Marrakesh, Morocco
Consider our 3 nights/4 day pre- or post-tour excursion added to our Spain and Portugal itineraries.
$4220/person. Double occupancy.
This complete all-inclusive package is priced based on a minimum group of 6 guests. Includes all transfers in a private luxury air conditioned coach, 4 Days and 3 nights in a platinum riad accommodation local certified English guide Guide and Driver throughout the visit, all entrances and visit fees, ALL breakfasts, ALL lunches and ALL dinners, VIP hot Air Balloon Experience and camel ride.
Price does not include airfare, which will be priced depending on where we are flying from.
Morocco covers the north-west corner of Africa, only 8 miles south of Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar. Its colonial past and its present economic ties ensure that Morocco will always have a close relationship with its neighbors to the north. Marrakech is steeped in history and culture and is exotic and exciting. Situated to the north of the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains and fringing the famed Sahara, the bustling UNESCO-listed city is an enchanting travel destination in Morocco. It’s easy to lose all sense of time in Marrakech, with its maze of narrow alleyways scattered with donkey carts, snake charmers, acrobats, story-tellers, dancers, water-sellers and potion vendors to pique your interest and entertain. If you don’t find all of these as you journey through the winding streets of the ‘Red City’, you will be sure to find them and much, much more at its famous markets. Marrakesh is home to the largest traditional Berber market in Morocco and one of the busiest squares in the world, known as Djemaa el Fna.
Riads are family homes opened up to serve as B&Bs, built around an open courtyard with trees/ plants and a water feature (small pool or fountain, or both) and usually have a rooftop terrace. They are made to offer peace, calm and tranquility amidst the havoc of the city. If you are looking for a truly authentic Moroccan experience then you must stay in a riad.
Consider our 3 nights/4 day pre- or post-tour excursion added to our Spain and Portugal itineraries.
$4220/person. Double occupancy.
This complete all-inclusive package is priced based on a minimum group of 6 guests. Includes all transfers in a private luxury air conditioned coach, 4 Days and 3 nights in a platinum riad accommodation local certified English guide Guide and Driver throughout the visit, all entrances and visit fees, ALL breakfasts, ALL lunches and ALL dinners, VIP hot Air Balloon Experience and camel ride.
Price does not include airfare, which will be priced depending on where we are flying from.
Morocco covers the north-west corner of Africa, only 8 miles south of Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar. Its colonial past and its present economic ties ensure that Morocco will always have a close relationship with its neighbors to the north. Marrakech is steeped in history and culture and is exotic and exciting. Situated to the north of the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains and fringing the famed Sahara, the bustling UNESCO-listed city is an enchanting travel destination in Morocco. It’s easy to lose all sense of time in Marrakech, with its maze of narrow alleyways scattered with donkey carts, snake charmers, acrobats, story-tellers, dancers, water-sellers and potion vendors to pique your interest and entertain. If you don’t find all of these as you journey through the winding streets of the ‘Red City’, you will be sure to find them and much, much more at its famous markets. Marrakesh is home to the largest traditional Berber market in Morocco and one of the busiest squares in the world, known as Djemaa el Fna.
Riads are family homes opened up to serve as B&Bs, built around an open courtyard with trees/ plants and a water feature (small pool or fountain, or both) and usually have a rooftop terrace. They are made to offer peace, calm and tranquility amidst the havoc of the city. If you are looking for a truly authentic Moroccan experience then you must stay in a riad.
Day 1. Flight from Madrid or Lisbon to Marrakesh.
We’ll check in to our riad, have and included lunch and enjoy an introduction to the city. There will be an optional excursion to the rug factory for those who are interested in buying and shipping Moroccan rugs.
Included dinner tonight.
We’ll check in to our riad, have and included lunch and enjoy an introduction to the city. There will be an optional excursion to the rug factory for those who are interested in buying and shipping Moroccan rugs.
Included dinner tonight.
Day 2. A Day in Marrakesh.
The morning will be devoted to the sightseeing of Marrakesh, the second oldest imperial city known as the” Pearl of the South” and home to the Saadian tombs, the Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahia Palace and the Menara Gardens.
Koutoubia Mosque. One of the most impressive sights in Marrakech, the Koutoubia is one of the largest, most beautiful mosques in the western Muslim world. Its 225 foot tall minaret is a Hispano-Moresque masterpiece that is very similar to the Giralda of Seville. This mosque's beautiful minaret dominates the skyline of Marrakech and can be seen from almost every approach to the city thanks to a long-standing planning ordinance that forbids any other building in the old city to rise above the height of a palm tree.
You will also visit the El-Bahia Palace. El Bahia Palace was built in the late 19th century in a two acre garden. It is a haphazard arrangement of secret luxury apartments opening to inner courtyards. For seven years around a thousand craftsmen from the Fez region worked on the palace. The only sections open to the public are the apartments of the sultan's favorite concubine, the council chamber (with tiled walls and illuminated cedar wood ceiling) and the great central courtyard (paved with marble and decorated with zelliges and fountains). This 19th century palace is elaborate in its decoration and was built over a period of seven years for Ba Ahmed, the son of the Grand Vizier Si Moussa. There are row after row of apartments—that once housed Ahmed's harem—a trapezoidal garden, a huge tiled courtyard, and many hidden treasures, both in the form of antique objects d'art and the palace's convergence of Andalusian and Moorish architecture.
The Saadian Tombs with their delicate decorations and pure architectural lines are considered by many to be a beautiful feat of architecture. They were first built to house the tombs of the Saadian Sultan, Ahmed el Mansour. In 1591 the first "koubba" of this burial ground was built south of the Casbah. One of most visited sites in Morocco is the Saadian Tombs, were only accessible via the mosque next door. However, in 1917 they were opened to the public and can now be accessed via a narrow passage that leads to an enclosed garden watched over by two mausoleums that include more than one hundred mosaic-decorated tombs.
The Koranic School Medersa Ben Youssef is a Theological college founded by the Merenid Sultan Abu Hassan in the 14th century. It was restored in 1564 by the Saadians who made it the largest theological college in the Maghreb and a rival to the important Medersa Bou Inania in Fés.
Included lunch. The afternoon will be spent exploring the souk and the world’s famous Djemaa el Fna place with its various entertainments (story tellers, acrobats, snake-charmers, magicians, etc).
Djemaa El Fna. This traditional meeting place for peasants and merchants from the Sous region, the High atlas and the South has become the heart of Marrakech. In the mornings this large square is crowded with fruit and spice sellers, guerrab with their leather water bottles and metal drinking cups, basket sellers, ironmongers and Barbers. In the afternoons come the Gnaoua dancers descended from former Guinean slaves, musicians, story tellers, snake charmers and entertainers with performing monkeys!
Central Souks - The lanes that spool north from Djemaa El Fna sum up this old caravan city’s charm. Scents of cumin and grilled meat intermingle in alleyways where shafts of sunlight strike through palm-frond roofing and hawkers bid you hello in 10 languages. Throw away your map and go get lost in the helter-skelter for a while.
Lunch will be included today in the market.
Think about indulging in an optional Hammam bath and massage this afternoon before dinner. Not included. Please inquire about details and pricing.
Tonight: Included dinner
The morning will be devoted to the sightseeing of Marrakesh, the second oldest imperial city known as the” Pearl of the South” and home to the Saadian tombs, the Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahia Palace and the Menara Gardens.
Koutoubia Mosque. One of the most impressive sights in Marrakech, the Koutoubia is one of the largest, most beautiful mosques in the western Muslim world. Its 225 foot tall minaret is a Hispano-Moresque masterpiece that is very similar to the Giralda of Seville. This mosque's beautiful minaret dominates the skyline of Marrakech and can be seen from almost every approach to the city thanks to a long-standing planning ordinance that forbids any other building in the old city to rise above the height of a palm tree.
You will also visit the El-Bahia Palace. El Bahia Palace was built in the late 19th century in a two acre garden. It is a haphazard arrangement of secret luxury apartments opening to inner courtyards. For seven years around a thousand craftsmen from the Fez region worked on the palace. The only sections open to the public are the apartments of the sultan's favorite concubine, the council chamber (with tiled walls and illuminated cedar wood ceiling) and the great central courtyard (paved with marble and decorated with zelliges and fountains). This 19th century palace is elaborate in its decoration and was built over a period of seven years for Ba Ahmed, the son of the Grand Vizier Si Moussa. There are row after row of apartments—that once housed Ahmed's harem—a trapezoidal garden, a huge tiled courtyard, and many hidden treasures, both in the form of antique objects d'art and the palace's convergence of Andalusian and Moorish architecture.
The Saadian Tombs with their delicate decorations and pure architectural lines are considered by many to be a beautiful feat of architecture. They were first built to house the tombs of the Saadian Sultan, Ahmed el Mansour. In 1591 the first "koubba" of this burial ground was built south of the Casbah. One of most visited sites in Morocco is the Saadian Tombs, were only accessible via the mosque next door. However, in 1917 they were opened to the public and can now be accessed via a narrow passage that leads to an enclosed garden watched over by two mausoleums that include more than one hundred mosaic-decorated tombs.
The Koranic School Medersa Ben Youssef is a Theological college founded by the Merenid Sultan Abu Hassan in the 14th century. It was restored in 1564 by the Saadians who made it the largest theological college in the Maghreb and a rival to the important Medersa Bou Inania in Fés.
Included lunch. The afternoon will be spent exploring the souk and the world’s famous Djemaa el Fna place with its various entertainments (story tellers, acrobats, snake-charmers, magicians, etc).
Djemaa El Fna. This traditional meeting place for peasants and merchants from the Sous region, the High atlas and the South has become the heart of Marrakech. In the mornings this large square is crowded with fruit and spice sellers, guerrab with their leather water bottles and metal drinking cups, basket sellers, ironmongers and Barbers. In the afternoons come the Gnaoua dancers descended from former Guinean slaves, musicians, story tellers, snake charmers and entertainers with performing monkeys!
Central Souks - The lanes that spool north from Djemaa El Fna sum up this old caravan city’s charm. Scents of cumin and grilled meat intermingle in alleyways where shafts of sunlight strike through palm-frond roofing and hawkers bid you hello in 10 languages. Throw away your map and go get lost in the helter-skelter for a while.
Lunch will be included today in the market.
Think about indulging in an optional Hammam bath and massage this afternoon before dinner. Not included. Please inquire about details and pricing.
Tonight: Included dinner
Day 3. Ballon ride, a Morning in the Atlas Mountains and a Camel ride
This morning we'll rise early and travel to the launch site in time for your balloon ride. On arrival, boost your energy with pastries, tea and coffee and look on as your experienced crew prepares your balloon. Climb into the spacious private basket for takeoff. Thrill as your balloon rises into the skies and ogle the aerial views of the desert as you float through the air. Take photos of the rocky valleys and peaks as your pilot steers your balloon over the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. After around 40 to 50 minutes, (depending on weather conditions), touch down safely back to ground.
After our balloon ride and breakfast, we'll continue on through the Atlas Mountains. During this unique day trip, we will visit various small berber villages, have a tea with a local family in the village of Imlil then continue to the Village of Asni, where we will have included lunch at the Kasbah Tamadot, one of Richard Branson's most luxurious hotels.
Enjoy the fresh mountain air as you indulge an amazing Moroccan meal before we continue our trip back to Marrakech with a stop at the oasis where you will ahem an opportunity for a short camel ride (because you gotta do it!) before arriving back to your Riad.
This afternoon, think about our optional activities. Not included. Please inquire about details and pricing.
Cooking lesson
Tile Making
Tonight: Included Farewell dinner
Day 4. Fly from Marrakesh to the U.S. or on to Madrid or Lisbon
This morning we'll rise early and travel to the launch site in time for your balloon ride. On arrival, boost your energy with pastries, tea and coffee and look on as your experienced crew prepares your balloon. Climb into the spacious private basket for takeoff. Thrill as your balloon rises into the skies and ogle the aerial views of the desert as you float through the air. Take photos of the rocky valleys and peaks as your pilot steers your balloon over the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. After around 40 to 50 minutes, (depending on weather conditions), touch down safely back to ground.
After our balloon ride and breakfast, we'll continue on through the Atlas Mountains. During this unique day trip, we will visit various small berber villages, have a tea with a local family in the village of Imlil then continue to the Village of Asni, where we will have included lunch at the Kasbah Tamadot, one of Richard Branson's most luxurious hotels.
Enjoy the fresh mountain air as you indulge an amazing Moroccan meal before we continue our trip back to Marrakech with a stop at the oasis where you will ahem an opportunity for a short camel ride (because you gotta do it!) before arriving back to your Riad.
This afternoon, think about our optional activities. Not included. Please inquire about details and pricing.
Cooking lesson
Tile Making
Tonight: Included Farewell dinner
Day 4. Fly from Marrakesh to the U.S. or on to Madrid or Lisbon