EDUCATIONAL and CULTURAL TOURS

223 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000 T (08) 8223 1979 ● F (08) 8232 3690 ● E tours@wea-sa.com.au

TTA 183

E&OE

Please note that mosques cannot be visited on Fridays, during prayer times, or when

dignitaries are visiting.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Krebsm aus07; Lionel Leo; Amerune; Fabos; Pawel Ryszawa; Jean Fran-

cois Gornet; Jesus Abizanda; Schlanger; French Wikipedia; Orrenegra; 169clue; Juan Anto-

nio F Segal; Dimitry B; Feliciano Guimaraes; Neiljs; Alexander Cahlenstein; seier+seier

Day 13 Tuesday 08 May

Day 15 Thursday 10 May

Day 18 Sunday 13 May

Day 19 Monday 14 May

Marrakech to Doha This morning you transfer to the airport for your flight to Doha. Overnight in Doha (by Qatar Airways) Breakfast ● Meals in flight

ATAS AA11046

Doha Today is a free day in Doha. You are free to rest, relax or explore. There are lively middle eastern markets, mosques, muse-ums and shopping malls to discover. Overnight in flight

Day 12 Monday 07 May

Merzouga to Ouarzazate Watch the sunrise over the desert dunes then breakfast and visit the fossil area near Erfoud before travelling to beautiful Todra Gorge and oasis with its extensive palm groves nestled at the base of the High At-las. After exploring the Gorge on foot you join the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, so named for the many kasbahs you see along the way. Pass through the Roses Valley and its Berber town of El K'elaa M’Gouna which is renowned throughout Morocco for the Berber daggers made in the local collective and it’s Roses Festival. Visit one of the local collectives to see how rose oil is distilled from the petals to make rose water. Continue on the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to the oasis of Ouar-zazate for the next two nights. Overnight in Ouarzazate. Breakfast ● Dinner

Ouarzazate & Oasis Kasbah Villages Today you explore some of the lovely oasis villages with kasbahs old and new en-chantingly set amongst lush date palm, almond, fig and henna groves, including the beautiful oasis of Skoura which has one of the oldest kasbahs of the desert region- believed to date from the 17th cen-tury. You visit a local Berber family for a simple lunch then visit a local hammam frequented by the towns people and share in the hammam experience including a traditional massage. In the evening you share a personal insight into family life as the head of a Berber household guides you in preparing a traditional Berber meal and sharing it with the family. Overnight in Ouarzazate Breakfast ● Light Lunch ● Dinner

Day 14 Wednesday 09 May

Ouarzazate to Marrakech After breakfast you explore the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage designated kas-bah village of Ait Benhaddou to see some of Morocco’s most exotic and best pre-served kasbahs. You then journey up into the soaring High Atlas Mountains passing small villages and crossing the Tizi n’Tich-ka pass at 2260 metres above sea level. Enjoy stunning panoramic vistas as you descend toward the imperial city of Marra-kech this afternoon. Surrounded by its mil-lennia old red walls and with its dramatic High Atlas backdrop and vibrancy of life, Marrakech weaves a magical spell over all who visit . Overnight in Marrakech. Breakfast ● Dinner

Day 16 Friday 11 May

Day 20 Tuesday 15 May

Arrive in Adelaide this evening

Marrakech Your heritage tour of Marrakech’s past today explores historical monuments including, La Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Madrasa, Koutoubia Mosque and the Saadian tombs. This afternoon a walking tour of Marrakech’s famous markets and souks takes you into the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage walled medina, immersing you in the sights and sounds of Morocco. Weaving your way through the maze of alleyways you see traditional craftsmen following techniques handed down through the centuries as they hand work metals, leathers, fabrics and glass. See the famously colourful Marrakechi watermen who ply the medina selling water and be enthralled by Djemaa El-Fna Plaza with its magicians, story tell-ers, snake charmers, sharmen and for-tune-tellers. Overnight in Marrakech Breakfast

Marrakech After breakfast you continue your discov-ery of Marrakech with a half-day gardens & arts city tour visiting Majorelle Garden and the Berber Arts Museum, Cyber Gar-den, the La Palmaries area and the Dar Si Said Museum of Moroccan Arts. In the afternoon you have free time to be mes-merised by Marrakech. Overnight in Marrakech Breakfast

Day 17 Saturday 12 May

Marrakech After a day of leisure, tonight you farewell Morocco experiencing a corner stone of Berber culture, the shared enjoyment of music, dance and food. Dining at a tradi-tional Marrakechi restaurant you share an authentic Moroccan banquet while being entertained by Berber singers, dancers and musicians from many of Morocco’s different regions. Overnight in Marrakech

Breakfast & Dinner

...enriching lives through cultural exchange

20 Days $8695 Based on Twin Share + airline taxes $180 (June 2017)

Single Supplement $1040 ● Balance Due Friday 16 February 2018

Casablanca ● Rabat ● Meknes ● Volubilis ● Fes ● High Atlas Mountains

Road of a Thousand Kasbahs ● Merzouga ● Sahara Desert deluxe camp

Ouarzazate ● Marrakech

T race medieval caravan routes along the ‘Road of a Thousand Kasbahs’ and the infamous Barbary Coast in the

fascinating Kingdom of Morocco. With ample time to truly explore and local expert guides to enrich your experi-

ences with local history and story- telling, you discover medieval, ancient and imperial cities. Staying in beautiful

riads and authentic accommodations, enjoy mesmerizing markets and medinas, centuries old arts and crafts, fab-

ulous food, soothing steam baths and a massage at a traditional hammam. Marvel at Berber villages and nomadic life, lush

oases, fortified kasbahs, the breathtaking High Atlas Mountains and the surreal Sahara Desert. Delight in UNESCO World

Heritage cities brimming with exotic art, architecture, vibrancy and life. Morocco intoxicates all who come. Join Keryn

James on this culturally enriching journey.

Tour Leader: Keryn James has an honours Degree in Archaeology and has enjoyed a career as an ABC television pro-

ducer. Now a small gallery owner, she has a particular passion for Morocco and is an articulate and thoughtful tour leader.

Tour Includes: All airfares Adelaide to Adelaide; Full escort Adelaide to Adelaide; All Accommodation in riads, kasbahs

and comfortable hotels; All meals as per itinerary; Expert local guides; All entrance fees; All transport; Pre and Post tour

meetings; Comprehensive tour notes.

Day 1 Thursday 26 April

Depart Adelaide Depart Adelaide this evening with Qatar to Doha. Overnight in flight

Meals in flight

Day 2 Friday 27 April

Day 4 Sunday 29 April

Arrive Casablanca Connect in Doha this morning to Casa-blanca the fabled Barbary Coast city founded in the 12th century. Dinner is ar-ranged for you tonight. Overnight Casablanca

Dinner

Day 3 Saturday 28 April

Casablanca to Rabat After breakfast you have an orientation tour including Casablanca’s popular La Corniche beachside precinct, the Hassan II Mosque which is dramatically situated on a promontory jutting in to the Atlantic and the Plaza of Mohammed V. You then drive north to the imperial city of Rabat the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco and a UNESCO world heritage site. Visit the Oudaya Kasbah, Hassan Tower, Mo-hammed V’s Mausoleum, the Royal Pal-ace exterior and the medieval Necropolis

of Chellah in the ruins of Roman Sala Co-lonia. Dinner is at a local restaurant. Overnight Rabat Breakfast ● Dinner

Rabat to Chefchaouen Veering from the coast today you travel to the Rif Mountains and beautiful Chefchaouen, scenically nestled on a steep mountainside between two peaks. The town’s old medina with its blue washed houses has led to its reputation as the ‘blue town’. Chefchaouen is an unmissable delight, having retained all its authenticity and charm. Overnight Chefchaouen. Breakfast ● Dinner

Chefchaouen This morning you explore Chefchaouen wandering along the quaint streets with their blue houses and local shops and over to the edge of the medina where you may see colourfully dressed local women hand-washing clothes in the mountain stream, catching up with each other and local news. Browse also in Uta el-Hammam Plaza where the old town

Day 5 Monday 30 April

kasbah is situated. In the afternoon you visit a local weavers workshop. Using handlooms the weavers follow traditional Berber designs to produce beautiful fab-rics including the classic red and white striped cloth traditionally worn by the Ber-ber women of the Rif Mountains. The re-mainder of the afternoon is at your leisure. Overnight Chefchaouen. Breakfast

Day 6 Tuesday 01 May

Day 7 Wednesday 02 May

Day 9 Friday 04 May

Day 10 Saturday 05 May

Chefchaouen to Fes Descending through the Rif Mountains you arrive in the ancient town of Volubilis, Morocco’s most important Roman site. UNESCO World Heritage listed, here you see marvellous mosaics and the remains of many significant buildings including the Basilica, Thermae, Temple of Jupiter, Capitol, and Triumphal Arch. Continue passing Moulay Idriss Morocco’s holiest town, to World Heritage designated 17th century Meknes. Explore the sights in-cluding the famous colossal gate of Bab el Mansour, the main entrance to the sec-ond Alaouite sultan-Moulay Ismail’s city, the massive Heri es-Souani granaries and the Agdal Basin water reservoir. Your destination for the next three nights is the old imperial city of Fes, one of the great trading capitals from Trans-Saharan cam-el caravan times and the cultural and culinary capital of Morocco. Overnight Fes

Breakfast ● Dinner

Fes . The World Heritage walled medina of Fes is one of the oldest medieval cities in the world. Today you explore the history and heritage of this intriguing town including Nejjarine Foundouk Museum, the Bou Inania Madrassa, Kairaouine Mosque, Fes el Jdid and the exterior of the Dar el Makhzen Royal Palace including the enormous Marinid gate of Bab Dekakene. You also visit the famous leather tanner-ies, bazaars and souks of Fes, the Mellah old Moroccan Jewish heritage quarter and enjoy panoramic views of the city from the 16th century Borj Nord fortress. This afternoon is at your leisure. Fes is noted for its beautiful ceramic pottery and mosaic tiles and also its delicious cuisine. Overnight Fes

Breakfast

Day 8 Thursday 03 May

Fes After breakfast you visit the Dar Batha Museum housed in a 19th century Moorish palace and set around its traditional court-yard garden and the late 16th century Borj Nord fortress’ Armory Museum which showcases the historic role of weaponry to the Berber people. The collection in-cludes notable examples of the famous, elaborately decorated, Berber Kabyle muskets, swords, spears and Berber Koummya daggers. Delight also in lovely Jnan Sbil Gardens which were laid out in the 18th century following classical Moor-ish traditions. You have leisure time to explore more of the thriving medina and its souks this afternoon, visit another cul-tural museum or relax at a cafe with the locals- such a great way to immerse your-self in daily Moroccan life. Overnight Fes Breakfast

Fes to Merzouga A long but exciting day of travel takes you to the fabled Sahara Desert today. Cross the scenic Middle Atlas Mountains pass-ing the cedar and pine forests which are home to the Barbary Macaques before ascending the Eastern High Atlas and entering the magnificent Sahara. Follow the Ziz River Valley with gorgeous views of Ziz Gorge and its vast date palm groves before arriving in Mergouga, a Berber village perched on the edge of the spec-tacular dunes known as Erg Chebbi. This area has huge geographical, historical and cultural significance as one of the world’s richest fossil fields, being a hub during the days of Medieval Trans-Saharan camel caravans and as home to the intrepid ‘blue men’ nomads. Overnight in a traditional Kasbah, superbly located on the edge of the dunes. Overnight Merzouga Breakfast ● Dinner

Merzouga and Erg Chebbi After breakfast you explore the village and oasis area. The Berber here are famed for their striking indigo blue robes known as gandoras and turbans and are known as the ‘blue men’. They are tradi-tionally nomadic and some still embrace the lifestyle. Your focus today is the day-to-day life and culture of the desert Ber-ber. Explore the oasis flora and attend one of the small village schools to join the children to learn some Amazighe (Berber) words. Visit the village of Khamlea, famed for its Gnaoua singers then return to Merzouga to bake bread in a mud ov-

en and share lunch and customary mint tea with a local family. Further explore Berber traditions this afternoon with hands-on experiences such as tribal hand embroidery of the Berber women’s lagna shawls, henna hand painting, erecting a Berber Nomad tent or mud brick and rammed earth building techniques. (Activities are subject to local availability on the day.) Overnight Merzouga

Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner

Day 11 Sunday 06 May

Erg Chebbi Sahara Today you visit one of the traditional rammed earth kasbahs found scattered throughout the desert villages before heading to Risanni the site of the inde-pendent medieval city State of Sijilmasa. Although Sijilmasa is long gone, echoes of its great trading past remain in the col-ourful, raw and authentic Rissani market. Marvel as colourful and traditionally clad locals from near and far descend on what is said to be, by far the best market in all of Morocco. You have ample time to soak up the spectacle. In the late afternoon you take a camel ride into the Erg Chebbi sand dunes to your private deluxe camp in the Sahara. Watch the sun setting over the world’s most famous desert and spend the night under a multitude of stars as you witness local musicians and learn about folkloric tribal music and dance. Overnight Deluxe Berber Camp Breakfast ● Lunch ● Dinner (tents are on a shared occupancy basis; overnight in Kasbah or 4WD transport can be ar-ranged at time of booking if preferred.