Market , Marrakesh
AFRICA
Gnawa musicians Nomadic tent , Sahara Desert
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • Depart U . S . Depart today on an overnight flight to Casablanca .
DAY 2 • Casablanca , Morocco • Rabat An O . A . T . representative meets us at the airport in Casablanca and assists with the transfer to our hotel in Rabat . Later , we meet our fellow travelers who took the optional pre-trip extension to Northern Morocco : Chefchaouen , Tangier & the Berbers of the Rif .
Meals : D | Le Diwan Hotel or similar
DAY 3 • Explore Rabat After breakfast this morning , we have a brief introduction to the Arabic language before heading out on a guided tour of Rabat . We see the exterior of Rabat ’ s Royal Palace and its impressive Bab ar-Rouah ( Gate of the Winds ), and visit the ruins and wild gardens of the Chellah , a 14th-century Merinid necropolis . We ’ ll visit a historic coffee shop in the region and end our discoveries at the Kasbah Oudeya , a citadel built in the twelfth century .
Meals : B , D | Le Diwan Hotel or similar
DAY 4 • Overland to Fez Today we leave the coast and Rabat behind , and set off for Fez — locally referred to as Fes . We ’ ll drive past sweeping fields , rolling countryside , and tree-covered slopes , some of which may be speckled with poppies , prickly pears , olive trees , or snow , depending on the time of year . We ’ ll make a stop along the way in El Khemisset to stretch our legs and perhaps get a cup of coffee at a famous coffee shop there .
Upon arrival in Fez , we ’ ll set off on foot to the medina — a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Vendors fill market stalls with colorful handcrafted goods , and on either side of us , donkey carts and motorbikes zip past as we carefully traverse the narrow , maze-like lanes of the ancient walled city . Then we ’ ll check into our riad — a Moroccan home that has been refurbished into a hotel .
Meals : B , L | Hotel Riad Salam
DAY 5 • Explore Fez • Home-Hosted Dinner Set out for a day of exploration in Fez . First , go to the traditional Jewish quarter , the mellah , to visit a 17th-century synagogue . Afterwards , stroll through the souks ( marketplace ) of the Old City — the medina . Later , enjoy an exclusive Home-Hosted Dinner with a local family .
Meals : B , L , D | Hotel Riad Salam or similar
DAY 6 • Fez • Optional Volubilis & Meknes tour The day is free for you to make your own discoveries in Fez . Or , you may choose to join a full-day optional tour of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites , Volubilis and Meknes .
Meals : B , D | Hotel Riad Salam or similar
DAY 7 • Cross the Middle & High Atlas Mountains • Erfoud
Our journey into the Sahara begins today , as we drive approximately 300 miles across the Middle Atlas mountain range , winding through beautiful pine groves and giant cedar forests . In the late afternoon we descend into Erfoud , a small trading village that is the gateway to the vast Sahara Desert . Along the way , meet
with a semi-nomadic family ( when possible ) and delve into their way of life .
Meals : B , L , D | Kasbah Hotel Chergui or similar
DAY 8 • Off-road Sahara adventure • Meet local family • Overland to Sahara Desert camp
Board 4x4 vehicles and head through the desert to our private tented campsite . Along the way , you ’ ll enjoy an O . A . T . -exclusive visit with members of a local desert community . Afterwards , you may join your Trip Experience Leader on an optional sunset dune hike . Take in a traditional Moroccan cooking demonstration this evening .
Meals : B , L , D | Private tented camp
ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHT
On Day 11 , visit the Grand Circle Foundationsponsored Imik Simik Women ’ s Association , which helps to further the education and skills of women in rural Morocco
Information & Reservations 1-800-955-1925 www . oattravel . com / mso 123