Day 1, Thursday April 24: Welcome to Morocco!  This morning, we travel from Casablanca to Rabat.  We will visit the Mohammed V Mausoleum and its neighbor, the Hassan Tower.  Then, we will see the Kasbah of the Udayas in the Medina, filled with flowers, fountains, and tropical trees.  After the tour, we will return to our Rabat hotel to freshen up.  Before our included dinner, we will receive our Swag Bags, and a special pattern designed by Lorilee that will be great bus knitting!  After dinner, we can begin knitting and continue chatting.

Day 2, Friday April 25:  After a hearty hotel breakfast, we will depart for Chefchaoen, known as the Blue Pearl.  We’ll explore this charming village together, visiting the Medina, Bab El Ansar, and the famous Ras el Maa waterfall.  We’ll continue with a short walk to Rif Sebbanine and its 15^th century mosque.

Day 3, Saturday April 26: Today is all about knitting!  We’ve arranged for a private room so that Lorilee can teach us how to knit color vertically, with a specially designed pattern.  We can do a bit of exploring at lunch time, too!

Day 4, Sunday April 27: After breakfast, we’ll drive to the ancient city of Volubilis to explore its ruins, stone arches, and columns.  This UNESCO site is full of history, dating back  to 218AD.  After our visit, we’ll travel on to the cultural heart of Morocco, the Middle Age town of Fes (also written as Fez), and visit the Mellah, which is the Jewish quarter.  The wrought iron decorated windows and wood balconies are outstanding, and the medieval Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 5, Monday April 28: After breakfast, we’ll continue to explore the city’s old quarter, with its labyrinth of narrow lanes, alleys, and souks; see the Karaouine, one of the oldest still functioning universities in the world; and marvel at the nearby Attarine Medersa, with its Hispano-Moorish architecture built in the 14^th century.

After all of our sight-seeing, we will stop at an embroidery workshop to discover this traditional Moroccan textile.  After lunch, we’ll return to our hotel, where Wild Onion will teach us how to create a uniquely embroidered flower patch, which can be sewn or pinned onto a tote, hat, or sweater.

Our included dinner tonight will be a typical Moroccan meal with live music at a local restaurant.

Day 6, Tuesday April 29: After breakfast, we will travel through Ifrane, a charming ski town, then proceed to Midelt, in the agricultural hinterland, with a stop for lunch on our own.   We then continue our journey through the dramatic Ziz Gorges to arrive in Erfoud, where a 4X4 vehicle awaits to take us to the largest dunes in the Sahara Desert, Erg Chebbi.  Here, we will stay for a while, in luxury tents with modern conveniences, watching the desert sky, enjoying dinner in a glamorous tent, and sleeping in comfortable beds, to awaken to the beautiful sunrise over the sand dunes.

Day 7, Wednesday April 30: After breakfast at the camp, we will set up in a tent for a full day of knitting class, a dyeing project, chatting, reading, relaxing, and of course, an optional camel ride!  Lunch will be brought in for us, and dinner is also included.  Sleep in our luxury tents one more night.

Day 8, Thursday May 1: After breakfast, we leave the Sahara to drive to Tinghir and Todra Gorges, the highest and narrowest gorges of Morocco, on the East side of the High Atlas Mountains.  We’ll stop for lunch on our own, then continue driving through the Dades Valley, proceeding on to Ourzazate, where we’ll visit Taourirt Kasbah, known as one of the most beautiful Kasbahs in Morocco.  After the tour, we’ll continue to our hotel, having dinner on our own.

Day 9, Friday May 2: After breakfast, we’ll discover the world of Moroccan carpet making at a women’s cooperative.  From shearing the sheep in the High Atlas Mountains, to preparing the fleece, dyeing the wool, and weaving, we’ll be able to watch the weaving artists ply this ancient craft.  We will have an included dinner at the hotel.

Day 10, Saturday May 3: After breakfast, we’ll leave Ouarzazate and drive to Marrakech, crossing the High Atlas Mountains via the magnificent Tizln Tichka pass.  Upon arrival in Marrakech, we’ll stroll the Jemaa El Fna, the famous square located at the entrance of the Medina. Fortune tellers, snake charmers, story tellers, musicians, shops, and more should provide plenty of conversation fodder for tonight’s dinner on our own.  A one hour visit to a Hammam is optional at 5pm, before dinner.

Day 11, Sunday May 4: After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a full day’s  private tour of Marrakech.  Starting with the Koutoubia Mosque, dating back to the late 12^th century, we’ll continue on to the Bahia Palace to discover the intricate work done by local artisans to decorate the home for the Vizir’s Harem.  From there, we will explore the artisans’ districts and colorful souks, interacting with the real life of Marrakech people.  Next stop will be the Dar El Bacha Museum, one of the most famous examples of Riad architecture, dripping with Moroccan geometric tilework, intricate white plasterwork, and heavily carved lintels.  At 4:00pm, we will depart from our hotel for a unique cooking experience.  Taking place on the terrace of a villa, with a view of the Atlas Mountains, we will enjoy a welcome drink, receive a brief introduction to the property while picking fresh produce from the garden, watch a bread making and spices demonstration, followed by the preparation of a 3 course meal, which we will then enjoy together as our Farewell Dinner.

Day 12, Monday May 5: After breakfast, we’ve included private transportation back to the airport of Casablanca for your flights home.