We created this exciting private tour especially for those wishing to explore the country's Jewish sites and culture including a taste of the Berber and the Nomad life style.
"Tour is based on luxury 4* accommodation" "Hotels can be changed for lower budgets"
Morocco has had a long Jewish history, dating back thousands of years. The complex, intertwining relationship between the Jewish and Arabic populations is fascinating and unique in the world. With the opening of Israel, many Moroccan Jews moved east, but the country is now experiencing a resurgence of interest in the country's Jewish heritage.
This journey lasts 12 days, and can be customized with private car or luxury min van with an English speaking guide for the entire trip according to your travel dates.
"2 people wih private car and English speaking guide" "3 people or more with private luxury min van and English speaking guide"
ITINERARY:
After your arrival to Casablanca, you will be escorted to your luxury hotel in Casablanca.
Day 1 - Casablanca Begin your day with a visit to the newly opened Jewish Museum in Casablanca. Although its collection is still quite formative, this is the first Jewish Museum in an Arab country. Visit the neighborhood that is home to most of Moroccoís Jewish Community. Stop by the cultural center and the Bet El synagogue. You may wish to have lunch at one of the small kosher restaurants in this part town.
Dinner and overnight at your luxury hotel Rivoli in Casablanca.
Day 2 - Rabat The splendid capital of Morocco and one of the spectacular historic Imperial cities. The history and culture of Moroccan Jews, a 2,500 year history, a peaceable Jewish -Muslim coexistence. Explore Rabat's Jewish cemeteries and sites, the Royal Palace, and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, who saved Moroccan Jews from the occupying Vichy regime during World War II.
Dinner and overnight stay at your 4* hotel or riad in Rabat.
Day 3 - Meknes – Volubilis - Fes Then as we travel past centuries-old olive groves andvineyards we near Meknes, the Ismalian capital, famousfor its 25-mile-long walls - and, not to mention excellent wine - where we'll stop for a sumptuous lunch in a grand palace. Heading to port Bab El Mansour and Bab El Khamis, journey back thousands of years and explore the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis sprawled over a wildflower-dotted hillside, where a magnificent triumphal arch presides over the awesome remains of palaces and mansions, Roman baths and basilicas, and stunning mosaics. Sumptuous dinner and lodging at a four-star riad or hotel in Fez.
Day 4 - Fez Best surviving example of an ancient city, the spiritual and intellectual capital of Islam resting alongside ancient Jewish quarters. The Vibrant Jewish heritage in the Mellah, where artisan craft, antique Jewish goods and handcrafted jewelry is sold. Visit the recently restored Ibn Danan synagogue ñ the oldest extant synagogue in Fez. Until very recently abandoned and decaying, its restoration was part of a comprehensive UNESCO project to preserve the monuments and fabric of medieval Fez.
Dinner at la Maison Bleu.
Accommodation at your luxury riad or hotel in Fez.
Day 5 - Merzouga Explore the mystical Saharan landscape as you ride by camel over the stunning sugar-fine sands of Merzouga as the red sun sinks. As night falls, listen to the heady intoxicating beat of Berber drum music and song during the traditional pouring of mint tea. Watch bread being baked in the sand, and delight in a Moroccan feast of harira soup, a savory tagine (stew with meat and vegetables), couscous, fresh fruit and exquisite Moroccan pastries.
At nightfall, we’ll sleep under a nomad tarp beneath flickering stars in the clear desert sky. Experience a sense of timelessness in the still, silent desert unchanged since caravans loaded with spices, gold and indigo crossed long ago. (Lodging is also available at Todra’s local auberge at the edge of the dunes.) Good walking shoes are recommended.
Day 6 -Merzouga – Tinghir-Boumalne du Dades – Kelaa M’Gouna – Ourzazate After a special Berber breakfast, we’ll depart for Ouarzazate , traveling the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs that rise up like turreted sand castles along this ancient caravan trading route.This area has long been a popular location for Hollywood films such as The Last Temptation of Christ, Jewel of the Nile, and most recently Hideous Kinky. The central region is one of the most exciting and romantic destinations of Morocco nestled along rich river valleys, palmeries and burnished mud-brick homes ablaze in vibrant color under the shelter of the blue desert sky.We’ll travel through the Dadès Valley past dramatic escarpments and plunging gorges via Tinerhir. We’ll stop for a barbecue lunch at a local village and after a refreshing swim at the four-star Hotel Hanan Club where you'll be lodging, there will be a free afternoon to bike, explore the village, or simply relax by the pool under the cool palms and the warm North African sun.
Day 7 -Ouarzazate – Ait Ourir– Ourika After breakfast, we’ll travel past a pageantry of fragrant, dense pine and cedar forests, terraced farms and sienna mud-brick Berber villages en route to Ourika (High Atlas Mountains), to visit the Berber village on Anrar and to have a taste of the the Berber life style by having a cup of tea within a Berber family.
Dinner and overnight at your luxury Kasbah Omar at Anrar Mountain of Ourika.
Day 8 - Ourika You will explore one of the most beautiful and unspoiled valleys of the High Atlas Valley of Ourika rises gently up to the preliminary hills of the High Atlas where small typical villages have nested. It is a pure and magnificent place where silence is only " disturbed " by birds singing, water streams and wagtails. Ourika is famous for its pottery, minerals and crystal.
If it is Monday, Thursday, or Friday, you will visit the bustling weekly souk of at the Valley.
Dinner and overnight at your luxury Berber Kasbah Omar at the village of Anrar.
Day 9 - Marrakech Travel from Ourika leads us to one of Morocco’s jeweled Imperial Cities, mystical Marrakech. An enchanting palm oasis set against the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas mountains. Explore the ancient Bahia Palace from the days of the harem, now populated by a sentry of nesting storks, enter the ancient royal Saadian Tombs, explore the vibrant and historic Jewish mellah where some of the best jewelry of Morocco is sold, and see the majestic Koutoubia Mosque before entry into the 9th century walled medina.
Accommodation at your luxury four stars hotel in Marrakech.
Day 10 - Marrakech In Marrakesh, we’ll spend a full day exploring this majestic Imperial City. Thrill in the bewitchery of the night that beats in the heart of the famed square, Djemaa el-Fna, where delectable fare is grilled over coals in bustling torch-lit open-air markets. Mystical snake charmers, hustlers and mischievous monkeys are part of the nightly drama that unfolds, as Berber acrobats, fortune tellers, musicians and engaging storytellers seduce rapt crowds.Then wind your way through the serpentine labyrinth of the spice-filled air of the bustling souk, unchanged for over 1000 years, where you’ll discover the best of traditional Moroccan craftsmanship. we’ll cap off our journey at the dinner event of Fantasia as we bear witness to a splendid dramatic display of Arabian Nights filled with belly dancing, folkloric troupes, and stately Arabian steeds charging in dynastic battles as of yore.
Accommodation at your luxury four stars hotel in Marrakech.
Day 11 - Essaouira - Marrakech The 60’s music legends Jimmy Hendrix and the Rolling Stones were drawn to Essaouira’s idyllic charm, which continues today to lure musicians and artists alike to the sparkling whitewashed fishing village trimmed with the brilliant azure of its skies. A former Portuguese settlement in the 18th century, its stone ramparts overlook an emerald sea where dolphins sometimes frolic near the fringe of silvery beach, and camels ferry passengers across fine sand. Dream on the beach, stroll through serene squares, browse artisan shops or the fish market, bursting with a plethora of fruit of the sea to be grilled to a succulent finish before your eyes. Top it your repast with the national drink of Moroccan mint tea and savor delectable French pastries at one Essaouira’s many charming cafes. A full day will be spent at Essaouira.......and do not forget to take your horse riding or camel ride at the beach before return to Marrakech.
You’ll cap off your journey at a spectacular dinner event, the Fantasia at the desert of Marrakech, where You’ll bear witness to a splendid drama of Arabian Nights filled with belly dancing, folkloric troupes, and stately Arabian steeds charging in dynastic battles as of yore…….. and that would be your final desert for your vacation.
Accommodation at your luxury four stars hotel in Marrakech.
Day 12 - Marrakech Transfer to Marrakech airport for your return home with plenty of tales of Arabian days and nights.
Note: If you wish to modify or change the entire itinerary according to your interest and desire, please let us know!
Cost:
$2750.00 per person based on double occupancy $5500.00 for 2Pax
2 years and under are free of charge 2 – 6 years old 75% off 7-11 years old 50% off 12 years old & up full cost
What's Included: Breakfast and dinner daily Four-star hotel & riad lodging Camel ride in Sahara Nomad tent in Sahara Transfers to and from airport Private car and expert driver for the enire trip Knowledgeable certified guides Museums fee All taxes
Not included in package price: International Airfare lunch Drinks Travel Insurance
Note Private guided tour---Not a group tour. If it is over your budget-----Hotels can be changed for lower budgets. Upgrade to 5* or 5* deluxe accommodation is available. Group Discounts Available.
We can't make the sun shine, or the rain fall, but we can promise to do everything in our power to ensure an unforgettable and exceptional visit to Morocco. I hope you'll join us.
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We are now back home after a lovely holiday in Morocco. Morocco is beautiful and the people are very warm and friendly.
With one or two exceptions, we have no major complaints with the tour. Our driver Mohamed was excellent; he was helpful and sorted out our problems in no time at all. He drove at a good pace and was also informative. He also ensured that we were comfortable and were enjoying the trip.
The Riads are beautiful but I think that for the first two at least, they were not quite suitable for the winter. They were too cold and would have been quite lovely if we were there in the summer. All the other riads were not only excellent but their staff and hospitality were impeccable.
The tour itself was just nice, not too long and not too short (I sound like Goldilocks) Hisham, our guide in Fez was good. He was very knowledgeable and very informative.
Other than the cold riads, (and the fact that my son had food poisoning on the second day in Fez) we were very happy with the tour and would recommend this tour and the tour operator highly
Morocco is a beautiful country and I thought the most ‘undersold’ parts were the best – Fes & surrounds, Ourika Valley. I found Marrakech a bit disappointing and Casablanca a big bore (but perhaps both were because I ended up travelling alone – not intended – and hence could not enjoy the night life). The amount of construction on the seafront areas of the Atlantic coast was quite a surprise and limits what one can actually see. Next time I would add the Med coast; the Sahara and the Southern part of the country to my itinerary.
Services provided by the operator were generally good, although the itinerary provided was a bit different to the actual one (it almost seemed as though the person writing the itinerary had not been to many of the places as some suggestions were impractical – e.g. a routing from Ourika Valley to Fes via Meknes and Rabat in a single day!).
The driver and guides provided were all well informed and well spoken but somewhat inclined to ‘guide’ me to places where the intent was largely to get me to shop (which, after a credit card challenge in Marrakech, I was disinclined towards). The mountain guide in the Ourika Valley was magnificent, very patient and helpful on the rather strenuous hike.
My planned travel companion had visa problems (she is South African but lives in Nigeria and couldn’t get a visa – which as South Africans is a requirement – due to problems with her Nigerian work permit) and had to cancel at the last minute (after her planned arrival). Obviously, expecting a refund on the travel or accommodation was unrealistic given the late cancellation and the operator offered to give her a 20% discount if she books through them again.
The ‘personalised’ tour (i.e. own car and driver, rather than sharing with a bus load of others) was fantastic and the accommodation was superb throughout. If I return to Morocco, I would plan for something similar.
Visiting Morocco was an exciting and unforgettable experience: the people, the landscapes, the cities, the food, everything was just wonderful. We absolutely enjoyed it.
As mentioned by the operators advertisements, we are back home “with plenty of tales of Arabian days and nights”; I can still smell the spices, the flowers, the fresh of the Ourika valley. By the way, Mr Karim kindness and hospitality at the Kasbah Omar has to be highlighted. He also helped us in exploring the beautiful valley leading us in two wonderful walks.
The trip went on as planned. Riads and hotels were great, as well as restaurants and foods in our dinners. Guides and visits were very well coordinated. Everything on time and the trip fulfilled every word committed by the tour operator in the package we bought.
Said, the driver that spent with us the whole visit, was perfect; always on time, ready to help us in every question we asked, excellent driver, at all times taking care of our safety and comfort. Meeting Said is part of the nice memories we have from our trip.
Summing up and for the requested feedback, I would qualified my holiday with a 100. Hope to visit Morocco again!!!!
Thank you for your assistance in passing on our enquiry to such an efficient company. We think the trip was one of the best we have taken.
We had a wonderful time with our driver Mohamed who took very good care of us throughout. It was great that he was always there to pick us up from outings which made for a very stress free trip. His driving, in sometimes very difficult conditions such as heavy snow in the High Atlas was to be commended. We feel we saw much more than was in the itinerary and people we have since spoken to have been amazed at what we actually fitted into the twelve days.
Regarding the dinners, all included, we could not fault them from the Styze club in Marrakech to the homecooked meals in the Riads.
By chance we were invited to a Berber wedding which was being held next to our Riad out of Marrakech which was a real bonus. Stayed with it till midnight. A lot of fun.
Even though we were guided everywhere, we felt we got to experience the local flavour and so believe our trip was wonderful value. Because of the spread of accomodation the operator supplied from very good small riads to the opulent riad in Fez we feel we have certainly seen a wide cross section of Moroccan life.
Finally, thanks to them for organising all this at what was very short notice. It all went very smoothly thanks to Mohamed.
I'd like to inform you that we had the most amazing and out-of-this-world experience while vacationing in Morocco.
Our driver Abdel was not only very careful and cordial but also extremely hospitable and eager to share with us the Moroccan lifestyle. We are most appreciative of him opening up his home for a home-made chicken cous-cous meal with his lovely family. It truly made our trip more than personal now that we have a 'new family' in Morocco!
We will highly recommend this trip with this company to our friends who have seen, from our pictures, the many splendors of Moroc!
We hope to travel back very soon as we know there are many other treasures yet to be seen!
Again, we give our highest marks to your agency and it's tour guides/driver.
We returned last Tuesday from Spain and Morocco. I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we all had.
Our driver Abdul was waiting for us when we got off the boat in Tangier with a very nice and comfortable van. Abdul did a wonderful job. He was a great driver and was always punctual and very helpful.
Our stay at the Riad in Fez was wonderful. The staff was so attentive. Our rooms and the courtyard and garden areas were just beautiful. We had a very enjoyable day in Fez with our guide Abdul (another Abdul) and a delicious dinner with entertainment at Maison Blue.
The following day we really enjoyed Meknes, Volubilis, lunch at Moulay Idriss and finally Chefchaoen. What a beautiful town. Our Riad here, although not as luxurious as the one in Fez, was so conveniently located near the main square.
The people of Morocco were very friendly and welcoming to us.
We were all very impressed with the beautiful mosaics in all the buildings we visited but the most pleasant surprise of all was the delicious food. We absolutely loved the Moroccan salads, pastilla, and the tajines, and fresh fruits and most of all the mint tea. When I got home, I bought a Moroccan cookbook immediately.
If there was one complaint, it was that all the interesting presentations in Fez (ceramics, carpet, tannery, cloth ) also included a bit of high pressure sales after the presentation. All three couples bought mosaic tables which we are looking forward to enjoying in our yards here in California.
Thank you to the operator for organizing a trip to Morocco that we will never forget.
