Day 1 - Day 1: Arrive at Marrakesh airport. We will pick you up at the airport and take you to the riad in Marrakesh. This is a short drive of about 15 minutes. This day is basically free since people will be arriving at different times. Once everyone has arrived, there will be a short group meeting where the guides will present themselves to you, etc.
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Day 2 - Day 2: Marrakesh. We have two more days in this captivating city. You are free to explore on your own or accompany the guides, who will be going to the Badii and Bahia Palaces in the morning, stopping for lunch and a siesta, then going to the Menara Gardens in the late afternoon. A special Moroccan dinner is planned for this evening so bring your appetites!
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Day 3 - Day 3: Marrakesh. You have another full day in Marrakesh. Today the guides will be heading to the medina and the Saadian tombs in the morning. You have the afternoon free, or you can go back to the medina and bargain for those great wares you saw in the morning! Tonight is open so you can go to Jemaa el Fna to watch the performers and sample some tasty delights at different stalls or take a cab ride to the new city, Gueliz, with us and have dinner at a nice restaurant.
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Day 4 - Day 4: Imlil and Aremd. After breakfast, we will hop in the mini-bus and leave for Imlil, which should take 1.5 - 2 hours. Once in Imlil, we will hike up to Aremd. This should take one hour. Aremd is a Berber village on the side of a mountain overlooking some valleys and mountains including Mount Toubkal. This a very relaxing place where you can hike around to see other villages, a waterfall or just spend the day relaxing sipping mint tea. We will be having lunch and dinner at a Berber family’s home.
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Day 5 - Day 5: Ait Ben Haddou. The drive should take about 5 hours. If we leave early in the morning, we can arrive in the early afternoon and have lunch at the hotel, which has a pool. After lunch you can take a ‘siesta’, discover the amazing Kasbah – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or walk along the Oasis river valley exploring the neighboring villages. Lunch and dinner are included.
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Day 6 - Day 6: Dades and Todra Gorges. Dinner is included tonight.
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Day 7 - Day 7: Merzouga. The drive should take about 5 hours. Along the way, we will stop and have luch in Tinejdad. Then once in Merzouga, we will go into the Sahara desert atop camels, camp out in a Bedoiun tent, and have dinner under the stars. Lunch and dinner are included.
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Day 8 - Day 8: Ziz Valley. After breakfast, we will mount our camels and ride out of the desert before the sun reaches it’s midday pinnacle. We will head towards Erfoud –1 hour away– to have lunch and go for a swim. We will spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in a lush oasis valley 30 minutes away from Erfoud. We will see how the people live and what they do, then spend the night in a family’s home where they have invited us to have dinner with them. Lunch and dinner are included.
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Day 9 - Day 9: Azrou/Ifrane. Another long drive that will take about 5 hours. If we leave early in the morning, we will be in Ifrane in time for lunch. Ifrane is a quaint little town in the heart of the Middle Atlas Mountains, surrounded by forests of Cedars and Barabary Apes. You can walk around Ifrane for a few hours or freshen up at the Gite. In the late afternoon, we will be visiting a women’s rug-making cooperative at their settlement. And for dinner, we are invited to have a delicious meal at a family’s home. We will stay at a nice little gite between Azrou and Ifrane so we can head to Meknes the next morning. Dinner is included tonight.
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Day 10 - Day 10: Meknes/Volubilis/Moulay Idriss. We will spend the morning in Meknes visiting Moulay Ismail’s tomb, the prison, and the granary before heading to Moulay Idriss. The drive from Azrou to Meknes will take one hour, then from Meknes to Moulay Idriss and Volubilis takes another 30 minutes. You have the afternoon free to have luch and take a walk around the small, sacred town of Moulay Idriss, grandson of the prophet Mohammed and first Arab leader of Morocco. The town has an interesting history since non-muslims weren’t allowed to enter at one time. However, we will be spending the night here! We will head to Volubilis and walk amidst this ancient Roman City as the sun sets. We will be having dinner at the auberge this evening.
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Day 11 - Day 11: Fez. The drive from Moulay Idriss to Fez will take 1.5 hours. And, the earlier we get to Fez, the more time you will have to explore what this imperial city has to offer, such as the Kairouine Mosque, spice market, tanneries, leather market, henna market, woodcrafters, metal workers, and Koranic schools.
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Day 12 - Day 12: Fez. After breakfast, you will go shopping in the market with Chef Lahcen for the ingredients of tonight’s dinner that he will show you how to make during this evening's special cooking class! You will have the rest of the morning and afternoon free until about 4 or 5 pm, when the cooking lessons will begin! Dinner is included.
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