Private Tour

Experience the romance of old Morocco
everywhere on this 12-Day Tour
For Guests Who Want and Can Afford The Best

A 12-day tour of ancient kasbahs standing sentinel against invaders along the winding lanes of the medinas of Fez and Marrakech; the seaside towns of Essaouira and Agadir; and in your very lodgings, palaces and venerable homes that have been brought to life again as Riads that combine the best of Arab hospitality with the appointments of fine boutique hotels. Click here for the 14 day version with a longer seaside stay at Essaouira. Compare with the Imperial City 9 day tour with an overnight camping in the Sahara. Compare with Taroudant, Imouzzer Ida Outanane version.

We stopped in Agadir at the ocean on our way to Imouzzer and went to the most fantastic vegetable market. I wish I could have shopped it for the wide variety of fresh organic veggies. No such luck but I did get huge walnuts, dates, figs and corn nuts, yummy for the car ride through Paradise Valley to the mountains.
Kathy & John. Florida

Day 1 – Marrakech – Daily arrival – Private Tour. Choose your own date
You’ll land at the airport of fabled Casablanca, clear customs and immigration formalities, and board your connecting flight to Marrakech. Our local representative will greet you and usher you directly to your accommodations at your Riad / Boutique hotel, Riad Mehdi or similar: Riad Monceau, Riad Jardin de Medinah or La Maison Arabe, Marrakech where a traditional welcoming mint tea and a fruit basket await you. Your personal requirements and relaxation are foremost. Take in your surroundings.

Day 2 – Marrakech (B)
This morning you’ll take a private tour of Marrakech by horse-drawn carriage. You’ll see the Koutoubia, the landmark of the city, and perhaps you’ll note its similarity to its sister tower, the Giralda of Seville, in Spain. You’ll continue to the Bahia palace, built in the nineteenth century, with room after stately oriental room of intricate plaster work and finely detailed columns, and sedate hidden gardens. Finally, you’ll see the Majorelle Botanical Gardens of Yves Saint Laurent, planted with trees and flowers from all over the world. In the afternoon, you’ll discover the old city and always-lively Djemaa El Fna Square, populated by water sellers, magicians, peddlers, politicians, and animal tamers, who carry on an endless flurry of activities straight out of the middle ages. If you have a spare moment, the souks of Marrakech will always keep you entertained.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town). This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions – just let us know your preferences.

Day 3 – Marrakech (BD)
Morning at leisure. Late afternoon we’ll escort you to the Palm grove on the outskirts of Marrakech for a wonderful experience of camel riding at sunset before we head for our gourmet Moroccan dinner at the Yacut restaurant where you will be captivated by the charm & ambiance of the facility. The entrance, lit by lanterns and high candelabra leads to a beautiful fountain with roses whose heady perfume blends with the pleasant smells of the amber and musk. The corridor runs into a Riad.

Before we head for our gourmet Moroccan dinner with staff in traditional dress, Gnaouas singers and dancers – their music reflecting both Arabic and African influence, and Arabo-Andalusian music – will serenade us. The evening will culminate with the traditional Belly dancer performance and gourmet Moroccan food.

On both sides of the courtyard, an arcade allows the access to the glass Moroccan pavilion lounges. A spiral staircase leads to the terrace with a luxurious outdoor setting of an oriental lounge fit for a Sultan, with a fantastic panorama on the Medina. Gourmet Moroccan food, pre-dinner drinks and wine included.

DAY 4 – Marrakech – Ouarzazate – 203 Kilometers (about 2 hours) (BLD)
In the morning you will be driven to Ouarzazate through the impressive scenery and the beautiful landscapes of the High Atlas Mountains range and crossing the Tichka Pass, at more than 2,000 m high. Enjoy the wide range of fossils available en route.

Before reaching Ouarzazate tour the Hollywood famous at the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah region, which served as the backdrop for several of movies, protected now by UNESCO. It is an area of Kasbahs grouped among patches of wheat fields, terraced orchards, olives and date palms. It ascends a small mountain and is surmounted by an “Agadir” (grain storage tower) giving it an epic scale. Lunch will be served at a restaurant facing the Kasbah. In the afternoon we continue to Ouarzazate, a small town set at the foot of the arid southern slopes, where we may find Golden Oriole, Melodious and Bonelli’s Warblers, Cattle and Little Egrets, Kentish Plover, Black-winged stilt and Bee-eater. Dinner and overnight accommodation at hotel.

If you prefer to visit Merzouga Oasis with a one night camping in the Sahara (deluxe camp-tent), please click here.

DAY 5 – Ouarzazate- Taliouine – Taroudant- 292 Kilometers (about 3 and half hours) (BLD)
Heading westwards we travel to Taliouine from which we can explore the fine gorge at Aoulouz, one of the few remaining areas in which the Bald Ibis can be expected, as well as Peregrine, and possibly Lanner and Barbary Falcon which may be seen in the air together. The long-legged Buzzard and other species of eagle are also likely, as well as Roller, Spanish Sparrow, Red-rumped Swallow, Bulbul etc. Between Aoulouz and Agadir the principal species of tree is the Argana which gives the region an East African Savannah appearance. Here Great Grey and Woodchat Shrikes are common, and we look out for the Tawny Eagle and Chanting Goshawk. Lunch is included enroute. Late afternoon arrival in Taroudant for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 -TAROUDANT / AGADIR / IMOUZZER IDA OUTANANE (BLD)
Morning departure for Imouzzer Ida Outanane. We cross the Anti Atlas mountain range, with palm groves, green valleys and narrow gorges – before reaching the village & waterfalls of the “Bride’s Veil” with its small lake surrounded by olive groves. Lunch is included enroute, overnight accommodation at the Cascades hotel – a modest 4 stars, yet it is the best available in this area. Dinner is included at one of the local restaurants.

Day 7 – Imouzzer Ida Outanane / ESSAOUIRA (BLD)
Drive to Essaouira, a a charming fishing harbor. Renowned for generations for its production of “Murex”, a small shellfish used to make the purple dye for Roman togas, Essaouira is now a very active fishing harbor, with some character from the Portuguese who settled here in the 16th century. Later on Sultan Mohamed Ben Abdellah used it as a base for his corsairs. Today, protected from the sea and the wind behind its commanding fortified medieval walls, Essaouira shelters a flourishing craftsmanship in marquetry, working wood with ebony, mother of pearl and silver thread to make tables, chessboards, caskets and bracelets. Enjoy a seafood lunch, before heading back to the hotel where dinner is included.

Day 8 – Essaouira – Safi – El Jadida – Casablanca – Rabat (BLD)
We’ll escort you by private air -conditioned vehicle heading for Casablanca, continuing on to Rabat and your hotel. Lunch is included enroute. Dinner is included at one of the local restaurants.

Morocco Fez City tour. Video by noodzaak.

Day 9 – Rabat – Meknes – Fez (BD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Panoramic tour of Rabat, the capital of Morocco: tour the Mausoleum of King Mohamed V, a jewel of hispano-moorish architecture, the Hassan Tower nearby and the Oudayas Kasbah overlooking the mouth of the Bou Regreg River before we head for Meknes former Imperial City built at the end of the 17th century by King Moulay Ismail. Arrival in time for city sightseeing, including the old ramparts, the Moulay Ismail stables, granaries and House of Water, Bab Mansour, one of the most beautiful gate in Morocco and the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum and then Fez, and your hotel or Riad Fes or similar. You’ll be welcomed with a traditional mint tea and a fruit basket. Your dinner is at your hotel or Riad.

Oh my gosh we just checked on to the Riad Fez, it is stunning and our suite looks like the bridal suite with fabulous lace curtains and silk drapes. Pictures to follow. The planning of the itinerary has been perfect from the charm and sophistication of Riad Monceau to the natural elegance of Gazelle D’Or to the mountain beauty of the Cascade Hotel to the sounds of the waves crashing and the seagulls calling at the The Ramparts to this exquisite hotel, Riad Fez. What a place to conclude our trip.

Akmed our guide and Moncif the driver are both outstanding. Akmed is the most caring, attentive and well informed guide we have had and we thought the Turkey and Egypt guides were fantastic. Moncif our driver has been just as great in his role as Akmed.
Thanks so much. Kathy and John

Day 10 -Fez (BD)
Put on your walking shoes this morning for a trip in time back to the ninth century, as you explore the old city of Fez. Its Medina and its labyrinth of souks have been declared a world cultural treasure.

Your afternoon is free for relaxation or shopping or further exploration as you wish. In the evening it’s dinner and a show, with a difference. The food is Moroccan-style, of course; and the show is a fascinating view into Moroccan life, including a traditional wedding ceremony, Arabo-Andaluisan music, and an enticing performance by a belly dancer.

Day 11 – Fez – Cooking Class (BL)
Spend a day in appreciation of Moroccan pleasures. In the morning, you’ll join a demonstration of Moroccan cuisine, known around the world. You will have tasted Tajine, couscous, and much more. Now you’ll learn more about how these plates and sauces are prepared, and of the many influences that have created the national cuisine. In the afternoon, we head for Casablanca and the Royal Mansour Hotel or similar.

Day 12 -Departure from- Casablanca (B)
You’ll be escorted to the airport. Bon Voyage!

Marrakech:	Jardin de Medina. Riad Monceau. Riad Kniza, or similar – To Upgrade to Palais Namaskar please click here.
Taroudant:	Gazelle D’ Or or similar
Imouzzer:	Les Cascades – Best available here. There are no 5 stars Hotels
Ouarzazate:	Berber Palace Hotel Ouarzazate or similar
Essaouira:	Riad Loussia. Heure Bleue Riad or similar
Rabat:	Villa Mandarine
Fes:	Riad Fes
Casablanca:	Royal Mansour Hotel

Rate per person
triple	US$ 7070.00
double	US$ 7255.00
single	US$ 8460.00

 

Marrakech:	Riad Slitine: web site: www.riad-slitine.com
Ourazazate:	Riad Salam. Berber Palace Hotel or similar
Taroudant:	Dar Zitoune: www.darzitoune.com
Imouzzer:	Les Cascades Hotel
Essaouira:	Riad Loussia
Rabat:	Farah Hotel
Fes:	Merinides Hotel
Casablanca:	Place d’Anfa Hotel

Rate per person
triple	US$ 5860.00
double	US$ 5955.00
single	US$ 7270.00

 

Your tour includes:

• All airport transfers on a private basis.
• Accommodation as described, (always subject to availability, we keep the right to use alternative hotels within same category).
• Welcome mint tea, roses, and fruit basket upon arrival in Marrakech & Fes.
• Meals as indicated: cB = Continental breakfast; L = set-menu lunch; D = set-menu dinner
• Ground transportation in chauffeured, air-conditioned Mercedes Benz automobile or where applicable chauffeured four wheel drive Turbo Land Rover. Half-day horse-drawn carriage tour in Marrakech. Services of licensed English-speaking guide and entrance fees to sites visited. Camel ride in Marrakech palm grove.
• Hammam session (where its available at your hotel).
• Gratuities for local restaurant and hotel personnel.

Not included:

• Personal expenses.
• Tips to drivers and guides
• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance.
• International air fare from/to your home country.

Rate when you decide to upgrade to your hotel in Marrakech: to Palais Namaskar – Deluxe Room (click here for TripAdvisor reviews)
Taroudant:	Gazelle D’Or
Imouzzer:	Les Cascades – Best available here. There are no 5 stars Hotels
Essaouira:	Riad Loussia
Rabat:	Villa Mandarine
Fes:	Riad Fes
Casablanca:	Royal Mansour Hotel

Rate per person
double	US$ 8143
single	US$ 9440

Hi Omar,

I wanted to post about my experience with Travel in Style.com. The company based in San Fran planned the most amazing trip for me and my new husband for our honeymoon. It was a trip that combined Morocco and Egypt into a 11 day trip. We signed up for a private tour and the only people with us during the trip were our guides and drivers (which was great for an intimate honeymoon vs. a tour bus with 20 plus people all waiting for each other to go places, etc).

First, we got to Morocco and already had a driver through the agency there to greet us to take us to Marrakesh (from the Casablanca airport). The drive was nice and the car clean. Our driver was really nice and was very professional. We got dropped off and brought to the cutest hotel named Riad Chergui (more like a bed and breakfast which was much more intimate and fun!) and shown to our rooms after we were greeted with tea and cookies from the staff there. They were just absolutely helpful in helping us get anything we needed throughout our stay there (i.e. dress ironed, a bag to carry home souvenirs, cigarettes, etc.). The hotel itself was clean and charming, and we had a very nice room with windows that opened to the courtyard below. The pool and chairs were spotless everyday and the breakfast was always tasty and served to us when we came to downstairs to eat. I absolutely recommend this place to everyone.

While in Marrakesh, we went to do activities pre-planned by Travel in Style and everything worked out exactly as described in our itinerary. We always had a guide and driver on time when we were going around the city and our guide even came with us to help us bargain with the stores to get the best souvenirs at the best prices. It was a relief to us, who were a little hesitant to visit some of these countries at first, to have a very knowledgeable guide and to have someone around when we wanted him and not around when we wanted to do our own discoveries. The trip was set up so that some days we only had plans in the morning and after our planned lunch, we would have the rest of the day to do our own things (perfectly planned in this way!). Our lunches and dinners planned in our itineraries were at beautifully decorated restaurants with the best service, and we really had a chance to experience Moroccan food. It was great.

While in Marrakesh we had a camel ride and a cooking class scheduled, which were great since we wanted to do some different types of activities while we were there. The camel ride was so fun and we got some great pictures. The cooking class was hands-on and we learned how to make a Moroccan meal with the recipe so we could take that home with us and be able to have a Moroccan dinner. We just loved it!

We continued on for the second half of the trip to Egypt which was planned just as nicely. We ate at the best restaurants and really got the feel for the country. Here we did a lot more site seeing of course, and we always had our guide and driver there to take us around and show us the sites. They took us to a pyramid that was the first successful one created and when we went, we were the only tourists there (of course we also went to see the ones in Giza) so we really got to enjoy the scenery and pictures without a ton of other tourists around. Also, while in Egypt, we had a planned dinner with an actual Egyptian family who opened up their home to us. It was great to see the country from that perspective and really get to know what the people are like.

In summary, these are just a few great things I could say about the Morocco/Egypt tour we took through Travel in Style and I HIGHLY recommend them for anyone looking to experience these countries without all the hassles of planning it all in detail (since they do this for you) and of trying to figure out how to get around while there (that is where the private drivers really came in). They really took out all our worry and we had an amazing experience.
THANKS!!

Tina and Vishal
Posted on Frommer.com

Women-Only Tour of Morocco
All in 8-Days With All Meals Included

Romance and Grace of the East
The romance and grace of the East – the sophisticated, cultured ladies of the Harem; the grace, the skill, and the allure. Belly dancing was only one of the cultural delights of the Harem. Come and see them all!

While you’re here, get to know Moroccan cuisine, and even attend a belly dancing workshop to experience the romance of the Harem firsthand. You’ve seen–you’ve felt–the rhythms and motions of oriental dance in the movies, or, more genuinely, during your travels in the East.

Now, Travel in Style affords you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the sensuous art of belly dancing and other oriental rhythms during a stay in Morocco. You’ll attend daily dance workshops in the fabulous desert fortress that is Marrakech. Of course, you’ll have time to see the palaces and souks of the city as well. And your guide will use her network of contacts to Provide an entrée to Moroccan home life and customs as rarely experienced by outsiders. Join us for this unique experience.

Abdul our guide was informative as well as gracious. We are learning why Morocco ranks #3 for hospitality worldwide. Another love affair with an intriguing country.

Kathy & Jack – Florida

DAY 1 – MARRAKECH -The first Sunday of each month (D)
Our Morocco-based local representative will greet you at the international airport of Casablanca, and assist you with the transfer to board your short flight onward to Marrakech. You will need to clear customs and passports formalities in Casablanca. Morocco doesn’t require visa for a limited number of nationalities such: American, Australian, NZ, EU, Canadian and Japanese citizens. You are responsible for having your passport in order and valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival. On arrival in Marrakech, our local rep, will greet you and usher you to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax with a mint tea in the local style, and to stretch your legs. In the evening, we’ll meet with our dance workshop instructor. Dinner is included at the hotel.

DAY 2 – MARRAKECH – The Flavors of Morocco – Monday (BLD)
After breakfast, it’s time for our first workshop, a two-hour session of belly dance and Berber/folk dance. But it isn’t all serious study!

One of the special ways of understanding a culture is through its cuisines–not only sampling exotic tastes, but experiencing the preparation of dishes, how they figure in ritual and ceremony, and how they have grown out of the earth and traditions We’ll proceed to the Ecole Hotelière, Marrakech’s own hospitality & Culinary Academy and training school, for a demonstration of the preparation of pastry-style doughs. We’ll stay for a lunch of salads, tagine of Maghdour kebab, and refreshing fruits.

In the afternoon, we’ll see some of the sites of this city, which Winston Churchill called “the most beautiful place in the world at sunset”! Our stops will include the Koutoubia, the landmark mosque of the city, with a tower that duplicates the Giralda of Seville, in Spain; the hidden tombs of the Saadian dynasty; the Menara pavilion and gardens; the ruins of sprawling Badi Palace; the Bahia Palace, with room after stately oriental room of intricate plaster work and sedate hidden gardens; the Ben Yousef medersa; and the Koubba (chapel) of el-Ba’adiyn. We’ll return to our hotel for dinner.

DAY 3 – MARRAKECH- Tuesday (BLD)
We’ll have another three-hour dance workshop in the morning, covering belly dance and other forms of oriental dance, then we’ll rendezvous at the Yacout restaurant, this time to see the detailed preparation of bestilla. In this uniquely Moroccan dish, a squab or chicken is prepared in a sauce of lemon, egg, almond and onion, enveloped in a thin dough called warfa, and garnished with cinnamon and sugar. We’ll stay for lunch, on bestilla, of course.

After lunch, we’ll set out to discover the souks of Marrakech, those labyrinthine warrens of stalls and shops where goods from near and far have changed hands over the centuries. We’ll have a chance to witness artisans at work, creating the very goods that are on display, including crafters of fine brassware, and tanners and dyers of skins, working over great open-air crocks that appear to survive from another world. Of course, we’ll save time for Djemaa el-Fna square, with its circus atmosphere of itinerant dancers, jugglers, acrobats, storytellers, soothsayers, snake charmers, medicine men, water sellers, and public scribes. Our eventful day concludes with a fine Moroccan dinner in a private room at Dar Haj Idder, accompanied by an oriental band, and dancing–which we can now join in!

DAY 4 – MARRAKECH – Belly-Dance Class- Hamam – Moroccan Spa – Henna Party – Home Hosted Dinner – Wednesday (BLD)
After our morning session of belly dance and oriental dance, we’ll spend the afternoon in a hammam, the traditional Moroccan steam bath, with scrubbing and a ritual all its own. Followed by Henna party (of course you may simply attend to enjoy the ritual).

One of the “insiders” excursions into Moroccan culture, a chance to attend a henna party, the painting of hands and body and the coloring of hair with this natural red dye is a symbol of joy at weddings and regarded as a way to enhance one’s beauty (all this painting may be washed away in few days), you may wish to simply limit the henna painting to your hands – it is your call. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.

You’ll finish the day with a memorable experience of Moroccan hospitality, dinner in the home of a Marrakech family in the old Medina.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town). This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions – just let us know your preferences.

DAY 5 – MARRAKECH – Thursday (BLD)
We’ll have our morning dance workshop. Then it’s time for an unusual excursion into Moroccan culture, through a henna party. The painting of hands and body and the coloring of hair with this natural red dye are a symbol of joy at weddings and a way of enhancing one’s beauty. We’ll all share in this time-honored tradition. Dinner will be in a private room at the Douirya. Once again, we’ll have a band, and the occasion to practice our dancing.

DAY 6 – MARRAKECH – Culinary Experience – Local Family Hosted Lunch – Friday (BLD)
This morning, we’ll have our last dance workshop–and we’ll reflect on how far we’ve progressed in just a few days! Then we’ll spend an afternoon getting to know Moroccan culture through its food, as we visit a local family and learn how to prepare traditional pastries.

Before sunset, our local rep. will call on you and we are off for a camel ride on the outskirts of Marrakech and enjoy the sunset over the palmgrove and the sahara. We’ll return to our hotel for dinner.

DAY 7 – OURIKA VALLEY, THE POTTERS VILLAGE OF TAFZA – Saturday (BLD)
This morning, we’ll head 30 kilometers outside of Marrakech to the lush valley of the Ourika River, which winds down from the peaks of the High Atlas, through clusters of mud-walled houses. Our visit coincides with one of the regular market days, and we’ll walk among the stands of butchers and vegetable-sellers, merchants of cereals and olive oil, itinerant blacksmiths and sellers of patent medicines and herbal remedies. A barber sets up shop with nothing more than a scissors, hand clipper, and stiff wooden chair, an open-air eatery offers hot food freshly prepared on a brazier. We’ll continue to Tafza to see how vases and lamp bases are made in home workshops, and to view quartz and amethyst and other minerals of the region. We’ll be received for tea in the customary local manner. We’ll meet up with local villagers at a well, help to draw water, and join in preparing a Berber meal of soup, tanurt (bread), and tajine (meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot). Our hosts are modest local persons who will appreciate offerings of useful small items, such as pencils or notebooks, or even small treats, such as candy. We’ll return to Marrakech through the stunning scenery of the valley. Dinner at the hotel.

Our farewell dinner will be set in a private room at the Diaffa, to the accompaniment of an oriental band. We’ll try out our newly acquired skills, and a jury will select the recipient of an oriental dance costume, valued at $500. May the best dancer win!

DAY 8 – DEPARTURE FROM MARRAKECH (B) Sunday
After breakfast, our local personnel will call for you and see you to Marrakech Menara airport to begin your journey home, via Casablanca. Bon Voyage!

Rates per person in US$
In Triple occupancy	US$ 4440.00
In Double occupancy	US$ 4560.00
In Single occupancy	US$ 5420.00

Rate includes:

• Marrakech: Sofitel Hotel with the High Atlas Mountain View, or a charming boutique riad / hotel: The Riads: Riad La Maison Arabe, the Jardin de La Medina, Riad Monceau or similar
• All ground transportation in Morocco Accommodation in first-class (four-star) hotel in Marrakech.
• Meals as indicated with preset menu (B = continental breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
• Oriental dance workshop and classes as indicated in private meeting room at hotel.
• Guided tours, excursions, and activities as described, including the services of a lady guide, and all entry fees.
• All meals as described.
• Prize to winner of competition on last evening, as described: an oriental dance costume, valued at $500. May the best dancer win!

Not Included:

• Tips.
• Travel Insurance
• Personal expenses and gratuities
• Beverages
• International air fare from/to your home country

This is where a traditional welcoming mint tea and a fruit basket await you. Your personal requirements and relaxation are foremost. These luxurious yet delightful Riads are usually a former palace, mansion, or large residential house restored to 1930s, 1940s grandeur. The Riad classical plan is: substantial walls and orientation to a central patio with venerable trees providing a haven of peace in the midst of bustling Marrakech. Guests are accommodated in usually only five – ten guest suites, each with sitting area and the finest oriental appointments, fireplace (subject to the category you choose), air conditioning, and European-style dining room (subject to the category you choose). Some are with private terraces that provides a secluded window on the active life of romantic and mysterious Marrakech or Fes.

Hi Omar,

I wanted to post about my experience with Travel in Style.com . The company based in San Fran planned the most amazing trip for me and my new husband for our honeymoon. It was a trip that combined Morocco and Egypt into a 11 day trip. We signed up for a private tour and the only people with us during the trip were our guides and drivers (which was great for an intimate honeymoon vs. a tour bus with 20 plus people all waiting for each other to go places, etc).

First, we got to Morocco and already had a driver through the agency there to greet us to take us to Marrakesh (from the Casablanca airport). The drive was nice and the car clean. Our driver was really nice and was very professional. We got dropped off and brought to the cutest hotel named Riad Chergui (more like a bed and breakfast which was much more intimate and fun!) and shown to our rooms after we were greeted with tea and cookies from the staff there. They were just absolutely helpful in helping us get anything we needed throughout our stay there (i.e. dress ironed, a bag to carry home souvenirs, cigarettes, etc.). The hotel itself was clean and charming, and we had a very nice room with windows that opened to the courtyard below. The pool and chairs were spotless everyday and the breakfast was always tasty and served to us when we came to downstairs to eat. I absolutely recommend this place to everyone.

While in Marrakesh, we went to do activities pre-planned by Travel in Style and everything worked out exactly as described in our itinerary. We always had a guide and driver on time when we were going around the city and our guide even came with us to help us bargain with the stores to get the best souvenirs at the best prices. It was a relief to us, who were a little hesitant to visit some of these countries at first, to have a very knowledgeable guide and to have someone around when we wanted him and not around when we wanted to do our own discoveries. The trip was set up so that some days we only had plans in the morning and after our planned lunch, we would have the rest of the day to do our own things (perfectly planned in this way!). Our lunches and dinners planned in our itineraries were at beautifully decorated restaurants with the best service, and we really had a chance to experience Moroccan food. It was great.

While in Marrakesh we had a camel ride and a cooking class scheduled, which were great since we wanted to do some different types of activities while we were there. The camel ride was so fun and we got some great pictures. The cooking class was hands-on and we learned how to make a Moroccan meal with the recipe so we could take that home with us and be able to have a Moroccan dinner. We just loved it!

We continued on for the second half of the trip to Egypt which was planned just as nicely. We ate at the best restaurants and really got the feel for the country. Here we did a lot more site seeing of course, and we always had our guide and driver there to take us around and show us the sites. They took us to a pyramid that was the first successful one created and when we went, we were the only tourists there (of course we also went to see the ones in Giza) so we really got to enjoy the scenery and pictures without a ton of other tourists around. Also, while in Egypt, we had a planned dinner with an actual Egyptian family who opened up their home to us. It was great to see the country from that perspective and really get to know what the people are like.

In summary, these are just a few great things I could say about the Morocco/Egypt tour we took through Travel in Style and I HIGHLY recommend them for anyone looking to experience these countries without all the hassles of planning it all in detail (since they do this for you) and of trying to figure out how to get around while there (that is where the private drivers really came in). They really took out all our worry and we had an amazing experience.
THANKS!!

Tina and Vishal
Posted on Frommer.com

Tour the Dunes, Mountains and Kasbahs of Morocco
A 9-day tour

Explore the historic kasbahs (fortresses) and natural alpine beauty of southern Morocco’s mighty High Atlas Mountains on this 8 day tour to Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Tamegroute, Zagora, Erfoud, Tinerhir, and Berber villages at the edge of the Sahara Desert. To add Merzouga, please click here.

Day 1 – MARRAKECH – Choose Your Own Dates – Start Any Day – Year Round
Welcome to Morocco! Morning arrival at Marrakech Airport. We escort you to your hotel. A welcome mint tea & fruit basket awaits you at your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure. Prefer to start in Casablanca? please click here.

Day 2 – MARRAKECH (BL)
A horse drain carriage panoramic tour of the medinah, and a walking tour of the souk (market), we see some of the age-old guild artisans at work. Finally, we end up in famous Djemaa el-Fna square with its medieval circus atmosphere of itinerant dancers, jugglers, acrobats, storytellers, soothsayers, snake charmers, medicine men and public scribes. Lunch at a local restaurant. Remainder of the day at leisure.

Morocco Marrakesh city tour. Video by noodzaak.

DAY 3 – MARRAKECH TREKKING (BLD)
After breakfast in you hotel, leave for Amizmiz, 54 kilometers from Marrakech. On the way you will see the Oumnast Kasbah then the Lalla Takerkoust Dam built between 1929 and 1935 with it man-made lake. It will take you about an hour to reach Amizmiz, a typical Berber village, where we will tour the Kasbah and the “Mellah” (Jewish quarter). Every Tuesday an important country market is held where all the villagers from the area come for their weekly shopping and gossiping. There you can buy interesting Regragra potteries. Your guide will welcome you in his home for a traditional Berber breakfast then you will start your hiking first through Sidi Hossein valley to reach Tizi Oughourane. On the way you will see picturesque landscapes of the Atlas mountains, Berber villages with their houses built in stone and earth. After a typical lunch accompanied by mint tea, you will come back to Amizimiz by a different itinerary and be transferred back to busy Marrakech by late afternoon. Remainder of the day at leisure. In the evening enjoy a delicious dinner and music at a Moroccan restaurant.

DAY 4 – OUARZAZATE (BD)
This morning we take a closer look at Marrakech’s most important historic and architectural wonders: the Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs and the Bahia Palace. In the afternoon we hit the road, climbing through striking alpine scenery into the High Atlas Mountains, crossing to the southeastern side of the range via the Tizi N’Tichka Pass (7415 feet). We descend to the Draa Valley, dotted with ancient kasbahs (fortified palaces), to the caravan-town of Ouarzazate at the edge of the mighty Sahara Desert, dinner at the hotel in Ourzazate.

DAY 5 – ZAGORA & TAMEGROUTE (BD)
Starting bright and early, we traverse the Draa Valley with its six palm forests forming grand ribbons of greenery across the flat valley floor. Thanks to the proximity of the river, cereals, henna, vegetables, fruit and date palms are cultivated, either on the floor of the valley or on stepped terraces. We arrive in Zagora around noontime. After lunch (on own), we embark on an excursion to Tamegroute to view the illuminated Korans, with holy verses inscribed on gazelle-skin parchment, the oldest dating from the 13th century. We’ll also visit the Potters’ Yard and huge Tinfou Dune watch and enjoy the sunset before returning to Zagora and your hotel.

DAY 6 – ERFOUD (BD)
Morning departure to Erfoud through the pre saharan landscape of “regs” (rocky tables), and scattered Berber village, Afternoon arrival at Rissani, tour the Ouled El Hadim Kasbah. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel in Erfoud.

DAY 7 – TINERHIR, TODRA GORGE – OUARZAZATE (BD)
We start the day with a drive through the beautiful Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs to Tinerhir. A former military outpost built on terraces above a magnificent palm grove, Tinerhir stands at the entrance to the Todra Gorge, framed by awesome thousand-foot-high cliffs that make you think you’re “at the ends of the Earth.” From Tinerhir we proceed past a series of great kasbahs to Boumalne du Dades, a large town at the foot of the gorge to Skoura. Beyond Skoura, the desert palms give way to orchards and irrigated gardens. Roses are the specialty of El Kelaa des Mgouna. The rose oil is sent to Paris to be made into perfume by Yves Saint-Laurent. Do some “rose” shopping here–rose water, body milk, dried rose petals before returning to our hotel in Ouarzazate for the evening, dinner at the hotel.

DAY 8 – MARRAKECH (BLD)
We drive back to Marrakech over the High Atlas, admiring the majesty of towering Djebel Toubkal (13,665 feet). In the afternoon, drive to the ancient Kasbah complex of Ait Ben Haddou, an impressive 11th century site that has been declared as a historical treasure by the UNESCO. A photographer’s wonderland, Ait Ben Haddou remains home to five families. Lunch is included enroute. In Marrakech the afternoon is at leisure, dinner at the hotel.

Day 9 – DEPARTURE (B)
We escort you to the airport for your homeward flight. Bon Voyage. To add Merzouga, please click here.

Rates are in USD $. Rates are per person in 4 & 5 stars hotels as listed.
	Deluxe	First Class
Triple	US$ 2929.	US$ 2663.
Double	US$ 3078.	US$ 2760.
Single	US$ 3965.	US$ 3554.
For Dec 20 – Jan 3: Please add 10 % supplement to the rate.

Your tour includes:

• Hotel accommodation as shown in the table “Our Hotels;” all rooms with private bath.
• ALL Meals as indicated in the itinerary: Continental (cB) or full breakfast (B) daily; set-menu lunch (L); set-menu dinner (D)
• Transportation throughout by deluxe air-conditioned Mercedes Benz, or coach.
• Escorted guided sightseeing tours by air conditioned private motor coach as indicated in the itinerary, including all entry fees
• Services of a fully-licensed English-speaking guide throughout

 Not Included:

• Tips.
• International air fare from/to your home country.
• Travel Insurance
• Personal expenses and gratuities
• Beverages

Your Hotels
	Five Stars	First class – Four Stars
Marrakech	Imperial Borj or Kenzi Farah	Imperial Holiday or Diwan, Dellarosa, or Riad Aladin
Ouarzazate	Kenzi Belere or Club Hanane	Kenzi Azghor, Fint Hotel, Riad Salam
Zagora	Kasr Tinsouline	Palais Asmaa or Dar Lamane
Erfoud	Kasbah Tizimi	Kasbah Xaluca or Kasbah Ksar chergui

For Christmas/New Year’s: Please add: %10 to the rates.

Please note that in Zagora regardless of the category you choose, hotel Ksar Tinsouline or similar will be the the only hotels available in Zagora.

Hi Omar,

I wanted to post about my experience with Travel in Style.com. The company based in San Fran planned the most amazing trip for me and my new husband for our honeymoon. It was a trip that combined Morocco and Egypt into a 11 day trip. We signed up for a private tour and the only people with us during the trip were our guides and drivers (which was great for a initimate honeymoon vs. a tour bus with 20 plus people all waiting for each other to go places, etc).

First, we got to Morocco and already had a driver through the agency there to greet us to take us to Marrekesh (from the Casablanca airport). The drive was nice and the car clean. Our driver was really nice and was very professional. We got dropped off and brought to the cutest hotel named Riad Chergui (more like a bed and breakfast which was much more initimate and fun!) and shown to our rooms after we were greeted with tea and cookies from the staff there. They were just absolutely helpful in helping us get anything we needed throughout our stay there (i.e. dress ironed, a bag to carry home souveniers, cigarettes, etc.). The hotel itself was clean and charming, and we had a very nice room with windows that opened to the courtyard below. The pool and chairs were spotless everyday and the breakfast was always tasty and served to us when we came to downstairs to eat. I absolutely recommend this place to everyone.

While in Marrekesh, we went to do activities pre-planned by Travel in Style and everything worked out exactly as described in our itinerary. We always had a guide and driver on time when we were going around the city and our guide even came with us to help us bargain with the stores to get the best souveniers at the best prices. It was a relief to us, who were a little hesitant to visit some of these countries at first, to have a very knowledgeable guide and to have someone around when we wanted him and not around when we wanted to do our own discoveries. The trip was set up so that some days we only had plans in the morning and after our planned lunch, we would have the rest of the day to do our own things (perfectly planned in this way!). Our lunches and dinners planned in our itineraries were at beautifully decorated restaurants with the best service, and we really had a chance to experience Moroccan food. It was great.

While in Marrekesh we had a camel ride and a cooking class scheduled, which were great since we wanted to do some different types of activities while we were there. The camel ride was so fun and we got some great pictures. The cooking class was hands-on and we learned how to make a Moroccan meal with the receipe so we could take that home with us and be able to have a Moroccan dinner. We just loved it!

We continued on for the second half of the trip to Egypt which was planned just as nicely. We ate at teh best restaurants and really got the feel for the country. Here we did a lot more site seeing of course, and we always had our guide and driver there to take us around and show us the sites. They took us to a pyramid that was the first successful one created and when we went, we were the only tourists there (of course we also went to see the ones in Giza) so we really got to enjoy the scenery and pictures without a ton of other tourists around. Also, while in Egypt, we had a planned dinner with an actual Egyptian family who opened up their home to us. It was great to see the country from that perspective and really get to know what the people are like.

In summary, these are just a few great things I could say about the Morrocco/Egypt tour we took through Travel in Style and I HIGHLY recommend them for anyone looking to experience these countries without all the hassles of planning it all in detail (since they do this for you) and of trying to figure out how to get around while there (that is where the private drivers really came in). They really took out all our worry and we had an amazing experience.
THANKS!!

Tina and Vishal (NYC,NY)
Posted on Frommer.com

A Private 7 -day Tour in the True Magic Kingdom of Morocco
Essaouira Edition

Private Transfers & Touring. Choose your own date
Perfect for Honeymooners – Tour Operates Daily – Year round

Experience the romance of old Morocco everywhere on this seven-day tour, in ancient kasbahs standing sentinel against invaders, along the winding lanes of the medinas of Fez and Marrakech, and in your very lodgings, palaces and venerable homes that have been brought to life again as Riads, combining the best of Arab hospitality with the appointments of fine boutique hotels.

My dearest Omar,
We thought there could never be a trip as good as Turkey and Egypt with you but this one is every bit as good and we only gave you 30 days to arrange our trip to Morocco!
Kathy and John

Day 1 – CASABLANCA
You’ll land at the airport of fabled Casablanca (or Marrakech), clear customs and immigration formalities, our local staff greets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. Welcome mint tea & fruit basket awaits you.

DAY 2 – Casablanca – Atlantic Coast to Essaouira (BLD)
Morning tour of the Grand Mosque of Hassan II, always with a private car/driver and guide, before we drive along the Atlantic coast heading south for Eassaouira. Lunch is included en route. Late afternoon arrival. With the remainder at leisure to enjoy exploring with guide at hand, this sleepy seaside town. Dinner is included at a charming local restaurant.

We did have lunch at a lovely beach side restaurant Chalet de Plage that has been there for 100 years, off to another fish restaurant for dinner. Everyone must visit this fascinating country sometime in their life.

Love, Kathy and John

DAY 3 – ESSAOUIRA (BLD)
Today Essaouira is yours, a charming fishing harbor. Renowned for generations for its production of “Murex”, a small shellfish used to make the purple dye for Roman togas, Essaouira is now a very active fishing harbor, with some Portuguese character who settled here in the 16th century. Later on Sultan Mohamed Ben Abdellah used it as a base for his corsairs. Today, protected from the sea and the wind behind its commanding fortified medieval walls, Essaouira shelters a flourishing craftsmanship in marquetry, working wood with ebony, mother of pearl and silver thread to make tables, chessboards, caskets and bracelets. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. Dinner is included at the hotel.

We were out at the port before 8 AM to see all of the activity. We have been there 3 times today, the boats and the fishermen are fantastic. The fishing boats range from small individual boats to large ones but none of these are huge commercial boats. For every one fisherman 5 more jobs are created. In Morocco…… Everyday we see “the next great thing”!

Kathy & John – Florida

DAY 4 – Essaouira / Marrakech (BD)
In your private air-conditioned car you’ll proceed back to Marrakech and your accommodations at a charming Riad.
At your Riad a traditional welcoming mint tea and a fruit basket await you. Your personal requirements and relaxation are foremost. The formality of check-in can wait.

For a Riad we suggest Riad Donab (or similar). This luxurious yet delightful Riad is a former palace restored to 1930s grandeur. Its substantial walls and orientation to a central patio with venerable trees provide a haven of peace in the midst of bustling Marrakech. The private terraces of Riad Donab provide a secluded window on the active life of romantic and mysterious Marrakech. The art of Moroccan-style living in a beautiful and majestic residence. Shielded from the bustle of the old Medina, Dar Donab opens its doors on a haven of peace and naturally air-conditioned cool environment. The sophisticated decor of lounges, guest-rooms and suites reflects the luxury an comfort of Moroccan stately homes.

In the Riads (Charming Boutique Hotels) we use, the proprietors and their staff extend a hospitality of the sort born of good breeding. Breakfast, either continental or Moroccan-style, may be taken in the privacy of one’s room or in the lounge in the company of one’s fellow guests, while room service offers light fare as required.

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town). This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions – just let us know your preferences.

Day 5 – Marrakech (BD)
This morning you’ll take a private tour of Marrakech by horse-drawn carriage. You’ll see the Koutoubia, the landmark mosque of the city, and perhaps you’ll note its similarity to its sister tower, the Giralda of Seville, in Spain. You’ll continue to the Bahia palace, built in the nineteenth century, with room after stately oriental room of intricate plaster work and finely detailed columns, and sedate hidden gardens. Finally, you’ll see the Majorelle Botanical Gardens of Yves Saint Laurent, planted with trees and flowers from all over the world. In the afternoon, you’ll discover the old city and always-lively Djemaa El Fna Square, populated by water sellers, magicians, peddlers, politicians, and animal tamers, who carry on an endless flurry of activities straight out of the middle ages. If you have a spare moment, the souks of Marrakech will always keep you entertained.

Your day concludes with a gastronomic Moroccan-style dinner at Dar Marjana (or similar), a seventeenth-century house in the Medina. You’ll be welcomed with a drink served in an open patio as a fountain trickles gently in the background, and ushered to dine at leisure while you are entertained by a lutenist, singers, and, yes, a belly dancer. Your wine and drinks for the evening have all been taken care of.

Subject to season and availability, we may offer the show that ‘s a fascinating view into Moroccan life, including a traditional wedding ceremony.

Day 6- Marrakech – Culinary Cooking Adventure (B)
One of the special ways of understanding a culture is through its cuisines–not only sampling exotic tastes, but experiencing the preparation of dishes, how they figure in ritual and ceremony, and how they have grown out of the earth and traditions. We’ll proceed to the Ecole Hotelière (or subject to availability we may set up class at your hotel/riad), Marrakech’s own hospitality & Culinary Academy and training school, for a demonstration of the preparation of pastry-style doughs. We’ll stay for a lunch of salads, tagine of Maghdour kebab, and refreshing fruits.

You’ll spend this afternoon as you wish. Perhaps you’ll explore more of the walled quarters of souks and winding lanes. Or else you’ll venture into the modern town of wide boulevards and sidewalk cafes. Or maybe you’ll appreciate the serenity of your lodgings.

We’ll call on you later to take you for your sunset camel ride, in the 13,000 acres of palm groves around Marrakech.
Subject to availability, and the hotel used, a complimentary hamam session is included – the traditional Moroccan steam bath, with scrubbing and a ritual all its own.

Day 7 -Departure from Marrakech (B)
Breakfast is always included at your hotel. Private airport transfer to Marrakech airport. Bon Voyage.

Shopping for sweets at the souks:
The medina of Fez. The nougat candy in various pastel colors is to die for and the shopkeeper is 2nd generation candy maker. John and I in front of one of the doors to the Fez palace of the king. Had a great day and tomorrow after cooking class we are back to the artisan area of the medina and the tanneries where they treat and dye the leather like they have 100’s of years, we can’t wait!

Rates are per person in US $
	Deluxe Hotels	First Class
In Triple Occupancy	US$ 2869.00	US$ 2300.00
In Double Occupancy	US$ 3090.00	US$ 2540.00
In Single Occupancy	US$ 4180.00	US$ 3500.00

Your tour includes:

• All airport transfers in Morocco as described in the tour itinerary
• Accommodation as described.
• Welcome mint tea, and fruit baskets as described
• Meals as indicated: cB = Continental breakfast; L = set-menu lunch; D = set-menu dinner
• Ground transportation in private chauffeured, air-conditioned sedan or van depending on the number of luggage you may have.
• Half-day horse-drawn carriage tour in Marrakech. Services of licensed English-speaking guide and entrance fees to sites visited. Camel ride in Marrakech palm grove.

Not included:

• International air fare
• Drinks
• Personal expenses
• Gratuities for local personnel
• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance

Some of the Hotels and Riads we work with
	Deluxe- Standard	First Class
Marrakech	Atlas Medina or similar	Atlas Asni or similar For Riads (Boutique hotels): Riad Atta or Riad Hamonie
Casablanca	Palace D’Anfa	Idou Anfa
Essaouira	Sofitel Mogador	Villa Quieta

Hi Omar,

I wanted to post about my experience with Travel in Style.com. The company based in San Fran planned the most amazing trip for me and my new husband for our honeymoon. It was a trip that combined Morocco and Egypt into a 11 day trip. We signed up for a private tour and the only people with us during the trip were our guides and drivers (which was great for a intimate honeymoon vs. a tour bus with 20 plus people all waiting for each other to go places, etc).

First, we got to Morocco and already had a driver through the agency there to greet us to take us to Marrakesh (from the Casablanca airport). The drive was nice and the car clean. Our driver was really nice and was very professional. We got dropped off and brought to the cutest hotel named Riad Chergui (more like a bed and breakfast which was much more intimate and fun!) and shown to our rooms after we were greeted with tea and cookies from the staff there. They were just absolutely helpful in helping us get anything we needed throughout our stay there (i.e. dress ironed, a bag to carry home souvenirs, cigarettes, etc.). The hotel itself was clean and charming, and we had a very nice room with windows that opened to the courtyard below. The pool and chairs were spotless everyday and the breakfast was always tasty and served to us when we came to downstairs to eat. I absolutely recommend this place to everyone.

While in Marrakesh, we went to do activities pre-planned by Travel in Style and everything worked out exactly as described in our itinerary. We always had a guide and driver on time when we were going around the city and our guide even came with us to help us bargain with the stores to get the best souvenirs at the best prices. It was a relief to us, who were a little hesitant to visit some of these countries at first, to have a very knowledgeable guide and to have someone around when we wanted him and not around when we wanted to do our own discoveries. The trip was set up so that some days we only had plans in the morning and after our planned lunch, we would have the rest of the day to do our own things (perfectly planned in this way!). Our lunches and dinners planned in our itineraries were at beautifully decorated restaurants with the best service, and we really had a chance to experience Moroccan food. It was great.

While in Marrakesh we had a camel ride and a cooking class scheduled, which were great since we wanted to do some different types of activities while we were there. The camel ride was so fun and we got some great pictures. The cooking class was hands-on and we learned how to make a Moroccan meal with the recipes so we could take that home with us and be able to have a Moroccan dinner. We just loved it!

We continued on for the second half of the trip to Egypt which was planned just as nicely. We ate at the best restaurants and really got the feel for the country. Here we did a lot more site seeing of course, and we always had our guide and driver there to take us around and show us the sites. They took us to a pyramid that was the first successful one created and when we went, we were the only tourists there (of course we also went to see the ones in Giza) so we really got to enjoy the scenery and pictures without a ton of other tourists around. Also, while in Egypt, we had a planned dinner with an actual Egyptian family who opened up their home to us. It was great to see the country from that perspective and really get to know what the people are like.

In summary, these are just a few great things I could say about the Morocco/Egypt tour we took through Travel in Style and I HIGHLY recommend them for anyone looking to experience these countries without all the hassles of planning it all in detail (since they do this for you) and of trying to figure out how to get around while there (that is where the private drivers really came in). They really took out all our worry and we had an amazing experience.
THANKS!!

Tina and Vishal (NYC,NY)
posted on Frommer.com

Give us a week and we’ll give you a grand tour of Morocco

Tour the Imperial cities in as the grand Vizier would have! The grace and splendor of the Orient, traditional Arab hospitality, and the fine service and amenities of a boutique hotel, all come together in the Moroccan Riad. This seven-day package affords a sampling of these unique accommodations, along with an array of unforgettable experiences, ranging from train and camel rides to dinner in the home of a local family. Add a beach resort stay at El Jadida in a 14-day version. Click for the 11 day edition with a sea side extension to Essaouira or the 11-day Ultra Deluxe edition with luxury camping in the Sahara.

DAY 1 – Tour Starts Daily in Marrakech – Choose Your Own Date – Year Round Tour
Our local rep. will meet you at the Marrakech Menara airport and escort you to your accommodations at (sample deluxe) Riad Malika (or similar), where a traditional welcoming mint tea and a fruit basket await you. Your personal requirements and relaxation are foremost. The formality of check-in can wait. This luxurious yet delightful Riad is a former palace restored to 1930s grandeur. Its substantial walls and orientation to a central patio with venerable trees provide a haven of peace in the midst of bustling Marrakech. Guests are accommodated in only five guest suites, each with sitting area and the finest oriental appointments, fireplace, air conditioning, and European-style dining room. The private terraces of Riad Malka provide a secluded window on the active life of romantic and mysterious Marrakech.

DAY 2 – Marrakech (B)
You’ll spend today seeing Marrakech, including the Koutoubia, the landmark mosque of the city. Perhaps you’ll note its similarity to its sister tower, the Giralda of Seville, in Spain. You’ll continue to the Saadian Tombs, and the Bahia palace, built in the nineteenth century, with room after stately oriental room with intricate plaster work and finely detailed columns, and sedate hidden gardens. In the afternoon, you’ll discover the old city and always-lively Djemaa El Fna Square, populated by water sellers, magicians, peddlers, politicians, and animal tamers, who carry on an endless flurry of activities straight out of the middle ages. If you have a spare moment, the souks of Marrakech will always keep you entertained.

DAY 3 – Marrakech, Camel Ride, Home Hosted Meal (BLD)
This morning you’ll ride through Marrakech in a horse-drawn carriage. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.

Later, we’ll call on you to take you for your sunset camel ride, in the 13,000 acres of palm groves around Marrakech. You’ll finish the day with a memorable experience of Moroccan hospitality, dinner in the home of a Marrakech family in the old Medina.

Dinner is included at a local home- Home Hosted Meal:
Meet the locals. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town). This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions – just let us know your preferences.

DAY 4 – MARRAKECH, FIRST CLASS TRAIN RIDE – CASABLANCA, RABAT, MEKNES, FEZ (BLD)
Our local rep. will assist with your transfer to Marrakech railroad station. Your guide will board the train with you and escort you.

Tickets in a first-class compartment and lunch are provided. You’ll roll in comfort through stunning mountain scenery to Casablanca. Once you detrain, we’ll escort you to visit the Hassan II Great Mosque, a monument to Moroccan artisanry and architecture. Then we’ll continue to Rabat, the capital of the kingdom, where we’ll stop at the mausoleum of Mohamed V, built in the Spanish-Moorish style, and at the nearby Hassan Tower. We’ll continue by way of Meknes to arrive in the evening to Fez, and your accommodations at the Dar Ghalia Riad. A welcome mint tea and a fruit basket await you. In the heart of the Medina, the old city of Fez, Dar Ghalia is a palace that dates back to the seventeenth century, restored and selectively modernized to provide both traditional surroundings and modern comforts. The architecture of Dar Ghalia has been respected, resulting in a range of accommodations, from double rooms to apartments to suites to a Douiria, or separate guesthouse, with its Hammam, a traditional steam bath. A Moroccan-style breakfast is included, and other meals may be taken in the dining room, or on the terrace, with its superb panorama of the Medina. Dinner is included at the hotel. For Deluxe category: Riad Fes or similar.

Oh my gosh we just checked on to the Riad Fez, it is stunning and our suite looks like the bridal suite with fabulous lace curtains and silk drapes. Pictures to follow. The planning of the itinerary has been perfect from the charm and sophistication of Riad Monceau to the natural elegance of Gazelle D’Or to the mountain beauty of the Cascade Hotel to the sounds of the waves crashing and the seagulls calling at the The Ramparts to this exquisite hotel, Riad Fez. What a place to conclude our trip.

Akmed our guide and Moncif the driver are both outstanding. Akmed is the most caring, attentive and well informed guide we have had and we thought the Turkey and Egypt guides were fantastic. Moncif our driver has been just as great in his role as Akmed.

Thanks so much. Kathy and John

DAY 5 – FEZ, VOLUBILIS, MOULAY IDRISS (BLD)
We’ll set out in the morning for the site of Volubilis, once the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania Tingitania. We’ll have lunch en route, and continue to Moulay Idriss, the picturesque shrine village named for the founder of the kingdom, who is interred here. In the evening, dinner is included tonight at a charming local restaurant.

DAY 6 – FEZ – Walking Tour – Cooking Class (BLD)
Put on your walking shoes this morning for a trip in time back to the ninth century, as we explore the old city of Fez. Its Medina and its labyrinth of souks have been declared a world cultural treasure. Your Chef and cooking instructor will join you in the vegetable souk to get all what you may need for your cooking class and lunch. Back at you hotel maybe you will savor the benefits of the Hammam (included where available based on the hotel that is available at the time of your booking), the traditional relaxing and restorative steam bath at Dar Ghalia or similar.
Dinner is included at your hotel.

Cooking & Culinary Experience in Morocco:

What a great last day. We went to cooking school and yes John did it too! We got there and they promptly handed us our shopping baskets and off to the local market where we bought all of the ingredients including a live chicken the our chef picked out and had de-feathered and made ready for cooking.

John learned to chop!! It was a great way to spend out last day, thank you Omar for the itinerary!

DAY 7- FEZ – Casablanca – Departure (B)
We’ll call on you early in the day and escort you to Casablanca Airport. Bon Voyage. Compare with the Ultra Deluxe edition with luxury Royal camping in the Sahara.

Rates are per person in US $
	Deluxe Riad /Hotels	First Class Riad/Hotels	Tourist Class Riad/Hotels
In Triple Occupancy	US$ 3481.	US$ 3191.	US$ 2980.
In Double Occupancy	US$ 3591.	US$ 3267.	US$ 3030.
In Single Occupancy	US$ 4695.	US$ 4400.	US$ 4180.
Children of 9 years of age or younger: 50 % discount. Infants: 2 years or younger: Pay only 10 %

Your tour includes:

• Accommodation as described, three nights in suite at Riad Malika in Marrakech, and three nights in traditional room at Dar Ghalia in Fez, breakfast included. Dinner hosted in a local home in Marrakech
• Continental (cB) or full breakfast (B) daily; set-menu dinner (D) as shown in the itinerary.
• Escorted guided sightseeing tours by air conditioned private motor coach as indicated in the itinerary, including all entry fees. Half-day horse-drawn carriage tour in Marrakech. Camel ride in Marrakech palm grove. Sound and Light show in Fez.
• All transfers within Morocco.
• First-class train ticket from Marrakech to Casablanca.
• Tea, mint tea or coffee upon arrival at your hotel in Casablanca on Day 1.
• Hammam session

Not included:

• International airfares or domestic airfares in Morocco.
• Drinks at meals
• Personal expenses
• Gratuities for local personnel
• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance

A Private Tour of Morocco in seven days

We’ll show you the best of Morocco and its great Imperial Cities in just a week. While others may offer 2-3 languages on board their coaches and tours, we provide PRIVATE group or individual tours, with the language of your choice. Compare with 9 days Edition Private touring and start any day or the 8 Day with one night deluxe camping the Moroccan Maghreb Sahara.

DAY 1- CASABLANCA – Daily – Choose your own dates – Year Round (L)
Arrive at Casablanca. Our local representative greets you at Casablanca’s Mohamed V Airport and escorts you to your hotel.

We’ll drop our luggage, have a refreshing cup of tea or coffee, then head out for a panoramic tour of the city including the Casablanca’s majestic Grand Mosque of King Hassan II (entrance tickets included – yet please note that mosque will be closed to visitors during prayer times and on Fridays). The mosque is second only to the Great Mosque at Mecca in size. We will enjoy lunch at a charming local restaurant before returning to your hotel.

DAY 2- Casablanca – RABAT -Meknes – Fez – Very Full Day (BL)
Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch is included enroute at a charming local restaurant.

We’ll drive on across the lush countryside to Rabat, Morocco’s capital and our first Imperial City, to visit the magnificent Mausoleum of King Mohammed V, the historic Hassan Tower minaret, and in the afternoon we drive through forests of cork oak trees. We continue on our way to Meknès, the “youngest” of Morocco’s four great imperial cities surrounded by towering medieval walls. We will visit the monumental gateway of Bab el-Mansour in the city walls and the palace tombs of Moulay Ismail before heading to Fez where we settle in for the night.

DAY 3- FEZ – (BD)
Oldest of the four Imperial Cities, Fez is endlessly fascinating. We tour its medina (Old City) and souk (bazaar), stopping at the gateway of the royal palace, the fortifications of the Kasbah, the 9th-century Karaouine Mosque and University, the medersa (theological college) of Bou Inania, the shrine of the city’s founder Moulay Idris II, and the Nejjarine Fountain. On the way to our hotel, we enjoy panoramic city views from the heights overlooking this fabled city.

DAY 4- AZROU, BENI-MELLAL – MARRAKECH (BLD) Very Full Day
Out for mountain scenery, we take a leisurely drive along the flanks of the mighty Atlas range via the charming village of Immouzzer du Kandar, the lake of Daiet Aoua, the mountain Ifrane ski resort and town of Azrou before descending to the Kasbah Tadla plain and the fertile region surrounding Beni-Mellal. In the late afternoon we arrive at the palm groves of Marrakech, the fourth of Morocco’s great Imperial Cities, to settle in at your hotel. Lunch is included enroute.

DAY 5 – MARRAKECH (BLD)
There is much to see in this great city which Winston Churchill called “the most beautiful place in the world at sunset.” We tour the stately Koutoubia Minaret, the hidden tombs of the Saadian dynasty, and Bahia Palace. In the afternoon, during our tour of the souk (market), we see some of the age-old guild artisans at work. Finally, we end up in famous Djemaa el-Fna square with its medieval circus atmosphere of itinerant dancers, jugglers, acrobats, storytellers, soothsayers, snake charmers, medicine men and public scribes. Finally, you’ll see the Menara pavilion and gardens, the Majorelle Botanical Gardens of Yves Saint Laurent, planted with trees and flowers from all over the world. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.

Dinner is included at a local home:
Meet the locals. You may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (T shirt, small souvenirs of your home town). This evening we’ll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread… right into the homes of some of the people of Marrakech! You’ll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you’ll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they’re sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you’ll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, if you prefer, you may enjoy dinner in a quiet restaurant with your travel companions – just let us know your preferences.

“That was the best food we had in all of Morocco. Sofia is an outstanding cook and host.” The Andrews- Morocco Nov 2014

DAY 6- Marrakech – Berber Village (BD)
After breakfast in you hotel, leave to Amizmiz, 54 Kilometers from Marrakech. On the way you will see the Oumnast Kasbah then the Lalla Takerkoust Dam built between 1929 and 1935 with its man made lake. It will take you about an hour to reach Amizmiz, a typical Berber village, where we tour the Kasbah and the “Mellah” (Jewish quarter). Every Tuesday an important country market is held, where all the villagers from the area come for their weekly shopping and gossiping… there you can buy interesting Regragra potteries. Your guide will welcome you in his home for a traditional Berber breakfast then you will start your hiking first through Sidi Hossein valley to reach Tizi Oughourane. On the way you will see picturesque landscapes of the Atlas mountains, Berber villages with their houses built in stone and earth. After a typical lunch accompanied by mint tea, you will come back to Amizimiz by a different itinerary and be transferred back to busy Marrakech by late afternoon.

Evening folk show dinner at Borj Bladi “Méchoui Roasted lamb cooked in Terracota oven” including return transfers always on a private basis. Add a night in a deluxe camp in the Moroccan Sahara! please click here.

DAY 7- Departure-Marrakech (B)
Our local rep. escorts you to the airport for your flight. Bon Voyage.

Category A hotels as listed. Private Touring. Rates are per person in US $
In Triple Occupancy	US$ 3249.
In Double Occupancy	US$ 3338.
In Single Occupancy	US$ 4295.
For Dec 20 – Jan 10: Please add 10 % supplement to the rate

Rates for Category B hotels as listed Rates are per person in US $
Sharing in Triple Occupancy	US$ 2689.
In Double Occupancy	US$ 2794.
In Single Occupancy	US$ 3885.
For Dec 20 – Jan 10: Please add 10 % supplement to the rate.

Upgrade to The Ultra Deluxe Category Rates are per person in US $
In Triple Occupancy	US$ 4269.00
Double	US$ 4118.00
Single	US$ 5295.00
For Dec 20 – Jan 10: Please add 10 % supplement to the rate.

Sample Listing of Your Hotels (or similar)
	5 Stars Hotels -Deluxe	Category A 5 Stars – Standard	Category B 4 Stars- First Class
Casablanca	Royal Mansour Hotel, Riad Hotel le Doge Relais & Châteaux Farah Golden Tuli or similar	Royal Anfa Hotel Golden Tulip Farah Casablanca Sheraton Casablanca or similar	Idou Anfa
Fez	Maison Blue Riad, Riad Fes Relais & Châteaux or similar	Palais Medina Hotel Fez Les Mérinides Sheraton Hotel Jnane Palace or similar	Minzah Zalagh
Marrakech	Sofitel Marrakech, Jardin de la Medina, Riad Monaceau, Jardin de la Kotoubia, or similar	Imperial Borj Hotel Kenzi Menara Palace Marrakech Kenzi Farah Hotel Marrakech or similar	Diwan
Children of 9 years of age or younger: 50 % discount. Infants: 2 years or younger: Pay only 10 %

Your tour includes:

• Hotel accommodations, including all taxes and service charges, as indicated or similar.
• Continental (B) breakfast daily; set-menu Lunch (L) or /and dinner (D) as shown in the itinerary.
• Private air-conditioned vehicle for all your transportation throughout Morocco as per itinerary with a private English speaking chauffeur.
• Private guide in major cities and private guided sightseeing tours as indicated in the itinerary, including all entry fees.
• All transfers within Morocco, always on a private basis.

What’s not included:

• International airfare to or from your home country
• Tips
• Travel Insurance

What a great last day. We went to cooking school and yes John did it too! We got there and they promptly handed us our shopping baskets and off to the local market where we bought all of the ingredients including a live chicken the our chef picked out and had de-feathered and made ready for cooking.

John learned to chop!! It was a great way to spend out last day, thank you Omar for the itinerary!