Activities

Day1: Casablanca Arrival (Option to Arrival in Marrakech) Transfer to your Majestic Boutique Riad, located in the Historic District of the Medina

Congratulations and big welcome to Morocco

Upon arrival, you will receive VIP treatment to assist you in avoiding any unnecessary delays as you proceed through customs and immigration.

Your Private expert guide will welcome you and escort you to your hotel. Check in at La Maison Arabe, a boutique hotel in the heart of the ancient medina.

La Maison Arabe is highly regarded as the first boutique hotel to open within the walls of the medina.  The hotel offers one of the largest pools within the medina and a great restaurant. La Maison Arabe has a traditional Moroccan hammam (steam bath) and offers a full range of spa treatments.

You will be staying in a deluxe room. Rest and refresh at your hotel.

When you are ready, enjoy a Horse-drawn Carriage Ride. This is the pleasant rhythm of a horse and carriage ride through Marrakech’s city center will allow you to enjoy the various charms of the city at a more relaxed pace. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Pass by the old 12yh century walls that surrounds the Medina (old town).Admire the monumental gates like the 12th century Bab Agnaou.Proceed to the Hivernage District in the new city .See 12th-century tiled minaret of the Koutoubia mosque which is the defining landmark of Marrakech. From here, you will begin to explore the ancient pink-walled medina. In the early evening, head towards the frenetic Jemmaa el Fana, the greatest square in all of Africa. It was once the ultimate destination for traders from places as diverse as Venice, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. Today, it provides ever-changing entertainment for Moroccans and foreigners alike, reaching its climax at sunset when the square is alive with storytellers, healers, snake charmers, acrobats, and countless food stalls.

Walk through the square to experience its intensity and enjoy aromatic smells, taste fresh squeezed orange juice. Then, if you wish, enjoy the view from the terrace of a rooftop café.

The entire Jemmaa el Fana has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Space (one of only a handful in the world), due to its unique role in transmitting oral history and tradition from one generation to the next.

Dinner at the popular cafe Nomad Overnight at La Maison Arabe or similar.

Day 2:  Marrakech Guided Historical Tour

Today, uncover the secrets of Marrakech, including the architectural attractions of its medina. Start your day with a visit of the tropical Majorelle Gardens, lovingly restored under the patronage of the late famous designer Yves St. Laurent the old walled section of the town. This is a popular garden that has a collection of unique plants from five continents. Visit the opulent Saadian Tombs, the mausoleum of the great dynasty that once ruled North Africa. This treasure was lost until the beginning of the 20th century, when aerial photographs of the medina revealed its existence.

Pass by the 16th century Jewish quarter and admire fine example pf Jewish houses. Then wander through the beautiful the 19th-century Bahia palace to learn about the Hispano-Moorish architecture. Visit the ruins of the vast 16th century Badi Palace You may wish to leave the medina for a visit to the Menara gardens.  Among the extensive olive groves lies a large reflecting pool with views of the High Atlas Mountains in the distance.

In the afternoon, explore the colorful souks (marketplaces) of Marrakech. Prepare yourself for a discovery in labyrinth souks and get ready for shopping! Each trade spices, carpets, jewelry, enamel, copper, brass, and cedar is situated in its unique souk. You might see villagers bringing in their hand-made rugs to sell to the merchants, or observe artisans hand-tooling crafts the way it has been done for centuries .This is a maze of colorful alleys and small squares which are home to a bewildering array of stalls and ateliers devoted to specific crafts.

Overnight at La Maison Arabe or similar

Day 3:  Marrakech Cooking Class Led by a renowned chef and Berber Massage and Hammam

Today enjoy cooking lesson and be ready for the experience. Meet your private chef who will first teach you the Arabic words to shop for all the ingredients you’ll need to cook your Moroccan specialty, giving you insider knowledge for your shopping experience. Visit the local souks with your chef to buy the freshest produce you’ll need for your cooking Moroccan cuisine.

The souks are the legendary markets where all the locals shop for food, like meat, vegetables, herbs, fresh spices.

The class takes place in the beautiful setting of a traditional Moroccan riad .During your hands-on cooking class the chef will be giving you step-by-step instructions about how the locals cook traditional Moroccan cuisine. Enjoy you’re the delicious Lunch that you had prepared yourself

In the afternoon, it’s time to enjoy a 2h30 minutes session of Hammam and Berber massage.

The Berber massage has its origins 3000 years ago in the northern Africa as a complement for the hammam treatment. Thanks to it the body is completely purified; previous massage the skin is washed and exfoliated thanks to a soap made of olive oil and to the famous Aleppo soap, which still is made by the same ingredients as it was tens of thousands years ago.

The masseur spreads the oil on the body using the Kessa glove; this ritual is called the “savonnage”. The Berber massage sums up in it the four basic elements: water which regenerates and reinforces air as a symbol for breath, earth which is the essence of everything and the fire, which purifies. The common massage oil is the popular Argan oil, which was the preferred oil of the northern African women to reduce stretch marks and to smooth skin and hair.

Argan oil grows in the region of Souss, between Essaouira and Agadir, it’s available in two variants: darker for cooking or brighter for cosmetic use. This oil’s elaboration has remained the same over the centuries, it’s done by hand. Still today the oil is pretty expensive, as there are normally needed big quantities of Argan berries for preparing one liter of oil. It is rich in vitamin A, E, F and it’s a very good anti-aging product for skin, nails and hair.

The Berber massage is useful against stress, to treat psoriasis or dry skin, or even muscular kinks. It’s also excellent to reduce aging and to lose weight.

If you want visit the herbalist house to shop for Argan products and fresh spices.

Overnight at La Maison Arabe or similar

Day 4: A Day with the Berbers:

Today you will have an excursion south of Marrakech into the breathtaking High Atlas Mountains to have a day with the Berbers. They are the native inhabitants of Morocco and known for their hospitality.

Enjoy this beautiful rural landscape of the Majestic High Atlas Mountains. Here, earthen Berber villages lay terraced into the mountains. Their flat, baked-mud roofs nestle against the fertile slopes.

Begin your day at the Berber village of Ourika.  Here you will find a weekly souk. Such markets, which travel from village to village, are still the mainstay of rural Morocco, where most of the country’s population still lives. Once at the Market, explore its different sections like the vegetables' market, the butchers ‘market, and the barbers as well as the crafts' sections where blacksmiths, potters, carpenters are working and don’t miss the donkeys’ parking!

Then meet your mountain guide and set out on a trek up to the Berber villages, either on foot or on a mule. Enjoy these series of dramatic landscapes and Berber houses while hiking in this area. Visit a Berber house and enjoy the mint tea ceremony and learn about the local culture. The local Berber inhabitants live a way of life that has hardly changed in centuries.

Picnic lunch will be at a Secret Spot in Morocco’s Ourika Valley with breathtaking views of the Valley and the Majestic High Atlas mountains.

Overnight at La Maison Arabe or similar

Day 5: Marrakesh-Essaouira

Today leave Marrakesh to the Atlantic city of Essaouira. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a charming artists’ town with its old port and cannons overlooking the fishing fleet, and its narrow alleyways of the Medina.

Drive through the Haouz plain with orchards and agricultural plots, and then pass by the Argan forest. You might see goats on the Argan trees. The nuts of this rare tree are used to produce many argan beauty products. Continue to the fortified, whitewashed fishing village of Essaouira located on a rocky promontory overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Upon arrival, check in to your riad to freshen up before taking a walk around this enchanting town with your private guide. . Essaouira is one of Morocco’s most charming towns with impressive ramparts that give the city a fortified look.

First tour the 16th century walls, and then walk in its beautiful medina and its old Jewish quarter. Stop at the Sakalla where Orson Welles shot scenes from his film Othello. This spot commands nice views of the Medina and the ocean. Visit the port to have a glimpse into the fishing industry in Morocco, or walk in the sandy beach. Essaouira was once a kind of Mecca for the hippest and it was the inspiration for Hendrix’s song “Castles Made of Sand”. Essaouira was once a favorite haunt of Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix.

Overnight in your riad Dar L’Oussia or similar

Day 6: Essaouira-the Val D’Argan winery tour

When you are ready, you will have a day trip to the winery of Ounaghra.First, drive along the Thuya forest. Then stop at the surfing center of Moulay Bouzrktane.Then pass by Oued lahjar and see Berber farmers working in their fields using traditional methods. When you reach Ounagha, you will visit the winery and enjoy the different kind of wine and a Berber lunch before you head back to Essaouira. The rest of the day at leisure to relax or to do independent shopping

Overnight in your riad Dar L’Oussia or similar (B L)

Day 7: Essaouira-Outdoor Activities: Quad bike Tour

When you are ready, start your guided, 3-hour quad-bike tour along the sand dunes and the desert to discover other local landmarks around Essaouira.

After a brief introduction to the quad bike and a practice run, your guide will give you a helmet and wind jacket. You will start your adventure by passing through the Ruins of Sultan Palace, the Ruins of Portuguese Castle and the long beach. You will arrive to the big dunes and to the Cap Sim Lighthouse. Enjoy the beautiful views and then hop on your quad bike and explore the desert outside Essaouira before coming back through the forest of Mimosa and Eucalyptus and again to the beach.

You can choose to do other outdoor activities.

Options:

Take an exhilarating horse ride along the beach you can take a more leisurely camel ride.

Overnight in your riad Dar L’Oussia or similar

Day 8: Essaouira -El Jadida, Casablanca

After breakfast say goodbye to Essaouira and drive to Casablanca along the coastal road. Stop at Eljadida, the former Portuguese Mazagan .Visit the 16th century Portuguese city and admire the old cistern .This hidden gem was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and it was discovered accidently by a Jew shop owner. Walk along the walls and admire the different religious buildings; a church, a mosque and a synagogue. This is one of the few spot where you learn that Morocco was built on tolerance.

Continue the road to Casablanca. Arrive in Casablanca in the early evening.

Overnight in your Boutique Hotel Art Palace or similar

Day 9: Casablanca Departure

Breakfast at your hotel, if time permits, visit Hassan II Mosque, dramatically sited at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Built by the late King Hassan II at the end of his 40-year reign, this astounding edifice is larger than Saint Peter’s in Rome and capable of holding 80,000 worshippers. Drive along the Ain Diab sea side area and transfer to Casablanca Mohammed V Airport for your departure.

End of our services with many nice memories of romantic honeymoon trip to Morocco.