Morocco Luxury Tour

After a halal breakfast in your luxury hotel, we will proceed on an excursion for the day, traveling east in the hinterland, covering most of the Moroccan ancient history highlights. The first stop will be the ancient Roman city of Volubilis, the place where Islam was introduced firsthand to Berber natives. Volubilis was a critical city in the imperial Roman department of Mauritania (modern-day Morocco, and the western Sahara) during the reign of Caracalla. Volubilis is impressively well preserved, and the genius of Roman urbanism is still intact. The two central integral streets in every Roman castrum, the Cardo and Decumanus, are prominent. The Cardo is the boulevard that runs north-south, and the Decumanus is east-west. The intersection of the two is the heart of every Roman city. There, you will find the ruins of the ancient forum.

The holy citadel of Moulay Idris is nestled in the nearby hills and was founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idris al Akbar, a descendant of the Prophet Mohamed (s.a.w.s) family. This citadel is considered the cradle of Sufism in Moroccan society and the first Islamic capital for the premier Arab Muslim dynasty. The city was created primarily for the indigenous population that migrated with Moulay Idris from the Middle East. After a visit to the Mausoleum, we will break for lunch after Salat Dhuhr at the Maqam of Moulay Idris.

You will drive around 15 miles to the next stop, the imperial city of Meknes. Meknes is a 17th-century city built by Moulay Ismail to rival the ancient Moorish city of Fez. Though the monumental grandiose of Meknes and the power of its founder, the Muslim king Moulay Ismail Meknes, lived always in the shadow of Fez. Meknes is an Islamic royal metropolis considered to be the Versailles of Morocco.

Eventually, you have reached your destination, the ninth-century city of Fez, or the City of Islam as it is referred to. In the evening, you will taste the greatest of the imperial cities. You will visit the sights outside the ancient walled city, including the ramparts, the gates, and the Borjs (Moorish forts). After this introductory tour of Fez, you will dine at Halal in your hotel and prepare for your luxury discovery of day three: Fez!

The whole day will be devoted to the historic visit of Fez. Extremely enthralling, Fez is a feast for the senses with its haunting yet beautiful sounds, visual splendor, and evocative smells. Fez is the most ancient of the imperial capitals and the most complete medieval city in the Islamic world. Fez is reminiscent of a city suspended in time, unfazed by the constantly evolving world outside its walls. Fez owes nothing to the world of today but electricity. Time spent in Fez with our local guide will reveal much about the sophistication of the Moroccan artisan, providing an unparalleled learning experience to those who cross its path. Your morning will be spent visiting the Medina. Our specialized guide will take you on a historic discovery of Fez, starting at the king's palace and its Luxurious Meshwar (court) with ramparts and majestic gates.

Then, we will drive to the Merinides hill to visit their necropolis. Here, you will enjoy the best panoramic view of the old walled medina, brimful with countless minarets to call for prayers in a city that has responded to these calls for 12 centuries. Drive down the hills to the gate of Bab Guissa, where you will leave your vehicle and walk with your group to enter an ancient world. Fez has preserved its Medina as it was centuries ago. Not even a bicycle can be used as a tool for transportation. Only donkeys, mules, and horses can help move all the city produces and needs as supplies.

Your local guide will take you to all the Islamic highlights you must visit and give an overview of these sites' historical and cultural aspects. Walking in the narrow medieval streets of Fez is also an experience among guilds and markets of all colors and sounds. You will end your walking tour and retreat to your hotel for dinner and other accommodations in total luxury.

You will spend your day discovering the rural environs of the Atlas Mountains, Berber villages, wards, and nomadic settlements. Covered with evergreen pines, tall cedar trees, and poplars and laced with flowing streams, your first view of the middle atlas will appear oddly un-Moroccan. Passing by Imouzzer, with a quick stop at the Swiss-like luxury town of Ifrane, you will soon come across the first real town of the Middle Atlas, Azrou.<\p>

Azrou is an important market center for the region Berber tribes, located at a major junction of mountain routes. Your driver and Tour Manager will take a little detour in a cedar forest to introduce you to one of the oldest inhabitants of this region, the Barbary apes. This may also coincide with the encounter of a nomadic family at its temporary encampment. As nomads are very hospitable people, we are invited to at least have mint tea under their tents whenever we encounter them.

At El Hajeb, the Middle Atlas Ranges give way to the high Atlas mountains, whose peaks are visible through the haze, soaring to over 12,000 feet. After lunch and dhuhr prayer, we will drop from the Atlas Mountains into the foothills that overlook the magnificent oasis city of Marrakech Alhambra. Some of the stops above will include visits to Berber villages, scenic views, and traditional markets. You will conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations at your luxury hotel.

After breakfast, you will descend the Atlas Mountains, finally arriving in the foothills overlooking the magnificent oasis city of Marrakech Alhambra. Some of the stops above will include visits to Berber villages, scenic views, and traditional markets. You will devote your afternoon to exploring Marrakech's many historical sites, starting at the Menara, a magnificent pool surrounded by flowerbeds, reflecting the image of an exquisite Moorish edifice. It was constructed in 1866 for dignitaries who enjoyed glorious sunsets with the ethereal atlas mountains as a backdrop. The pool also functions as an innovative irrigation system that serves dry life in the desert.

Your walking tour of Marrakech will cover many impressive sites, including the Koutoubia minaret (which is identical to la Giralda, a tower found in Sevilla, Spain) and the Saadian tombs, which demonstrate Moorish architecture at its best. The tombs consist of sixteenth-century mausoleums, which had lain walled-in and undiscovered until 1917. Next, you will explore the gardens of then the Majorelle. Finally, you will return to your hotel for a halal dinner and other accommodations.

In the morning, you will venture into the high-atlas mountains to visit the Telouat fortress. The fortress remains a stronghold belonging to the Berber chieftain El Glaoui (the lord of the atlas). You will stop for lunch in Taddert and eat at the highest pass in Morocco, Tizi n'Tishka. In the afternoon, you will return to Marrakech to visit the Luxurious Riad El Fenn's private art and craft collection. Finally, you will return to your luxury hotel for dinner and other accommodations.

You will spend your morning visiting the renowned art galleries and private collections with shopping opportunities in the colorful souks of Marrakech. You will have the afternoon to yourself. After sundown, you can enjoy the overwhelming beauty of Marrakech by night in a Renaissance horse carriage. Finally, you will return to your hotel for dinner and other accommodations with total luxury.

You will begin your day by traveling to Essaouira (Mogador), a picturesque city with a rich history. With fascinating antiquity, Essaouira was occupied by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, supplied essential purple dyes to the Romans, absorbed the sophisticated Islamic arts of the silversmith, and spent centuries as a Portuguese enclave. Despite the obvious influence of these civilizations, Essaouira has managed to remain a small, authentic Berber town. Alive with the breath of fresh air provided by the Atlantic, Essaouira is a jewel nestled in the rugged coast, with a vast expanse of empty sands trailing back along the promontory towards the south. After an introductory tour of Essaouira, you will conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations in your Luxury hotel.

In the morning, you will travel to Taroudant, where you will feast on a typical Berber tagine lunch seated high above a banana plantation. You will pass through forests of the indigenous Argan and Thuya trees, where you may see the region's notorious tree-climbing goats. You will break for afternoon tea at the Hotel Gazelle d'Or, Morocco's most exclusive resort. Finally, you will conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations at the Luxurious Palais Salam, formerly a pasha's guest house, nestled in the city with massive walls.

You will spend your morning touring the city of Taroudant. Surrounded by red ochre walls, Taroudant is one of south Morocco's most ancient cities, with its rich bazaars reflecting a strong arts and crafts tradition. Visiting Taroudant, this elegant imperial city, is like discovering the classic Marrakech of the 1940s. You will conclude your day with a farewell halal dinner at your Luxury hotel.

You will depart for the Agadir airport early in the morning. There you will catch a flight connecting you to Casablanca, where you will board your plane for a non-stop Royal Air Maroc flight home with a lifetime's worth of memories packed neatly into your suitcase. Come back for another luxury tour to Morocco.