MOROCCO HIGHLIGHTS 9 DAYS 2019 - Nomadic Tours
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MOROCCO HIGHLIGHTS
9 DAYS
2019
NOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
Visiting 4 of Morocco's majestic
Imperial Cities in 1 week including
11 DAYS
an amazing night in a Berber camp
in the Desert and many other
worthwhile highlights.
TO START THIS TOUR IN
CASABLANCA – SEE OUR MOROCCO
HIGHLIGHTS CASABLANCA 8 DAY
TOUR.
.
TOUR OVERVIEW
Tour price £749 low season / £799 high season
Tour operates: All Year
Tour type: Group
Transport: Mini-van or 4x4 Land cruiser
Tour rating: Easy
Start - Finish: Marrakech - Marrakech
Minimum group size: 2
Maximum group size: 16
Minimum age: 15 (if travelling with an adult over 18 years of age)
HIGHLIGHTS
Casablanca – Hassan II Mosque
Rabat – Hassan Tower, Chellah, Royal Palace
Meknes – the fortified city
Guided City tour of Volubilis
Fes – Guided city tour, dye-pits and tanneries
Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes – beginning of the Sahara
Merzouga – Camel trek, Berber style camp
Todra Gorge – Morocco’s “Grand Canyon”
Ait Benhaddou – UNESCO listed ancient Kasbah city
Marrakech – UNESCO listed site, Djemaa el-Fna, Souks.
NOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
ITINERARY
11Day
DAYS
1 - Marrakech:
Welcome to Morocco! Following your transfer from the airport to our joining hotel you can relax by
the hotel pool before the pre-departure meeting at 18.00 where you will meet your fellow travellers.
Should your flight arrive after this time, please don’t worry as the guide will brief you on arrival. Or
alternatively why not arrive early and book some pre accommodation with us and make the most of
what Marrakech has to offer.
Overnight Marrakech (Dinner included).
Day 2 - Casablanca:
En-route this morning we travel to the city of Casablanca. After lunch, we have the option to visit the
Hassan II Mosque, this spectacular mosque is worth a visit. It is the largest mosque in Morocco with
the world’s tallest minaret of 210 meters. After the visit you will have some free time to explore the
city centre by yourself before meeting at 6pm for dinner to meet fellow travellers joining this tour in
Casablanca.
Overnight Casablanca (Breakfast & Dinner included).
Day 3 – Fes:
After breakfast we set off on our travels to the capital Rabat. We have a guided tour of the city were
we will be visiting the Oudaia Kasbah in the oldest part of the city and we have the opportunity to
see the Hassan Tower Rabat’s most famous landmark, the Royal Palace and Chellah are also a must
see whilst we are here. We continue our journey through to Fes after a lunch stop in Meknes, one of
Morocco’s imperial cities. After lunch we move on to the Roman settlement of Volubilis for a guided
tour, it is the largest ancient site in Morocco and is a UNESCO listed site dating back to AD 40. We
then move on to Fes tonight.
Overnight – Fes (Breakfast included).
Day 4 – Fes:
Today, we take the guided tour of Fes. Fes is the oldest and largest medieval city in the world. Its
medina, home to 400,000 inhabitants, with only donkeys and bikes as a means of transportation, is a
heady mix of aromas, sights and sounds. There are plenty of mosques and palaces to visit, but be
aware that only Muslims can enter Mosques in Morocco. After exploring the dye-pits, tanneries,
pharmacy, pottery and restaurants, we return to our hotel to freshen up for tonight, where we have
the chance of an optional traditional meal in the city with live Moroccan entertainment including
traditional dancing, belly dancing and magicians.
Overnight Fes (Breakfast included).NOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
Day 5 – Sahara Desert:
11Excitement
DAYS is in the air as we head towards the mighty Saharan Dunes. En-route we stop off for an
optional lunch and in the summer, we may even have time for a relaxing swim. It is then time to
head towards the great desert dunes of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga where we transfer to our camels
and trek in to the vast Sahara Desert in time for sunset. We then return to our Berber Camp on the
edge of the desert to spend the night enjoying local food, music and an amazing night out under the
Saharan stars. Overnight Berber camp (Breakfast & Dinner included).
Day 6 – Todra Gorge:
Leaving the desert, we move on to Todra Gorge. This 1000ft gorge is hemmed in on all sides by
vertical limestone cliffs and is also called Morocco’s Grand Canyon. We will visit the Berber co-
operative where you can see and buy authentic, Berber handmade rugs, kilims and carpets. The
afternoon can be spent exploring the Gorge, walking through the Palmerie or trying our optional
activity of Rock Climbing. The charm of Todra lies in its changing colours as the sun slowly moves
from east to west. Overnight Todra Gorge (Breakfast & Dinner included).
Day 7 – Ait Benhaddou:
We must bid fond farewell to Todra this morning en-route to Ait Benhaddou via Ouarzazate. We will
stop for lunch along the way and have a chance for an optional tour of the Film studios in
Ouarzazate, famous for films such as Gladiators, The Last Temptation of Christ and the Living
Daylights. If you need a more adventurous activity you have the option of quad biking instead.
On a hill along the Ouarzazate River we find Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which
boasts great examples of Kasbahs, some of which remain inhabited. This afternoon we have a guided
tour of the famous Kasbah and village. Overnight Ait Benhaddou (Breakfast & Dinner included).
Day 8 – Marrakech:
We traverse the High Atlas today enjoying stunning views en-route to Marrakech. Why not book our
optional guided tour of the city this afternoon?
Marrakech is set against the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Its great pride and landmark is the
Koutoubia Tower, sister to the Tower of Hassan in Rabat and the Giralda Tower in Seville. It is said
that after the third of these was completed, the sultan had the eyes of his architect put out, lest he
should build another more beautiful tower elsewhere. No visit to the city is complete without a visit
to the city’s UNESCO-listed medina & Djemâa-el-Fna, an extraordinary gathering and market place.
The rest of the afternoon you have free time to relax by the pool or do a little shopping for souvenirs
before we meet for the last group evening meal.
Overnight Marrakech (Breakfast & Dinner included).
Day 9 – Marrakech:
Your adventure tour ends after breakfast. (Breakfast included).NOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
WHAT YOU GET
11Included
DAYS
• Arrival transfer from Marrakech Airport (if staying at our joining hotel & booked via
Nomadic).
• 8 Breakfasts, 6 Dinners
• Transport by air conditioned 4x4 or minibus
• 3* to 4* accommodation including 1 night in a Berber Camp
• 1 x Guide & 1 x Driver
• Sahara Camel trek
• Guided tour of Ait Benhaddou, Fes, Volubillis & Rabat
Excluded
• Tipping kitty $55 (adults only) – used for hotel porters, waiters, local guides used for city
tours, airport drivers, restaurant tips etc.
• Flights
• Drinks
• Lunch x 7 & Dinner x 2
• TIP for Nomadic Guide is NOT included in the tipping kitty. If you are happy with the Guide’s
service we recommend $2-3 USD per day, or local currency equivalent.
• Spending money
• Optional activities
Optional Upgrades
Single Supplement: £139
Pre/Post Accommodation: SGL £45: DBL/TWN £60: TPL £80
Optional Activities
• Guided city tour of Marrakech (approx. 3 hours = 100 DH)
• Hammam spa in Marrakech (prices from 150 DH)
• Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca (120 DH)
• Dinner and an Evening’s Entertainment in Fes (250 DH)
• Rock Climbing in Todra Gorge (1 hour = 250 DH, 2 hours = 390 DH)
• Quad Biking in Ouarzazate (prices from 500 DH)
• Visit to Film Studio in Ouarzazate (50 DH)
(DH = MOROCCAN DIRHAM)NOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
HOTEL NAMES
11City
DAYS
/Town Hotel Name
Marrakech Hotel El Andalous
Casablanca Moroccan House Hotel
Fes Hotel Arena
Sahara Desert Berber camp
Todra Gorge Hotel Kasbah Amazir
Ait Benhaddou Hotel La Rose du Sable
NB: The hotels listed above are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to
substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard when necessary.
DRIVING TIMES
Day Number of hours travelling
Day 1 0 hours
Day 2 3.5 hours
Day 3 3 hours
Day 4 0 hours
Day 5 8 hours
Day 6 3 hours
Day 7 2.5 hours
Day 8 3.5 hours
Day 9 0 hours
NB: Driving hours include necessary toilet stops, photo stops and lunch breaks.NOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
BEFORE YOU GO
11Visas
DAYS& permits
Visas are NOT required for British, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, US and other EU nationals for
a stay of up to 3 months. Please ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 3 months from the
date of entry and that you get your passport stamped upon entry into Morocco. All other
nationalities should contact the Moroccan embassy for details. Visas are your responsibility. Don’t
forget to check!
Travel insurance
All our passengers must be fully insured for travel in Morocco. It is essential that you get the correct
level of cover and it is advised that you speak to your travel insurance provider for advice. Please
ensure that the policy provides adequate cover for hospital treatment, repatriation flights home in
the event of you being too ill to continue the tour, personal accident, personal baggage and
associated valuables. Please note that some optional activities may require additional cover as well.
In addition you must bring the policy with you as it is obligatory for joining any tour.
Vaccinations
It's recommended that you be vaccinated for Tetanus and Polio if you haven't had a booster in the
last 10 years. Food and water borne diseases are also quite common so we recommend vaccinations
for Typhoid (valid 3 years) and Hepatitis A (validity varies) as well. Finally, Morocco is not a high risk
Malaria area but if in any doubt please consult a physician or travel clinic for further information.
ON LOCATION
Currency
GBP£1.00 = MAD13 USD$1.00 = MAD9 EUR 1.00 = MAD11 MAD = Moroccan Dirham, rates are
subject to fluctuation. Exchange facilities are available at various bureau de changes in major towns
and most banks have ATMs. How much spending money is needed, depends largely on the
individual. However we currently recommend an average of USD $20 - $30 per day though. We can’t
specify every sundry cost however and you’ll need to allow for expenses such as drinks, snacks and
the odd souvenir. Travellers Cheques can be difficult to change en route so we recommend you have
cash for convenience and bring a card to use in the ATM’s, most accept Visa, MasterCard, Electron,
Cirrus and Maestro. There are ATM’s at Marrakech airport, which you can use upon arrival as well.
Climate
Temperatures in Morocco are generally high, particularly during the summer months from May to
September, so take sunscreen. However in winter temperatures can drop right down in the
evenings.NOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
Altitude
11For
DAYS
most tours you do not exceed any altitude that would cause ill effects. However for the Berber
Migration in the High Atlas which has an altitude of over 3,000 and is therefore defined as a high
altitude area then there are different guidelines as exposure to these heights can cause the onset of
altitude sickness. This form of sickness which is the biggest health risk for trekkers can cause people
to experience differing degrees of symptoms which include headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue
and shortness of breath. However our treks are designed to ensure there is plenty of time for
adequate acclimatisation and cases of mountain sickness are rare. If you do suffer though symptoms
will usually decrease in severity during acclimatisation. Throughout the trek it is therefore important
to drink plenty of fluids and eat lots of carbohydrate food as well to keep the body properly
hydrated and finally and most critically please report any symptoms of altitude sickness immediately
to your guide.
PACKING
Luggage
Pack all your belongings in a small to medium soft suitcase/rucksack or holdall with a maximum
weight of 20kg. Also bring a daypack, to keep personal items such as your wallet, camera and
water bottle.
Soft & flexible variety of suitcase is preferable. Don’t overdo it!! Luggage is limited to 20Kgs.
Pack sensibly and take garments that are comfortable and cool.
Morocco can be very hot in summer but after the sun sets the temperature can drop
considerably, so pack accordingly.
In terms of sleeping bags, although we provide blankets, on tours from November–April we do
recommend a 3/4 season sleeping bag for the night spent in the desert.
What to bring
Detailed checklists are available but below is a list of the essential items to bring with you on your
tour: • Towel • Torch and batteries • Camera and spare memory card/film • Mosquito repellent •
Water bottle • Personal first aid kit, antiseptic gel and wipes • Waterproof/wind proof jacket • A
photo-copy of your passport * Finally, if bringing your smart phone with you, please make sure that
you turn your data roaming off, to avoid heavy increases to your bill!
RESPONSIBLE TRAVELNOMADIC BERBER
MIGRATION
Cultural Awareness
11We DAYS
cannot emphasise enough that we are travellers and therefore guests. So it is our duty to
respect and adjust where possible to the people of the region, their customs and views. Your Tour
Leader can let you know more, as well as brief you on all environmental matters.
Religious Awareness
Morocco is predominantly Muslim and, as such, we would ask all our customers to respect this.
This could entail covering of shoulders and knees whenever possible.
Security
For the latest travel advice, please uses the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/moroccoNOMADIC BERBER MIGRATION 11 DAYS
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