Driving Time: 3 Hours

Arrive in Casablanca at Mohammed V Airport.

Visit the Hassan II Mosque on a private, guided visit with a classically trained Mosque guide.

Casablanca is home to the Hassan II Mosque, designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau. Situated on a promontory overlooking the Atlantic with a gigantic glass floor and room for 25,000 worshippers, the Mosque is an enormous architectural masterpiece, the second largest religious building in the world with the world’s tallest minaret.

Enjoy lunch at La Squala Restaurant in Casablanca. La Squala Restaurant features an outdoor garden cafe with fountains and Moroccan tile work. It is family friendly and offers great ambiance.

Then take the road to Marrakech. Arrive in Marrakech. Settle into your hotel.

Option to explore the Djemaa El Fna Square and an evening out on the town. There are food vendors in the square and many restaurants to choose from.

Spend the night at a charming riad in Marrakech with a swimming pool & medina views. (No meals Included.)

Breakfast at your riad.

Begin your one day historical tour of Marrakech. The Majorelle Gardens

The Majorelle Gardens, previously the Jardin Bou Saf, bears its name from its originalcreator, Jacques Majorelle, the French expatriate artist who was born in Nancy, France in 1886. Jacques Majorelle was the son of the celebrated Art Nouveau furniture designer Louis Majorelle. In 1947 he opened his gardens to the public and during this time also painted a magnificent ceiling space at La Mamounia, a five

star hotel with gardens. Jacques Majorelle studied at the École des Beaux

Arts in Nancy in 1901 and later, in 1919, he went to Marrakech to recover from heart problems. He built the garden during those years using a special color of blue extensively in the garden that is now named after him, Majorelle Blue. Jacques Majorelle returned to France in 1962 after a car accident and died later that year of complications from his injuries. As a collector of unique plants from five continents Jacque Majorelle left Yves Saint Laurent one of the more unique collections of flora and fauna of this era, as well as a place of inspiration and contemplation. Even though Morocco is no longer under the French protectorate, this originally French creation is one of the most beloved areas in Morocco.

Enjoy a kalech ride from the Majorelle Gardens to the Marrakech Medina to continue the historical tour with the entire family.

Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens

Next we will visit Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens, the largest mosque in Marrakech, Morocco. The minaret was completed under the reign of the Almohad Caliph Yaqub al

Mansur (1184 – 1199) and was used as the model for the Giralda of Seville and for the Hassan Tower of Rabat. The name is derived from the Arabic albKoutoubiyyin for librarian, since it used to be surrounded by sellers of manuscripts. It is considered the ultimate structure of its kind. The tower is 69 m (221 ft) tall with a lateral length of 12.8 m (41 ft).

Lunch Recommendation: Restaurant with views of Koutoubia, or a restaurant in the Medina

Exploration of the Marrakech Medina. Watch local artisan at work and there is the option to visit the local tannery.

El Bahia Palace

The El Bahia Palace in Marrakech is a beautiful building and an excellent example of Eastern Architecture from the 19th century that represents the trends and standards of the wealthy at that time. It was built for Ahmed Ibn Moussa, or Ba Ahmed, between 1894 and 1900 in the Alawi style popular at that time. Craftsmen were brought from Fes to work on this monumental task which took approximately fifteen years to complete. It is said that the palace was built as a home for Ba Ahmed’s official concubines, and it has also been said that the importanceor favor of each concubine increased along with the size of their bedroom. The name ‘Bahia’ means ‘palace of the beautiful’. There are 160 different rooms in the palace which are sprawled out in an open, rambling fashion. Decorations take the form of subtle stucco panels, zellij decorations, tiled floors, smooth arches, carved

cedar ceilings, shiny marble tadlak finishes, and zouak painted ceilings. The palace is surrounded by an eight hectare garden.

The Old Spice Market

Rahba Kedima, is a colorful market filled with a wide array of spices such as cumin, cinnamon, saffron, dried pepper, and more. Visit the Ben Youssef Madrasa, an Islamic college in Marrakech, Morocco, named after the Almoravid Sultan Ali ibn Yusuf who reigned from 1106–1142. The sultan expanded the city and its influence considerably. It is the largest Medrasa in all of Morocco.The college was founded during the period of the Marinid (14th century) by the Marinid sultan Abu al

Hassan and allied to the neighbouring Ben Youssef Mosque. Return to your Riad for a late afternoon swim.

Dinner Recommendations: Le Marrakchi Restaurant in the Square

family friendly with live music. Catanzaro or Casanova for Italian cuisine. Al Fassia for local Moroccan fare.

Spend the night at a charming riad in Marrakech with a swimming pool & medina views.

(Breakfast Included)

(Driving Time: 3 Hours)

Early morning departure. (6:30am – 12:30pm)

Marrakech by Air

Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Excursion (Half Day Program).

1 Hour flight in front of the High Atlas Mountains

Souvenir flight certificate

Traditional breakfast served in the tent

Visit to a local berber house

Land Rover excursion

Camel ride in the Palmerie of Marrakech

Lunch and relax at your riad.

Lunch Recommendations: Terraces Epices with a gorgeous terrace and outdoor seating, or Le Jardin, a charming riad. Both options are fun and family oriented.

Afternoon at leisure to explore and wander the souks in the old Medina.

Dinner Recommendations: Le Marrakchi Restaurant in the Square – family friendly with live music. Catanzaro or Casanova for Italian cuisine. Al Fassia for local Moroccan fare.

Spend the night at a charming riad in Marrakech with a swimming pool & medina views.

(Breakfast Included)

(Driving Time: 5 1/2 Hours)

Breakfast at your riad in Marrakech. Take the road to La Ferme Equestre. Horseback Riding La Ferme Equestre Tensift:

Located in the Palmerie near Oued Tensift, the Tensift Equestrian Farm is on 11 acres of land. The centre offers many activities, including horseback riding and hiking for all levels.

Dinner Recommendations: Le Marrakchi Restaurant in the Square – family friendly with live music. Catanzaro or Casanova for Italian cuisine. Al Fassia for local Moroccan fare.

Spend the night at a charming riad in Marrakech with a swimming pool & medina views.

(Breakfast Included)

Breakfast at your Riad in Marrakech. Take the road to Terres D’Amanar.

Zip Line Across the Atlas:

The Terres D’Amanar is a sustainable tourism project that features an Eco Adventure Park and a Natural Reserve. It is a half-hour drive from Marrakech that takes you to an altitude of 3937 ft.

The Park offers a number of activities including zip lines, archery, climbing, hiking, trekking, local craft workshops, disc golf, and an aerial park.

The Aerial Park is composed of footbridges and zip lines that cross the beautiful landscape. One of the bridges is named for Sean Connery in the scene from the movie “The Man Who Would Be a King” which was filmed here.

The Acrobatic Park for Children has adventure courses through the forest and a number of fun activities for kids including volleyball, Berber bowling, djellaba races, and donkey polo.

Spend the night at Le Petit Auberge in Terres D’Amanar.

(Breakfast & Dinner Included)

(Driving Time: 5 1/2 Hours)

Breakfast at your Riad in Terres D’Amanar. Take the road to Ouarzazate.

During your journey to Ouarzazate you will pass the olive groves of the Oued Zat as you ascend to the Tizi n’Tichka Pass. Built by the French in the 1920’s, the Tizi n’Tichka Pass will take you through stunning mountainous terrain. Along the route you will see panoramic views of the High Atlas Mountains as well as fertile valleys, blue and red colored villages, and striking geology. En route visit Kasbah Telouet, one of Morocco’s hidden jewels and a famous kasbah that is the ancestral home of the Pacha Glaoui Family. Kasbah Telouet is hidden on a tiny road in a small village that is 20 minutes outside of Tichka. The original zellij tile, masterful design, and collection of authentic preserved silks are grand remnants of the Glaoui family. Although Kasbah Telouet appears to be in ruins on the exterior, its interior is one of true splendor.

En route stop for lunch and visit the Argan Cooperative where argan oil, argan butter, and argan cosmetics are made by hand from argan nuts. Berber women crack the nuts and the grind them one by one. Enjoy a complimentary tasting.

This cooperative is run entirely by women.

Visit Ait Benhaddou. 32 km from Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Jesus of Nazareth were filmed here. In recent years, controlled restoration has been carried out under the auspices of UNESCO. Ait Benhaddou once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. Most of the town’s inhabitants live in a more modern village on the other side of the river, however ten families still live within the old ksar.

Dinner Recommendations: Your riad.

Dine & spend the night at a charming riad in Ouarzazate with Atlas Mountain views and a swimming pool.

(Breakfast & Dinner Included)

(Driving Time: 4 Hours)

Breakfast at your riad. Take the road to visit Skoura, the Valley of Roses, the Todra Gorge, and then continue to Merzouga.

Visit Skoura and the Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs. Skoura is a fertile oasis lined with immense palm groves that provide great views of the Atlas Mountains alongside desert landscapes. It is renowned for the cultivation of roses. The palm groves were laid out in the 12th century by the Almohad sultan Yacoub el-Mansour and named after its original inhabitants, the Berbers of the Haskourene tribe. The most beautiful kasbahs in southern Morocco can be found here and many of them are still partially inhabited.

The perfumed Valley of Roses, just north of El Kelaa Des Mgouna is a pleasant journey on the road to Ouarzazate. You will stop for a tour of the Capp et Florale distillation factories laid out in the small kasbah town that manufactures the entire nation’s production of rose water (eau de rose). Rose water and other products such as hand and body soaps, oil, crème perfume, and dried roses are for sale and are also popular gifts among Moroccans. Ten to of petals are required to produce a few liters of precious rose oil and the harvest is a labor of love. The culminating festivities of the annual Rose Festival are a lively time of year to visit.

The Todra Gorge is a canyon in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains in southern Morocco near the town of Tinghir. Both the Todra River and Dades River have carved out the cliff-sided canyons. The drive is scenic along newly built roads. Drive past the mouth of the Gorge and up to the villages of Ait Hani and Tamtattouchte. The Todra Gorge extends from the village of Tamtattouchte to Tinghir. The Todra Gorge, with cliffs rising dramatically up to 300m on each side of a narrow corridor, is a spectacle with its gigantic rock walls changing color to create magical effects with the sunlight. In the morning, when the sun permeates through the bottom of the gorge, the rock changes from pink rose to deep ochre gradually through the rest of the day.

Lunch Recommendation: A restaurant with views of the Todra Gorge. Visit Khamlia – Berber – Sudanese Gnaoua Trance Music

The last stop is Khamlia where you will visit a Sudanese-Berber Moroccan village. The Musicians of Khamlia have been living in this remote village for a century and perform one hundred year old Gnaoua Trance music. Spend an hour listening to Gnaoua Trance played by Sudanese Berber Musicians on traditional instruments. Tea is served and there is an option to explore the village. Arrive in Merzouga’s Sahara Desert, then venture out on a 2 hour dromedary camel trek

to watch the sunset in the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Your Tuareg guide will share the secrets of the Sahara Desert. As you glide across the silent desert landscape there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling dunes. Enjoy dinner and music at a charming bivouac in the Sahara Desert.

Spend the night in a bivouac tent in the Sahara Desert.

(Breakfast & Dinner Included)

(Driving Time: 2 – 3 Hours)

Rise, have breakfast, and take a sunrise trek back to Merzouga. Take the road to explore Merzouga’s desert scenery by piste. View flora and fauna that is unique to the Sahara.

Quad ride on the dunes in the Sahara Desert for one hour as a family.

Then take the road to the village of Ait Ouzzine, located in N’kob which is nestled within the Middle Atlas Mountains.

Ait Ouzzine is a Berber village inhabited by over 300 families who live in beautifully painted crenelated kasbahs and tend to their henna fields, water wells, livestock, and gardens. This peaceful village is tucked away along an impressive desert route connecting the Draa Valley, Tansikht, and Rissani.

Meet a local Berber family, partake in a cooking lesson on traditional bread and tajines (tagines).

Explore and tour the village. Walk in the green fields and see how traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants.

Lunch will be served to you in Ait Ouzzine by a traditional Berber family. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices, a chicken and vegetable tajine (tagine), and fresh local fruits for dessert. After lunch, have your hands and feet painted with henna, or have your hair adorned with saffron by a local village artist. Relax. Experience the tradition of Berber perfume made from musk and amber along with the villages own spices.

End the afternoon in Ait Ouzzine with mint tea and almonds. Take the road through the Draa Valley to N’Kob.

The Draa Valley is the road of the old caravans that once transported dates and other goods from the Draa Region to Marrakech.

Dine & spend the night in N’kob at Kasbah Ait Omar, a restored traditional Kasbah with views of the N’kob Palmerie.

(Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner Included)

(Driving Time: 2 1/2 – 3 Hours)

Breakfast at your Riad. Morning free to relax. Take the road via the Draa Valley back to Ouarzazate.

Visit Kasbah Tamnougalt. Tamnougalt is a village in the Draa River valley 95 kilometers south of Ouarzazate. It is the former capital of the Mezquita region and former residence of the caïds. Its name means ‘meeting point’ in Tachelhit (Berber).

Option to have lunch in Kasbah Tamnougalt, or continue the road to Agdz.

The Sahara Desert town of Agdz at the heart of the Draa Valley is known for its 45 different types of dates. Stop for a picturesque view in Agdz and its stunning palmerie along with local trade routes famous for bringing dates, spices, and other goods from the South to Marrakech.

Visit the market of dates in Agdz. Try various dates of the region and see how the local souk works.

Continue the road to Ouarzazate.

Next, visit Atlas Film Studios. The studios are flanked by Hollywood-styled Egyptian figures and covers 30,000 sq m of desert. David Lean filmed Lawrence of Arabia at the Atlas Film Studios in the early 1960’s. Other international blockbusters shot here in recent years include: the French version of Cleopatra, The Sheltering Sky, Kundun, Hideous Kinky, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Alexander The Great, Kingdom of Heaven, and Sahara.

Visit the Oasis of Fint. Take the piste, a winding road, to the Oasis of Fint, passing the Plateau des Pierres. The shining Oasis of Fint seems to hover at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. Journey on a one-hour tour of the Oasis full of date palms and dramatic desert scenery. Option to have tea with the Azziz O’Azziz and his family.

Dinner Recommendations: Your riad.

Dine & spend the night at a charming riad in Ouarzazate with Atlas Mountain views and a swimming pool.

(Breakfast & Dinner Included)

Breakfast at your Riad. Take the road back to Marrakech.

Dinner Recommendations: Le Marrakchi Restaurant in the Square – family friendly with live music. Catanzaro or Casanova for Italian cuisine. Al Fassia for local Moroccan fare.

Spend the night at a charming riad in Marrakech with a swimming pool & medina views. (Breakfast Included)

Breakfast at your riad. Take the road to Casablanca.

A day of family activities at Club Hippique le Barry including paintball, swimming, pony rides, and quad riding.

Lunch at Club Hippique le Barry.

CASABLANCA DEPARTURE FROM MOHAMMED V AIRPORT