Taste of Morocco Trip
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P a g e | 1 Taste of Morocco Trip P a g e | 2 P a g e | 3 Taste of Morocco Trip Casablanca - Meknes - Chefchaouen - Fes - Merzouga - Boumalne Dades - Ait Ben Haddou - Marrakesh - Essaouira 14 Days / 13 Nights 0 Persons P a g e | 4 Introduction Accommodation Destination Basis Duration Hotel Diwan Casablanca Casablanca RO 1 Night Riad El Yacout Meknes B&B 1 Night Puerta Azul Chefchaouen B&B 1 Night Zahrat Al Jabal Fes B&B 2 Nights Azawad Luxury Desert Camp Merzouga HB 1 Night Kasbah Dades Chems Boumalne Dades HB 1 Night Dar Mouna Ait Ben Haddou HB 1 Night Riad & Spa Challa Marrakesh B&B 2 Nights Palais Des Remparts Essaouira B&B 2 Nights Hotel Diwan Casablanca Casablanca B&B 1 Night Key RO: Room only HB: Half Board - Dinner, Bed and Breakfast B&B: Bed and Breakfast Included • Accommodation in: comfortable 4* hotels, luxury camp & Riads • English speaking Tour leader throughout • Private air-conditioned transportation with WI-FI hroughout • 13 Breakfasts / 6 Lunches / 7 Dinners • Hassan 2 Mosque Guided visit • Casablanca Guided tour • Meknes visit • Goat cheese tasting in chefchaouen • Lunch with family in Moulay Driss zerhoun • Volubilis entrance & guided visit • Guided tour of Fes • Visit of Choaura tanneries & Mederssa attarine • Food tasting trail in Fes • Visit Sefrou & Bhalil with lunch • Tea with a berber family in a cave • Dinner by the campfire in the Sahara desert • Visit Khamlia village P a g e | 5 • Visit Todra gorges & Dades • Visit the Kasbah of Ait benhadou • Evening foodie tour in Marrakech • Bahia palace entrance • Medina guided tour • Express cooking class at La maison arabe • Val d'argan visit , Lunch & wine tasting • Visit argan cooperative • Seafood port lunch in Essaouira Excluded • International airport departure tax • Flights • Any visas required • Late check out at hotels • Meals and drinks not mentionedintheitinerary • Expenditure of personal nature • Personal Insurance • Tips • Optional activities P a g e | 6 Day 1: Hotel Diwan Casablanca, Casablanca Casablanca Fondly known by locals simply as ‘Casa', the capital of Morocco is the industrial, economic and cultural heart of this remarkable country, as well as its most cosmopolitan, liberal and progressive city. While most visitors overlook Casablanca in favour of Morocco’s more popular and exotic tourist areas, this sprawling metropolis has plenty to offer the discerning traveller and has many hidden historical and cultural gems just waiting to be discovered. The city is famous for its spectacular Art Deco and Moorish Revival architecture, constructed during the Colonial Period. Explore the Old Medina, a tiny, ancient, walled village; visit the impressive King Hassan II Mosque; discover the ornate rooms, masterfully tiled floors and intricately carved wooden ceilings of the Hispanic-Moorish Mahkama du Pacha; or simply watch the world go by at one of the many ocean-view cafes along the waterfront boulevard. Day Itinerary On arrival at Casablanca Airport, Our Guide & Driver will be waiting for you outside with an airport sign, as well as our private vehicle that will take you to your Hotel where you will start your amazing food adventure, after you are well settled in your hotel , there will be a welcome meeting and afterwards a dinner at lovely restaurant in Casablanca's city centre, you will try your first Moroccan Meal tonight. Overnight: Hotel Diwan Casablanca Set the centre of Casablanca, Hotel Diwan Casablanca is a 5-minute walk from the Casa Port Train Station and 1.5 km away from the Hassan II Mosque. Guest rooms are air-conditioned and feature a TV and bathroom. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, a spa and a fitness centre. Guests are a short distance away from popular landmarks including the Sacré Coeur Cathedral, the Arab League Park, the Habbous District and the Twin Centre Shopping Centre. Basis Room Only Included • Included Group arrival transfer • Welcome dinner at a local restaurant P a g e | 7 Day 2: Riad El Yacout, Meknes Meknes Situated in the heart of Morocco, the impressive imperial city of Meknes boasts a unique blend of Islamic and European architectural styles. It serves as an important economic hub within the Meknes Prefecture. It is the quieter neighbour of Fez with more of a laid-back-faded-grandeur feel. The city is surrounded by monumental walls and features ancient ornate gates, palatial buildings, and winding narrow medina streets. Meknes is set within a beautiful landscape of rich cedar forests, the Middle Atlas mountains and the rich oasis of Tafilalt. Visitors can look forward to exploring the remnants of the Imperial city including: the spectacular Bab el- Mansour, a large gate adorned with beautiful zellij mosaic tiling which crowns the entrance of the former Imperial city; the Mausoleum of Sultan Moulay Ismail, exhibiting magnificent courtyards and fountains; and the ruins of Heri es-Souani, a vast structure once used for stables and storage. Don’t miss the ancient marketplace and square of Pl el-Hedim. Day Itinerary This morning Your trip starts with a rich delicious Moroccan breakfast in one of Casablanca's best and most iconic restaurants! enjoy all of the delicious flat bread that are available. Try baghir (dimpled and tangy), msemen (rich and chewy), harcha (spongy and best with jam or honey) and Sfenj (little rings of fried dough), Orange juice , tea or coffee , traditional Butter , olive oil , Amlou (mixture of argan oil in addition to almonds and honey) , honey, Goat cheese , olives , season's fruits , dried fruits, Khlii tajine ( preserved meat is cut into strips, marinated with cumin, coriander, and garlic, and then dried in the sun before it's cooked in a mixture of Butter & Eggs) in a great setting inside the café Maure of Casablanca's Iconic 18th century ramparts ( La sqala ) . After your yummy breakfast, visit the most impressive site in Casablanca – the Iconic edifice of the Mosque of Hassan II. Opened in 1993 after 7 Years on construction work of dozens of Moroccan architects and thousands of workers from all over the kingdom , this mosque has the tallest Minaret on the entire planet and is the 3rd largest Mosque in the world , the huge building is part of land and part on sea, and in one area water can be seen through a glass floor. It is one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims, you will also enjoy a tour of Casablanca's Medina. Later, you will leave Casablanca and head to the wine capital of Morocco ! the ismaiili city of Meknes, one of the 4 imperial cities & the 6th Largest city in Morocco.! on the menu for lunch today a camel burger , after lunch you will have a walking tour around Meknes visit the beautiful Bab or gate: Bab Mansour. From here to the El Heri es-Souani former imperial granary and royal stables next to a pool fed by underground channels that brought fresh water all the way from the distant Middle Atlas Mountains; the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum and the Place el-Hedim , Overnight: Riad El Yacout Riad El Yacout was restored by Fassis expert craftsmen and is situated in the heart of the Medina. Accommodations include well appointed guest rooms and suites. The rooms are equipped with modern en suite bathroom facilities and WI-FI internet access. Guests can enjoy international and local cuisine that reflects the wealth and taste of Morocco, in the hotel’s onsite restaurant. P a g e | 8 Basis Bed and Breakfast Included • Rich Moroccan breakfast in Sqala Café • Hassan 2 mosque Entrance & guided visit • Camel burger lunch in Meknes • Meknes guided visit P a g e | 9 Day 3: Puerta Azul, Chefchaouen Chefchaouen Hidden high up in the Rif Mountains of northeastern Morocco, Chefchaouen is a relatively large historical town known for the striking, variously hued blue-washed buildings of its picturesque Medina. Visitors can look forward to wandering along narrow, cobblestone streets lined with leather and weaving workshops and an array of historical monuments. Must-see attractions include the town's waterfall which lies to the east of the Medina; the ruins of an old mosque on a hill behind the waterfall; and the shady main square of Uta el Hammam, which is home to the red- walled casbah, a 15th-century fortress and dungeon displaying ethnographic and art exhibits. This charming town also serves as an ideal base for travellers eager to explore the traditional villages and dramatic mountains of the spectacularly scenic surrounding area. Day Itinerary Today after breakfast you will leave Meknes, and visit this beautiful Andalusian town of Chefchaouen you will arrive by Midday have a local Northern lunch after you check-in in your hotel ! you will meet your guide again and have a lovely tour around Its medina that has been lovingly cared for with striking blue and whitewashed houses and artistic doorways. Most of Chefchaouen was recreated by Andalusian refugees escaping the Reconquista, so you might feel like you're in the hills of Spain while exploring its streets, enjoy the sights in The main square with the Kasbah (built back in the 18th century), central mosque and cafes with authentic Moroccan style menus. The market is a mix of traditional Moroccan and tourist souvenirs, very busy but worth a visit. The town is easy to explore and the old Kasbah is worth a visit. Built by Moulay Ismail, it is now practically a ruin, and next to it is the Great Mosque. Although the medina is small, walk on to the main square and the souks, where women sell an array of local goods. If you head on to the Jewish quarter behind the jewelry souk, you will feel the difference between it and the main Arabic feel of the town.