BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Detroit X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Detroit BEGIN:VEVENT UID:30403@arabamerica.com DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20230421T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20230430T160000 DTSTAMP:20230206T143345Z URL:https://www.arabamerica.com/events/10-day-classic-morocco-tour-2/ SUMMARY:10-Day Classic Morocco Tour DESCRIPTION:Casablanca\, United States\n\nAbout this Event\n\nWe’ll visit cities of history and architectural heritage such as Casablanca\, Rabat\, Fez\, Meknes\, Volubilis\, Marrakech\, and Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou. We ’ll discover the natural sites and diverse landscapes of Morocco’s bre athtaking lakes\, majestic cedar forests\, tranquil Atlas-Mountain Springs \, spectacular Sahara Desert Sand Dunes\, dramatic Gorges of Dadès\, and beautiful Valley of Roses.\n\nLet the charm of Morocco captivate you as ea ch day unfolds and titillates your senses.\n\nDay 1 - April 21\n\nCasablan ca. A warm welcome as we meet our driver at the airport and take private g round transportation to our hotel. We’ll have an afternoon walking tour of the city: Mohamed-V Square\, which separates the modern city from the o ld medina of Casablanca\, the Habbous district\, the Marhalma du Pacha (ex ternal visit)\, a regional court designed like the old palaces\, and a vie w of the Hassan-II mosque\, the largest after that of only Mecca. Airport to Hotel Transfer: 45 min Walking: 90 min Overnight at Moroccan House or s imilar. (D)\n\nDay 2 - April 22\n\nCasablanca – Rabat – Meknes. We tak e the road to Rabat\, a former stopover for Phoenician and Carthaginian sa ilors\, now the city of modern Morocco. The Udaya kasbah is a reminder of the time when the city was the capital of the pirate republic\, which Arab s and Andalusian refugees forever marked with their seal. We will then hea d towards the Hassan tower\, Almohad minaret and emblem of the city\, visi t the Mohammed-V mausoleum. Then on to Meknes\, the third Moroccan imperia l city. We discover the great gate of Bab Mansour\, Lahdim Square\, the ma usoleum of Moulay Ismaïl\, the Agoudal basin next to the royal palace. Gr ound Transfer: 4 h Walking: 2-3 h Overnight at Hotel Swani or similar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 3 - April 23\n\nMeknes - Volubilis – Fes. Today we visit Vol ubilis\, a wonderful open-air museum in a Roman city\, the largest archaeo logical site in Morocco\, and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterwards\, we move on and discover Fes\, the oldest of the imperial citi es\, steeped in history\, a true cultural and intellectual center of Moroc co\, with its astonishing Hispano-Moorish architecture: ancient residences of incomparable charm\, monuments of the Merinids dynasty\, districts res erved for traditional crafts (tanners\, weavers etc.)\, and mazes of the m edina. Ground Transfer: 2 h 30 m Walking: 2-3 h Overnight at Fes Inn or si milar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 4 - April 24\n\nFes - Moyen Atlas – Midelt. The Mi ddle Atlas\, the green heart of the country\, is totally different from th e Morocco we know. On the northern slope of the massif\, the Atlas cedar i s the king of the great forests\, maritime pines and holm oaks are not to be outdone\; green is the dominant color. We’ll walk along the shores of Lake Dayet\, in the heart of the desolate high plateaus\, then under the tall cedars to access the Gouraud cedar. Our only companions are the monke ys from North Africa that bring an exotic touch. We pass to Ifrane\, a cli matic resort built in a clearing in the middle of the great cedar forests\ , which evokes a kind of Swiss mountain village more than a Moroccan villa ge. There are sloping roofs where storks nest\, hotels called Le Chamonix\ , Le Perce-Neige\, lakes and waterfalls and its surrounded by cedars. It ’s considered one of the cleanest places in the world. The place was cal led Ourtanes ("gardens" in Berber)\; the city was created from scratch in 1929\, on a forest clearing\, and changed its name to Ifrane ("caves" in B erber). Our route then continues through green landscapes and century-old cedar forests to Midelt\, the eastern part of the High Atlas dominated by the impressive pyramid-like of the Gebel Ayachi (12\,260 ft.). The village s are very isolated\, the way of life has remained traditional. The Beni m 'Guild nomads roam these high-altitude lands with their large herds of she ep and their black khaimas (tents). Ground Transfer: 4 h Walking/Light Hik ing: 3 hours. Overnight at Hotel Taddart or similar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 5 - Ap ril 25\n\nMidelt - gorges du Ziz - Erfoud – Merzouga. Crossing the easte rn part of the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Talghoumte (6\,250 ft.)\, one of t hree passes crossing the mountain range. The road leads quickly into the Z iz gorges and the palm grove of Tafilalet. From Erfoud\, the first dunes o f the eastern desert appear. We arrive in Merzouga in the early afternoon and can climb on the large dunes of erg Chebbi\, the most majestic in sout hern Morocco\, from where we can watch the sunset: a guaranteed life-long memory! This evening we sleep in a traditional Berber Camp (comfortable an d full-service) deep in the desert dunes\, which we’ll arrive by camel r ide. We’ll eat our dinner by starlight\, sitting in rugs around a low ta ble while traditional music is played for us by the Berbers. Ground Transf er: 4 h Walking/Light Hiking: 3 hours Overnight at Mohayut Desert Camp or similar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 6 - April 26\n\nMerzouga - Vallée du Dades - Vall ée des Roses. Maybe (well surely!) we can enjoy the sunrise at the top of a large dune today. Then we’ll head back to the kasbah for breakfast. A fterwards\, we’ll visit the palm grove of Tinerhir and its perched villa ges and its rocky ridges. Now it’s a complete change of scenery: here we are among the villagers of Aït Atta. The Dades Valley and the Roses Vall ey offer a rather magical contrast between arid mountains and lush gardens carpeted in the bottom of the wadi. This region of the Atlas bears witnes s to the richness of Berber culture\, which has remained intact for centur ies. Ground Transfer: 4 h Walking/Light Hiking: 3 hours. Overnight at Kasb ah Tizzarouine or similar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 7 - April 27\n\nVallée des Rose s - Skoura – Ouarzazate. Before reaching the palm grove of Skoura\, we e njoy the Valley of Roses during a very beautiful walk between red granite cliffs\, villages and roses. Rosa damaskina is distilled and used for esse ntial oil\, rose water and other extracts\, and is sought after by all the world's leading perfumeries. Then it’s on to Ouarzazate\, the film capi tal of Morocco\, which houses major studios and enjoys significant potenti al in this field. Ground Transfer: 4 h Walking/Light Hiking: 3 to 4 hours Overnight at Club Hanane or similar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 8 - April 28\n\nOuarza zate - Aït Bennhadou - Telouet – Marrakech. Today we discovery the ksar of Aït Benhaddou\, one of the most famous in southern Morocco. It is now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its exceptional setting has i nspired many filmmakers\, including David Lean for the film Lawrence of Ar abia. We’ll continue on by the very beautiful valley of Ounila featuring kasbahs and greenery\, taking a beautiful walk in the valley by crossing villages in red adobe\, on the tracks of Jacques Majorelle. Then we visit the fortress (Kasbah) of Telouet (5\,800 ft\,)\, citadel of Glaoui and its tribe until the end of the 1950s. From these mountains\, the power of Gla oui\, who was once the most powerful man in Morocco\, spread throughout th e country and even shook Europe - greatness and decadence. By the Tizi n'T ichka (pass at 7\,400 ft.) and its tortured mountain landscapes\, we drive North\, to Marrakech. Gradually\, we feel the approach of the red city. G round Transfer: 5 – 6 h Walking/Light Hiking: 2 hours. Overnight at Hote l Racine or similar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 9 - April 29\n\nMarrakech. Marrakech i s a city that fizzes with life and today we’ll explore it on a half-day morning tour by visiting the medina (old part of the city) and all the imp ortant landmarks that symbolize its rich history and culture including the Saadian Tombs\, Medersa Ben Youssef\, and Bahia Palace. Lunch is on our o wn today while we explore the alleyways and shops of the colorful and bust ling souk (traditional marketplace). This evening our farewell dinner is o n the terrace of a ryad near Djemaa el-Fna Square\, which is listed as a U NESCO World Heritage Site. Walking: 2-3 hours Overnight at Hotel Racine or similar. (B) (D)\n\nDay 10 - April 30\n\nMarrakech - Casablanca. Breakfas t at hotel &\; check-out. Perhaps some free time in Marrakech according to flight schedules. Private transfer to Casablanca airport (2 hours 30 m in.) for return international flight home.\n\nIncluded:\n\nAll transfers a nd ground transportation with private vehicles to the places stated in the itinerary\n\nHotel accommodations\, in standard rooms / double occupancy. (Single supplement available.)\n\nProfessional English-speaking local tou r guide\n\n9 breakfasts / 9 dinners\n\nEntrance fees for historical and na tural sites to the places stated in the itinerary\n\n \;\n\nNot Includ ed:\n\nAll international flights\n\nTravel insurance\n\nOptional activitie s not listed in itinerary\n\nMeals other than stated in the itinerary\n\nA lcoholic drinks\n\nSouvenirs\n\nExtra nights &\; single supplements / a ccommodation upgrades\n\nTips for guide/driver\n\n \;\n\nOther:\n\nThe re is an optional 6-day post-tour trek in the Atlas Mountains\, staying in full-service Berber Guest Houses\, with private guide and luggage transfe r. Please inquire for details. ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.arabamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2 023/02/39cbb1c0-492d-11ed-8dc7-537f72414226-rimg-w720-h720-gmir.jpg CATEGORIES:Morocco Tourism,Morocco Travel END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Detroit X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Detroit BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20230312T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR