Day 1:

Arrival at Marrakech Menara Airport.

VIP airport services include being met upon arrival, expedited through passport control and escorted to meet your guide & driver who will be waiting for you just outside of the baggage claim exit.  The VIP representatives will be in contact with our waiting team.

You will be escorted to check-in at Royal Mansour – It can be counted among the few establishments in the world that define hotel excellence. Just a few steps away from the famous Djemaa El Fna square beats the heart of the Marrakesh Palace, offering travelers the unique concept of a medina within a medina.

Rest & refresh at your hotel, and enjoy the facilities.

Your guide & driver can give you a brief introduction to Marrakech if you would like.

Early this evening, head to the Djemaa el Fnaa, the main square at the heart of Marrakech’s medina. In the late afternoon, food stalls appear next to rows of escargot sellers, snake charmers, musicians and story tellers.

Rest and refresh before dinner.

8:00 p.m. Suggested dinner at La Table of the Royal Mansour – La Table, the main restaurant of the Royal Mansour, is open to guests throughout the day. La Table’s cuisine draws its inspiration from local flavors and seasonal products. The menu, therefore, is constantly evolving.

Overnight at Royal Mansour – Marrakech.

Day 2:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

Start your day by visiting the Jardin Majorelle. The garden was a gift to Marrakech from Yves-Saint Laurent. Purchased from the painter Jacques

Majorelle, the garden is adorned with Majorelle blue, the color named for him.

Visit the Berber Museum, offering a rich panorama of the extraordinary creativity of the Berber people, the most ancient of North Africa.

Continue to the Yves-Saint Laurent Museum,

opened in October, 2017.  The museum highlights the life work of the designer, and his connection to Marrakech. The museum also includes a hall for temporary exhibitions, a research library with over 5,000 volumes, a 140-seat auditorium, bookshop and terrace café. The museum itself is recognized by architectural experts as a unique and innovative design.

1:30 p.m. Suggested Lunch at Selman Palace – Each restaurant of Selman has its own culinary identity: authentic Moroccan cuisine, international cuisine and Mediterranean cuisine. Let yourself be swept away in a whirlwind of perfectly proportioned aromas. Each meal in one of the Selman Marrakech restaurants is a moment of sharing and discovery. The Selman Palace is the home to some of the finest Arab thoroughbred horses in Morocco, who room around almost freely.

After lunch, enjoy a unique equestrian theatre performance from Sadek el Bahjaoui. A truly exceptional display of fine equestrian arts.

Visit the vast Bahia Palace – It is one of the masterpieces of Moroccan architecture, one of the major monuments of the country’s cultural heritage and one of the main places of tourism in Morocco.

Continue on to Dar el Bacha Confluences Museum in Marrakech – Once the home for the famous Pacha Glaoui. Located in the medina of Marrakech, it is one of the most beautiful palaces of the red city. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century.

Continue to the Mellah – Jewish quarter of Marrakesh. Share, understand and appreciate the potential of the coexistence of the two religions and cultures. In Morocco, Jews and Muslims have coexisted in harmony for hundreds of years. Marrakesh at the foot of the Atlas mountain range was home to more than 50,000 Jews, according to a 1947 census.

8:00 p.m. Suggested dinner at Villa des Orangers – the restaurant brings both the traditional and the modern to play in the architectural design. The Villa des Orangers’ chef takes you on a journey of subtle flavors with the right notes of spice and sweetness, with dishes from the Mediterranean and Moroccan cuisine.

Overnight at Royal Mansour – Marrakech.

Day 3:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

This morning, you will be escorted to the foothills of the High Atlas (Approximately 2 Hour Drive).

• Upon arrival, enjoy a two-hour guided hike (moderate hike) with a local mountain guide: Travel along ancient pathways through Berber villages. Stop in a local Berber home for tea.

After the hike, you will have lunch reservation at Kasbah Tamadot, Richard Branson’s retreat in the High Atlas.

Once the home of an Italian antique dealer, Branson’s mother discovered the property in the late 1990’s while her son was on one of his famous hot air balloon expeditions. She then began its transformation to a Virgin collection property. Try a hammam or Moroccan massage.  Enjoy the indoor and outdoor pools, and overall beauty of the natural scenery which surrounds the property.

Return to your Hotel, rest and refresh before dinner.

8:30 p.m. Suggested dinner at Yacout – Yacout restaurant is a landmark of Marrakesh. It was amongst the first created around twenty years ago in the medina by. The decor is enchanting with its private rooms and breath-taking panoramic view from the terrace overlooking the medina and the Koutoubia mosque of Marrakesh. Highly traditional Moroccan gastronomic cuisine with a menu incorporating an amazing succession of flavors.

 

Overnight at Royal Mansour – Marrakech.

 

Day 4:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

After breakfast, head to Dchiera Aghouatim (“Big Family”), a small Berber village. (about 40 minutes) Here we will have a private, outdoor cooking class hosted by a famous local chef.  Prepare your own traditional Moroccan dishes and enjoy them for lunch!  Learn about Moroccan spices, including Ras al Hanout, the definitive spice of Moroccan cuisine. Bake bread the traditional Moroccan way using an earthen, wood-fueled stove.  The organic vegetables used in your dish are grown in the garden on site! While your kosher tagine is cooking over the fire, take a walk (about 20 minutes) across a wide valley, where sheep graze, wild cactus fruit grows, and the days go on seemingly untouched by modern life.

After lunch, head inland to Agafay’s Desert. (About 30 minutes from the Berber village.)

The Desert of Agafay is an arid, rocky area that is ideal for a taste of Moroccan desert culture. You will be spending the night at Inara Camp, in a luxurious tent.

You will be welcomed with Moroccan wine and a scarf like those worn by Saharan nomads.

Rest & refresh at your camp.

Enjoy a Sunset Camel Trek.

8:30 p.m. Dinner will be prepared under the tents of your camp.

Overnight at Inara Camp – Agafay Desert.

Day 5:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

Morning at leisure.

At 11:30 a.m. Transfer to Marrakech’s Menara Airport to board your flight to Fes aboard Air Arabia. 50 minutes flight time.

Upon arrival in Fes, you will be welcomed and escorted to town by our waiting team of guide & driver.

Upon arrival, check in at Riad Fès – Riad Fès is renowned for its luxury, impeccable service and fine restaurant. Restored to its original glory, Riad Fès – Relais & Châteaux is located in the heart of the ancient city of Fez. It has succeeded in combining refinement with inspiration and invites you to relax and enjoy your stay in a serene atmosphere with decor reminiscent of Arabian Nights.

If you feel comfortable, your guide & driver will give you a brief introductory of Fès.

Rest and refresh at your hotel before dinner.

8:00 p.m. Suggested dinner at Nur – Housed in a stylish riad, Nur serves market  a fresh tasting menu reflecting the finest offerings of local produce and shining a light on Moroccan gastronomy. Named “World’s Best Moroccan Restaurant 2017”! Nur offers fine dining in the Medina of Fes featuring the flavors of the Middle Atlas.

Overnight at Riad Fes – Fes.

Day 6:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

This morning, enjoy a marvelous meal prepared by your own hand – Another Cooking Workshop will be planned for you with Chef Najat at Nur, star of “La Cocina Marroqui” on Canal Cocina and El Gourmet, to learn the basics of Moroccan cooking. You will prepare a full meal consisting of salads and sides, couscous, tagine and bastila, sweets and mint tea!

After lunch, visit the Museum of Wooden Arts in the beautifully restored former Caravan Stop. This Museum is in a wonderfully restored fondouq (rooming house) – a caravanserai for travelling merchants who stored and sold their goods below and took lodgings on the floors above. Centered on a courtyard, the rooms are given over to displays of traditional artefacts of craftsmen’s tools, chunky prayer beads and Berber locks, chests and musical instruments. Everything is beautifully presented.

Visit the Tanneries of Fes, which give the Medina its unique flavor and smell.

It’s best to head up to the balconies of one of the shops that will welcome you with a sprig of mint and a memorable view.

Rest & Refresh at your hotel before dinner.

8:00 p.m. Suggested Dinner at Amaraz– Hotel Sahrai’s gourmet Moroccan restaurant – Amaraz invites you to sample gourmet Moroccan and Lebanese cuisines in a setting that’s in tune with the spirit of the place. Under the beams of the vast dining room, screens divide the space to enhance the privacy of the tables, without detracting from the purity of the space, which opens onto the ground floor of the hotel.

Overnight at Riad Fes – Fes.

 

Day 7:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

Start your day by a visit into the University of Al-Qarawiyyin, considered by the Guinness Book of Records, UNESCO and many historians as the oldest continuously operating, academic degree-granting university in the world.

Visit the Attarine Madrasa, near the Al-Qarawiyyin. It was built by the Marinid sultan Uthman II Abu Said The madrasa takes its name from the Souk al-Attarine, the spice and perfume market.

1:30 p.m. Suggested lunch at Palais Amani’s Eden restaurant – Eden at Palais Amani introduces you to the diversity of Moroccan cuisine through types of dishes found in Moroccan homes, revitalised with a twist of creativity and sophistication and brought to your table by their acclaimed chef.

After lunch, visit the Dar Batha Museum, which has a particularly impressive pottery collection that dates to the 16th century.

See the stunning gates of the Royal Palace of the Alaouite sultan.The palace is located in Fes el Jdid quarter. It has an area size of 80 hectares, and known for the brass gate ornamented with zellige tilework and carved cedar woods. The palace is not open to the public.

Rest & refresh at your hotel.

8:00 p.m. Suggested dinner at Riad Fes – one of the best restaurants in Fes! Riad Fes restaurant creates a welcoming feel during the day, while offering an intimate and warm atmosphere at night. Walls draped in white curtains, friendly ambiance and a menu deliciously combining tradition and modernity.

Overnight at Riad Fes – Fes.

Day 8:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

Today, you will head inland to Rabat. Total driving today is about 2 hours (plus stops).

First stop at Meknes, the Imperial capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail, founder of the ruling Alaouite Dynasty. Explore Meknes’ massive granaries and stables, ornate city gates and the grand Place El Hedim. The Bab Mansour is often mentioned as Morocco’s most beautiful city gates. Visit the Dar Jamaï Museum, a palace of powerful Viziers that now houses a collection of antique ceramics and crafts.

Wine tasting visits can be arranged to the vineyards of Chateau Roslane.

Continue to the ruins of the late Roman era capital of the province of Mauritania.  A UNESCO World Heritage site, Volubulis overlooks the fertile plains of the Meknes region near the foot of Mt. Zerhoun.   Intact mosaics, restored arches and olive oil presses give one a sense of the importance of this outpost on the fringes of the empire. Visit the Triumphal Arch, Basilica, Diana and the Bathing Nymphs.

Continue to Rabat.

Upon arrival, check in at Villa Diyafa– a boutique luxury hotel located in the embassy district of Rabat. The hotel is true to the name Diyafa, which is derived from the Arabic word, hospitality

As time allows, you may wish to begin exploring Rabat.

Visit Chellah, the roots of which go back to Phoenician times. The Romans and the corsairs of later eras operated from this fortress located above the banks of the Bouregreg River.  Today, Chellah is an amazing collection of ruins, a citadel and lush gardens.

Visit Hassan Tour, Rabat’s iconic landmark, is the half-finished minaret of a planned mosque whose remnants attest to its ambitions.

Visit the Kasbah des Oudaias, built by the Almohad Dynasty in the 12th century. It is worth serious exploration. Stroll the narrow streets to the Andalusian Gardens  that sit on the site of the former palace and are something of a town square – especially in the summer months.

Rest & Refresh at your hotel before dinner.

8:00 p.m. Suggested dinner at Villa Mandarine’s Restaurant–

The chef offers a varied and inventive menu, which changes according to the market and the seasons. You will savor its gourmet cuisine on the terrace overgrown with the flowers and smells of fruit trees, or in the rooms in shimmering colors, whose bay windows seem to want to let the garden enter the premises. In addition to his international menu, the chef offers a menu of local cuisine.

Overnight at Villa Diyafa – Rabat.

 

Day 9:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

This morning, you will be driven to Oualidia (it’s about 3 hour drive plus stops).

Oualidia – A well-kept secret and a favorite of Moroccans as a seaside venue and a place to unwind.  This small beach side village, offers some of the best fresh sea food in the country.

It is a wonderful environment to stop and relax between Casablanca and Essaouira. Also known for its oyster farming, which started shortly after Morocco gained independence in 1956. Using Japanese oysters with methods learned from the French, now rows of oyster beds are spread along the lagoon and are separated according to size.

Upon arrival, check-in at La Sultana Oualidia – A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World & Traveler Made Hotel Partner, it is a perfect nature & ocean gateway to relax and rest. It is located along the Oualidia lagoon.

Take the rest of the day at Leisure.

Overnight at La Sultana – Oualidia.

Day 10:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide & driver at disposal.

Today, you will drive to La Fromagerie du Coquelicot for a visit. Placed between Essaouira and Safi is an organic goat farm.  Enjoy the wonderful goat’s cheese, sprouting seed salads and vegetable stuffed briouats (a sweet or savory puff pastry) and finish with a lavish cheeseboard on a terrace.

Continue on to Val d’Argan, where you will visit the vineyards and the winery for some Moroccan wine tasting. Val d’Argan wines are produced in red, rosé or white and exported to different parts of Morocco and abroad.

Lunch in the property of Val d’Argan before ending the tour.- The meals are traditionally Moroccan dishes adapted to the tasting of my wines. Winery offers a superb tasting menu!

Take the rest of the day at Leisure.

Suggested Activities:

• Oyster Farm Exploration: A trip out to the oyster farms ending at an amazing spot for a private picnic and when back to the property drinks & appetizers for 2 at The O Bar.
• Surf Therapy: Since the early 90s, a surf school is based all year in Oualidia and hotel guests are picked up from the hotel jetty to participate. Listed in The World’s Best Hotel for Surfing Holidays  by The Telegraph, a publication that covers renowned places as far away as Australia.  La Sultana Oualidia is an exceptional place to learn to surf in safe and easy conditions, ideal for beginners and children (from 6 years old).
• Atlantic fishing excursion: Morocco’s coastline is renowned as one of the richest fish areas of the Atlantic Ocean and the setting of Oualidia’s lagoon offers diverse fishing types from the beach (surfcasting), the cliff or from a small boat.
• Stand up Paddle: The lagoon in front is ideal for all level of stand-up paddlers with easy rides down the lagoon and advanced spot at wave point break near ocean entrance.
• Horse riding: Ride on endless beachs and stunning country sides. Trails lead either to the beach “Les Tomates” passing through Oualidia’s village, or further down the lagoon to reach the land in between the lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean.

All of these activities can be booked at the concierge of La Sultana Oualidia Hotel directly upon arrival.

Overnight at La Sultana – Oualidia.

Day 11:

Breakfast at your hotel.

Your guide and driver is at your disposal.

You will be escorted to Casablanca Mohamed V Airport for your departure flight.

VIP airport services, which includes help checking in, being expedited through passport control and use of the VIP lounge while you await your departure.

Included in your land package:

• Ten nights’ accommodation.
• Hotel service charges and taxes.
• Breakfast every morning.
• Guiding services.
• Air-conditioned Mercedes Mini-van and driver.
• Domestic flight from Marrakech to Fes.
• Hiking in the Atlas.
• Cooking Class Experiences.
• Camel Ride Experience.
• Agafay Experience.
• All admissions while accompanied by your guide.
• The services of our Marrakech office and 24/7 emergency contact.

Not included:

• International air transportation.
• Meals notes as suggested.
• Suggested activities.
• Gratuities, tips for porters, drivers, and guides.

Insurance:  We strongly recommend that all clients purchase a comprehensive travel package that includes trip cancellation