Best of Morocco - Small Group, Summer

Tour Type: Regional
Brochure Type: IV Europe Summer 2023 v2

Discover the spectacular sites of Morocco on this 10-day guided tour. Explore Morocco's largest mosque in Casablanca and indulge in a feast of aromatic tagines and exotic fruits inside the ancient palace in Fes. Then take time to watch the enticing art of belly dancing. Be awed by the rugged red mountains of Dades Valley, then sip wild-herb tea alongside local nomads. Before you reach Marrakesh, walk around one of Morocco's most impressive kasbahs at the gate of the Saraha, an earthen clay fortress and UNESCO World Heritage Site. And of course, you won't leave Morocco without seeing the snake charmers, storytellers and acrobats in Marrakesh's markets and souks, where you can buy anything from a cashmere scarf to a woven rug.

Choice Highlights
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Marrakesh: Discover the beauty of Marrakesh on a guided bike tour organised by a company that empowers local youth by promoting education, employment and financial opportunities. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty. The organisation provides employment opportunities to young people in an area suffering from youth poverty. The organisation provides professional training opportunities for the youth to build a career as well as educational activities for the children of the area. This experience also advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. Alternatively, visit the intricately decorated Palais Bahia, intended to be the greatest palace of its time.
  • Marrakesh: Built around a lovely inner-garden, explore the Bahia Palace with a Local Expert and see glimpses of a Moroccan kingdom's former opulence.
Well-being
  • Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxury, air-conditioned coach. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
  • Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19.All Travel Directors, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
  • We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
  • Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Travel Director
  • "Morocco is a country with many contrasts, from the very modern world to the incredible ancient traditions that live side by side in a perfect harmony."
Authentic Dining
  • Casablanca: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at 18:00 for your Welcome Dinner, with the opportunity to mingle over a pleasant evening of good food.
  • Fes: Join in the fun at a colourful Moroccan feast, complete with rhythmic music, writhing belly dancers and an array of local dishes and delicacies.
  • Casablanca: You must remember this...a fabulous 4-course Celebration Dinner with drinks at Rick's Cafe, made famous by the 1942 film.
  • Dining Summary: 6 Dinner with Wine (DW), 9 Breakfast (B), and 2 Lunch (L)
Top Rated Highlights
  • Rabat: See the Royal Palace and Hassan Tower.
  • Casablanca: See the Hassan II Mosque and the Corniche.
  • Meknes: Admire the Bab el-Mansour Gate on Place El-Hedim in the heart of the Medina.
  • Fes: Led by your Local Expert, wander the maze of streets that make up the ancient Medina. See one of the world's oldest universities and pass hidden courtyards, mosques and workshops. Continue through the souks, an array of vendors selling food, clothes, leather goods and beautiful lights.
  • Fes: Led by your Local Expert, wander the maze of streets that make up the ancient Medina. See one of the world's oldest universities and pass hidden courtyards, mosques and workshops. Continue through the souks, an array of vendors selling food, clothes, leather goods and beautiful lights.
  • Fes: Witness local artisans using long-standing techniques to create pottery and khobz, the traditional local bread and a staple to any Moroccan meal.
  • Fes: Learn about the traditional craft of carpet making, gaining an insight to the designs the and the difference in materials.
  • Erfoud: Enjoy the beauty of this little oasis with the back drop of the Sahara desert whilst you explore the red walled streets.
  • Tinghir: Explore this fascinating ravine caused by a fault that has split the orange-coloured limestone as deep as 300 meters.
  • Dades Valley: See the castellated mud houses and oases.
  • Ouarzazate: Learn more about this quiet town in a city orientation and see why it has been the back drop to many films as you wander its red sandy streets.
  • Ait Benhaddou: The Ksar is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the finest examples of South Moroccan architecture. See the crowded houses within the defensive walls that are reinforced by the corner towers and explore one of Morocco's finest kasbahs.
  • Marrakesh: Built around a lovely inner-garden, explore the Bahia Palace with a Local Expert and see glimpses of a Moroccan kingdom's former opulence.
  • Marrakesh: Your Local Expert guides you past Jemaa el-Fnaa Square with its intriguing characters and through the seemingly entangled streets of the Medina with its many souks. See the protruding Koutoubia Minaret.
  • Essaouira: See the beauty of this bohemian coastal town as you explore the many spice-scented streets of the medina.
Insight Experiences
  • Dades Valley: Stop at a traditional Nomad house and meet the locals as you sip Berber tea.
Make Travel Matter
  • Marrakesh: Discover the beauty of Marrakesh on a guided bike tour organised by a company that empowers local youth by promoting education, employment and financial opportunities. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty. The organisation provides employment opportunities to young people in an area suffering from youth poverty. The organisation provides professional training opportunities for the youth to build a career as well as educational activities for the children of the area. This experience also advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. Alternatively, visit the intricately decorated Palais Bahia, intended to be the greatest palace of its time.
Additional Included Highlights
  • Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
  • Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
  • Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
  • From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
  • If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Call (913) 888-3371 for more information or to book today! Mention code 16910517

Tour Operator
Insight Vacations
Duration
10 Days
Escorted
Escorted - Yes
DayDestinationDescription
Day 1CasablancaWelcome to Casablanca: On arrival at Casablanca airport, your transfer leaves for your landmark city hotel at 09:00, 12:00 or 15:00. Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at 18:00 for your Welcome Dinner, with the opportunity to mingle over a pleasant evening of good food.
Grand Mogador City Center, Casablanca.
Day 2Rabat, Imperial Meknes and FesRabat, Imperial Meknes and Fes Relaxed Start: An exploration of the sights of Casablanca will show you the huge Hassan II Mosque, the largest in the country. Venture to the tres chic seaside strip known as the Corniche, which stretches to the west and is lined with trendy restaurants and cafes. Depart for the capital of Rabat to see the Royal Palace, Hassan Tower and visit one of the few holy places open to non-Muslims, the lavish Mausoleum of King Mohammed V. This site is both an architectural marvel and a monument to a great ruler. Travel to Meknes, one of the kingdom's great imperial cities where little has changed since its founding in the 11th century. Stand before the Bab el-Mansour, the monumental entrance to the imperial city and focal point of Place El-Hedim, before continuing to Fes. You'll be delighted with a superb Moroccan Highlight Dinner in an ancient palace at the entrance to the Medina. A colourful array of meze plates, aromatic tagines, exotic fruits and wine will be laid before you while you are entertained with a traditional folklore show. Enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere of belly dancers, drums and authentic music.
Marriott Jnan Palace, Fes.
Day 3FesFes Sightseeing Relaxed Start: Led by your Local Expert, wander the maze of streets that make up the ancient Medina. Pass one of the world's oldest universities and see the hidden courtyards, mosques and workshops. Continue through the souks where an array of vendors sell food, clothes, leather goods and beautiful lights. Learn about the ancient craft of carpet making, witness age-old techniques of pottery making and learn how khobz, the traditional local bread, is made.
Marriott Jnan Palace, Fes.
Day 4The Ziz Gorges to ErfoudThe Ziz Gorges to Erfoud: Leave the bustle of the city behind and head for the spectacular snowcapped High Atlas Mountains. Pass through Ifrane before reaching the great cedar forests of Azrou. After stopping for lunch at Midelt, continue through the magnificent Ziz Gorges, past palm-fringed towns to Er Rachidia, built by the French at an important crossroads. Your destination is Erfoud, where the red sand buildings stand in stark contrast against the patches of greenery and surrounding desert. In the evening, there is an Optional Experience to meet the nomadic desert dwellers and marvel at the glorious Sahara sunset on a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Kasbah Hotel Xaluca Arfoud, Efroud.
Day 5Spectacular OuarzazateSpectacular Ouarzazate: Venture towards the oasis of Tinehir and explore the Todra Gorge, known as the Grand Canyon of the Sahara. At Boumalne du Dades you will encounter the dry and rugged Dades Valley, dotted with oases of figs, olives, date palms and castellated mud houses-hugging the slopes. Meet the locals of the region when you visit a traditional Nomad house to try authentic Berber tea. The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs concludes at Ouarzazate, also known as the film capital of Morocco. Many blockbusters have been filmed here, including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars.
Le Berbere Palace, Ouarzazate.
Day 6To MarrakeshTo Marrakesh: Marvel at and photograph the architectural wonder of Ksar of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boasts one of Morocco's finest kasbahs. Your journey continues via the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka Pass, before descending past charming mountain villages, dense woods and green fields to the ochre-coloured city of Marrakesh. With the rest of the day at your leisure, why not relax and enjoy the immaculate facilities of your hotel?
Kenzi Rose Garden, Marrakesh.
Day 7Marrakesh, Pearl of the SouthMarrakesh, Pearl of the South Relaxed Start: Meet your Local Expert in the bustling Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, where you can take a moment to watch the dancers, snake charmers, storytellers and acrobats. Wander the maze of the Medina and see the Koutoubia Mosque, with its minaret dominating the Marrakesh skyline. Explore Marrakesh with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the intricately decorated Palais Bahia, intended to be the greatest palace of its time. Alternatively, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience as you take a leisurely guided bike tour with an organisation providing financial support to local youth.With time at leisure, you are free to continue exploring, try your hand at haggling in the souks or maybe visit a museum? In the evening, perhaps choose to join fellow guests at a vibrant restaurant on Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. Here you will enjoy a slew of classic Moroccan dishes as you absorb the ambience and watch twirling belly dancers balance plates of lit candles on their heads.
Kenzi Rose Garden, Marrakesh.
Day 8EssaouiraElegant Essaouira Relaxed Start: Venture to the west coast of Africa to reach the laid-back fishing town of Essaouira. After checking into your hotel, why not spend the afternoon navigating the narrow alleyways, exploring the busy fishing port or maybe just relaxing on the beach? In the evening, you could sample the local seafood and wine at a waterside restaurant.
Atlas Essaouira & Spa.
Day 9CasablancaReturn to Casablanca Relaxed Start: Once you've experienced the traditional charms of the country, Casablanca is a fascinating place to return to and offers a unique insight into modern Morocco.In the evening 'of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world' there really is only one place to be.Join your Travel Director at Rick's Cafe, recreated from the famous movie. Enjoy a hearty Celebration Dinner with drinks and no doubt a rendition of 'As Time Goes By'. Here's looking at you kid!
Grand Mogador City Center, Casablanca.
Day 10CasablancaAu revoir Casablanca: Departure transfers arrive at Casablanca airport at 05:00, 07:00, 10:00 and 12:00.
Dates/Pricing

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- These prices are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking.
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- Hotel Class Key: D: Deluxe SF: Superior First Class F: First Class
  
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