Let's Take the Road to Morocco with Bob and Bing!

You know what we ought to do?  We oughta go to Morocco.  I mean really who hasn't wanted to go to Morocco.  I love their food.  I've seen lots of pictures of really cool places in Morocco.  And ever since the first time I saw Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in The Road to Morocco I've wanted to go.  So why not?  Let's go!

We'll be going via the greatness of Cosmos which is yet another of the great Globus family of travel brands.  With Cosmos we'll have quite a bit more time on our own to explore what interests us.  So, I guess you know what that means.  I'll be heading to Rick's Cafe in short order to see if I can find a man who resembles a 2013 version of Humphrey Bogart.  I don't mind telling you that as I am typing this, I have their website opened on my browser and I am loving the great piano music.  I hope you'll click on the link above and leave it opened in your background as you read this so that you can get in the spirit.  The tour guide might have trouble prying me out of this place to head to our other stops.

Our itinerary is below.  We'll be leaving DFW airport on July 11th at 4 p.m. flying through Paris and finally making it to Casablanca at 2:40 on the 12th.  Once I get there, I'll be too excited to sleep.  So, I'm heading straight over to Rick's for a dirty dry gin martini, just like Ingrid Bergman would have had.  Later in the evening we'll stumble back over to our fantastic hotel, the Casablanca Ibis Moussafir for dinner with our tour director and the rest of our tour group.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Casablanca, Morocco Check into your hotel. Later, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers. (D)

Day 2 Casablanca–Rabat–Meknes–Fez A short ride along the coast to Rabat, once a lair of the corsairs and now the country’s capital. Sightseeing includes the Royal Palace, Hassan Tower, and the Kasbah of Oudayas. You are reminded of the time when Morocco was the Roman province of Mauretania as you visit the fine Roman relics of Chellah and its gardens. Next stop, Meknes—see its monumental gates, mosque, palace, and miles of protective walls. Travel east towards Fez, Morocco’s most enchanting city. (B,D) Rabat, Morocco The photo above appears when you Google images of Meknes Morocco which is our next stop after Rabat on this day.  Can I tell you how happy I could be just grazing in this market stall?!?!?!?!!  It might be harder to get me out of this olive stall than it was to get me out of Rick's. The ancient gates of Fez, Morocco

We'll be spending the night in the Hotel Menzeh in Fez.  Quite frankly, I'd be happy just taking pictures in the hotel's lobby.  Tomorrow we will have the entire day in Fez before moving on day four.  So I guess I can take my photos of the lobby tonight and then have all day tomorrow to actually leave the hotel and see the ancient city and perhaps even go on the optional tour. Day 3 Fez At leisure in ancient Fez, which occupies a position of outstanding scenic beauty. Visit the exotic ancient Medina on the optional sightseeing tour, a maze of narrow bustling streets and alleys that make up the old Medina with its colorful souks. (B)

Day 4 Fez–Ifrane–Erfoud Ifrane Travel today into the very heart of Morocco. Morning break in the quiet, French-built alpine resort of Ifrane. Verdant cedar forests give way to volcanic mountains and wind-swept plains as you motor across the Middle Atlas range to Midelt. Pass fortified mud-and-straw villages. Descend into the spectacular Ziz Gorges and arrive in Er-Rachidia, an important crossroad once controlled by the French Foreign Legion. Afterwards, the landscape becomes progressively more arid and you enter a stony desert. On your last stretch to Erfoud, an unexpected and breathtaking surprise: the miraculous and peaceful oasis of Ziz Valley. (B,D) Who knew there were parts of Morocco that got snow????  Not me!  But the more remarkable thing about this day will be leaving Ifrane which is described as an Alpine type village which gets snow and ending the day in Erfoud which is apparently where the photo below was taken.  Ummmm.... yeah, I'm gonna have to see this to believe it.  In Erfoud we'll be staying at the Hotel Kasbah Tizimi.  On day five while staying at this hotel, we can do an optional excursion to the desert. Dude!  I'm going!

Day 5 Erfoud The best choice today is an included excursion to Rissani to see the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif, the first ruler of the Alaouite Dynasty. This evening, enjoy an optional excursion in the desert. (B,D)

Day 6 Erfoud–The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs–Ouarzazate Enjoy the drive through the eastern slopes of the Atlas Mountains and arrive at the Tinerhir oasis with its green valley of palms and local villages. Drive north to the impressive Todra Gorge, then west along the Dades Valley to the film capital of Morocco, Ouarzazate, for an overnight stay. (B,D) Tonight we'll be staying at the Ibis Ouarzazate after a busy day of some of the most amazing scenery of the trip so far. The Todra Gorge is just one of the sights we will see on Day 6.

Day 7 Ouarzazate–Aït Benhaddou–Tizi-n-Tichka Pass–Marrakesh Tizi-n-Tichka Pass Enjoy an orientation drive this morning in Ouarzazate, famous for its film studios and a visit of the Kasbah de Taourirt. Next, to Aït Benhaddou, a kasbah famous as a film location for Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. Pass through picturesque villages surrounded by craggy mountains while motoring towards the 7,414-foot-high Tizi-n-Tichka Pass in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains. Each new twist in the road leads to a different, more dramatic landscape. Leaving the pass behind, the landscape gradually changes to a tapestry of red ochre. Afternoon arrival in the red-colored imperial city of Marrakesh, justly reputed the most fascinating of all Moroccan cities. An optional evening excursion will be a fitting choice to end the day. (B) We'll spend the next two nights at Zalagh Kasbah Hotel and Spa in Marakesh.  Yes, you read that right.... and spa.  :-)

Day 8 Marrakesh The included city sightseeing with Local Guide starts this morning with an orientation drive followed by a walk through the ancient quarters to the fascinating Jemaa-el-Fna square and its exotic bazaar, Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs. You’ll really feel as if you’ve stopped the march of time. Marrakesh has always been a meeting place—first just a group of nomad tents, now a bustling city. (B,D) Jemaa-el-Fna Square

Day 9Marrakesh–Casablanca Leave Morocco’s magical city of Marrakesh for the journey northwest back to Casablanca. In the afternoon, see the sights in the company of a Local Guide. (B)

Day 10 Casablanca Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Vacation Highlights

Headsets throughout the tour

Sightseeing:
Visits to Fez, Ifrane, Erfoud, Rissani, Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou Kasbah
Scenic Highlights:
Atlas Mountains, Ziz Gorges and Oasis, Road of 1000 Kasbahs, Dades Valley, Todra Gorge

Guides:

Local Guides for city sightseeing in Rabat, Meknes, Marrakesh, Casablanca. Services of a professional Tour Director while touring.

Hotels

CASABLANCA Ibis Moussafir (F)
FEZ Menzeh Fes (ST)
ERFOUD Kasbah Tizimi (ST)
OUARZAZATE Ibis (ST)
MARRAKESH Zalagh Kasbah & Spa (F)
CASABLANCA Ibis Moussafir (ST) or Prince de Paris (ST)

Meals

Buffet breakfasts; 6 dinners

The price of this tour including roundtrip air, insurance, hotels, guided tours excluding the optional excursions, all breakfasts, six dinners and all ground transportation is $6,200 for two people.  I can hardly believe it!  How many of you have been to Africa before????  Huh?  I'm waiting for you to call me and book this trip leaving on July 12th.  My lines are open! 469-828-0254