DAY 1
ARRIVE CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Arrive in Casablanca, where you are met and transferred to your hotel overlooking the medina.
HOTEL | CASABLANCA
DAY 2
CASABLANCA | MOROCCAN METROPOLIS
Discover the port city of Casablanca on a guided tour that includes a visit to the enormous Hassan II Grand Mosque, which juts out over the top of the Atlantic Ocean. At night, lasers shine from the top of its minaret, which is the tallest of its kind in the world. See the colorful Habous Market. Later, journey overland to Fez and on to your hotel, a traditional riad originally built for the noble Fassi family. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure or begin exploring this bustling imperial city as a family.
HOTEL | CASABLANCA
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3
FEZ | MAGICAL MEDINA & ANCIENT DRUM MAKING
Explore imperial, timeless Fez el-Bali (Old Fez), the cultural heart of Morocco. Walk its mysterious narrow lanes, alleys and souks in the medina, and then visit one of the oldest universities in the world, the Karaouine. Feel like you are part of an ancient story when you explore the beautiful 14th-century Attarine Madrasa. Take a walking tour down from Bab Boujloud to the former home of Jewish philosopher Maimonides and then to the mosaic-tiled Nejjarine fountain. All Moroccan kids will tell you that the best nougat is made in Fez; find out for yourself when you try this sweet candy from a local seller. Afterward, visit with children at a local Koranic school, who may teach you a song in Arabic. After lunch, meet with a master artisan who teaches you how to make your drum. Once you build and decorate your instrument, play the role of a Moroccan musician during a fun drumming session.
HOTEL | FEZ
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4
FEZ | THE WILDS OF IFRANE
Spend the morning baking up a storm with a dada (traditional family cook), who teaches you how to make traditional Moroccan bread and cookies. The best part: enjoying your creations during lunch. In the afternoon, depart for an adventure to the natural, wilder landscapes beyond Fez. Your first stop is in the rocky hilltop village of Bhalil, which its people have carved into the mountain, and which looks a lot like Swiss cheese. Explore this unusual village and experience it like a local when you sip Moroccan tea in a local house. Later, drive to the high alpine city of Ifrane, filled with cedar and oak forests, and home to the world’s largest population of Barbary macaques. Discover its national park with a local guide in search of these funny creatures. In addition to the macaques, the park is home to hundreds of animals and birds as well as the oldest tree in Morocco’s Middle Atlas, the 130-foot Gouraud’s Cedar. Later, explore the beautiful lakes that surround the city, choosing to relax on a pedal boat or take a tour on horseback.
HOTEL | FEZ
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 5
VOLUBILIS & MEKNES | ROMAN RUINS & IMPERIAL TREASURES
After breakfast, drive to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its enormous, well-preserved Roman ruins. See its triumphal arches, basilicas and capitals. In its fantastic mosaic floors, discover legendary stories from Orpheus charming animals with his lyre to Amphitrite driving a chariot drawn by a seahorse. Continue to Meknes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the imperial city of Morocco. Its impressive monuments recall the splendor of a fortified city, first built in the 17th century by the powerful sultan Moulay Ismail, to rival the court of his contemporary, Louis XIV of France. Later, proceed overland to Rabat and to your charming hotel, where you may have time for a swim in the pool.
HOTEL | RABAT
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6
RABAT | EXPLORING MOROCCO’S CAPITAL
Join your private guide for a city tour highlighting Rabat’s cultural influences and the superbly preserved relics of its Moorish past. See the powerful red-orange Hassan Tower, built in 1195 atop a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The tower is located next to a mausoleum dedicated to Mohamed V, the founder of modern Morocco and grandfather of the current king. Travel overland to Marrakech, the “Pearl of the South,” and arrive at your sprawling luxury resort lined with trees and fountains.
HOTEL | MARRAKECH
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7
MARRAKECH | ENCHANTING MEDINA
Today, you discover the secrets of fascinating Marrakech, beginning with a morning adventure through its medina, the old walled section of town. Follow your private guide to its amazing architectural jewels, including the soaring minaret at the Koutoubia mosque, considered the most perfect Islamic religious structure in North Africa. Next, have fun with costumes when visiting the Ali Baba Cave shop. Dress up in fancy Moroccan attire fit for royalty, and then set out to explore the medina while a photographer captures your glamorous adventure. Stop in a beautiful riad to enjoy traditional pancakes and listen to a storyteller, who weaves Moroccan tales of kings and queens. You may also skip the storytelling to explore more of the red city on an exciting motorcycle sidecar ride. Later, visit Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakech’s main square, which is alive with the action and energy of vendors, fire-eaters, snake charmers and street musicians. Explore its fabled, labyrinthine souks, its bustling alleyways brimming with fabulous souvenirs.
HOTEL | MARRAKECH
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8
MARRAKECH | BEYOND THE CITY LIMITS
Join a chef for a culinary odyssey that begins in a little garden on a farm just outside the city. Pick your vegetables, join your chef for a tagine cooking lesson, and then walk to a nearby Berber village to try mint tea at a local house. Return to the farm to enjoy the lunch you prepared. Next, choose from four adventurous options: a tour of exotic Moroccan gardens and lily-covered pools by horse-drawn carriage; a thrilling ATV tour by Lalla Takaskoust lake; a magical camel ride through the palm grove; or a bike ride around the city’s ancient ramparts.
HOTEL | MARRAKECH
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 9
DEPART MARRAKECH
Transfer to the airport and board your homebound flight.
Meals: Breakfast
