It can only be Morocco, a shining jewel in Africa’s crown.
On Tauck’s 10-day ‘Magic of Morocco’ journey through this timeless land, guests will explore the country’s fascinating mix of Arabic and European cultures.
The tour includes the great ancient cities of Rabat, Fes, Meknes, Casablanca and Marrakech.
Guests will venture along twisting, labyrinthine streets of medinas teeming with aromatic spice bazaars, souks and street food vendors, and stroll down wide boulevards lined with palm trees and French colonial architecture.
You’ll witness stunning palaces, mosques and gardens, have a drink in the piano bar at Rick’s in Casablanca, enjoy a camel ride and stay in a Berber tent under a desert sky.
“The guests come with all sorts of ideas about what Morocco is and actually they go home with another idea,” says Chris Morrison, Tauck Director.
“We go underneath the World Heritage stuff and they start to meet the people and that’s when it really gets to them – the wonder of life and the experience and excitement of a new journey.”
RABAT
That journey begins in Rabat with a transfer from Rabat-Sale Airport or Casablanca Airport to your luxury hotel, La Tour Hassan, in the heart of the city.
A former palace built in 1912, the hotel creates a real “sense of place” with its intriguing Moorish-Andalucían style and décor. Meet your fellow travellers and unwind at a welcome reception and dinner while enjoying live music.
The seaside capital city of Rabat is an intriguing blend of medieval Arabic and modern European influences, full of Moorish-style palaces, mosques and ramparts that echo the city’s golden age as a Almohad stronghold.
Sightseeing includes Dar-al-Makhzhen, the Royal Palace and residence of the King of Morocco that was built in 1864, the Mauseoleum of Mohammed V and the massive Hassan Tower, the city’s most imposing landmark.
FES
You’ll begin day three in the car-free, sprawling city of Fes, which is more than 1,200 years old and offers a fascinating maze of winding streets and alleys, crowded bazaars and eclectic architecture.
Choose the focus for your morning walking tour: sample local cuisine or get an insider’s look at the craftsmanship of the artisans who make intricate carvings, rugs, leatherwork and metalwork.
Have lunch in a medina and enjoy an exclusive lecture by a local scholar on life in Morocco from a woman’s perspective, before an afternoon spent touring the city’s famous leather tanneries.
VOLUBILIS
Situated between Fes and Meknes, Volubilis was a remote Roman outpost that fell to local tribes in 285 and was never retaken.
It is one of the richest archaeological sites in North Africa: a well-preserved example of a Roman colonial town which still retains its triumphal arch and remnants of its mansions, temples, forum and glorious mosaics.
MEKNES
Day five begins at the American Fondouk, a charitable vet’s clinic specialising in looking after the donkeys and mules that carry goods up and down the streets of Fes souk.
Later you’ll drive to Meknes, a walled city of lavish Spanish-Moorish architecture that dates back to the 11th century but which rose to prominence in the 17th century under the rule of Sultan Moulay Ismail, who made it his capital.
Known as the Warrior King, Moulay Ismail liberated Morocco from the Ottomans and Europeans and the walking tour includes his stables, large enough to house 12,000 horses.
CASABLANCA
Visit the majestic Hassan II Mosque, set on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic and featuring a towering 210-metre tall minaret. Completed in 1993, it is the largest mosque in the country, built to accommodate 25,000 worshippers inside and another 80,000 in the grounds.
Stop for a visit to the Musee Slaoui, showcasing works by Jacques Majorelle and other artists who made Morocco home, before lunch at Rick’s Café, a recreation of Humphrey Bogart’s fabled lair in the classic film Casablanca, complete with piano bar.
MARRAKECH
The city is surrounded by imposing stone walls from its medieval days as the wealthy capital of an empire. Within these walls are palaces of red-hued stone, gardens and palm groves, and a Medina of narrow streets and arches packed with fascinating souks and stalls.
Visit the magnificent Bahia Palace, considered to be one of the greatest palaces of the 19th century, perfectly capturing the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style.
You’ll also see the Secret Garden, which dates back to the 16th century and was owned by various sultans. One section is filled with exotic plants from all over the world while the other is a recreation of an Islamic garden.
Day eight begins with a visit to Gardens Majorelle, the former home of artist Jacques Majorelle, before a trip to the stunning Musee Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech, whose collections preserve and interpret the life and work of the designer.
The afternoon sees guests head into the desert for a 4×4 adventure. You’ll enjoy a tea ceremony, visit a local home in a Berber village and get acquainted with their history and culture.
Dinner is served Berber-style under a tent in a desert camp with musical entertainment where you’ll enjoy a traditional hubby-bubbly pipe before returning to your Marrakech hotel for the night.
You’ll have a fantastic choice of sightseeing activities on the final full day of the tour before your Moroccan experience comes to an end.
Attend a local cooking school to learn about Moroccan cuisine, take an excursion to the walled seaside town of Essaouira, or enjoy a morning of pampering in your hotel’s hammam (steam bath).
An exclusive farewell dinner for Tauck guests at the Four Seasons is the perfect way to celebrate an incredible journey that will stay in your memory forever, having discovered the ‘Magic Of Morocco’ for yourself.
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At A Glance
Tour: Magic Of Morocco
Duration: 10 days
Travel Style: Land Journey
Time of Year: Jan-Apr; Oct-Dec
Price: From $11,790 per person.
