10D9N Highlights of Morocco (6780)

Check into your hotel. Later, meet your Tour Director and travel companions

Skirt the Atlantic coast to Rabat, once a lair of the corsairs and now the country's capital. The highlights of the included sightseeing tour are the Royal Palace, Hassan Tower, and the Kasbah of Oudayas. You'll be reminded of the time when Morocco was the Roman province of Mauretania as you visit the fine Roman relics of Chellah and its gardens. Continue to Meknes and see its monumental gates, mosque, palace, and miles of protective walls during your guided tour. Visit the Royal stables, originally built to once house 12,000 of the royal horses. Travel east towards Fez, Morocco's most enchanting city.

Spend the day at leisure in ancient Fez, which occupies a position of outstanding scenic beauty. Visit the exotic ancient Medina, UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the optional sightseeing tour. You'll walk through a maze of narrow, bustling streets and alleys that are home to brilliantly hued souks.

Travel today into the very heart of Morocco. Stop in the quiet, French-built alpine mountain resort of Ifrane. Verdant cedar forests give way to volcanic mountains and windswept plains as you travel across the Middle Atlas range. Pass fortified mud- and-straw villages and descend into the spectacular Ziz gorges. The landscape becomes progressively more arid as you enter a stony desert. Approaching Erfoud, encounter an unexpected and breathtaking surprise: the peaceful oasis of the Ziz Valley.

The best choice today is an included excursion to Rissani to visit the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif, the first ruler of the Alaouite Dynasty. This evening, enjoy an optional excursion in the desert.

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. On to the impressive Todra Gorge, then along the Dades Valley. Arrive in the film capital of Morocco, Ouarzazate, where you'll visit the Kasbah de Taourirt, the intricate and fascinating residence of Pasha Thami el Glaoui.

Travel to Ait Benhaddou, an ancient, fortified city, famous as a film location for "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Gladiator." Pass through picturesque villages surrounded by craggy mountains towards 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, see the landscape gradually change to a tapestry of red ochre. Enter the gates of the red-hued imperial city of Marrakesh, justly considered the most fascinating of all Moroccan cities. An optional evening excursion is a fitting way to end the day.

The included city sightseeing with a Local Guide starts 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 Majorelle Gardens. You'll feel as if you've stopped the march of time.

eave Morocco's magical city of Marrakesh for the journey back to Casablanca. On arrival, see the main sights in the company of a Local Guide.

Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning