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MOROCCAN DISCOVERY from the Imperial Cities to the Sahara March 28-April 10, 2015

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MOROCCAN DISCOVERY from the Imperial Cities to the Sahara March 28-April 10, 2015 Bryn Mawr Alumnae Association presents MOROCCAN DISCOVERY From the Imperial Cities to the Sahara March 28-April 10, 2015 14 days from $5,158 total price from New York ($4,695 air & land inclusive plus $463 airline taxes and departure fees) This tour is provided by Odysseys Unlimited, six-time honoree Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Tour Operators award. An Exclusive Small Group Tour for Alumnae/i & Friends of Bryn Mawr College Featuring Pamela Webb, M.A. ’83, Ph.D. ’89 Classical & Near Eastern Archaeology Tour membership limited to 24 alumnae/i and friends of Bryn Mawr College MOROCCAN DISCOVERY From the Imperial Cities to the Sahara 14 days from $5,158 total price from New York ($4,695 air & land inclusive plus $463 airline taxes and departure fees) his land of dramatic contrasts invites you to encounter its ancient ruins and T sacred mosques, endless desert and storied mountains, imposing kasbahs and spirited souks. Travel from the imperial cities of Rabat, Fez, and Marrakech to the High Atlas and vast Sahara, to experience a truly foreign land, an age-old culture, and genuinely hospitable people. Day 1: Depart U.S. for Casablanca, Morocco Destination Mediterranean Sea Motorcoach Day 2: Casablanca/Rabat After arriving in Entry/Departure Casablanca, the commercial center of Morocco Rabat Fez (and of all North Africa), we travel to Rabat, where we check in at our hotel near famed Hassan Casablanca Tower. Tonight we enjoy a welcome dinner at a Atlantic Ocean local restaurant in Rabat’s Old Town. L,D Marrakech Erfoud/Sahara Desert Day 3: Rabat One of Morocco’s four ancient capitals, or imperial cities, Rabat is again the Ouarzazate country’s capital, at once historic and contemporary as we discover on today’s tour. We visit the fortified Kasbah of the Oudaias, the peaceful Avg. High (°F) Mar Apr Andalusian Gardens, and the necropolis of Chellah, Rabat 68 71 built on ancient Roman ruins. Then we cross the Marrakech 74 79 river to Sale for lunch in a private home followed by a visit to Rabat’s Archaeological Museum and a walk through the medina. Late afternoon we return to our hotel, where we enjoy dinner tonight. B,L,D Your Small Group Tour Highlights Day 4: Rabat/Meknes/Volubilis/Fez This Private Sahara sunset excursion and camel ride on morning we depart Rabat for Fez, stopping along the dunes ... Visits to five UNESCO World Heritage the way in Meknes, Morocco’s youngest imperial sites ... Imperial cities of Rabat, Meknes, Fez, city (and UNESCO World Heritage site). We Marrakech ... Ancient ruins of Volubilis ... Dramatic visit the Bab el Mansour gateway and the ruins of Todra Gorge ... Kasbah of Ait ben-Haddou ... Home the imperial stables before lunch in a local restau- visit with Berber family ... Marrakech’s medina and rant. Then we continue on to the ancient Roman Djemaa el Fna Square ... Storied Casablanca and ruins at the UNESCO site of Volubilis, known Hassan II mosque for its intricate and colorful mosaics. Late afternoon we reach Fez and our elegant hotel Day Itinerary Hotel Rating overlooking the medina, another UNESCO 1 Depart U.S. for Casablanca World Heritage site. B,L,D 2-3 Rabat La Tour Hassan Sup. First Class 4-6 Fez Hotel Sahrai Deluxe Day 5: Fez Today we explore Morocco’s oldest Kasbah Hotel imperial city, considered the “Athens of Africa” 7-8 Erfoud First Class Chergui for its wealth of cultural, educational, and religious 9 Ouarzazate Le Berbere Palace First Class institutions. We begin with a walking tour of Fez’s 10-12 Marrakech Sofitel Marrakech Deluxe fascinating medina, a UNESCO World Heritage th Hyatt Regency site, focusing on the artisans’ quarters, the 14 - 13 Casablanca Deluxe Casablanca century Koranic schools, and Al Karaouine, the 14 Depart Casablanca for U.S. medieval theological university. We return to the Ratings are based on the Hotel & Travel Index, the travel hotel for lunch and some time at leisure then mid- industry standard reference. afternoon tour the old mellah (Jewish quarter) and Cover photo: See the beautifully proportioned Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech. A typical kasbah, as we see along the “Route of a Thousand Kasbahs” on Days 9 & 10. its 17th-century synagogue, the royal gates, and of Tinehir, a stunning mountain oasis rising the Museum of Fez. Tonight we enjoy a private on a series of riverside terraces lush with palm dinner at an intimate family-run riad in Fez. B,L,D trees; and the spectacular 984-foot Todra Gorge. Following lunch here we visit El Kelaa des Day 6: Fez This morning we visit a Berber Mgouna, known for its roses, then set out on the village where residents live much as their ances- fabled “Route of a Thousand Kasbahs” ancient tors did centuries ago. We share tea with a local caravan route, a region of fortresses with elabo- family in their cave dwelling then continue on to rately decorated façades. Late afternoon we reach whitewashed Sefrou, an old Jewish town at the the town of Ouarzazate (the “door of the desert”) foot of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Returning where we spend the night. B,L,D to Fez, we stop at the renowned pottery factories. The remainder of the afternoon is free for inde- Day 10: Ouarzazate/Ait Ben-Haddou/ pendent exploration. B,D Marrakech En route to Marrakech today, we stop first at uninhabited Ait Ben-Haddou, a UNESCO Day 7: Fez/Midelt/Erfoud Traveling inland World Heritage site and one of southern Morocco’s today, we cross the fertile plains beyond Fez and most scenic villages that is often used as a location continue through the Middle Atlas mountain for fashion and film shoots. Its old section consists range. We stop in the small town of Midelt for of deep red kasbahs packed together so tightly lunch. Continuing on we cross the Ziz River, they appear to be a single unit. Then as we begin passing rows of sky-scraping palm trees and fortified our descent from the High Atlas, we pass through villages before reaching our kasbah-style hotel in typical villages with fortified walls and stone Erfoud late in the day. B,L,D houses with earthen roofs. In Tizi N’Tichka, we traverse the Pass of the Pastures (alt. 7,415 feet), Day 8: Erfoud/Rissani/Merzouga This where life is much as it was centuries ago: shep- morning we visit the city of Rissani, with its 18th- herds bring their flocks to the high pastures every century ksar, a virtually impenetrable warren of summer, then return with them to their villages alleys; then continue on to the ruins of Sijilmasa. in autumn. We arrive in Marrakech late this We enjoy a tour highlight this afternoon as we set afternoon and dine tonight at our hotel. B,L,D out on a sunset excursion to the breathtakingly beautiful sand dunes at Merzouga on the edge of Day 11: Marrakech Once the capital of southern the Sahara. In the enormous silence we watch Morocco, the imperial city of Marrakech is an the sun set over the desert as we take a camel ride alluring oasis with a temperate climate, distinct along the dunes. B,D charm, and fascinating sights. Our day-long tour includes the beautifully proportioned Koutoubia Day 9: Erfoud/Tinehir/Todra Gorges/ Mosque with its distinctive 282-foot minaret visible Ouarzazate Our destination today is in the from miles away; the lovely Andalusian-style El snow-topped High Atlas. The day features one Bahia Palace (part of which is still used by the royal beautiful scene after another, including the village family); and the ruins of 16th-century Palais El Badii. “MOST TRAVEL ... INVOLVES Meet Your Bryn Mawr College DEPENDING ON THE Study Leader KINDNESS OF STRANGERS.” Pamela Webb is an archaeologist special- izing in classical architecture and sculpture. – PAUL THEROUX She earned her M.A. (’83) and Ph.D. (’89) in the Department of Classical and Near After lunch at our hotel, mid-afternoon we embark Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College, on a walking tour of the medina, ending at Djemaa where she was a Visiting Associate Professor el Fna Square, a UNESCO site and the heart of from 2004-2008. Dr. Webb has traveled extensively in the countries surrounding the Marrakech, crowded with snake charmers, enter- Mediterranean (including Morocco) in the tainers, storytellers, musicians, barbers, and sellers process of carrying out her research, and has of fruit, water, and spices. Dinner tonight is on taught a wide variety of courses at the gradu- our own in this exotic city. B,L ate and undergraduate levels on various aspects of Greek and Roman archaeology. Day 12: Marrakech This morning we travel by horse-drawn carriage from Menara Park to Majorelle Gardens, a private botanical garden with some 15 species of birds native to North cosmopolitan city. After a brief orientation tour Africa and known for its cobalt blue accents. of the city, we visit the magnificent Hassan II Following a tour of the gardens we visit the newly Mosque, Morocco’s only functioning mosque renovated Berber Museum there, with art and open to non-Muslims. Tonight we celebrate our artifacts reflecting Berber culture in Morocco. Moroccan adventure at a farewell dinner at a local The afternoon is at leisure before dinner tonight restaurant. B,D at a local restaurant in the city’s Old Town. B,D Day 14: Depart for U.S. After breakfast this Day 13: Marrakech/ Casablanca We leave morning we transfer to the airport for our return Marrakech this morning by coach for storied flight to the U.S.
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