*EXPIRED* Journeys Rediscovered - Culinary Journey of Morocco
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Culinary Immersion Tour Unique to Journeys Rediscovered
“Culinary Journey of Morocco”
Small Group Tour of no more than 8 people
Casablanca – Rabat – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes – The Sahara – The Dadas Gorges – Ait Ben Haddou Marrakech – Essaouira - Casablanca
15 Days/14 Nights
- 1 night accommodation in Rabat
- 3 nights accommodation in Fes
- 2 nights accommodation in The Sahara
- 1 night accommodation in Dades
- 1 night accommodation in Ait Ben Haddou
- 3 nights accommodation in Marrakech
- 2 nights accommodation in Essaouira
- 1 night in Casablance
- Breakfast daily at hotels
- Most lunches and dinners included at specially selected restaurants
- All private transfers and private transportation between cities
- Entrance fees
- Sightseeing and touring with a local English speaking guide
More Information
Contact Journeys Rediscovered for pricing to suit your preferred departure dates as a private itinerary or to REGISTER for our 2022 or 2023 Small Group Journeys
Group maximum 12 people
Boutique 4-5 star accommodation including boutique hotels, luxury riads & desert luxury camps.
Day 1 - Arrival & Welcome to Rabat: Land at Casablanca airport and be picked up by your dedicated driver and your national guide. From the airport, you’ll drive an hour north to the capital city of Rabat.
Once you arrive in the city, you’ll have time for lunch (which is not included) then you’ll check-in at your hotel and freshen up. Once you’ve freshened up, you’ll do an introductory guided tour of the city. First stop at the King’s Mausoleum, which was built in 1971 and which houses the remains of the late King Hassan II, Prince Abdallah, and their father King Mohamed V. In front of the Mausoleum, you will find the Hassan Tower, an incomplete red sandstone minaret which began construction in 1195AD. The next stop in your visit will be the Kasbah des Ouadayas, an Almohad fortress built in 1150AD. From the Kasbah des Oudayas, you can take a stroll through the winding blue streets, and enjoy a mint tea at the Cafe Maure overlooking the Bou Regreg River.
In the evening you’ll have a gourmet introduction to Moroccan Cuisine. The rest of the evening you can just relax and adjust to the time difference.
Meals included: D
Day 2 – Volubilis & Meknes: Enjoy breakfast at your riad and then drive to the ruins of Volubilis around 3.5 hours away from Rabat. Imagine Morocco in the 1st Century: an epoch of tumultuous transformation, where people from all over the Mediterranean and Northern Africa were migrating to the fertile Middle Atlas Mountains. Volubilis, located about 30 kilometers from Fes, is an ancient Berber and Roman city considered by many as not only the capital of the Kingdom of Mauretania but also the administrative center of Roman Africa. On this day, you’ll wander among the dramatic ruins up-close-and-personal through the homes, temples and public buildings of the Greek, Syrian, and Jewish city dwellers. Exceptionally well preserved, the ruins offer beautiful and colorful mosaics adorning many of the floor spaces, and you can just picture what it was like to wander the cypress-lined city in its Golden Age!
After visiting the ruins, you’ll head to the nearby city of Meknes where you’ll see the impressive royal gates and have lunch at the local restaurant. Next, finish the drive to Fes where you’ll check-in at your riad and have dinner.
Meals included: B L D
Day 3 – Fes: Into the Wonders of Fes! After breakfast, you’ll depart at 9am for a jam-packed day of touring with your guide! Founded in 781AD, Fes is now considered the world’s largest car-free urban zone. Beware of mule-drawn carriages that speed through the alleyways, and check out a local pharmacy with its mysterious canisters of roots, flowers and powders. Your day will also include stops at the medina’s Jewish quarter, the medersas, and the legendary tanneries, where ancient techniques are still used to prepare Moroccan leather which is then used in a variety of goods from clothing to bags and other handicrafts. In addition, you’ll also stop by the world’s oldest and longest operating learning institution, the University of Al Quaraouiyine, founded in 859AD.
Rather than lunch, you’ll embark on the Tasting Trails of Fes in the later afternoon. We’ll visit three different food souks allowing the chance to try traditional Moroccan street food including dried meats, milawi, harsha, briwats, spicy sardines, spicy potato cakes, soups, olives and more. At the honey souk where you’ll be able to taste an array of delicious wild honeys, discuss their flavors and health-giving properties and find out why honey is so important in Moroccan cooking and Islamic culture.
Your dinner this evening is not included but we’ll be happy to offer recommendations for a tasty meal!
Meals included: B L
Day 4 – Fes: After a leisurely breakfast, the group will meet up with the head chef of Palais Amani for a special cooking class. The class starts with shopping for ingredients in the local souqs. You’ll then return to the hotel’s rooftop cooking classroom. Each region of Morocco has its own delicacies and Fessi cuisine is known for its mix of sweet and savory in a single dish. After working up an appetite in the class, you’ll sit down for a delicious and well-deserved lunch.
The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. You can head back to the medina to explore and shop some more, or just rest at the riad. Dinner this evening is on your own, but we are happy to provide suggestions of the city’s best eateries.
Meals included: B L
Day 5– Into the Sahara: Your day begins as you embark on an early morning scenic drive that will lead you to the golden dunes of the Sahara! The drive includes several scenic stops along the way including at the Cedar Forest to see some Barbary Monkeys and in the Ziz Valley with its spectacular palm oases. Your drive will take a total of roughly 10 hours including a lunch stop and other sightseeing en route. It ends at your riad on the edge of the dunes. You’ll have dinner and then rest after a long day.
Meals included: B L D
Day 6 – Camels & Sand Dunes: After breakfast, you’ll head south of Merzouga further into the Sahara to the village of Khemliya. This ancient desert village is thought to have been founded by escaped slaves who also brought the special Gnawa music with them. Khemliya has always been an important place for Gnawa as some of the best-known Gnawa musicians have lived hear over the years. You’ll head to a local restaurant for lunch and enjoy a special interactive Gnawa performance. If you’d like after lunch, you can drive to Mfis to see where they mine Baryte crystals and also do some of the most impressive fossil excavations.
In the late afternoon, you’ll head back to Merzouga where the paved road ends and sand dunes begin. You’ll hop out from the car and onto the camels that will take you on a beautiful path through the tall sand dunes arriving into your luxury camp. Mint tea will be served as you arrive, after which you’ll have some time to enjoy the camp and contemplate the peaceful quiet of the Sahara. Dinner is included at the camp and will be served at your convenience, followed by a campfire and some live music by the camp’s staff who will perform tribal music for you. You can then enjoy the starlit sky before going to sleep in the comforts of your well-appointed tent.
Meals included: B L D
Day 7 – The Dades Gorges: Fresh from your Saharan adventure, this is the day you’ll explore the mesmerizing rock formations and twisty roads of the gorges of the Atlas Mountains! Your day begins with an optional sunrise over the dunes in your luxury camp, followed by a hearty breakfast and a departure from your camp for the Dades Gorge. Along the driving route, you’ll see the landscape change from rolling sand dunes to dry desert with palm oases to soaring rocky gorges with villages built right into the mountainside. The drive will take about 5.5 hours including stops and at the end, you’ll check-in at your riad and have the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
We wouldn’t usually dedicate a new paragraph to a meal, but this is a special exception - as you’ll understand when you get to the gorges, you will be in a very remote and rural part of the country, so you ordinarily would expect a wholesome but standard meal. Instead, the family who runs your riad has made an art of their meal service, crafting creative dishes based on locally-sourced ingredients, and we’re willing to bet that this dinner is one you’ll remember!
Meals included: B L D
Day 8 – Kasbahs & Oases: Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and some time to sleep in or relax at the property. You’ll then drive to Ouarzazate and on to Kasbah Ait Benhaddou. Along the way, you’ll visit expansive palm oases and the town of Kella M’Gouna, famous for its production of rose oil. You’ll have lunch overlooking the fortress of Ait Benhaddou before doing a walking tour of the fortress. A UNESCO world heritage site, the fort of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of southern Moroccan architecture. It is an extraordinary ensemble of buildings offering a complete panorama of pre-Saharan earthen construction techniques. After the visit head nearby to your hotel for the night and have dinner.
Meals included: B L D
Day 9 – Marrakech: Fresh from a good night’s sleep, you’ll do the final leg of the drive to Marrakech. On one of the most scenic drives you’re likely to take in your life, you’ll venture through the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas mountains and back down on the other side into the dry flat plains of Marrakech (about 4 hours drive). Upon arrival, check-in at your riad and have the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Enjoy a lovely dinner at your riad to begin your stay in Marrakech.
Meals included: B D
Day 10 – Marrakech: After a hearty breakfast, you’ll head out for an introductory tour of the famed Ochre City, Marrakech. The tour will start with the Koutoubia Mosque (the iconic sight of Marrakech), the Bahia Palace (a stunning example of traditional Moroccan architecture), and the Saadian tombs. You’ll discover how the royalty of Morocco lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. Then you’ll head into the medina for lunch (included) and for a guided tour of the old walled city to visit the spice souks. You’ll then have some free time to continue exploring the souks and medina and shop to your heart's desire. Dinner tonight is on your own. We are happy to provide recommendations.
Optional Extra: Do a traditional Moroccan Hammam Spa treatment this afternoon or evening. You’ll have a 45-minute steam bath and body scrub that uses the traditional black soap and ghassoul to clean and moisturize your skin. Then enjoy a 45-minute massage using oils to fully relax you.
Meals included: B L
Day 11 – Marrakech: After a morning at leisure, you will head to the culinary arts museum, which will give you an in-depth history of Moroccan cuisine and all the influences - Berber, Arab, Jewish, Portuguese, Spanish, French - that have shaped it over the centuries. There, you will have Moroccan street food tasting as lunch.
This memorable night will take place in La Maison Arabe. The gardens will be filled with candles and a special table with a poolside. When you arrive, you’ll first learn about the traditional preparation Moroccan mint tea. Then with the help of a local “dada”, or expert cook, you will dig into all of the key components of a Moroccan meal. Each guest will have their own cooking station and you will prepare two different staples of Moroccan starters, a tomato and cucumber salad and a 2nd salad using eggplant (please note: the exact salads may change depending on the day’s ingredients). After that, you’ll finally learn to prepare your main course, the famous Moroccan Tagine of chicken with preserved lemons (or a Berber Vegetable Tagine for non-meat eaters). While your tagine is cooking over the fire, you’ll also prepare Moroccan cookies with almond paste. Finally, you’ll sit down for a gourmet dinner in the gardens accompanied by a local musical performance
Optional Extra: Hot Air Balloon Ride over Southern MoroccoYour day will begin bright and early as your driver picks you up between 5:00-5:30 am (exact time will be determined and communicated the previous night) to head out for what is sure to be a highlight of your time in Morocco: a hot air balloon overlooking Marrakech and southern Morocco. The whole experience will take 2 to 3 hours from start to finish, and you should be done by 11AM.
Meals included: B L D
Day 12 – Marrakech/ Essaouria: After breakfast, you’ll drive west to Morocco’s Atlantic coast for two nights in the charming coastal city of Essaouira with a stop to visit a local argan oil cooperative. The argan oil is pressed by locals, and used for nutrition and traditional medicine (also used to fabricate traditional black soap used in hammam treatments!). Today there is a great exploitation of the argan forests because of the growingly popular cosmetic values of argan oil. The product has become very expensive, not only because about 40kg of the raw fruit is needed to extract 1 kg of oil, but also because it takes about 8 hours of manual work, mostly by women living in rural areas.
From the Argan Oil Cooperative, you’ll head to a local vineyard called le Val D’Argan for a tasty lunch (which is included) and visit the vines that produce fantastic white and grey wines. You will make stops along the famous goat tree before continuing to Essaouira. Then continue to your riad, Dar L’Oussia, check-in and have some time to rest. You will enjoy a delicious dinner at Gusto.
Meals included: B L D
Day 13 – Essaouria: Enjoy breakfast and a leisurely morning at the hotel. You’ll then head back into the medina to explore and shop some more. On your guided tour you will discover the Portuguese and Berber influences on the city and explore the charming whitewashing medina and busy harbor. Essaouira is known for its wood carvings and pottery, so it’s a great place to shop for final gifts and souvenirs. Plus, the laid-back and more orderly feeling of its medina makes it enjoyable to explore on your own. Lunch is on your own today followed by free time.
In the later afternoon, you’ll then head for your special cooking class of fresh seafood and enjoy your own masterpiece for dinner.
Meals included: B D
Day 14 – Essaouria/ Casablanca: Enjoy breakfast and a leisurely morning at the hotel. You’ll drive north along the coastal route which will take you to stop in Oualidia, a small town on a saltwater lagoon (~3.5-hour drive). It is famous for its Oyster farming and seafood. You’ll have lunch near the lagoon and if you’re lucky, might even see some Flamingos or other migratory bird species.
Then keep driving to Casablanca (~2.5 hours). Upon arrival, check-in at your hotel and freshen up. Around sunset, you’ll head to the Hassan II Mosque Plaza to enjoy the view and architecture. Finally, end the evening with a farewell dinner at Rick’s Cafe.
Meals included: B L D
Day 145– Casablanca: After breakfast, you’ll check out of your hotel and drive either to Casablanca airport (~1 hour) for your departure flights. As long as your flight departs after 3pm, your shuttle to either airport will be included.
Meals included: B
Travel Dates
Valid for travel 01 Oct 2020 - until 31 Dec 2023.
Terms & Conditions
Contact Journeys Rediscovered for pricing to suit your preferred departure dates as a private itinerary or to REGISTER for our 2022 or 2023 Small Group Journeys (no more the 8 passengers).
Tours will run with a minimum of 6 passengers.
Land-based itinerary.
International airfares are additional, please contact Journeys Rediscovered for international flight options and prices.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended and can be arranged for you for an additional cost.
For full pricing, terms and conditions, contact your MTA Travel Expert, Journeys Rediscovered on m: 0477 002 235 or journeysrediscovered@mtatravel.com.au
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