JEWELS OF MOROCCO

10 days from Casablanca to Casablanca

Day 1Arrive in Casablanca, Morocco

Check into your hotel. Later, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers. (Dinner)

Day 2Casablanca–Rabat–Meknes–Fez

A short ride along the coast to Rabat, once a lair of the corsairs and now the country’s capital. Sightseeing includes the Royal Palace, Hassan Tower, and the Kasbah of Oudayas. You are reminded of the time when Morocco was the Roman province of Mauretania as you visit the fine Roman relics of Chellah and its gardens. Next stop, Meknes—see its monumental gates, mosque, palace, and miles of protective walls. Travel east towards Fez, Morocco’s most enchanting city. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3Fez

At leisure in ancient Fez, which occupies a position of outstanding scenic beauty. Visit the exotic ancient Medina on the optional sightseeing tour, a maze of narrow bustling streets and alleys that make up the old Medina with its colorful souks. (Breakfast)

Day 4Fez–Ifrane–Erfoud

Travel today into the very heart of Morocco. Morning break in the quiet, French-built alpine resort of Ifrane. Verdant cedar forests give way to volcanic mountains and wind-swept plains as you motor across the Middle Atlas range to Midelt. Pass fortified mud-and-straw villages. Descend into the spectacular Ziz Gorges and arrive in Er-Rachidia, an important crossroad once controlled by the French Foreign Legion. Afterwards, the landscape becomes progressively more arid and you enter a stony desert. On your last stretch to Erfoud, an unexpected and breathtaking surprise: the miraculous and peaceful oasis of Ziz Valley. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 5Erfoud

The best choice today is an included excursion to Rissani to see the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif, the first ruler of the Alaouite Dynasty. This evening, enjoy an optional excursion in the desert. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 6Erfoud–The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs–Ouarzazate

Enjoy the drive through the eastern slopes of the Atlas Mountains and arrive at the 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 the film capital of Morocco, Ouarzazate, for an overnight stay. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 7Ouarzazate–Aït Benhaddou–Tizi-n-Tichka Pass–Marrakesh

Enjoy an orientation drive this morning in Ouarzazate, famous for its film studios and a visit of the Kasbah de Taourirt. Next, to Aït Benhaddou, a kasbah famous as a film location for Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. 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 tapestry of red ochre. Afternoon arrival in the red-colored imperial city of Marrakesh, justly reputed the most fascinating of all Moroccan cities. An optional evening excursion will be a fitting choice to end the day. (Breakfast)

Day 8Marrakesh

The included city sightseeing starts this morning with an orientation drive followed by a walk through the ancient quarters to the fascinating Jemaa-el-Fna square and its exotic bazaar. You’ll really feel as if you’ve stopped the march of time. Marrakesh has always been a meeting place—first just a group of nomad tents, now a bustling city. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 9Marrakesh–Casablanca

Leave Morocco’s magical city of Marrakesh for the journey northwest back to Casablanca. In the afternoon, see the sights in the company of a Local Guide. (Breakfast)

Day 10Casablanca

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

Scenic Highlights

Atlas Mountains, Ziz Gorges and Oasis, Road of 1000 Kasbahs, Dades Valley, Todra Gorge