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Moroccan Magic Carpet (Family)

Blend the sights, sounds and scents of Morocco on this awesome family adventure

Morocco is a country of many contrasts. Fragrant, labyrinthine souks and imposing mountain ranges give way to lush valleys and the endless dunes of the Sahara desert.

We meet a diverse array of cultures in our travels throughout this vast land. Berbers, Arabs, nomadic tribesmen have all helped shape Morocco. Centuries ago, the caravan tradesmen helped build the imperial cities of Fes and Meknes, that served as rest stops to Europe's rich.

We visit gardens, ancient mosques, mud brick kasbahs, walled towns and buzzing market places. This truly remarkable country will have a sight and sound and scent waiting around every corner.



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Tour Highlights

  • UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jamaâ El Fna
  • The mud-brick kasbahs of Ait Benhaddou
  • Roman site of Volubilis
  • Fes - the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco
  • The Road of 1000 Kasbahs
  • Meknes' UNESCO World Heritage-listed old medina
  • Todra Gorge and the Dades Valley
  • Camel ride and camping in the Sahara

Inclusions

  • • The services of Peregrine’s expert English-speaking local leader throughout the tour, and professional local guides at some sites.

    • Sightseeing (including entrance fees where applicable): Casablanca’s Hassan II Mosque; Rabat - Parc Zoologique National; UNESCO World Heritage-listed Volubilis; Meknes’ old medina; Fes el Bali including Belghazi Museum, Medresse el Attarine, the tanneries and Funduk Nejjarine; Gorges du Ziz; 500-year old ruins of the Ksar of Meski; Road of 1000 Kasbahs including Ait Benhaddou; village of Telouet - home to the infamous Glaoui family; Tizi n'Tichka Pass in the Atlas Mountains; and Marrakech including Jemaa el Fna, Bahia Palace and Marrakech Museum.

    • Horse and cart ride to the shrine of Moulay Idriss in Meknes.

    • Sunset and sunrise camel rides in the Sahara, with an overnight stay in a desert camp.

    • Walks in Midelt, Todra Gorge and Dades Gorge.

    • 2 nights in a traditional Riad in Marrakech.

    • Free time to explore Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech.

    • Arrival transfer.

  • Camel
  • Horse-drawn carriages
  • Private aircon bus
  • 9 breakfasts, 2 dinners

Moroccan Magic Carpet (Family)

Day 1
Casablanca
Meals Privided:
On arrival at Casablanca Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. This is simply an arrival day so you may arrive at any time. Note that hotel rooms are generally only available after midday. The balance of the day is free to explore your surroundings and our tour leader may make contact in the evening.
Day 2
Casablanca-Rabat- Meknes
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
In Casablanca, we visit the impressive Mosque of Hassan II, opened in 1993, and second only in size to the great mosque at Mecca. It can accommodate 25,000 worshippers and is one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims. Later we drive to Rabat, the elegant capital of Morocco and our first Imperial city. It contains numerous fine Arab monuments, some dating to the Almohad and Merenid dynasties and others that are far older. We visit the Parc Zoological National, whichwe have the chance to explore for a few hours before heading to Meknes for the evening.
Day 3
Meknes-Volubilis-Fes
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
Meknes' charming streets, criss-crossing the old medina, are a perfect prelude to Fes. From the northern gate, Bab Berdaine, we catch a horse and cart to the shrine of Moulay Idriss who, in the 17th century, turned Meknes from a provincial town to a spectacular Imperial city. We visit the lovely Bou Inania Medresse (religious school) and after time to explore the old souk, we drive to Volubilis once the provincial Roman capital, a distant outpost of the ancient empire. As we approach, we see it stand prominently on the edge of a high plateau. Today it is the most impressive Roman site in Morocco and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. We explore the many public buildings and at the House of Orpheus we see several intact fine mosaic floors. We continue our journey to spend the night in Fes.
Day 4
Fes
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
The spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco, Fes is vibrant, fascinating and overwhelming - a kaleidoscopic and pungent assault on the senses. It is made up of three distinct ‘cities’, and we are based in the elegant ‘Nouveau Ville’, or New City, which has a distinctly French character. We head into the old city, known locally as Fes el Bali, arguably the world's most fascinating and confounding old city. Medieval Fes was one of the world's great centres of education and culture: both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and its libraries are legendary. Its mosques are also of great renown. And it was to Fes that many of the Muslims (and Jews) expelled from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella came in 1492. As we walk through the streets and alleyways, passing historic khans, medresses and dye-pits, it is not hard to imagine ourselves back in the Middle Ages. We spend the day exploring the old city, visiting the Belghazi Museum, Medresse el Attarine, the tanneries and the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th century inn. We return to our hotel in the late afternoon.
Day 5
Fes-Midelt
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
Fes el Jedid, meaning New City (but not to be confused with the Nouvelle Ville) is also well worth a visit. Unlike Fes el Bali, which grew organically over the years, Fes el Jedid was an entirely planned city, built by the Merenids in the 13th and 14th centuries. The imposing gateway of Bab Boujeloud leads us into broad streets, where public and private gardens add a splash of colour to the surroundings. In the afternoon, we drive to Midelt, a small Berber town nestled in the Atlas mountain range. If time permits, we'll enjoy a walk in the beautiful countryside surrounding Midelt.
Day 6
Midelt-Mergouza
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
We have a relaxing morning in Midelt to have a look around and take an easy walk in the surrounding hills before heading off to Mergouza. En route to the desert, we stop at the spectacular narrow defile known as the Gorges du Ziz and then head to the large town of Er Rachidia. We pass the 500-year old ruins of the Ksar of Meski before descending into the Ziz Valley, a particularly fertile region producing figs, olives, dates and tamarisk – a fruit grown for its tannin and used in the curing of leather skins. We reach Merzouga, where we drop our main bags off at a simple Auberge before heading into the desert on camels for the magical sunset. We spend the night at a simple desert camp.
Day 7
Merzouga-Todra Gorge-Dades Valley
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
Rising early, we enjoy another fun camel ride through the sand dunes. Sunrise is a magical time of the day and we experience the amazing interplay of light as the Sahara slowly comes alive all around us. Returning to the Auberge we collect the rest of our gear and then travel west to Todra. Almost imperceptibly, a bright tablecloth of green appears before our eyes as we enter a lush valley packed with palm trees and dotted with mud-brick villages. We take a short hike into the celebrated gorge where sheer cliffs rise over 1000 feet above us. From Todra Gorge,we travel along the ‘Road of 1000 Kasbahs’ and enjoy a walk in the impressive Dadres Gorge. We spend the evening in a local hotel.
Day 8
Dades Valley - Ait Benhaddou - Marrakech
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
After another short hike we continue to the fabulous medieval mud-brick town Ait Benhaddou, the film set for many Hollyword movies, such as 'Gladiator'. We explore the many old streets and climb up to the fortress for a superb view over the old town. We can also – for a small fee – enter one of interesting of the old houses, climbing up to the turrets for a view over the river. We then continue our journey west, passing numerous Berber villages and enjoying expansive views of the countryside. Leaving the main road we arrive at the village of Telouet, home to the infamous Glaoui family whose repressive regime was legendary. We visit their crumbling mud-brick citadel, one of the most spectacular in the region, where several rooms are still in a good state of repair. We then wind our way up towards Tizi ‘n Tichka (2260m), the highest pass on the road to Marrakech and often covered with snow during the winter months. Leaving the Atlas behind we descend into the plains that surround Marrakech, which we reach in the late afternoon. Our hotel in the style of a traditional Riad, set in lovely gardens, with a swimming pool. We have a private vehicle to take us into the heart of the city, and its incredible main square, Jemaa el Fna, where we find fire-eaters, fortune-tellers, actors, musicians and all manner of hawkers. In the centre of this vast throng are hundreds of foodstalls selling hot tagine, spicy dips and numerous other tasty dishes.
Day 9
Marrakech
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
Marrakech is a lovely city, with palm-lined streets, earthy colours and the Atlas Mountains rising in the distance. There is much to see and do and we enjoy an orientation walk around the old medina. Our time is then free to explore the souks and alleyways that lead off to the north of Jemaa el Fna. Alternatively, some may wish to visit the 16th century ruins of the El Badi Palace, the famous Majorelle Garden or the adjacent Museum of Islamic Art. In the evening we will doubtless be drawn back to Jemaa el Fna for a final night out together.
Day 10
Marrakech
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
Our trip ends today after breakfast. Additional accommodation is available in Marrakech on request.

IN A NUTSHELL

10 days
$1,880
15

TOUR INFORMATION

Start End Price
20/11/201129/11/2011 $1,880
25/12/201103/01/2012 $1,880
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