DURATION
14 DAYS
PRICING
To be confirmed
WHEN
Sept. 28, 2024
DESTINATION
Morocco
TYPE
SMALL GROUP
Morocco Expedition
Morocco has unrivaled cultural and natural richness. Combined with its outstanding hospitality, excellent roads, magnificent architecture, and delectable cuisine, it makes it one of the world’s best travel destinations today.
We have methodically developed the most extensive and best-paced Morocco itinerary available today, putting our 30 years of experience developing adventures to exotic destinations at your service.
The Sahara, three Atlas mountain ranges, Imperial cities, and the Atlantic coast will all be explored on this excursion, putting you in intimate contact with locals and nature.
Several UNESCO sites are included in the expedition, and deep cultural immersion is assured: you will meet the various Berber groups that populate Morocco, as well as the Sahrawi desert nomads, a unique ethnic group formed by a mix of Berber, Tuareg, Arab, and black African ethnicities who maintain their unique cultural traditions.
We are very proud of our Morocco Expedition and can’t wait for you to experience it with us!
WHAT MAKES THIS TRIP EXTRAORDINARY
- The itinerary is the most complete being offered today.
- You will explore the Sahara, the Imperial cities, three Atlas ranges in Morocco and its Atlantic coast.
- Drive times have been reduced to their minimum, resulting in the best pacing possible.
- You will be accompanied by a Master Local Guide (with no less than 15 years of experience).
- New Paths Expeditions upscale Sahara Desert Camp is the finest that exists. You will feel like nomad royalty while exploring the desert.
- Camel ride during the Sahara’s sunset.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions, please let us know. We are here to help you!
Itinerary in Brief
Arrive in Casablanca:
Overnight at Le Doge Relais & Chateaux (D).
To Fes via Meknes and Volubilis
The day begins with a quick visit to the Hassan II Mosque, Africa’s largest religious structure, located 10 minutes from Le Doge.
After that, we’ll be accompanied by the northern Rif Mountains on our way to Meknes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Morocco’s youngest imperial city. Meknes was created in the 12th century and flourished under Sultan Moulay Ismail, one of Morocco’s most powerful rulers in history. Despite his reputation as a merciless warrior, the Sultan was also a devoted constructor, transforming Meknes from a little village into a spectacular capital with massive ramparts, colossal gates, more than 50 palaces, and 15 kilometers of outer walls during his 55-year rule. We will see the ruins of the old stables and granaries and the spectacular Bab el Mansour entryway.
Volubilis was established during the first centuries of the Christian Era as one of Rome’s African colonies. Because of the area’s fertility, especially regarding olive cultivation, Volubilis in ancient times expanded and included a basilica and other public buildings. The adjacent homes were embellished with stunning mosaics, which can still be seen today. Volubilis’ partially excavated ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offer fantastic photo opportunities. Volubilis is also an excellent place to go birding.
After we visit Volubilis, we will proceed to Fes for dinner and spend the night at the Palais Amani, a top-rated Riad located in the city’s Old Town.
Overnight Palais Faraj (B,L,D).
Fes
Day 3 will begin with a tour of the ramparts, which will introduce Fes’ culture and history. Next, your Senior Expedition Leader will lead you to visit the city’s most fascinating areas, accompanied by local guides. While a visit to the 14th-century Madrassa near the Karaouine Mosque will be the highlight of the morning, you will also have the opportunity to explore the depths of the food and spice markets and sample the products at the public bakeries.
The old manner of doing things can be observed in the ateliers found all across Fes, where you can watch crafts people at work.
Fountains, mosques, sanctuaries, and Islamic schools can be found along the road.
Fes cuisine is regarded as one of the greatest in Morocco. Today’s lunch will allow you to sample some of the city’s best traditional dishes, from a variety of delicate first courses to tanginess and light and delicious couscous. The restaurant itself is an architectural wonder.
After lunch, we’ll visit the late-nineteenth-century palace that once belonged to King Hassan I and now has been adapted as a museum dedicated to the city’s traditional arts. Then we’ll head to the Jewish area in the city’s New Fez district, where we’ll see the jewelry on display in the market and tour a 17th-century Synagogue.
Through the Middle Atlas Mountains to Midelt
After breakfast, we depart Fes to journey through the Middle Atlas Mountains to Midelt, a little town. Midelt is situated between the Middle and High Atlas Mountain ranges on a high plain.
We’ll arrive in Imouzzer de Kandar, a little town inhabited by a Berber tribe, after driving through the fertile, farmed valley of Saiss. Nearby Lake Dait Aoua offers excellent birding opportunities. Ifrane, a university town and ski resort, will be our next stop, and once we are done exploring the area, Azrou is the next Berber town we’ll visit after traveling through pine, oak, and cedar forests.
We’ll continue to Midelt through the Middle Atlas Mountains, admiring the landscape and meeting some of the local Berbers along the way.
Our day will finish at the Taddart Hotel in Midelt, where we will have dinner and stay the night.
Overnight Taddart basic hotel (B, L, D).
To the Sahara
As we journey over the High Atlas Mountains, you will be able to see some of the most breathtaking scenery in North Africa. Villages dominated by their Kasbahs are perched on mountainsides and alternate with snow-covered peaks and lush valleys filled with date palms.
Morocco is a monarchy, and the current royal family hails from Tafilalet, where the expedition’s first experience of the desert begins. The Ziz valley goes through a deep gorge to the Sahara Desert’s edge. There are numerous fortified mud-brick villages, refreshing oases, and desolate Kasbahs along the way, making it an excellent location for photography.
After lunch, the excitement increases as we travel to the Merzouga dunes in 4×4 vehicles (everyone will have a window seat). Mounting camels at Merzouga (those who wish can still travel by vehicle), we will ride over the dunes at sunset time to our desert camp lodging, greeted upon our arrival by mint tea and dishes of nuts or nuts fresh dates.
New Paths Expeditions exclusive Deluxe Bedouin Camp is set on a beautiful spot between dunes. It gives the impression of being alone in the vast African desert while enjoying the comforts of a nomad king.
Overnight New Paths Expeditions Upscale Sahara Desert Camp (B, L, D).
Life on the Sahara
Sunrise over the Sahara Desert is nearly overwhelming in its beauty, and we will have ample opportunity to photograph it. A Berber guide will take us in hand after breakfast, and we will travel over the dunes on camels (or by 4×4 vehicle, depending on your choice) towards Tanamouste, a village inhabited by seminomadic Berber families. We will have an opportunity, while here, to interact with the local people and learn their culture and traditions. Lunch will be provided by one of the Berber families.
Our camels are left behind after lunch as we pile into 4×4 vehicles to explore the area. After we have seen some of the Sahara’s impressive scenery, we will return to our private desert camp for tea. The Sahara sunset over the dunes may be even more colorful and inspiring than the sunrise, and photographs will provide a permanent reminder of your visit. A candlelight dinner accompanied by traditional music will round out the day. Our deluxe tents await us.
Overnight New Paths Expeditions Upscale Sahara Desert Camp (B, L, D).
Draa Valley
Overnight at
To Ait Ben Haddou via Ourzazate
We’ll drive across the Draa Valley today to see the beautiful Ksars (palaces) and Kasbahs. As we go into the highlands, we’ll travel via the mile-high Tinifift Pass, which offers views of rocky mountain terrain and unusual rock formations. There’s a chance you’ll see the African Rock Martin or the Alpine Swift.
After passing through the highlands, we arrive in Ouarzazate. The city, which serves as the regional capital, has become known as a center for international film production (Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, and even The Mummy). Part of the day will be spent seeing the Taourirt Kasbah and an art gallery with a variety of Berber arts and crafts.
We’ll also have the chance to visit a «Berber pharmacy,» which sells the highest-quality spices and natural items, such as Argan oil and saffron (the dried stigmas of an autumn flowering crocus). The saffron from the area is reputed to be the finest in the world.
The expedition will then proceed to Ait Ben Haddou, the backdrop for many films. Here, the Ksar is an interlocking collection of small palaces and other buildings that flows partway up the nearby hill. The Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou is a World Heritage Site.
Overnight stay at Riad Caravane (B, L, D).
Ait Ben Haddou
Today we will be able to spend the morning exploring Ait Ben Haddou, starting with a sunrise photographic session, and then we will continue with a complete exploration of the Ksar.
Ben Haddou was initially been a crucial point on the caravan route between Timbuktu and Marrakech and was able to exert control over the region’s trade. UNESCO has restored it.
Nothing makes an expedition more memorable than being able to interact with the local people, which is precisely what we will do during our short journey to Tabourahte Village.
We will enjoy the hospitality of a local family and even learn how to prepare a traditional tagine, which we will subsequently be served for lunch.
Free time in the afternoon will allow you to absorb some of the local colors on your own. Your Senior Expedition Leader will offer a sunset photographic walk.
Overnight at Riad Caravane (B, L, D).
Across the High Atlas Mountains to Ourika Valley
Fortified by a good breakfast, the expedition will begin a spectacular drive across the most impressive part of the High Atlas Mountains. We will journey through valleys and pass through mud-brick villages until we achieve the Tizi N’Tichka Pass at 7,000 feet. This is the turning point, and we will now descend to the plains, driving through landscapes that change from gorges and mountains until we reach the unforgettable Ourika Valley.
The Ourika Valley will seem like a fairytale realm with its forested foothills, clear mountain streams,tree-filled bottomlands, and villages perched on the hillsides. Our overnight reservations have been made at the award-winning Bab Ourika, set on a hill with spectacular views of the valley.
Overnight at Tizin Ouirgane (B, L, D).
Ourika Valley
The bird-graced hotel gardens will provide us with a morning walk after breakfast. An easy 1.5-hour walk is scheduled along the valley, allowing us to meet some local people, learn about their traditions and culture, and look for wildlife such as painted frogs and green woodpeckers. Our stroll will continue to the local town to visit the weekly market, where you will find local crafts and spices and other regional specialties.
Your Expedition Leader will then take the group further up the valley to enjoy lunch at a unique and beautiful spot. After we return to Bab Ourika, you will have the remainder of the afternoon to rest, use the hotel pool, or simply enjoy the beautiful hotel gardens and outstanding views. Try the traditional scrub followed by a massage – Hamman – before getting ready for dinner.
Overnight at Tizin Ouirgane (B, L, D)
Marrakech
We drive from Ourika to Marrakech early in the morning for a full tour of the famed Medina, comprising historic structures and world-famous markets.
We will also explore the surrounding areas and famous gardens. Free time has been included for personal exploration and shopping.
Our nights will be spent in a centrally located «Riad,» a tiny but comfortable boutique hotel that provides easy access to Medina’s highlights. On the 13th, we had a top-notch Moroccan goodbye dinner.
Overnight at Riah Al Maha (Day 12: B, L. Day 13: B, D)
Marrakech – Fly Home, or Continue with the Coastal Morocco Extension.
You will be taken to the airport for your return flight to your home or continue with the extension.
Meals (B).
Coastal Essaouira Extension
To Coastal Essaouira
After breakfast, we will leave Marrakech and make our way toward the Atlantic coast. Outside Essaouira, a stop at a women’s cooperative where they make Argan oil will provide insight into this valuable emollient. Essaouira has a reputation for having a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere, and we will first enjoy our lunch here before going on a walking tour of the city.
As its location was ideal for taking advantage not only of seagoing traffic but also the inland Trans-Saharan trade routes, Essaouira has been a trading center since the time of the Phoenicians. The Portuguese occupied the area in the 16th Century, naming it Mogador. We will begin our exploration of the city at the old Portuguese fort guards the harbor.
Eventually falling into Muslim hands, Mogador was renamed Essaouira in 1760. The city has since attracted many foreigners and oversaw the establishment of a large Jewish community. Essaouira was eventually to becomeMorocco’s international port and trading center.
The architecture is a blend of Portuguese and Moorish, and you will soon become aware that blue is what might be considered the ‘color theme’ of the city. Your guided tour will take you through the jewelry market, spice souks, and various artisan markets. You will visit carpentry workshops where the artisans turn cedar and thuya wood into beautifully made furniture. As in ancient times, Essaouira still attracts talented artists from different parts of the world.
Overnight at Heure Bleue Essaouria (B, L, D).
Essaouira
After breakfast, we’ll take a short journey south from Essaouira to Tizi Village. We’ll be able to see some of the rare bird species during our trip through the Argan forest. We will get the opportunity to visit a rustic Berber market in Tizi, which will be full of a diverse range of items and furniture from the local settlements.
Our next stop will be at Ounarra, where the expedition will stay at the Val d’Argan Wine Estate. The 30-acre estate, owned by the family, was founded in 1994. We will have a wine tasting of red, white, and rose wines produced by the winery. Lunch will be served on the roof terrace, which has a panoramic view of the entire estate. We’ll drive through the beautiful thuya forest back to Essaouira. We’ll be on the road for around three hours overall.
Overnight at Heure Bleue Essaouria (B, L, D).
Essaouira / Oualidia / Casablanca
Following breakfast at the hotel, the party will enjoy a seaside excursion with stunning views. Our first stop will be in Bhibih, a fishing village where we can see shorebirds, followed by Safi Town, which was once a Portuguese commercial post in the 15th century. Safi is known for its one-of-a-kind ceramic workshops, where the craft’s talents and traditions are passed down through generations.
Oualidia, situated on the coast, is a picturesque spot with a beautiful beach and oyster-breeding lagoons. We’ll travel from Oualidia to El Jadida, another old Portuguese commerce hub, for lunch in the medina. Our afternoon journey will take us down the coast to Casablanca.
We will finish our day with a farewell dinner.
Casablanca / Fly Back Home
After breakfast at the Le Doge, you will be driven to the Casablanca Airport and assisted with check-in for your flight home.
Lodgings
Le Doge Relais & Chateaux
This fantastic hotel is located in the heart of Casablanca’s Art Deco area. The interior décor and preservation of critical historical components reflect the building’s 1930s construction. Its restaurant, Le Jasmine, will delight your senses with the best traditional Moroccan food you can find in the surroundings.
Le Doge has a Petit Spa that will be perfect for relaxing before our adventure in Morocco begins, enjoying treatments and rituals in the purest oriental tradition.
Palais Faraj
Located right in the heart of Fes, Palais Faraj is the best option to stay in this beautiful city. Its privileged location provides the best view of the medina during your stay. Also, Palais Faraj has a Spa that will help you relax after a full day of experiences and activities in Morocco. Its restaurant will allow you to try the best of Morrocan cuisine while enjoying the views from the terrace.
Taddart Hotel
Located just 5 minutes away from Middelt center, Taddart Hotel will host us for a night during our journey in Morocco. This hotel was chosen by its strategic location and to reduce drive times.
New Paths Expeditions Upscale Sahara Desert Camp
Kasbah Azul
Kasbah Azul is a one-of-a-kind hotel. Located in Agdz, the hotel provides fantastic views of the surroundings, and it is equipped with a pool and a restaurant. The Kasbah was built with natural bioclimatic materials and made by local artisans in the pure tradition of ancestral techniques from southern Morocco. This hotel provides the perfect combination between luxury, tradition, and environmental awareness, being the best option to stay during your Morocco adventure.
Riad Caravane
Caravane is located in the midst of the little village of Ait Boulmane, 1 km from the Unesco World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou Ksar, and 30 kilometers north of Ouarzazate along the ancient caravan route.
Its location makes it the perfect site for departure for all kinds of excursions.
The Caravane project was established in the center of the village’s ancient Kasbah, which was rebuilt in traditional adobe style.
Tizin Ouirgane
Its restaurant, which offers a culinary repertoire rich in Moroccan Berber culture, is distinguished by its unique charm and luxurious style.
Riah Al Maha
Bleue Essaouria
Departure Dates & Rates
DEPARTURE
Sep 28, 2024
PRICE
To be confirmed
Single Supplement
To be confirmed
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
Does not apply
COMPLETE DETAILS
RESERVATION
Note: All prices are in US$, per person, and based on double occupancy.
*Domestic Air prices are estimated and may change due to cost variation by the airlines.
** Some special conditions apply, please check the single supplement section of the expedition booklet by downloading the complete details.
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