Experience the magical allure, where ancient traditions meet breathtaking landscapes. We invite you to join us on this small gay group luxury experience as we travel back to a slower time of aromatic mint tea in cool courtyards. Let’s stroll through sun-drenched bazaars overflowing with handmade jewelry and colorful tanginess. Morocco is a gateway to Africa and a country of dizzying diversity. Here we’ll find epic mountain ranges, ancient cities, sweeping deserts – and warm hospitality.

Lodging is also a delightful adventure, whether we’re staying overnight in the Sahara in an exclusive tented desert camp or in Morocco’s most well-appointed and romantic Riads (traditional courtyard houses). With expert guides, learn the histories of Morocco’s ancient cities, discover ornate monuments to religious devotion, and savor one of the most diverse cuisines in the world.

Splendors of Morocco Luxury Gay Tour Itinerary

Day 1 - Friday, October 04, 2024
Arrive in Casablanca, Morocco
"Marhaba!" This is the traditional greeting used in Morocco to mean a warm “hello and welcome!”

Today your flight arrives in Casablanca (CMN). On arrival, we are met by a representative of the airport where special arrangements have been made for us to pass through immigration formalities and clear customs. We are then transferred to our luxury hotel to start our unforgettable visit to Morocco.

Later this afternoon, discover the fascinating city of Casablanca. The name Casablanca evokes thoughts of good living, romance, and adventure in a tropical setting, an image that the 1943 Humphrey Bogart film conveyed to cinema-goers in the drab years of World War Two. Originally settled by Berbers in the 7th century, Casablanca’s fairly recent growth has made it the bustling, French-influenced business center of Morocco it is today.

Our visit starts with a tour of the magnificent Hassan II Grand Mosque, one of the two mosques which can be visited in Morocco. The mosque is amongst the largest in the world and can house as many as 25,000 worshipers. The mosque’s minaret is the tallest religious structure in the world

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Casablanca Hotel, Casablanca

Day 2 - Saturday, October 05, 2024
Casablanca to Fes via Rabat
This morning, drive to Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco and the seat of its government.

Start our tour with Hassan Tower, or Tour Hassan is Rabat’s most famous sight. The massive minaret dates back to 1195 and towers over the city and the incomplete mosque below, which was largely destroyed in an earthquake in 1755.

Continue our city tour of Rabat with a visit to Kasbah des Oudayas, a picturesque palace guarded by an impressive arched gate. Inside the Kasbah are some beautiful Andalusian gardens, as well as a broad terrace, where we can enjoy beautiful views of the river and sea while sipping a mint tea.

Next, continue on to the Mohamed VI Museum of Modern Contemporary art, a great introduction to Moroccan history and contemporary Moroccan artists.

At the conclusion of our tour, continue to the cultural heart of Morocco, the magical Fes. Founded in the eighth century, it is home to several famed historical monuments, among them the Karaouine, the world’s first university.

Hotel: Riad Fes - Relais & Châteaux, Fes

Day 3 - Sunday, October 06, 2024
Fes
Take a step back in time to the Middle Ages with a visit to Fez El Bali, the world’s largest living medieval medina-city and the cultural heart of Morocco. Explore some of the 9,000 narrow lanes, alleys, and souks that make up the labyrinth of the city’s old quarter. The medieval Medina is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fes was a renowned center of medieval learning and at its heart lays the Karaouine, one of the oldest, still-functioning universities in the world. In the neighboring building is the Attarine Medersa (Koranic college) (Closed), a jewel of Hispano-Moorish architecture, built in the 14th century. Continue on to Nejjarine Square, whose centerpiece is a beautiful fountain, made up of mosaics and elaborate tile-work. The nearby Fondouq (Caravanserai) has now been converted into a museum of carpentry artifacts.

Visit Dar Batha and the Museum of Moroccan Arts, which houses historical and artistic collections of wood carvings, embroidery, tribal carpets, and ceramics. Then, it is on to Fes El Jedid (New Fes), built by the Merinid Dynasty in the 13th century. Admire the Royal Palace, mosques, madrasas (schools), souks, and the city wall. Most notably, Fes El Jedid is home to the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, which provides an interesting insight into Jewish architecture.

Hotel: Riad Fes - Relais & Châteaux, Fes

Day 4 - Monday, October 07, 2024
Meknes & Volubilis
Depart overland to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the largest and best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco. With its triumphal arches, basilicas, and capitols, the Volubilis skyline is peppered with examples of Roman architecture. However, the greatest treasures of Volubilis are the superb mosaic floors, which have been excellently preserved and left in situ.

From here, continue on to Meknes, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Morocco’s great Imperial Cities. In Meknes, the impressive monuments recall the splendor of a city first built in the 17th century by the powerful sultan Moulay Ismail to rival the court of his contemporary, Louis XIV of France. During your visit, see the monumental Bab Mansour gateway, considered to be one of the finest gates in Morocco, as well as the Granaries and the Royal Stables, which were built to accommodate some 12,000 horses. You also have the chance to see Moulay Ismail’s Mausoleum, one of the few shrines in Morocco that can be visited by non-Muslims.

Hotel: Riad Fes - Relais & Châteaux, Fes

Day 5 - Tuesday, October 08, 2024
Fes to Merzouga
Today, travel into the desert, passing through the impressive Atlas Mountains, and discover the Tafilalet region, famous for its savory dates and gorgeous scenery.

Erfoud is a largely French-built administrative center and is known for its delightful palm dates. Take a look at Erfoud’s quarry, where fossils have been found from the sea that used to lie here. Nowadays, the mining of these fossilized rocks is a growing and popular industry in this part of Morocco, and the fossilized rocks excavated here are used to produce beautiful decorative objects ranging from crockery to furniture.

Upon arrival to Erfoud head south traveling by four-wheel-drive vehicle along the desert dunes to your tented campsite. For your final part of your journey to the camp, exchange your four-wheel drive for a more traditional mode of transportation as you cross the final dunes on camelback to reach your camp. On arrival, enjoy a reception of mint tea and pastries followed by a sundowner drink in the dunes.

Later this evening, savor a mouth-watering dinner served around a campfire, or in a tent, complete with traditional entertainment. Watching the sunset over the high dunes of the Sahara Desert is a highlight of Merzouga Luxury Camp, set in the middle of the golden sand dunes.

Accommodation: Merzouga Luxury Camp, Taouz

Day 6 - Wednesday, October 09, 2024
Merzouga to Quarzazate
Ouarzazate was once a stopping point for African traders en route to the cities of Morocco and Europe. You will pay a visit to the Todra Gorges and the even more impressive picturesque oases that they hide. Travel through the southern slopes of the High Atlas range, following the Dades Valley and passing flourishing crops, irrigation canals, and palm trees. Following the 1000 Kasbahs road, you will marvel at the breath-taking vistas of impressive, ancient Kasbahs nestled in lush palm groves.

Along the way make a stop to visit an amazing, small private museum in a Ksar near Tingherir, which houses exhibits that showcase the local art, culture, and history. Ouarzazate was built as a French garrison in the 1920s. Today it is a regional trade center known for pottery and carpets.

Hotel: Le Berbere Palace, Ouarzazate

Day 7 - Thursday, October 10, 2024
Quarzazate to Marrakech via Ait Benhaddou
Today, travel through the stunning Atlas Mountains to reach the thrilling and colorful city of Marrakech. En route, stop in the fortified village of Ait Benhaddou, the most exotic and best-preserved Kasbah in the whole of the Atlas region. The village has starred in an array of movies, such as Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, Gladiator, and The Mummy.

Continue by road over the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, the highest in the region at a height of 2,260 meters (7,415 feet), and stop to marvel at the panoramic views. As your journey continues, take note of the picturesque villages, passing by travelers going from one village to the next on foot or by mule.

Finally arrive in Marrakech. Pearl of the South, Jewel of the South, The Red City – just a few of the nicknames Marrakech has acquired over the years. Part Berber, part Arab, and part African, Marrakech is the heartbeat of Morocco where palaces and monuments of unrivaled refinement sit calmly alongside snake charmers and Gnaouan drums, pulsing constantly from Djemâa el Fna Square – the most exuberant marketplace in the world.

Hotel: La Villa Des Orangers - Relais & Châteaux, Marrakech

Day 8 - Friday, October 11, 2024
Marrakech
This morning, we will each take a seat in a horse-drawn carriage for a ride through Marrakech’s famous, beautiful gardens which are dotted around the city. The area is fed by a basin that was created to irrigate the surrounding gardens and orchards using a sophisticated system called Qanat. The basin is supplied with water via an old hydraulic system that conveys water from the mountains located nearly 20 miles away.

We begin with a visit to the Menara gardens, which date back to the 12th century and are set among extensive orchards and olive groves. At the center is a rectangular pool with a fabulous view of the Atlas Mountains.

From here it’s on to visit the Jardin Majorelle (Majorelle Gardens), originally designed in 1924 by French artist Jacques Majorelle. After taking up residence in Marrakech, Majorelle transformed the property’s existing garden into a tropical paradise, surrounded by vivid cobalt blue buildings with verdant exotic groves, lily-covered pools, and enormous sculptural cactuses.

These peaceful garden settings offer a variety of exotic plants such as bamboo, cacti, bougainvillea, and palms. Streams and fish-filled pools also flow through the tranquil gardens.

Near the Majorelle Gardens, is the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, where the most precious YSL works are gathered. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé fell in love with the colors of Marrakech and therefore resided here for some of the most beautiful years of their lives.

The Museum, a 43,000-square-foot building, was designed by the Paris-based firm Studio KO. Inspired by contemporary and Moroccan architecture, we will find blues and greens on one side of the entrance hall, reds, and tangerines on the other.

The museum has a bookshop, research library, an auditorium, and a cafe serving French-leaning fare with a terrace overlooking a reflection pool.

Hotel: La Villa Des Orangers - Relais & Châteaux, Marrakech

Day 9 - Saturday, October 12, 2024
Marrakech
Today, we discover the Mysteries of Marrakech and the city’s architectural attractions, the majority of which are located inside the Medina, the old walled section of the town.

Together, we begin by exploring the labyrinthine souks and perhaps indulge in some shopping! Souk Smarine is an important thoroughfare, traditionally dominated by the sale of textiles, clothing, and Moroccan handicrafts. This maze of colorful alleys and small squares is home to a bewildering array of stalls and ateliers devoted to specific crafts.

Next, we will explore Jemaa El Fna, the city’s main square, which is home to a multitude of street artists and food stalls. Over the years the square has become the beating heart of Marrakech, where fire-eaters, acrobats, snake charmers, and street musicians perform at every turn.

We’ll continue to the Koutoubia Mosque, an emblem of Marrakech. It is not possible to enter the mosque, but its beauty can be admired from the gardens and the square. Built-in the 12th century, the Koutoubia’s minaret is one of the highlights of Islamic religious structures in North Africa and the inspiration for the architects of the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. This famous landmark dominates the local skyline and can easily be spotted from all over Marrakech.

Our small gay group will take a look at the Dar El Bacha. Formally the private residence of Thami El Glaoui (who ruled over Marrakech from 1912 to 1956), Dar El Bacha Palace has historically hosted magnificent celebrations and receptions in the presence of the Greats of this world, including Winston Churchill and Jacques Majorelle. After several years of heavy rehabilitation work, the palace was reopened by his Majesty King Mohamed VI in 2017. The colorful, geometric tiles painted ceilings and carved cedarwood is an exhibition on their own, but the palace also boasts an area for the Art of Islam, an international collection of Patty Cadby Birch that represents the four continents as well as a private, temporary, exhibition space.

Hotel: La Villa Des Orangers - Relais & Châteaux, Marrakech

Day 10 - Sunday, October 13, 2024
Departure Marrakech, Morocco
Today, bid farewell to Morocco as you depart for the airport, where your international departure flight awaits.

Our representative collects you from your hotel and accompanies you to the airport, where you are assisted with the check-in formalities.