Fly to Morocco
Overnight flight to Morocco. An amazing adventure awaits in a land with centuries old customs and culture. Morocco, the “Gateway to Africa”.

Arrive in Casablanca / To Rabat
Welcome to Morocco! Upon arrival in Casablanca, proceed through immigration and customs and meet your Tour Manager. Travel to Rabat and check into your hotel for a two-night stay. This evening enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers.

Rabat
Following breakfast enjoy a guided tour of Rabat, the political and administrative capital of Morocco. Begin with seeing the Mohammed V Mausoleum, the landmark of Rabat. You’ll also see Hassan Tower, one of the oldest incomplete mosques in Morocco. Next visit the Kasbah of the Udayas, Rabat’s historic citadel occupies the site of the original Ribat (fortress-monastery) that gave the city its name. Lunch is included this afternoon. The afternoon is at leisure to explore on your own. Dinner is included in the evening at a local restaurant in Rabat.

Meknes & Volubilis / To Fez
Travel to the imperial city of Meknes for a tour. See where the remnants of three sets of fortifications, ingeniously incorporated into the city roads, display its past importance and glory. See the king’s tomb at the heart of what remains of the original imperial city and flanked by the impressive royal granary and the magnificent Bab el-Mansour gate. Next, stop at the Domaine de la Zouina Winery Estate for a tour and wine tasting. See the vineyard and olive grove and taste some of the famed wines accompanied by olive oils, dried fruit, and goat cheeses from the region. You’ll also enjoy an included lunch at the estate. Next, travel to the ancient Roman city of Volubilis to explore its stunning ruins originally built in 168 AD. These impressive stone arches and columns invite you to take a step back in world history. Only half of this UNESCO site has been excavated. Continue to Fez and check-into your hotel for a two-night stay.

Fez
Today discover and tour Fez, one of the most imperial, timeless, and holiest cities in the world and the cultural heart of Morocco, Fez El Bali (Old Fez). The imperial capital was a renowned medieval learning center and the Karaouine, one of the oldest still functioning universities in the world, is the heart of this vibrant city. See the Al-Attarine Madrasa (Koranic college), a jewel of Hispano-Moorish architecture, built in the 14th century. Then visit Nejjarine Square, with its beautiful fountain, a mosaic of elaborate tile work, and the Funduq al-Najjarin (Museum of Carpentry). Also visit Fez El Jdid (New Fez), founded in the 13th century with its Royal Palace, mosques, madrasas (schools), souks, and city walls. Next, visit the leather souk featuring the oldest leather tannery in the world dating back nine centuries. And, visit a clay workshop, artisan quarters, and other souks in the medieval Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Enjoy exploring the incredible narrow lanes and alleys in the souks in the labyrinth of the city’s old quarter, originally founded in the 8th century. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening. 

Erfoud / Merzouga / Desert Camp
Leaving Fez this morning, you drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains, heading south with a stop in the quiet French-built alpine resort town of Ifrane. Enjoy views of verdant cedar forests, volcanic mountains, wind-swept plains, spectacular gorges, and stony desert as we travel along the Ziz Valley before arriving in Erfoud, gateway to the Saharan dunes. Erfoud was built by the French around 1920 as an outpost and Foreign Legion stronghold and is known for its precious, unique fossils. Continue to Merzouga, the heart of the desert, and travel on the sandy dunes in 4-WD vehicles. Enjoy dinner at your luxury desert Camp, your home for the next two nights.

Sahara Desert
Rise early to see the sun rise over the Sahara. After breakfast enjoy a ride through the dunes on the back of a camel, an experience you won’t soon forget. Next, an excursion in 4x4 vehicles through the famed Erg Chebbi dunes. Visit some villages in the surroundings area for a glimpse into the Berber culture. Visit the village of Tissardmine and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant and mint tea with a nomadic family. Next, head to Khamlia, a small village whose inhabitants are slave decedents. They brought with them their folklore and Gnawa music and you’ll enjoy a performance. Later, return to the camp and perhaps gather by the campfire after dinner under a canopy of stars.

To Dades
Following breakfast at camp, 4x4 vehicles transfer you back to Merzouga village, where you’ll drive to Tinghir and Todra Gorges, the highest and narrowest gorges of Morocco. Situated on the east side of the High Atlas Mountains, the Todra Gorges are recognized around the world as one of the most spectacular canyons. Here, both the Todra and Dades Rivers have carved out deep canyons on a 25-miles stretch through the mountains.  After lunch at a local restaurant, drive through the Dades Valley with its majestic sandcastles and incredible rock formations known as Monkey Toes. The route through Dades Valley is also known as “the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs”. Catch spectacular views of the vast valley dotted with hundreds of ancient fortifications. The sand-colored walls of the Kasbahs may all start to look the same, but each holds a special historical treasure within and remarkable photo opportunies. Continue to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

To Marrakesh
Depart for Skoura, a quiet little village surrounded by acres of palm groves. See the Kasbah Amridil (historic fortified residence), originally built in the 17th century and one of Morocco’s most iconic living museums. It made an appearance in the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. Next, travel to Ouarzazate to visit Taourirt Kasbah, one of the most beautiful Kasbahs in Morocco. You might recognize the sand-colored houses of this impressive fortified city when you see the spectacular fortress of Ait Ben Haddou, immortalized in such films as Gladiator and Game of Thrones to name a few. Ait Ben Haddou is a massive fortification made up of six Kasbahs all listed as UNESCO world heritage sites. Spend time in its maze of winding streets until reaching a fortified granary at the top offering amazing views of the valley. Leave Ait Ben Haddou, crossing the High Atlas Mountains via the magnificent TizI n'Tichka pass to Marrakesh. Check into your hotel for a two-night stay.

Marrakesh
Enjoy a city tour of Marrakesh, the “Red City”, a majestic place filled with palaces, gardens, markets, and mosques. See the Koutoubia Mosque with its 282 foot high minaret, an architectural landmark dating back to the late 12th century. Continue to the stunning 19th century Bahia Palace and discover the beauty and artistry of this splendid home built by a powerful Ottoman leader for his harem. The building includes 150 rooms, countless courtyards and interior gardens, a labyrinth of corridors, a Koranic school, hammams, a harem, and stables. Next, explore the artisan quarters and the colorful souks to interact with the characters of Marrakesh. Continue to Dar El Bacha Museum of Confluences, built in 1910. The palace owner was named Pasha of Marrakesh by Sultan Moulay Youssef in 1912, and is one of the medina’s finest examples of Riad architecture. You’ll have time to stroll in the famed Jemaa El Fna square. Located at the entrance to the Medina, this vast square is surrounded by restaurants, stands, public buildings, and various forms of entertainment. See fortune tellers, henna artists, fire eaters, snake charmers, wild-dancing costumed monkeys, story tellers, hypnotic medicine-men, musicians, acrobats and more. This evening, enjoy a cooking class at Bennoinas Farm with an executive chef. Learn about local cuisine and culture followed by dinner.

To Casablanca
Depart Marrakesh for Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city and economic capital. Begin a city tour of Casablanca where you will see the Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in the country and the 7th largest in the world.  Continue to the Ain Diab Corniche for a pleasant stroll along the coast. Your next stop is Mohammed V Square in the city center and the Habous Quarter, one of the oldest areas in Casablanca. The district was built by the French in the 1930s as a solution to the ongoing housing shortage. It marries the best of traditional Moroccan architecture with modern facilities and French ideals. Enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant this evening with new friends made during your amazing Moroccan adventure.

Return Home
Transfer to the airport for your flight home filled with memories of your Colors of Majestic Morocco adventure.