Get to know the vibrant culture and colourful backdrops that are distinctively Morocco. Explore Fes, one of the holiest cities in the world, on a walking tour in the Medina, where donkeys and mules laden with goods still walk the ancient market. Make your way to your desert camp by 4x4 jeep and spend a full day exploring the Sahara Desert. Travel the rugged “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs” to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kasbah Ait-Ben-Haddou. In Marrakech, get a true taste of Moroccan hospitality during an interactive cooking class at a women’s cooperative. Experience Morocco's deep history, unique atmosphere and welcoming people on an unforgettable journey.
*Maximum of 24 people on this tour
Day 1: Thursday, January 23, 2025 Overnight Flight
On a captivating adventure through a land of centuries-old culture and customs, discover the “Land of Sunset” and “Gateway to Africa” – the place they call Morocco.
Day 2: Friday, January 24, 2025 Casablanca, Morocco - Rabat - Tour Begins
Welcome to Morocco! After you land in Casablanca you will transfer to Rabat. Depending on your arrival flights, you may join your local Tour Manager on a vicinity walk to get acquainted with the area around your hotel in Rabat, your home for the next two days.
Day 3: Saturday, January 25, 2025 Rabat
Come to know Rabat on an in-depth tour* with a local guide who will share his knowledge of this city and its architectural gems. Visit the Chellah Necropolis, a walled town containing both Roman ruins and a medieval necropolis. Explore the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the epitome of modern Moroccan design. The mausoleum’s ornate woodwork, marble, and bronze ornamentations make this a tomb truly fit for a king. See the Kasbah de Oudaias and its whitewashed buildings. Enjoy free time to explore on your own in the afternoon. At the end of your day, join your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)
Day 4: Sunday, January 26, 2025 Rabat - Fes
Depart Rabat for Fes this morning. En route to Fes, stop at a winery estate for a tour, tasting and lunch. Explore the winery’s grounds on a guided tour through the vineyard and cellar, taking in sweeping views of vines and tasting some of the vintages. End your tour with a lunch in the estate. Then continue on to Fes where you will spend the next three nights at your riad. (B, L)
Day 5: Monday, January 27, 2025 Fes
Get ready to discover Fes, one of the holiest cities in the world. Learn about its history as a centre of government, philosophy, medicine, and religion. Visit the Royal Palace and the Al-Qarawiyyin University, the oldest continuously-operating university in the world (UNESCO), admiring its high arches and Andalusian influences. On a walking tour of the 9th-century medina, explore the alleyways and stalls of this ancient market. (B, D)
Day 6: Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Fes
Enjoy your day at leisure in Fes. Explore the city further, strolling through marketplaces or visiting a museum. Perhaps you will join an optional tour to Meknes and Volubilis. On this full-day tour, experience Meknes, one of four Imperial cities in Morocco where you will see the Bab Mansour gate. After an included lunch, travel to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its impressive and well-preserved Roman ruins. (B)
Day 7: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Fes - Midelt - Erfoud
Cross some of Morocco’s most breathtaking desert landscapes on the way to the Sahara. En route, pause in Midelt to bask in majestic views of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Arrive in Erfoud, called “Door to the Desert,” and where many famous movies were filmed, including The Prince of Persia and The Mummy. (B, L, D)
Day 8: Thursday, January 30, 2025 Erfoud - Sahara Desert
This morning, get to know a little more about local life at El Maadid Ksar, a village with narrow lanes surrounded by ancient, fortified walls. Spend some time walking through town and get an authentic look into how local people live, like the farmers who spend their days tending to fields on the outskirts of the village. This evening, make your way into the Sahara aboard 4x4 Jeeps, for a 2-night stay in a luxury tented camp in the desert among the stars. (B, D)
Day 9: Friday, January 31, 2025 Sahara Desert
Rise early to watch the sun illuminate the Sahara in stunning hues of orange, yellow and red. This morning you will have the opportunity to ride through the dunes on the back of a camel. Continue your day by travelling to the village of Khamlia. Meet with locals to have an eye-opening and meaningful discussion before experiencing traditional sub-Saharan Gnawa music. The next step of your desert expedition brings you to meet a nomadic community where you’ll learn more about this ancient way of living and how their traditions have changed. Return to your camp as the sun sets over the desert. This evening, sit with your Tour Manager and learn more about the importance of Islam in Morocco through the centuries and its impact in today’s day-to-day life in sub-Saharan Africa. (B, L, D)
Day 10: Saturday, February 1, 2025 Sahara Desert - El Khorbate - Boumalne du Dades
Return to the edge of the desert this morning and marvel as the sun illuminates the vast sands. Visit the fortified village of El Khorbat. Dating back to the 17th century, this village showcases Jewish and Muslim architecture and artifacts. Learn more about Berber culture while visiting the museum within the village. Sit down to a simple lunch at a local restaurant. This Impact Moment supports a business whose profits are used to conserve the cultural heritage and improve the living conditions of this small community. Later, arrive in Boumalne du Dades, where a golden sun lights up the gorge’s river valleys, palmeries and burnished mud-brick homes. (B, L, D)
Day 11: Sunday, February 2, 2025 Boumalne du Dades - Ksar Ait-Ben-Haddou - Marrakech
Follow the rugged “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs,” where turreted fortresses rise up like sandcastles along this ancient trading route. Arrive at the UNESCO site of the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou and discover the earthen buildings, defensive walls, and corner towers that make the ksar a striking feat of Moroccan architecture. Before you reach the exotic city of Marrakech, you will experience a homemade meal, and then continue along the Tizi n’Tichka Pass in the High Atlas Mountains, a scenic route through lush oasis valleys, imposing mountains and several Berber villages. (B, L)
Day 12: Monday, February 3, 2025 Marrakech
Among the mosques and palaces, souks and riads, visit the Jardin Majorelle, an iconic site that showcase the beauty and ingenuity of Morocco’s cultural heritage, then visit the ancient El Bahia Palace, whose architecture is a distinct blend of both Islamic and Moroccan styles. Then it’s your choice! Embark on a walking tour with a local guide, stopping at shops along the way -OR- relax in a traditional Hammam, a community bathhouse where locals still gather to relax, cleanse, and socialize today -OR- return to the hotel to relax by the pool. (B, D)
Day 13: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 Marrakech
Today experience an Impact Moment and join a local women’s training centre in an interactive cooking class. Head to a garden on the property grounds to source your own herbs and vegetables and learn the secret to making the country’s most celebrated dish: the tagine. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. This evening, perhaps you will join an optional horse-drawn carriage through Marrakech, followed by dinner at a local restaurant. (B, L)
Day 14: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 Marrakech - Casablanca
Depart Marrakech for Casablanca this morning. Upon arrival in Casablanca, visit the largest functioning mosque in Africa, the Hassan II Mosque. Learn about the history and the significance of this mosque on a privately-led tour. Gaze upon the intricate, colourful artistry of ceramic tile and hand-carved stone of this architectural wonder. Then bid farewell to your Tour Manager and fellow travellers during a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)
Day 15: Thursday, February 6, 2025 Casablanca - Tour Ends
Your tour comes to a close this morning. (B)
INCLUSIONS Round Trip Air from Toronto Intl Airport, Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges of $170 per person (subject to increase until paid in full), Hotel Transfers, 13 Nights Accommodation, 13 Breakfast (B), 6 Lunch (L), 8 Dinners (D)
PRICE PER PERSON
TWIN $7,799 TRIPLE $7,749 SINGLE $8,849
$650/person discount with 16-18 passengers
$1000/person discount with 19-24 passengers
DETAILS
A $698 per person deposit is due upon booking (fully refundable until June 15 2024)
Final Payment is due by October 15, 2024
We strongly recommend each traveler purchases the all-inclusive TRAVEL PROTECTION for $649 per person at the time of booking. This plan guarantees a full refund of all payments (including deposit) except for the plan fee itself, in case of cancellation of travel plans for any reason prior to the day of departure.
The overall activity level of this tour is a level 3. You don’t want to miss a thing, so walking and standing for longer periods of time (2-3 hours) isn’t a big deal. A moderately paced two-and-a-half-hour walking tour, covering several miles, hills and uneven surfaces, is no problem for you. Walking four miles over the course of a day is very doable, as is climbing into and out of various modes of transportation (camels, 4x4 vehicles, tuk-tuk, cable car, zodiac, etc.). You can climb three flights of stairs easily and handle altitudes between 6,000 and 9,000 feet. For your comfort, we recommend bringing walking shoes. Expect some longer days with early mornings or late nights balanced with free time to recharge or set out on your own adventure. This level is not a fit for travellers that require mobility assistance devices. If you require a walker or wheelchair, or have difficulty walking, you may not be able to access some of these areas and may want to consider an alternate program with us. Our Client Care Agents can provide additional information or assistance to help you determine the perfect trip for you.
Optional Pre Tour Extension Available. Inquire at time of booking.