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Land Tour Price:
10 Nights -- $3995.00
Single supplement: $875.00
Meals included: all Breakfasts (B), 2 Lunches (L), 3
Dinners (D)
Limited to: 18 members
Hosted by: Dr. Lois Stack
Tour Manager: Jeff
Sainsbury
ITINERARY
October
6 (Saturday) – Depart
Depart on your overnight flight to Casablanca Airport.
October
7 (Sunday) – Casablanca and Rabat
Arrive Casablanca airport and visit the incredible Hassan II
Mosque, the country’s largest place of worship, which stands on
a promontory overlooking the ocean. We then transfer to
Rabat, the ancient capital of Morocco, and check into our luxury
Riad accommodation. After an optional lunch by the sea, we
pay a leisurely visit to the well-preserved Hassan Tower and its
surrounding garden. Return to the hotel for an evening at
leisure. Night: Villa Mandarine or Le Jardin De Roses.
October
8 (Monday) – Rabat
This morning
we explore the gardens and cultural sites of Rabat, including the old Medina;
the picturesque Kasbah of the Oudayas and the Oudaya Gate, built during the
Almohad dynasty and featuring formal Andalusian-style gardens; and the 13th century Chellah,
with its colorful modern
gardens. Later in the day we travel out to the exciting
Les Jardins Exotiques de
Bouknadel, originally laid out by a French horticulturalist in the 1950s.
Time permitting, we will also visit the modern gardens of
La Villa des Arts de Rabat, before returning to the hotel.
Night: Villa
Mandarine or Le Jardin De Roses.
October
9
(Tuesday) – Meknes,
Volubilis, and Fes
Leaving Rabat, we
journey to Meknes, the
former Imperial City of Morocco. We spend the morning
exploring this fascinating French-influenced city, including the
Medina, the covered Souk, the stunning Bab Mansour triumphal
arch, the Musée Dar Jamaïthe modern arts and crafts museum, and
Moulay Ismail Mausoleum, one of the few holy sites in Morocco
which non-Muslims are permitted to visit. After lunch we
visit nearby
Volubilis to see the impressive and well–preserved Roman ruins,
notable for the incredible mosaic floors dating from 25 BC.
We continue to the ancient city of Fes, the artistic and
intellectual capital of
Morocco. Night: Riad Myra.
October
10 (Wednesday) and
October
11 (Thursday) – Fes
Over two days we
explore Fes's many architectural, cultural, historical and
horticultural sites. Garden highlights include the Les Jardins de Boujeloud, the recently restored Jnane Sbil Gardens,
first laid out by Sultan Moulay Abdallah in the 18th century,
the Dar Batha Museum gardens, and a selection of private Riad
gardens. We also visit the city's impressive labyrinth of souks,
one of UNESCO's world cultural treasures, and a 14th
century
religious school (medersa).
Night: Riad Myra.
Islamic garden
October
12 (Friday) –
Cedar Forest, Ziz Valley, and Merzouga
Following breakfast, we head for Merzouga in the Sahara Desert.
Enroute we pass through the Middle Atlas Mountains, stopping to
see the cedar forests and the local barbary monkeys. We
continue to our luxury tented bivouac in the Erg Chebbi.dunes,
near Merzouga.
Dinner
will be under the stars in the Sahara Desert, Arabian style.
Night: Xaluca Belle Etoille.
October
13 (Saturday) – Sahara Desert Camel Trek, Ait Ouzzine,
Draa Valley, and Ouarzazate
An early start this
morning for a memorable sunrise trek in the Sahara Desert with
our local Tuareg guide to experience the majesty and tranquility
of the endlessly rolling dunes. After returning to the bivouac,
we journey through the desert to Ait Ouzzine, a peaceful Berber
village of beautifully painted, crenulated kasbahs surrounded by
henna fields. While in the village we meet a local family
to see how traditional Berbers live, help make traditional
bread, then enjoy a tajine lunch. We also explore the village on
foot, then follow the old caravan route through the Draa Valley
to our hotel in the town of Ouarzazate. Night: Berber
Palace Hotel.
October
14 (Sunday) – Kasbah Taourirt,
Azziz Ouaziz, Air Benhaddou, and Marrakech
This morning
we visit the impressive 19th century Kasbah Taourirt,
then make our way to Marrakech, stopping periodically along
the way at scenic spots, including the palm oases and dramatic
desert scenery around Azziz Ouaziz. We also stop at the
fortified kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, an important staging post
along the once lucrative caravan route through the Atlas
Mountains and now a picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The 1960s movie Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here, as have many
more recent Hollywood movies. We continue to Marrakech and
check into our luxury Riad. Night: Le Jardin De La Medina
or Le Borj De LaKasbah.
Garden
in Palmeraie
October
15 (Monday)
and October 16 (Tuesday) – Marrakech
Over the course of two days we visit Marakech's best gardens and
cultural sites, including the old Medina and maze-like souks;
the
19th
century El Bahia Palace and its eight-hectare gardens -- a
grandiose aristocratic residence surrounded by wonderful
courtyards; the richly decorated Saadian Tombs, dating from the
16th century; the old
spice market; the Koutoubia Mosque, with its 12th century
minaret and gardens; and the famous Moorish and Art
Deco-inspired Majorelle Gardens, which we visit straight after
breakfast to take advantage of the wonderful early morning
light. We also travel to the Palmeraie district, an oasis
of 13,000 hectares with over 100,000 trees and exclusive,
palatial villas and private gardens. We visit a selection
of public and private gardens, then return to the hotel for free
time in Marrakech. Night: Le Jardin De La Medina or Le
Borj De La Kasbah.
October
17 (Wednesday) – Depart
This
morning we drive to Casablanca for the return flight home.
Included in the tour price:
--
10 nights accommodation in Luxury hotels/Riads with private
bathroom, including one night in a tented bivouac in the
Sahara Desert. A
Riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an
interior garden or courtyard. The word comes from the Arabian
term for garden, "ryad".
-- minibus throughout
-- entry to all gardens and sites as per the itinerary
--
15 meals:10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
-- services of tour manager, usually Jeff Sainsbury, from
Casablanca Airport until departure of return flight
-- tips for hotel porters, bellmen, doormen,
and waiters at tour meals
-- arrival and departure transfers (certain restrictions
apply; please ask for details)
Not included in the tour price:
-- airfare and airport taxes
-- excess baggage charges
-- personal expenditure such as room service, telephone
calls, drinks, and optional activities
-- meals other than those specified in the itinerary
--
driver and local guide gratuities
-- travel insurance
-- any other items not specifically included
To
reserve a place on this tour:
Please read the Booking Terms and Conditions, print out and
complete the Booking Form, and mail to:
Roberts Travel
Attn: Priscilla Earhart
208 5th Street South
P.O. Box 1048
Columbus, MS 39703
Tel: 662-329-3998
priscillae@bellsouth.net
or E-mail Jeff
Sainsbury:
info@jeffsainsburytours.com
Booking Conditions
Booking/Registration
Form
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