MOROCCO: MAGIC OF THE ORIENT

Itinerary

Day 1, Monday Tel Aviv - Casablanca

Our group will meet at Ben Gurion Airport for the flight to Casablanca, via Europe. Upon landing, we will visit one of the highlights of our visit to this city is the Great Mosque. The mosque is built half on land and half above the sea. Many of Morocco's finest artists and artisans worked for many years to create this magnificent edifice. In fact, every Moroccan citizen donated funds for the project in one way or another to ensure that the project's costs, which soared to over $800 million, would be covered. The mosque's minaret rises to a height of 200 meters, and its central prayer hall can contain thousands of worshippers. This is a true architectural wonder.

Day 2, Tuesday Casablanca - Rabat

Today we'll continue our tour the city, the financial capital of Morocco. The city is modern and developed, but maintains its historical features, including an old city with its various quarters. We'll tour the "Habous" district, see the Royal Palace with its beautiful reception forecourt and magnificent gates, and continue to the upscale "Anafa" neighborhood and the boardwalk along the Atlantic Ocean. The "Habous" district was built long after the original old city near the Royal Palace of Muhammad V. The area is home to numerous striking sites in Neo Moorish style, such as Law Courts, the post office etc. It has a bazaar filled with small colorful businesses alongside pictorial white houses. Our tour will takes us to the United Nations Square, renowned for the Neo Moorish buildings that surround it, and for the fountain, which sprays water all around. From there we'll head to the Jewish Historical Museum of Morocco. In the afternoon we'll travel north along the Atlantic coast to Rabat, capital of the Kingdom. We'll stop in front of the Royal Palace and see its gates and walls. We see the remains of the Great Mosque, destroyed in the earthquake of 1775. and visit the Mausoleum of Muhammad V, grandfather of the current King, where King Hassan II the present King's Father, is also buried. After the tour we'll make our way back to the hotel in Casablanca for our overnight.

Day 3, Wednesday Casablanca - Ouzoud Falls - Afourer

Today, we'll head for the Middle Atlas Mountains for a tour of the Ouzoud Falls Nature Reserve and the man-made lake Bin el-Ouidane near Demnate, which used to be an important Jewish center. We'll stop at a nature site where the river has dug itself a subterranean passage. From there we'll continue to Beni Mellal and visit the springs of Asserdoun.

Day 4, Thursday Afourer - Meknes - Fes

This morning we'll make our way to the city of Meknes, built by Sultan Mulai Ismail in the 17th century. Meknes was a lively Jewish center until its Jewish inhabitants made Aliyah with the founding of the State of Israel. We'll tour the many sites that adorned the city in the times of Sultan Ismail, including the famous Mansur Gate. We'll visit the Melah, the former Jewish quarter and see the old Talmud Torah (if it's open we'll be able to enter the building as well). We'll continue for a short visit to the city's colorful market, and after that we'll make our way to Fes. After dinner, we recommend going out to experience the dark Moroccan night.

Day 5, Friday Fes

Today will be mostly devoted to this, the religious and cultural capital of Morocco, which combines old and new. There will be a guided tour with a local English-speaking guide. The area of Fes is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its narrow lanes with their workshops remain as they have been for hundreds of years. We'll visit the square of the Royal Palace, which is alongside the Jewish quarter - the oldest Melah in Morocco, as well as the Jewish cemetery and the Abu Danan Synagogue in the Melah. We'll view the Dynastic Tombs and city as a whole from the green roofs and walls of Fez. From the rooftops we'll see the tannery quarter where hides are treated, and we'll visit a ceramics factory where we'll learn about this unique local craft. The city's ramparts surround a maze of winding alleys and a bustling market divide according the guilds of its artisans. In the late afternoon we'll arrive to the hotel in time to prepare for Shabbat, Shabbat services and dinner.

Day 6, Shabbat Fes

After Shabbat services and lunch we will walk to the new city areas of Fez.

Day 7, Sunday Fes - Ifran - Erfoud

This morning we'll leave for Ifran, a Swiss-type Moroccan town, located at 1600 meters above sea level. The entire area is surrounded by magnificent monkey-inhabited cedar forests. The town also hosts the Peace University, where members of the three monotheistic religions were supposed to have studied together. We'll cross the Middle and High Atlas Mountains, an area of magnificent scenic vistas. We'll stop at a cedar nature reserve where we'll see towering cedar trees. From the mountains tops we'll see the oasis of Tafilalt palm groves in the Sahara Desert, this amazing oasis runs for a kilometers. While all along dotted which millions of date palm. We'll travel along the oasis until we reach Erfoud at the edge of the desert, the place from where the famous Abu Hatzeira family originates.

Day 8, Monday Erfoud - Ouarzazate

We recommend getting up very early this morning and heading out by Jeep to the Merzouga dunes, the largest dunes in the world, part of the western Sahara, from where we can watch a fantastic desert sunrise (weather permitting), and then return to Erfoud. After breakfast we'll travel to the Todra Gorge at the southern edge of the High Atlas Mountains. We'll see magnificent scenic shapes, dotted with orchards and Berber villages. Towards evening we'll arrive at the French built regional city Ouarzazate.

Day 9, Tuesday Ouarzazate - Marrakesh

In the early morning we'll take a panoramic tour of Ouarzazate, and we'll then continue through beautiful scenery, traditional villages and picturesque Kasbahs which are often filmed for the production of Hollywood movies. Later, we will cross the High Atlas mountains through the Tishka Pass which is 2700 m' above sea level and enjoy the magnificent scenery till we get to 'The Red City' - Marrakesh. After dinner we will go to Jemaa el-Fna, the main city centre to enjoy its lively atmosphere. colorful food stalls, snake charmers, story tellers and all kind of 'healers'. Berber dancers will perform for no fee at all; freshly squeezed orange juice paid on the spot for all who wish; suspense stories in a foreign language though understood by all.

Day 10, Wednesday Ourika Valley - Marrakesh

Today we start with a visit to the Ourika valley also known as 'Valley of the Jews' and enjoy the view of the red wild scenery and the picturesque villages among the mountains. Then, we will return to the Marrakech, "The Red City" or the "Pearl of the South" are but two of the names given to Marrakesh - the most beautiful city in Morocco that lies at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. The city is divided in two: the new and the ancient. We'll visit the Almanara Gardens and set out to the city center with its lively markets. We'll pass through the Melah, and stop by the Koutoubia Mosque, visit a Berber pharmacy and the Bahia Palace. We'll visit a Melah where Jews no longer live, but where there is an ancient synagogue that is more than 500 years old. We'll tour the "medina" - the market quarter of the city. The market is a mass of colors, voices and smells, a polyglot of all the treasures that exist in this country. The "medina" is divided according to type of product: an area for silver houses smiths and silver dealers, while gold is dealt in a different area, rows and rows of stalls selling leather, copper and jewelry respectively. The jewel in the crown of our tour will be the lively, bustling Jemaa el-Fna Square. Here food stalls are jammed together, water sellers, snake charmers, story tellers and "healers" of every type and kind. In the evening, we recommend seeing "Fantasia" - a Berber folklore show.

Day 11, Thursday Marrakesh - Casablanca - Tel Aviv

This morning we'll bid a sad farewell to Morocco. Our tour is now over and we take our memories with us as we head on the new highway back to Casablanca for the airport. From where we take our flights home, via a stop in an Europe city.

Price Includes

• International Flights (via an intermediate stop)
• First tourist class hotels or the best available locally
• Airport and security taxes
• Comfortable air-conditioned touring coach for travelling
• Breakfast and dinner daily and supplies for making sandwiches for lunch
• Professional experienced Israeli guide
• Local Guide as required
• Entrance to all sites mentioned in the tour plan

Price Excludes

• Travel and baggage Insurance
• Evening entertainment that are not included in the tour plan
• Personal expenses
• Moroccan Visa: $40
• Tips for local service providers: $100
• Changes in air fares due to increases in fuel airport tax and security tax surcharges
• Tip for Israeli guide (Recommended: $3 per person per day)

Important TO Know
There may be changes to the schedule and hotel reservations dependent upon international flights. We will make every effort to visit every place mentioned in the itinerary., Day of departure and arrival are included in the total days of the tour. Insurance is required for 12 days.

Insurance
We urge all passengers to purchase travel and cancellation insurance immediately upon registration for the tour. This ensures a refund of expenses in case of cancellation due to emergency, illness or bereavement.
IMPORTANT The tour organizers have no control over services provided by the airline companies, such as catering, seating, change of flight times or delays. Responsibility for these services is that of the airline alone.

Date And Prices

Tour code	Start date	End Date	Days	Price	Single supplement	Comments
EMAR1603	16/03/2009	26/03/2009	11	1990 $	0 $	GUIDE: DAVID SONDERVAN
EMAR1810	18/10/2009	28/10/2009	11	1990 $	0 $

Terms

More than 45 working days prior to departure: $47 per passenger registration fee only, 14-45 working days prior to departure: $500 + $47 per passenger, 7-13 working days prior to departure: $1,000 + $47 per passenger, Less than 6 working days prior to departure: Passenger will be liable for full payment of all expenses connected to the tour (including visas etc.), Fridays Shabbat and Holidays (including Chol Hamoed in Israel) and Sundays and Public Holidays abroad are not considered working days. If flight tickets have already been issued and/or any other services have already been purchased (visas etc.) their costs will be added to the cancellation penalties mentioned above.