back to Marrakesh where the rest of the day is at leisure and dinner is included in the hotel this evening.

Sadly its time to leave Morocco. After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Marrakesh Airport for your onward flight home