Itinerary

Milwaukee group pick up/drop off and flight are included in price. This will be at a central location provided by email. If it is more convenient, you may meet us at O’Hare.

Overnight Stay: Barcelo Anfa Casablanca, D included

Our journey begins in Casablanca. See the city by night on your drive along the shore. You will be welcomed by a dinner at Rick’s Café – the mythical saloon from the film “Casablanca”.

Overnight Stay: Barcelo Anfa Casablanca, D included

By morning, tour the impressive Hassan II Mosque, a stunning, high-tech, architectural masterpiece. Then head off to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. There, we visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and explore the Oudaya Kasbah. Continue to the imperial city of Meknes (UNESCO), where lush rolling hills studded with ancient olive groves await. Here you will see Bab El Mansour and Bab El Khamis. Arrive in Fes just in time for dinner, where local women known as “dadas” will prepare traditional Moroccan delights that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Overnight Stay: Riad Yacout, B included

Discover Fes, one of the holiest cities in the world. Learn of its historical importance as a center of government, philosophy, medicine and religion. You’ll be treated to a fascinating panoramic tour of the Medersa Bou Inania, built in 1325. See the Jewish Quarter, the city ramparts and the Golden Gates of the Royal Palace. Set out on a walking tour in the Medina, founded in the 9th century and home to one of the world’s oldest universities. You’ll see donkeys and mules laden with goods amid the cobbled alleyways of this ancient market. Finally, spend time at the famous leather tanneries, a honeycomb of vats exploding in brilliant colors.

Overnight Stay: Kasbah Xaluca, B included

Continue towards Erfoud. Along the way we pause in Ifrane for excellent views of the Middle Atlas Mountains and the surrounding villages. Overnight in a kasbah.

Overnight Stay: Auberge Du Sud Hotel, B,L,D included

Your day begins at Erfoud’s Fossil Factory and Museum where fossil rocks are turned into decorative items. Next, travel to the Saharaoui, town of Rissani. Enjoy a true taste of the region as you learn how madfouna (homemade stuffed bread with potato, meat, onion and Moroccan spices) is made. Jump into a 4×4 vehicle and stop in one of the nomadic villages of the Sahara before arriving at the dunes’ edge. While the red sun slips toward the horizon, ride via camel to a desert camp, where you’ll cross the stunning fine sands of Merzouga. As night falls, listen to intoxicating Berber drums during the traditional pouring of mint tea. This will be followed by a delightful Moroccan feast. Sleep in a fully-equipped, Berber-style tent and experience an unrivaled sense of tranquility in the serene desert.

Overnight Stay: Hotel Xaluca Dades, B,D included

Enjoy amazing views of the sunrise as you return to the edge of the dunes via camel. Then, begin the journey to Todra Gorge. Spend time in the Jewish quarter where you’ll sample local favorites at a bakery. Arrive in vibrant Boumalne du Dades, along its river valleys, palmeries and burnished mud-brick homes lit up in the desert sun.

Overnight Stay: Opera Plaza, B included

Follow the rugged “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs.” These fortress-like structures rise up like turreted sandcastles along the ancient trading route. Drive through the Valley of Roses, stopping at a local cooperative en route to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Ksar Ait-Ben-Haddou, an impressive feat of Moroccan architecture. Continue along the High Atlas Mountains following the Tizi n’ Tichka Pass. This scenic route brings you through lush oasis valleys, imposing mountains and several Berber villages before you reach the exotic city of Marrakech

Overnight Stay: Opera Plaza breakfast, L included

Explore Marrakech and its ancient El Bahia Palace, where today you’ll find a sentry of nesting storks. Enter the royal Saadian Tombs, explore the vibrant and historic Jewish Mellah, and see the majestic 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque. Tour the ancient city wall, passing by the Royal Palace. Savor lunch and tea in the home of a local family and get a true taste of Moroccan hospitality. Then, enter the 9th-century walled Medina and enjoy time to mingle with locals and artisans as you shop at the ancient market. This evening, enjoy time on your own to explore the city. Or, perhaps you’ll choose to join an optional excursion and dinner at Jemaa el Fna, Marrakech’s main square.

Overnight Stay: Opera Plaza, B,L,D included

This morning, select the ingredients for your culinary workshop that takes place at a local riad, a traditional Moroccan house. After lunch, experience another local custom at a henna workshop. Then it’s your choice! Visit Jardin Majorelle at the Berber Museum, one of the most beautiful gardens in Morocco; or tour Marrakech by horse-drawn carriage.  Tonight, join your fellow travelers for an unforgettable farewell dinner in a palace.

B included

A morning transfer brings you back to Casablanca to connect to your flight home.