Discover Morocco With Peter Kellett **PRICE REDUCED!**
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Tour Highlights
- Casablanca
- Fes (Medieval City)
- Market town of Midelt including a short walk
- Camel Ride to Desert camp
- Atlas Mountains
- Todra Gorge including a short walk
- Dades Valley
- Two walking days in the beautiful M'Goun Valley
- Overnight in a Berber house
- Rose Valley
- Marrakech Museum
- Bahia Palace
- Coastal town of Essaouira
Inclusions
- Escorted locally by Peter Kellett
- Peregrine tour leader
- Professional local guides
- Transport as per the itinerary
- Sightseeing and entrance fees
- Accommodation: 8 nights Comfortable hotel, 2 nights Mountain guesthouse, 1 nigh Desert camp
- Meals: 11 breakfasts, 4 dinners
Discover Morocco With Peter Kellett **PRICE REDUCED!**
Day 1: Tuesday, 9th October 2012
Casablanca
This is simply an arrival day so you may arrive at any time. Note that hotel rooms are generally only available after midda. The balance of the day is free to explore your surroundings and our tour leader may make contact in the evening.
Overnight: Hotel Diwan
Day 2: Wednesday, 10th October 2012
Casablanca-Fes
In Casablanca we see the impressive Mosque of Hassan II, opened in 1993, and second only in size to the great mosque at Mecca. It can accommodate 25,000 worshippers and is one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims. In the afternoon we then drive to Fes via Meknes and include a visit to Volubilis. Volubilis was once a provincial Roman capital, a distant outpost of the empire, and as we approach it we can see it prominently sited along the edge of a high plateau. Today it is the most impressive Roman site in Morocco and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. We explore the many public buildings and at the House of Orpheus we see several fine mosaic floors intact. We continue our journey to nearby Meknes, where the charming streets of the old medina are a perfect prelude to Fes. From the northern gate, Bab Berdaine, we walk to the shrine of Moulay Idriss who, in the 17th century, turned Meknes from a provincial town to a spectacular Imperial city. We visit the lovely Bou Inania Medresse (religious school) and after time to explore the old souk we drive to Fes for the night.Overnight: Hotel Batha
Meals included: 1 breakfast
Day 3: Thursday, 11th October 2012
Fes
Spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco, Fes is vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming - a visual and pungent assault on the senses. It is made up of three distinct ‘cities’, or quarters, and we are based in the elegant ‘Nouveau Ville’, or New City, which has a distinctly French/European character. Today we head into the old city, known locally as Fes el Bali, arguably the world's most fascinating and confounding old city. Medieval Fes was one of the world's great centres of education and culture: both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and its libraries are legendary. Its mosques are of great renown. And it was to Fes that many of the Muslims (and Jews) expelled from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella came in 1492. As we walk through the streets and alleyways, passing historic khans, medresses and dye-pits, it is not hard to imagine ourselves back in the Middle Ages. We spend the day exploring the old city, visiting the Belghazi Museum, Medresse el Attarine, the tanneries and the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th century inn. We return to our hotel in the late afternoon where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.Overnight: Hotel Batha
Meals included: 1 breakfast
Day 4: Friday, 12th October 2012
Fes-Midelt
Leaving Fes we drive south, passing through a variety of spectacular scenery as we make our way towards Midelt. Midelt is a smallish market town, nestled between the Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains, at an elevation of just over 1500m. It’s a perfect spot to break the journey to the Sahara, being a great base for some easy walks. We travel via the Berber villages of Ifran and Azrou. The surrounding countryside is particularly beautiful.Overnight: Hotel Kasbah Asmaa
Meals included: 1 breakfast
Day 5: Saturday, 13th October 2012
Midelt-Merzouga
There is time to haggle for carpets (mainly Kilims), take a refreshing walk, or visit the nearby Franciscan convent where the sisters teach local girls and women weaving, tapestry and embroidery. In due course we reach Merzouga, where we drop off our gear at a simple Auberge and then ride camels into the edge of the Sahara Desert, enjoying a spectacular sunset along the way. The dunes are stunning, especially at this time of the day, and tonight we camp out, enjoying lively music and dancing under the stars.Overnight: Auberge Yasmina
Meals included: 1 breakfast 1 dinner
Day 6: Sunday, 14th October 2012
Todra Gorge-Dades Valley-M'goun Valley
We enjoy a further sunrise ride today before we return to our Auberge and make our way towards Todra Gorge, a massive trench that rises over 250 metres and one of the most dramatic natural sights in Morocco. We take a short walk in the area before continuing to the beautiful Dades Valley, where we stop for a break, take some photos of the remarkable scenery and continue our journey. We arrive in the M'goun valley and overnight in a Berber house.Overnight: Gite
Meals included: 1 breakfast 1 dinner
Days 7-8: Monday, 15th – Tuesday 16th October 2012
Full day walk in the M'goun Valley
We have two full days to explore this beautiful area, and a good trek is the best way to do it! There are a couple of circuits to choose from, but the most popular choice, and the one we recommend, is a 10km circuit that will take about 4 hours. On the walk, you'll pass Berber villages, meeting Berber along the way. The mountain scenery and the famous Rose Valley make this a truly sensational setting.Overnight: Gite
Meals included: 2 breakfasts 2 dinners
Day 9: Wednesday, 17th October 2012
Marrakech
We drive for several hours through the winding roads of the Atlas, bound for Marrakech. We can take our time as the scenery is magnificent and keen photographers may call for a few photo stops! On arrival in Marrakech you check in to your beautiful Riad hotel, just a few minutes from Jemaa el Fna, the great square. This evening, why not head over to the square, one of the largest public spaces in the world and unique to Marrakech. Every night it comes alive with snake-charmers, musicians, story-tellers, fire-eaters and hundreds of small outdoor restaurants.
Overnight: Riad Lalla Khiti
Meals included: 1 breakfast
Day 10: Thursday, 18th October 2012
Marrakech
After breakfast we meet our Marrakech local guide and set off on a morning tour of the old medina. We visit the beautiful Bahia Palace, a splendid mansion built in 1866 for a former slave who had risen to a position of importance in the government of Moulay Hassan. We explore the tranquil inner courtyards, fragrant with orange blossom, and the many salons and chambers that make up this elegant home. We continue to the Marrakech Museum, itself a former palace, which houses a fine collection of Moroccan art and sculpture and we then walk through the streets of the old medina as we make our way back to the Jemaa el Fna. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.Overnight: Riad Lalla Khiti
Meals included: 1 breakfast
Day 11: Friday, 19th October 2012
Essaouira
This morning after breakfast we drive to Essaouira. The narrow streets of Essaouira are ideal for casual exploration. Their size discourages cars, and as we walk through the town it feels as though little has changed since the days of sea pirates. It is one of North Africa's most attractive venues and soon we find ourselves slipping into its easy-going rhythm. The fishing port is a serious commercial operation and it is fun to observe the daily catch and its subsequent auction. Elsewhere there are numerous shops and several fine art galleries to distract the visitor, along with a wide variety of restaurants. Our tour leader will help guide us through the maze of options.Overnight: Residence Mehdi
Meals included: 1 breakfast
Day 12: Saturday, 20th October 2012
Essaouira- Casablanca
We have a very early departure this morning as we drive to Casablanca to meet our departure flight.Please be aware that it will take approximately 7 hours to drive to Casablanca so afternoon flights are required.
Meals included: 1 breakfast
IN A NUTSHELL
