Women-Only: Majestic Morocco

Note: Flights may not be available on all departures.

You can find more details on the Before You Depart page.

Apologies to Bogie, but here begins a beautiful friendship with Casablanca and this amazing country. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will have a morning arrival in Morocco’s economic and cultural center and will be greeted at the airport by our Tour Director. Casablanca’s history—well, it’s complicated. Influences range from French to Spanish to Portuguese to Arab to British. You’ll catch a few of these influences on a guided tour, starting with a visit to the ornate Hassan II Mosque, which has the tallest minaret in the world. You’ll see some of Casablanca’s neighborhoods along the way to the city center. Sights include Mohamed V Square, the French-inspired Habous Quarter (also known as the New Medina) and the Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral. Your day concludes with an orientation meeting and a welcome dinner.

Today we’ll experience another medina, which is a historic part of a city, typically walled and with labyrinthine streets. After a sumptuous breakfast, we’ll travel to Marrakesh, home of a UNESCO World Heritage medina. Our afternoon tour starts at the 16th-century Saadian Tombs and continues to the Koutoubia Mosque and a masterpiece of Moroccan architecture, Bahia Palace. The highlight will be wandering past palm readers, snake charmers, acrobats and musicians to the medina’s main square, the famous Jemaa el-Fna. Evening is at leisure.

Our destination for a full-day excursion is Essaouira, a town on the Atlantic coast with beautifully preserved Moroccan charm. Along the way, we’ll stop at the Marjana Cooperative to see how argan oil, highly in demand for cosmetics and cooking, is extracted. In Essaouira, we’ll walk along a beautiful fortified wall north of Moulay Hassan Square and on to Skala de la Ville for gorgeous views of bright blue fishing boats in the harbor. We’ll have time to explore yet another medina, where artists hone centuries-old crafts and merchants in the many souks (markets) sell spices and jewelry, before returning to Marrakesh for a free evening.

After breakfast this morning, attend a Kaftan workshop! We'll meet a Moroccan designer at her boutique and then continue to her workshop where we'll draw from her extensive knowledge and experience in fabrics and the other materials used to make the garment. Learn more about her process from the design ideas and first sketches to assembly and finishes with each step executed with the greatest care and mastery.

Then, head to a Henna Workshop and meet local women highly experienced in the art of Henna. You can choose to have your own design or choose from a collection of henna tattoos. Enjoy a discussion about the history of Jenna in Morocco while you wait for your Henna to dry.

Afterward, we'll discover the gorgeous Atlas Mountains, North Africa's greatest mountain range. En route, admire majestic views of snowcapped mountains and spy the tiny Berber villages nestled in the hills. First, we'll stop in Asni, a small town on the way to Toubkal Mountains and then Imlil, a favorite hitching post for mountain trekkers. Our mode of transportation shifts from car to mule as we ride to the hilltop Imlil where we’ll be greeted by a local family and invited into their home for traditional Berber bread and mint tea. With the help of our guide, you’ll have the opportunity to talk with the family and immerse ourselves in their way of life. Join them for a cooking class and unlock the secrets of the recipes they’ve mastered over the years. You’ll end the evening with an inside perspective on one of the world’s most highly cherished cuisines and with an early dinner with the family.

Note: Please note that the only way up Imlil hill is by mule or walking.

Our journey through majestic Morocco continues across the High Atlas Mountains and the spectacular Tichka Pass to Boumalne Dades. We’ll stop for a brief tour of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This giant fortification, which showcases a unique example of pise clay architecture, has been a filming location for Gladiator and Game of Thrones. You’ll have time for lunch on your own before we continue to our final destination today: Boumalne Dades. Prepare to be wowed by this town set on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Tonight, savor an included dinner at your hotel.

Today, we’ll marvel at one of Morocco’s most visited natural sights, the lush Todra Palmeraie Gorge with its dramatic 985-foot-high walls. Our walking tour affords plenty of spectacular photo ops! Our travels continue to Erfoud, described as an oasis and “the Door to the Desert.” Enjoy dinner at the hotel and rest up for tomorrow’s once-in-a-lifetime Sahara itinerary.

The only word for today’s full-day excursion is unforgettable! We’ll start in Rissani, a caravan center with a large vibrant souk at its heart, where we’ll hop into a 4x4 caravan to venture into the desert, winding through small villages before stopping in serene Tissardmine for a picnic lunch. As we ascend the peak of Erg Chebbi, prepare to be blown away by the desert vastness. We’ll “trade up” to camels for the real deal: a ride through the Merzouga dunes on camelback! Loaded with memories (and photos) you can’t wait to share, we’ll return to the hotel after sunset for dinner together.

After departing Erfoud, we’ll journey through the scenic Middle Atlas mountain range, while admiring it’s lush forested slopes brimming with cedar and oak trees. You’ll have a chance to see Ifrane, a picturesque ski area, and in the evening, when we reach Fez, catch the magical city lights as we arrive.

Fez is home to the oldest university in the world, and today we’ll join a local expert to learn more about this 1,200-year-old city, which was Morocco’s capital for 400 years and stands as one of the world’s largest, best-preserved medieval fortified cities. Our full-day exploration includes the Fez el Bali Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where life unfolds as it did centuries ago. We’ll wander the famous souks known for authentic Moroccan carpets and ceramics. After the high energy of the souks, a quiet lunch in a riad (a traditional Moroccan house with an interior courtyard) will be most welcome. We will also see the Nejjarine Fountains and Museum and the 14th-century Attarine Medersas (a place of education) before visiting Fes Jdid, the modern district of the city, in the afternoon. Here, we’ll explore the Jewish Quarter and the Royal Palace. This evening we’ll head to a traditional riad to enjoy a discussion of Moroccan history and culture over dinner with a prominent Moroccan academic. Our host this evening is a University Professor carrying out multidisciplinary work focused on the reigns of female sovereigns in the kingdom of Morocco from the medieval period through the early modern era.

After breakfast, we’ll tour Rabat’s fascinating historic sites, including the 19th-century Royal Palace, the “Gate of the Winds” (also known as Bab Rouah), and Hassan Tower, the minaret of an incomplete mosque that was originally intended to be the world’s largest. Our tour continues to the picturesque Kasbah of the Udayas, built in the mid 12th century, where you’ll walk through the French-colonial gardens and explore the fortress built to shield royalty from attacks. We’ll end at Chellah, a necropolis and the site of the ruins of the Roman town, Sala Colonia. After some free time in the afternoon, we’ll gather together for a farewell dinner.

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Travelers who purchase our air-inclusive program will transfer to the airport for our non-stop return flight to the U.S.