MoRoCcOUnCoVeReD 13 DaYs / 11 NiGhTs

DEPARTURE Ex-Vancouver CAD3649 20 Ex-Vancouver (Non-Member) Mar 2020 CAD3799

Single Supp. CAD949

Abbotsford T: 604 859-9651 Chamber of Commerce E: [email protected] TOUR LODGING INFO: Morning after breakfast, proceed on an orientation tour of Casablanca. The tour will include an outside visit to the splendid Hassan II Mosque: 11 Nights Accommodation will be a breathtaking landmark of Casablanca with the tallest minaret at provided on twin sharing basis 210m. Continue along the Ain Diab Corniche. Then on to Habous Charter, the oldest area in Casablanca and the setting of the Royal CITY NIGHTS STANDARD HOTELS Palace before continuing on to the Mohammed V Square. Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Casablanca. Casablanca 02 Nights Novotel Casablanca Chefchaouen 02 Nights Parador Day 04: Casablanca - Rabat - Chefchaouen After breakfast, check-out and travel to Rabat via el Mohamadia , in the Fes 02 Nights Zalagh Parc Palace capital of Morocco we will visit Hassan Tower, the minaret of this mosque has never been finished but is the symbol of this city. We also Merzouga 01 Night Le Belle Etoile (camp) visit the Kasbah des Ouiduias. Then in the afternoon we make our way Merzouga 01 Night Kasbah Tombouctou across the Rif Mountains to the stunning town of Chefchaouen, blue lime-washed houses, busy squares, steep alleyways, the best way to Ouarzazate 01 Nights Karama Plaace discover this old town is to wander around it. Overnight In Casablanca. Marrakech 02 Night Atlas Asni Day 05: Chefchaouen After breakfast, we will start exploring Chefchaouen. It is a small (If any of the above mentioned hotels are not available we will provide a similar alternative) charming, clean and fresh town. you’ll stroll around the old Medina with its old restored kasbah, Plaza Utah Hammam, the square at the heart of the town is really an ideal place to relax. with its steep, narrow cobbled TOUR PACKAGE INCLUDES: streets and white washed walls, blue doors, windows and mountains as • International Return airfare from Vancouver a backdrop makes from Chefchaouen a wonderful place for fascinating • Airport taxes inclusive of Fuel surcharge pictures. After lunch (own expenses), you will see the natural spring • Accommodation at listed hotels or similar in Standard water of Ras lma. Unlike other parts of Morocco, this town was occupied (base category) by Spain. Therefore, there is much influence of the spanish and Moorish culture. You will have an opportunity to meet with locals, wander in the • Daily breakfast and dinner as per itinerary souks (markets) and enjoy this amazing town. Overnight in a • Arrival and departure transfers Chefchaouen. • Tours and sightseeing as per the itinerary • Services of an English-speaking guide at disposal Day 06: Chefchaouen - Volubilis - Meknes - Fes throughout program. After breakfast, we depart to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. This partly • Local English-speaking guides & Entrance fees to excavated Berber and Roman city is on UNESCO World Heritage Site. We monuments during visits listed in the program will explore the breathtaking archaeological ruins of the roman. This ruin (Casablanca: Mosque Hassan II from outside / Rabat / is an example for the different kinds of civilizations that made of Tanger / Chefchaouen / Volubilis Roman site / Fes: Morocco their home and are still present in cultural traditions. Then we Medersa Bou Inania + + Medesrsa Attarine + Nejjarine stop in the sacred town of Moulay Idriss I, the burial town of the founder Museum / Ouarzazate: Kasbah Taourirte + Cinema Studios of the first Moroccan kingdom and is a historic mosque and its famous / Marrakech: Bahia Palace + Majorelle Gardens/ Meknes: place. Then we continue our journey to the medina of Meknes, the walls Hri Souani /). of this medina are grant. It is home of the splendid mausoleum of • Transfers by 4WD cars from Erfoud – Merzouga. Moulay Ismail. We will explore Bab lekhmiss, then they Jewish quarter called El Mellah and the Sahrij Swani. This is one of the prestigious • Full day jeep Safari in desert of Merzouga including lunch Historic Monuments of Meknes. This artificial lake is also impressive by with berber pizza. its size, about 148.75 m2 by 319 m2. The lake was used to store food • 30 minutes camel ride and transfer by 4WD cars to Erfoud. and water for the ‘’black Army’’ of the sultan Moulay Ismael. We can visit • Taxes the mausoleum of the sultan and admire the Arab-Andalusian style and Place El-Hedime [Square of Ruins] which links the medina and the TOUR ITINERARY: Kasbah. Spend some time exploring this charming City. Late afternoon, we head to Fes. Arrive in Fes and overnight.

Day 01: DEPART VANCOUVER Day 07: Fes Sightseeing Board your international flight today. Today you will discover the city of Fes, the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco; vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming – a visual and Day 02: Casablanca pungent feast for the senses. Head into the old city, known locally as Fes Welcome to Morocco. Upon arrival in you will be met and transferred to el Bali, arguably the world's most fascinating and confounding old city. hotel. Meet and greet at Casablanca airport, then transfer to your hotel Medieval Fes was one of the world's great centres of education and to check in. Evening Welcome dinner and Overnight in Casablanca culture, both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and libraries are legendary, its mosques of great renown. Walk through the twisting Day 03: Casablanca streets and alleyways, passing donkeys piled high with goods, and Day 10: Merzouga - Tinghir - Quarzazate explore the specialty sections that divide the souk. Filled with historic Enjoy an early morning sunrise camel ride along the golden sand dunes khans, medresses and dye-pits, stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and in Merzouga. Return to the camp for breakfast before driving to Tinghir soups, and where the squawk of chickens, smell of spice and sound of via Rissani and Tinjdad. Tinghir is a gorgeous, 40km oasis, which boasts hammering of copper fills the air, it’s not hard to imagine yourself back one of the largest palm groves in the country. Enjoy walking at the in the Middle Ages. Spend the day exploring the old city, visiting, famous Todra Gorge, a 300m wall, carved deep into the High Atlas Medresse el Attarine, the tanneries and the splendid Fondouk Nejjarine, Mountains. Leave to Dades and its charming valley. Continue along to a beautifully restored 18th century inn. Return to your hotel in the late Kelaat M’Gouna, a large village famous for cultivating roses. Expect to afternoon and perhaps spend the evening relaxing in this calming oasis, find many fine, rose-infused products there. Transfer to Ouarzazate, also away from the buzz of the medina. Overnight in Fes known as “Morocco’s Hollywood,” for dinner and overnight.

Day 08: Fes - Ifran - Azrou - Midelt - Merzouga Day 11: Quarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou - Marrakech After breakfast in Riad, we drive south to Ifrane and Azrou through the Enjoy the city tour of Ouarzazate, beginning with the Taourirt Kasbah. Middle Atlas Mountains. On the way we will stop at the cedar forests, The latter is considered one of the most beautiful Kasbahs in the hopefully we’ll see the Barbarian Apes in their natural habitat. Then we country. Next, visit the film studios, where some of the most famous drive through the Tizi Ntalghamt pass to Midelt. Which is in the Middle desert landscapes were and are still being shot. Continue on to the Atlas and is called “the apple capital”. We drive along the magnificent spectacular fortress of Ait Ben Haddou, the iconic landscape Ziz Valley oasis carved through volcanic rock. The Middle- Atlas offers immortalized in such films as, Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. Leave some beautiful views. When we approach Erraichida you’ll see the Ait Ben Haddou crossing the High Atlas Mountains via the magnificent scenery is changing to a dessert environment. And we’ll continue our Tiz In Tichka pass (2262m) to Marrakech for overnight. journey to Erfoud, Rissani and we end our drive in Merzouga. Here we reach our hotel and watch the sun setting over the vast expanse of Day12: Exploring Marrakesh rolling desert dunes. Spend the night at hotel. For the city tour of Marrakech, you are going with the local guide he will taking you through the winding streets, bustling souks, and the focal Day 09: Merzouga point of the city – the great Djemâa-el-Fna where there are snake After the breakfast we get on the road to discover the region of charmers, monkeys, musicians and food. This square is a UNESCO World Merzouga. We start in Khamlia. Here we visit the Gnaoua people, Heritage Site, since 2001. The souks of Marrakech are busy. There is originally slaves brought from Mali. You'll get the opportunity to listen to much to see, taste and smell. After this you can visit Jardin Majorelle. A their Gnawa music and learn about their culture and lifestyle. With the beautiful garden created by the French artist Jacques Majorelle and then 4x4 car we will discover the nomad's lifestyle. We will visit local nomad taking care off by Yves Saint Laurent until his death. This peaceful spot families who live in tents around the Erg Chebbi dunes. After this we in the ville nouvelle contains botanic and exotic plants brought from all bring you to your accommodation where you can relax until the end of over the world, with dominating indigo blue to paint the wall. Explore the afternoon, then take a camel ride to a Berber camp in the middle of this mystical city at your leisure and relax with our optional activity. the Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes. These are the highest sand dunes in North Africa. The camel trek to the camp takes about 90 minutes *. Here, in Day 13: Marrakech - Casablanca - VANCOUVER the middle of the desert you will see one of the most beautiful sunsets After breakfast, we will drive you to the airport either Marrakesh or in your lifetime and after that you'll see thousands of stars in the sky. Casablanca for your flight. You will spend the night in a camp (Berber nomad tents) where you have dinner and life music in the middle of the Sahara. The tents are END OF TOUR SERVICES equipped with mattresses, blankets, and cushions