New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic 

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

New year's in the exotic country of Morocco

Explore the new year 2003

in the beautiful country of Morocco

Travel to the exotic country of Africa

Christmas & New year's eve
in the exotic country of The Kingdom of Morocco
December 23, 2008

Morocco vacations, Morocco travel and tours,
Morocco vacations, Morocco travel and tours, Morocco vacations,  Morocco travel and tours, Morocco vacations

DAY 1,  Dec 23, 2008:  CASABLANCA / RABAT/ FES.

Morning arrival and assistance by our staff at Mohammed V Airport. Sightseeing tour of Casablanca. "Principal city in Morocco and capital in all but administration" Casablanca is now the largest port of the Maghreb - busier even than Marseille, the city on which it was modeled by the French. including visits to the central market, the Habous district, the Royal Palace, the Mohamed V square, the residential area of Anfa and the Hassan II Mosque. Sea food lunch at the Corniche in An Diab (coast line). Afternoon departure to Rabat,  the capital of the nation. This city in many ways is what you would expect: elegant in its spacious European in self conscious in Its very civilized modern ways. Our visit begins in the Medina with the Kasbah of the Oudayas. Visit the venerated Mohamed V Mausoleum, the Hassan Tower, the Mosque, and the ramparts and walls of the Mechouar surrounding the Royal Palace.   Departure to Meknes via Volubilis and Moulay Idris. This excursion embodies much of Morocco's early history - Volubilis as Its Roman provincial capital, Moulay Idris in the creation of the country's first Arab dynasty then continue to Fez . Dinner and overnight at the  hotel (Lunch and  dinner)

DAY 2, Dec 24, 2008 :  FES.

After breakfast, full-day tour of the city of Fes, The Holy City of Fes is a jewel of Spanish-Arabic civilization. Fes does not reveal its secrets easily. Secretive, shadowy, they need to be discovered little by little, with reverence. Only in this way can the splendors of Medrsa architecture be fully appreciated. Only in this way will the call of the medina tempt you. Bustling with artisans and merchants, its captivating sounds, fragrances and colors mesmerize the visitor with a constant swirl of activity. The city of Moulay Idriss 1st, sanctuary of human and moral sciences.

The great À Karaouiyne University bas for eleven centuries been a religions and intellectual center whose influence bas spread far beyond the Kingdom's boundaries. In 789, a pick-axe of silver and gold -"fas" in Arabic - was presented to Idriss 1st to use in tracing the outlines of the city. Hence the name of the city, which lies at the far eastern end of the plain of Saïss, bordered to the south by the hills outlying the Atlas Mountains. Cradle of religions, cultural and artistic traditions, Fes, the double city, is the kingdom's spiritual capital. The Andalusia mosque, dating from the 9th century, and further embellished by successive rulers, is accessed through a mighty door of sculpted cedar. An imposing minaret decorated with green faiences crowns the Rsif Mosque. The Medersas around the Karaouiyne Mosque, former lodging houses for students coming from outside the city, attest the importance of its thousand years of history. In the Medina, a labyrinth of sloping, winding alleyways are crammed full of stalls and workshops. This is the famed Kissaria -the commercial center. A multitude of locally produced goods are on sale in this incredible maze-cotton fabric, silk, brocade work, slippers, and many more.  The craftsmen of the El Attarine souks offer the visitor a non-stop spectacle. For hundreds of years such work bas been regulated by traditional guilds, ensuring that its quality is worthy of the city. Each district has its own specialty : cobalt blue enameled pottery, carpets, wrought iron ... one looks on as the dyer stirs his yarns, steeped in their multitude of colors, as the tanner tramples his skins under an open sky -skins that the leather-worker

will eventually adorn with fine gilt for book-binding . Leaving the souks through the Boujeloud gate with its decoration of green and blue faiences, the riches contained in the wonderful Museum of Moroccan Art await one Optional lunch at the Medina and shopping in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Day 3, Dec 25,  2008 : FES / AZROU/MIDELT / ERFOUD / MERZOUGA

 
The first hills you see of the Middle Atlas seem surprisingly un-Moroccan. There are evergreen pines. tall cedar trees on the peaks and poplars on the foot hills. The road across is almost ceremonial.
Azrou, the first real town of the Middle Atlas stands at a major junction of routes. It is an important market center, and has long held a strategic role in controlling the Berbers of the mountains.

Midelt: you have left the Middle Atlas behind. Suddenly, through the haze, appear the much greater peaks of the High Atlas rising sheer behind the town to a massive range, the Dgebel Ayashi at over 12000ft. The drama of that sight, tremendous in the clear, cool noon, is the most compelling reason to stop over for lunch (Optional) Dinner and overnight in Merzouga  hotel (Breakfast and dinner)

DAY 4, Dec 26, 2008:  MARZOUGA/ OUARZAZATE.
An early wake up call for sunrise excursion to Dunes. An experience not to be missed is to watch the sun as it rises from the top of the golden dunes, a spectacular view of the Sahara which no words can describe. Back to the tent for special Breakfast with the Touargees people, then continue on to explore the holy ancient city of Rissani by your 4X4 Land Rover.  Early afternoon depart to Tinghir ,The highest and the narrowest gorges in the region are Todra's, only 15 km from Tinghir. Traveling through the Dades valley in spring you will find the bloom of thousands of Persian roses - cultivated as hedgerows dividing the plots. Thousands of Kasbahs scattered along the Dades river through El Kalaa Del Mgouna and Boumaine. Lunch at a local restaurant located at the feet of canyons. Continuation to Ouarzazate. Dinner and overnight in Ouarzazate. (Breakfast & Dinner)

DAY 5, Dec 27, 2008: OUARZAZATE/ MARRAKECH
After breakfast, tour of Ouarzazate. Continue on to Marrakech with a visit to AIT BENHADDOU. Dinner and overnight at hotel in  New year's eve Gala  dinner in Marrakech

DAY 6, Dec 28, 2008 : MARRAKECH

After breakfast, full-day tour of Marrakech. Historic visit of Marrakech will include the Menara, a magnificent pool surrounded by flowers, reflecting the image of a beautiful Moorish construction built in 1866 for the dignitaries.  See glorious sunsets with the Atlas mountains as a backdrop. Also, the pool is a functional irrigation system to the surrounding areas. The tour will see several impressive sights: The Koutoubia Minaret (the twin tower of la Giralda in Sevilla, Spain), the Saadian tombs demonstrating Moorish architecture in its perfection. The tombs, consisting of splendid mausoleums built in the sixteenth century, were walled for some time, not to be discovered until 1917. Other sites include: the museum of Dar Si Said with the best display of Berber arts and crafts to be found; the remains of the Badii Palace, a historical monument chosen to host the annual National Festival of Popular Art, beginning the second Friday in June. The Bahia Palace still hosts dignitaries in the heart of the Mellah (Jewish quarter) today. Lunch at the hotel then a walk through the colorful souks of Marrakech in the afternoon. Conclude the day with a sunset drink overlooking the exciting Jamaa El Fna Square. Optional dinner at "Chez Ali" under Berber tents with fantasia show. Over night at hotel( Breakfast and Dinner)

DAY 7  Dec 29, 2008: MARRAKECH/ CASABLANCA:
Morning at Leisure, optional lunch at the hotel, then depart to Casablanca for dinner and over night

DAY 8  Dec 30, 2008: CASABLANCA/ AIRPORT:                     End Of Christmas tour
End of  the journey : after breakfast depart to airport for your schedule flight back home with a memorable trip of a life time.

DAY 8  Dec 30, 2008:  CASABLANCA                                      New Year's eve tour continues

After breakfast, optional excursion to El Jadida, sixty-three miles south of Casablanca, was held by the Portuguese for 250 years commencing in the 16th century - they called it 'Mazagan', and built the fortified and mooted medina adjoining the harbour. In 1769, when the Portuguese left, the town was burnt down, and it was re-named El Jadida, meaning 'The New', having been reconstructed by Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah in 1815.

Traces of the towns Portuguese past remain today in its lanes and ramparts, and most notably in its remarkable underground cistern - pillared and vaulted like a church crypt, illuminated by eerie shafts of sunlight, and flooded with a few inches of water to conjure the reflection - an astonishing setting used by Orson Welles in his version of Othello.

During the summer months, city-dwellers from Casablanca and Marrakech flock to its 16km stretch of sandy beach that is, for many people, the focal point of El Jadida. Lined by an elegant promenade, and dotted with lively cafes, the beach lunges far into the distance, ever becoming less populated until one meets the dunes and a forested nature reserve.

About 15 miles south of the city there is a string of lagoons with wetlands where you can see dozens of varieties of migrating birds. Return to Casablanca for dinner and over night.

DAY 9  Dec 31, 2008 : CASABLANCA  
All  Day at leisure, Gala dinner at the hotel

DAY 10  January 1, 2009  : CASABLANCA  / Airport
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight back home with a memorable trip of life time