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Arrive
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Day 1 Arrive in Casablanca
Arrive in Casablanca today where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel by private vehicle. Le Doge is an Art Deco gem located in the heart of Casablanca, and the balance of the day is at leisure for you to enjoy your vibrant surroundings or perhaps recover from your journey with a restorative hammam treatment in the spa.
Overnight: Hotel Le Doge
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Day 2 Hassan II Mosque and on to Fez
After breakfast at your hotel, you will set out to visit Casablanca's stunning Hassan II Mosque. One of Morocco's most striking monuments, the scale of the mosque and the intricacy of its design always leaves a lasting impression. Your private driver will then escort you on the journey east to Fez, the most ancient of Morocco's imperial cities. Here you will be based in a hilltop hideaway which offers fabulous views of Mount Zalagh and the shimmering lights of the Medina in the distance.
Overnight: Hotel Sahrai
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Day 3 Attractions of Fez
Today you will be met by your private guide for a full day exploring the many historic and cultural attractions of Fez. The city's medina is considered the most medieval in the Islamic world, and your guide will assist you in navigating its atmospheric streets which offer a true journey back in time. Visit the tanneries, Koran schools, public bakeries and observe artisans at work displaying craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations. There will also be time to explore the intriguing Jewish Quarter of the city, before you are driven back to your tranquil oasis for an evening at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Sahrai
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Day 4 Meknes and Volubilis
Your guide will join you after breakfast at your hotel on a journey out to the imperial city of Meknes. Explore the bustling medina with your guide, admire the iconic 'city door', Bab Mansour, as well as the city's palaces and the Grand Mosque. This afternoon you will travel to the striking archaeological site of Volubilis. Here, the partially excavated remains of a vast Roman city stand tall across a landscape of rolling plains. Your guide will explain their significance and allow you ample time to explore before returning you to Hotel Sahrai for the evening.
Overnight: Hotel Sahrai
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Day 5 Atlas Mountains
Departing Fez today, take a scenic journey south into the foothills of the middle Atlas Mountains. Along the way, you will stop to visit the cave houses in the old part of Bhalil, a Berber town that dates back to the pre-Islamic period. Continue your journey passing through the medieval city of Sefrou and the town of Imouzzer before reaching the tranquil Dayet Awa Lake. The final section of the drive takes you through the Berber town of Azrou before you reach Ifran, known for its alpine-style architecture and nearby cedar forests. Here you can enjoy an afternoon at leisure to relax and enjoy the facilities of your mountain resort.
Overnight: Mountain resort
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Day 6 Mountains and desert
Today a spectacular journey south awaits as you travel from Ifran to the dunes of the Sahara, making a number of fascinating stops along the way. Pass typical Berber towns with their flat-roofed earth houses and magnificent cedar forests where nomadic shepherds still move their herds of goats and sheep according to the seasons. After the descent into the Saharan Plateau you will begin to climb once more, taking in the hypnotic vistas of date palm valleys, fortified villages and dramatic canyons. Following the oasis town of Erfoud you will make the final approach to Merzouga, arriving in time for a camel ride over the dunes to watch the sunset.
Overnight: Desert camp
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Day 7 To Skoura palmeraie
After a memorable night under canvas at your luxurious desert camp, you may wish to rise early to watch sunrise over the dunes. After breakfast at camp, depart the Sahara for the journey east into the southern Atlas Mountains. Today's route takes you through a series of luxuriant oases where you can see remains of the medieval Khettara irrigation systems. Make a stop in Tineghir, a stunning oasis at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains, before continuing through the picturesque valley, pausing for a walk along the Todra Gorge, home to a variety of rare plants and bird species. The second part of your journey takes you along the 'Route of a Thousand Kasbahs', a region of earth-made fortresses with elaborately decorated façades, entirely unique to this area of Morocco. The final stretch takes you through Morocco's 'Valley of the Roses' before you reach your serene boutique hotel, set in a restored kasbah in the heart of the Skoura palmeraie.
Overnight: Ksar el Kabbaba
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Day 8 To Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou
Continuing your journey east you will reach the striking and UNESCO protected village of Ait Ben Haddou. The ksar's patchwork of red mudbrick houses clinging to the hillside evoke the Morocco of another time, to the extent that it has been regularly used as a filming location in Hollywood blockbusters such as Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. After ample time to explore you will resume your journey to Marrakech, and your utterly indulgent hideaway of The Oberoi.
Overnight: The Oberoi Marrakech
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Day 9 Monuments and souks of Marrakech
You will meet your private guide this morning for a full day tour of vibrant Marrakech, taking in the city's enchanting blend of modern architecture and its ancient walled medina. Absorb sights such as the Koutoubia Mosque with its towering minaret, the bustling kasbah and the Badii Palace, constructed in the 16th century. At the 19th century Bahia Palace you can discover the intricate work of local artisans, commissioned by a powerful Vizir to decorate this splendid home for his harem. You will then take a stroll through the Jewish quarter, before spending some time exploring the artisan quarters and the colourful souks, with the opportunity to haggle for a variety of crafts, textiles, leather goods and spices. Before sunset, stroll around Djemaa El Fna, where hundreds of locals and tourists come to spend the evening watching jugglers, dancers, fortune tellers, story tellers and musicians.
Overnight: The Oberoi Marrakech
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Day 10 Majorelle Gardens and Berber Museum
Today, you will make a guided visit to the Majorelle Gardens. Explore this famous garden created by the orientalist painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1920's and owned by Yves Saint Laurent. The gardens house a collection of plants from all over the world, flourishing amidst elegant ornamental ponds and an Art Deco villa. The garden also hosts more than 15 bird species that are endemic to North Africa, and features an impressive collection of cacti. After your tour of the gardens, you will visit the beautifully designed Berber Museum, displaying Yves Saint Laurent's personal collection of Berber antiques. Return to the Oberoi for an afternoon at leisure, relaxing by the pool or perhaps indulging in a nurturing spa treatment.
Overnight: The Oberoi Marrakech
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Day 11 To Kasbah Tamadot via Anima Garden
Depart Marrakech for your final memorable Moroccan location, the utterly sublime Kasbah Tamadot. On the way to this stylish rural retreat, you will make a stop at the Anima Garden. This dreamlike place, designed by Austrian multimedia artist André Heller, showcases spectacular art and sculpture in a colourful botanical setting, offering knockout views of the snow-capped mountains. You will then continue the short drive to Kasbah Tamadot and begin settling in to your idyllic surroundings.
Overnight: Kasbah Tamadot
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Day 12 Kasbah Tamadot at leisure
Enjoy a full day at leisure to recover from your Moroccan adventure and take advantage of all that Kasbah Tamadot has to offer. Part of Sir Richard Branson's portfolio of unique retreats, the hotel caters to those seeking activity or relaxation in equal measure. Take in the views of Atlas foothills as you recline by the sparkling infinity pool, or work up an appetite for lunch on the tennis court. Stroll through the fragrant gardens, enjoy a blissful treatment in the spa, and dine under a blanket of stars on the rooftop terrace.
Overnight: Kasbah Tamadot
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Day 13 Depart
After a final leisurely breakfast at Kasbah Tamadot, your private driver will transfer you to Marrakech airport in plenty of time for your flight home.
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Depart
