THE BEST OF MOROCCO

An Exotic Travel Adventure

January 20 – 27, 2009


“The Best of Morocco” January 20 - 27, 2009 $1,799 per person twin rate package, including airfare from JFK** **Just add roundtrip flights from your city to New York Kennedy Single room supplement $350 Ancient walled cities, camel desert caravans, Arab sultans, Berber tribes, lively soukmarkets, ornate palaces shaded by tall date palms, & Bogart’s Casablanca. “Come wiz us to zee kasbah” & discover the magic of Morocco! Wedged between the Mediterranean & Atlantic, Europe & Africa, Morocco is a land rich in traditions & architectural treasures. Independent for just over fifty years, the area of present-day Morocco has been inhabited since 8,000 B.C. Through the centuries it has seen countless invaders & conquerors, settlers & nomads. Each has left a unique mark on this diverse Berber, Jewish, Arabic, Andalusian culture. Wander through bustling market squares where craftsmen, artisans, musicians, storytellers, & skilled tradesmen ply their wares. If sensory-filled travel, colorful locals, tantalizing cuisine, & bargain shopping tickle your fancy & your taste buds, then this escape is for you! From our three-star hotels in Rabat, Fez, Marrakech, & Casablanca, we visit royal castles, 12th century mosques, many an historic Old Town center (Medina), leather tanners & textile dyers, Roman ruins, & some of the most fascinating open markets in the world. Soothsayers, fire eaters, palm readers, acrobats, & snake charmers share space with food & spice stalls & handicraft vendors are eager to haggle. Enjoy tasty couscous, mint green tea, & puree-filled pancakes rolled in crushed cashews. Experience the unforgettable sights & sounds of this exotic corner of North Africa. Join us as we explore “The Best of Morocco.” Space on this affordable adventure tour is limited. Reserve your spot right away by mailing your sign up sheet & your deposit check today to Passport to Adventure, Inc.


Included in Our Moroccan Getaway: ¨ Roundtrip airfare on Royal Air Maroc from JFK to Casablanca
¨ Roundtrip airport transfers
¨ 6 nights lodging in 3* Moroccan hotels (Rabat, Fez, Marrakech, & Casablanca)
¨ 6 breakfasts & 6 dinners (a meal with local family & a folklore dinner show)
¨ Services of trained, English-speaking local tour guides
¨ Guided tours (Rabat, Moulay Idriss, Volubilis, Meknes, Fez, Marrakech, & Casablanca)
¨ Day trips to sand dunes, Atlas Mountains, & nomadic Berber village
¨ Overland transportation within Morocco
¨ Free time to wander, snap photos, barter, & explore

**As us about recommended Travelex travel/medical/cancellation insurance. For “The Best of Morocco” questions & reservations, please call The Trip Chicks™ today at 770-454-7205 or 404-320-3033.

DAILY ITINERARY
Day 1 J.F.K. - Casablanca Depart on our overnight non-stop flight from New York to Morocco. (D)

Day 2 Casablanca - Rabat Welcome to the Kingdom of Morocco! Meet our motorcoach & travel along the infamous Barbary Coast to Rabat, Moroccan capital & strategic military post since the 12th century. Rest up before our afternoon tour. See the Hassan Tower, Arabia’s largest minaret, once part of a now ruined mosque. Visit the bustling Old Town (Medina), the Great Mosque, the magnificent King Mohammed V Mausoleum, & the fortified Kasbah of the Oudaias, perched on a dramatic cliff overlooking the ocean. A delicious welcome dinner awaits us this evening. It’s early to bed tonight with dreams of splendid palaces, remote Berber villages, & brilliantly-colored handicrafts. (B/D)

Day 3 Rabat - Fez After enjoying breakfast together, we head to the sacred Islamic town of Moulay Idriss, home to the burial grounds of the prophet Mohammed. Continue on to the 3rd century Roman ruins at Volubilis, an impressive archaeological site, & Meknes, through the ornate Gates of Bab Mansour El Aleuj. Arrive in Fez, Morocco’s oldest Imperial City. Free time before our dinner. (B/D)

Day 4 Fez Today we explore medieval Fez, considered the best-preserved city in the Moslem world. Visit the elaborate King’s Palace & peek at the old Jewish quarter (Mellah). Stroll through the winding Medina & see Al-Karaouine University, founded in 859 AD. Marvel at the spectacularly-tiled Nejjarine Fountain. After lunch on our own, tour a famous tannery, where skins are skillfully cured & dyed. Before dinner, enjoy shopping at the souks for leather, carpets, spices, or ceramics. (B/D)

Day 5 Fez - Marrakech An early morning departure for the “Red City” of Marrakech as we wind our way through the Middle Atlas Mountains to picturesque villages surrounded by craggy peaks. Stop in the delightful ski resort town Ifrane, before traveling on to Azrou, a scenic Berber village known for its carpet weaving & handicrafts. Arrive in the bustling highland town of Beni Mellal for lunch on our own. Later we reach Marrakech, the 800-year-old city set amidst an oasis of 500,000 palm trees & surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks. The reminder of the day is at leisure. Join your fellow travelers for dinner. (B/D)

Day 6 Marrakech With one of Africa’s renowned mosques & the country’s largest traditional market (souk), Marrakech offers plenty for visitors. Fitness buffs may arise early today for the Marrakech Marathon (optional registration for full or half marathon available). Otherwise, join our full day of sightseeing, including the lavish 16th century Saadian Tombs & the lively Djemaa El F’na Square, a spectacular “open theater” with cavorting dancers, snake-charmers, fortune tellers, fire eaters, & their colorful cohorts each vying for attention. Next, we go to the Dar Si Said Museum, with its collection of Moroccan art exhibited in an exquisite palace. Tour the vast Menara Gardens & the ruins of the Elbadi Palace, Tonight we’re in for a special treat: a sumptuous dinner with typical Moroccan folklore music & entertainment. Don’t miss the horsemen atop thirty charging Arabian horses. (B/D)

Day 7 Marrakech - Casablanca This morning it’s off to Casablanca, the final city on our Moroccan travel kaleidoscope. En route, stop at Essaouira, a colorful port & fortress town with Iberian influences dating from the 1200’s. Passing through farmland, we continue to Casablanca, which is Morocco’s most important port & its largest city, world-famous after the timeless Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergman film. See the magnificent United Nations Square, the Central Market, Anfa Residential Quarters, & the imposing Hassan II Mosque. The mosque, built in a breathtaking setting on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, is 2nd in size only to the mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (B/D)

Day 8 Casablanca - J.F.K. All good things must come to an end. “Adieu, Maroc!” Transfer to the airport for our flight back to J.F.K. (B)