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Day : 1 Arrival in Marrakech
Arrive in Marrakech, check into your hotel or riad in the Medina. Explore Jemaa el-Fnaa square, indulge in local street food, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere.
Jemaa el-Fnaa square: Jemaa el-Fnaa is a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter (old city). It remains the main square of Marrakesh, used by locals and tourists. Around 1050 AD the plaza was the site of public executions, hence its name Jemaa el-Fna, which means "assembly of the dead." Today the market bridges the old and new sections of Marrakech, and it continues to serve the community as a vibrant hub for trade, social life, and cultural expression.
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Day : 2 Marrakech City Tour
Visit the historic Bahia Palace and the stunning Majorelle Garden. Explore the intricate architecture of the Koutoubia Mosque. Wander through the bustling souks and shop for souvenirs.
Bahia Palace: The Bahia Palace is a mid to late 19th-century palace in Marrakesh, Morocco. The palace was first begun by Si Musa, grand vizier of Alaouite sultan Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman, in 1859 and then continued and expanded by his son Si Ba Ahmed ibn Musa, grand vizier of Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz between 1894 and 1900. The palace is most famous for its decoration. Its walls feature stucco carved with Arabic inscriptions, geometric patterns, arabesques, and muqarnas. Its floors are paved with marble and zellij tiles.
Majorelle Garden: The Majorelle Garden is a one-hectare botanical garden and artist's landscape garden in Marrakech, Morocco. It was created by the French Orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle over almost forty years, starting in 1923, and features a Cubist villa designed by the French architect, Paul Sinoir in the 1930s.
Koutoubia Mosque: The Koutoubia Mosque is an iconic landmark in Marrakech, Morocco. Built in the 12th century, it is one of the oldest and most impressive mosques in the country. Its grandeur and beauty have made it a popular tourist destination, and it is a symbol of the city's rich history and culture.
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Day : 3 Excursion to Atlas Mountains
Take a day trip to the Atlas Mountains. Visit the scenic Ourika Valley or explore the picturesque village of Imlil. Enjoy optional activities like hiking, camel riding, or visiting Berber villages.
Atlas Mountains: The Atlas Mountains extend some 2,500km across northwestern Africa, spanning Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, separating the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline from the Sahara Desert. Actually a series of ranges with diverse terrain, climates and wildlife, the Atlas are dotted with Berber villages and riven with canyons and ravines. The highest peak is 4,167m Toubkal, which lies within Morocco's Toubkal National Park.
Ourika Valley: Ourika Valley is a valley in the Moroccan High Atlas along the Ourika River. It is located around 30 km from Marrakech, and is essentially populated by Berber people speaking Shilha. Despite its proximity to Marrakech, it is still considered a relatively well-preserved valley, by its very nature and traditional mountain way of life.
Imlil village: Imlil is a small village in the high Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It is 1,800 metres above sea level. A portrait of Imlil and the problems and prospects of Morocco's mountain populations appeared in 1984 in the book by James A. Miller called Imlil and published by Westview Press.
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Day : 4 Journey to the Sahara Desert
Travel from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert. Experience a camel trek into the dunes of Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga. Enjoy a magical sunset over the desert and spend the night in a traditional Berber camp.
The Sahara desert: The Sahara is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of 9,200,000 square kilometres, it is the largest hot desert in the world and the third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Arctic.
Erg Chebbi: Erg Chebbi is one of Morocco's several ergs – large seas of dunes formed by wind-blown sand. It is located on the far western edge of the Sahara Desert. There are several other ergs in Morocco, such as Erg Chigaga near M'hamid.
Berber camp: The Berber camp is made up of traditional tents, quite unassuming at first. The exterior is purely functional – the black tents are made out of goat and camel hair, with no floors and held up by sturdy poles. This was so that the nomad Berbers could easily load their tents onto camels and move to the next spot.
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Day : 5 Sahara Desert Exploration
Wake up early to witness the sunrise over the dunes. Explore the vast expanse of the Sahara Desert. Return to Marrakech in the evening.
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Day : 6 Departure
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Kenya.
Estimated Costing: Flights from Kenya to Marrakech and back: $600-800 per person. Accommodation (5 nights): $300-500 per person. Activities and excursions: $200-300 per person. Total: $1100-1600 per person.
