Itinerary

• Saturday, April 4, 2009 - Fes
  
  We meet in Fes (Fez) this evening at our hotel, a painstakingly restored mansion in the heart of the Fes Medina. Royal Air Maroc flies most days from Montreal to Casablanca (via New York). One can fly to Fes from Casablanca. There is service on Ryanair from London Luton to Fes, but dates of those flights are not yet announced. One can fly to Marrakech on Easyjet from Gatwick Airport, London, most days of the week (and it is 8 or so hours by train or bus from Marrakech to Fes). Air France and Royal Air Maroc fly from Paris to many destinations in Morocco.
  
  Fes has the largest Medina (old walled Arab city) remaining in the world. We walk through narrow streets and alleyways, no vehicles to be seen, stepping back into a medieval world. (Albeit punctuated by cell phone rings and televisions blaring). The old city is still organized around the guild system, with different guilds occupying different areas. We still see the masters, the apprentices and the journeymen at work. There are the dyers, the tanners, the woodworkers, the coppersmiths, the jewellers, the sandal makers , etc. Skills lost in other countries are still alive and flourishing in Morocco.
  
  We will have dinner together tonight and go over our itinerary for the final details.

• Sunday, April 5 and Monday, April 6,2009 - Fes
  
  We explore Fes on foot with a historical guide Sunday morning.
  
  Transport will be arranged Monday to see the Modern, New (ancient by our standards) and Old cities in perspective. (Note: the old city can only be seen by foot apart from getting an overview from above)
  
  You will have ample time over the next two days for exploring on your own and for photography. Morocco is an incredible source of subject matter for photographers.
  
  Dinner Sunday evening on your own. We will have either lunch or dinner in a sumptuous historical mansion together on Monday.

• Tuesday, April 7, 2009 - Fes to Marrakech
  
  We leave early this morning by transport vehicle for the city of Meknes. We have a short visit to see this Royal City. The Royal Cities are Rabat, Marrakech, Meknes and Fes.
  
  From Meknes we take the first class train to Marrakech (approximately 7 hours)
  
  We check into another small and luxurious hotel in the old city in Marrakech, another "oasis" for us to escape to from the noisy street life. But a short walk from our hotel brings us to the centre of urban activities.
  
  Overnight Marrakech. Dinner on own.
  

• Wednesday, April 8,Thursday, April 9, Friday April 10, 2009. Marrakech and on to the Atlas Mountains
  
  Today is our chance to get our bearings in Marrakech with a personal guided historical tour of the city.
  
  We visit the ever-fascinating public square in Marrakech, "the Jemaa el Fna", without a doubt one of the very liveliest and most exciting public squares in the world. Desert and Mountain peoples come into Marrakech and as in times of old entertain and meet.
  
  Snake-charmers, Acrobats, Water sellers ,Fortune Tellers, Dental Extractors, and Folk Medicine "Practitioners" all call out for business. Visit the Snail Bars(if you dare),the Orange Juice stands and the nut and sweets vendors. And off the square are the myriad winding alleys of the Marrakech Medina.
  
  We organize a visit to the beautiful Majorelle gardens, maintained at least in part by Yves St Laurent. We will also have a visit to the exotic Palmeraie.
  
  We have dinner together Thursday evening in a spectacular setting. Marrakech is full of spectacular settings as more and more mansions and small palaces have been converted into atmospheric small hotels (riads) and fantastic (in the true sense of the word) restaurants and clubs.
  
  We leave in the later afternoon for the high Atlas Mountains and a very special mountain destination, indeed.
  
  Overnight - Lodge in Atlas Mountains
  

• Saturday, April 11 and Sunday ,April 12, 2009 - Atlas Mountains
  
  We will be based at our well-known and highly recommended lodge in the High Atlas Mountains. This lodge has beautiful accommodations and spectacular views of this very beautiful area. The people of the surrounding villages are Berbers, the indigenous peoples of the Maghreb.
  
  The less actively inclined can spend time at the lodge, on shorter walks in the countryside and can visit the neighbouring village. Trekking is available for our more active participants and the beauty of the countryside is renowned. Do not forget that in the mountain areas in the month of April it will be cold at times. (Formal trekking with mules and guides can be arranged at additional cost - We can make these arrangements for you).
  Testimonials related to our lodge show us that many of the people who have stayed here found it to be one of their most memorable experiences of Morocco. In a country as memorable as Morocco this is a very good recommendation.
  
  Because of limited availability of restaurants, all meals are included in our stay at the mountain lodge.
  

• Monday, April 13 to Thursday, April 16, 2009 (inclusive) - Southern Morocco
  
  Our van will pick us up and take us on a four day excursion in Southern Morocco. We will visit Oarzazate ( and the nearby kasbah of Tifoultout), the Valley of the Draa, Zagora (on the edge of the Sahara), Taroudant, Tiznit, and Tafraout (in the extraordinary Tafraout Valley), Each night we will stay in a different town after the day exploring the beautiful countryside of Berber Morocco.
  
  Berber Morocco is quite different from Arab Morocco, and this excursion will allow us a close-up look at this culture.
  
  All meals will be included on this excursion as again, restaurant choices will be extremely limited.
   

• Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18, 2009-Essaouira
  
  We transfer to Eassaouira a picturesque walled city on the Atlantic Coast of Morocco. It is a former Portuguese port town and we will have the opportunity to relax and experience a very different Morocco.
  
  On Saturday evening we will have our last meal together in Eassaoira.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Sunday, April 19, 2009
  
  Leave for home. We will return you to either Casablanca or Marrakech, depending on which works best for your flights or extended plans.
  
  

COST

Land portion only
$3800,00 Canadian dollars per person in double occupancy.

For those who wish to travel in single accommodation, the price will be the base price plus the room rate for each hotel room costed for one person rather than two. (Room rates in most places are the same whether one is in single or double occupancy status)

INCLUDES

- 15 nights accommodation
- 15 breakfasts
- 3 meals a day in the Mountain lodge
- 3 meals a day while on the 4 day Southern Morocco excursion
- One dinner as a group in Fes, as well as either a large lunch or dinner a second time in Fes
- Dinner out once in Marrakech
- Dinner out together in Essaouira
- The rest of the meals are one's own responsibility, allowing a more personalized travel experience.

- Walking tours of both Fes and Marrakech with a local guide.
- Transport from Fes to Meknes" and change to "First class train from Meknes to Marrakech"
- Transportation from Marrakech to the Atlas Mountains
- Four day trip through Southern Morocco by Van.
- Transportation from Essaoaira to Marrakech or Casablanca as best suits your needs

NOT INCLUDED

Non-alcoholic beverages (except with breakfast)
Alcoholic beverages
All lunches except as detailed above in the Atlas Mountain and Southern Morocco sojourn parts of the trip
Transportation to and from the airports of arrival and departure (as times and airports vary)

Notes

Activity level - This is a moderately active tour. Participants must be able to walk for 2 to 3 hours at a time
Actual hiking is optional.

Weather - The weather can be very variable in April. There can be rain. It can be cold in the Mountains. It can be quite hot during the day in the South.

Money - Moroccan dirhams for purchases in the market and smaller restaurants
Euros used in some touristed places

Conditions

1. For itinerary detail questions contact Donald Smith at travel-alchemy@tnt21.com
2. All bookings are done through our agent, Bonnie Shewfelt at Hanover Travel service at 1-800-265-5515
    e-mail: hanovertravel@wightman.ca (Attention Bonnie Shewfelt)
3. Deposit of $700.00 Canadian at the time of booking
4. Balance due March 1,2009
5. Full refund on cancellation up to March 15,2009
6. 50% refund on cancellation up to April 1,2009
7. No refund after April 1,2009

In several settings upgrades are available to luxurious standard (additional cost is just the difference in room rates)
Accommodation in Fes, Marrakech, Essaouira, and the Atlas Mountains is of a very good standard
Accommodations in the Southern towns depends on the standards available in these places as accommodation choices are more limited