Full day Tour of Fes, « the Athens of
Africa »
Depending
on which hotel you are staying in, the itinerary may change in order of
visits shown, but all will be seen.
Leaving our hotel at 09:00 for a tour of the Mellah, the Medina and Souqs,
the famous Tanneries, the exquisite Mosques and Medrasas, the famous Fes
Pottery kilns, a tour around the ramparts with its many babs and a visit
to the renowned Museum of Moroccan Art. We start with our drive via the
Mechouer to the impressive Dar el-Makhzen to stop for some 15 minutes at
the Royal Palace with its magnificient seven bronze gates, then continue
on to the Borj sud for a panoramic view of the Medina. Off now to start
our walking tour of the labyrinth of the ancient Fes Medina (a UNESCO
world heritage site); with its winding alleyways to the impressive
Karaouine Mosque and University, a stroll into the past to this wonderful
Mosque and adjacent aromatic Souq of el-Attarine of spices and vegetables;
the el-Attarine Medrasa; the Kissaria and Draz Quarters and the renowned
tanneries on the bank of the Oued Fes. On now to the Zaouia Moulay Idriss
to finish up at the delightful el-Nejjarine Square with its Plaza,
fountain. Nearby we’ll stop for a welcome light lunch (drinks not included)
in one of the delightful Medina Restaurants
On
now to the Dra Betha and a visit of the Museum of Moroccan Art before
rejoining our vehicle at the Bab Boujloud. That’s the walking done for the
day, for now we drive to the 16th century Potter’s Quarter (Fakhkharine),
not far from the present day Bab Ftouh in an area called Guerouaoua, to
watch the artists working at their kilns and, perhaps, to buy some of
their unique clayware . Back into our vehicle and up to the sixteenth
centry Saadien watchtower at the North Borj for yet another, but so
different, panoramic view of this city of 1001 Nights. So much history, so
much variety, so many memories to be captured on film before returning
finally by car to our hotel at the end of an exceptional day.
The Glories of Idrissid Meknes and of Roman
Volubilis.
Our
day’s excursion to Moroccos Roman past starts at 9 o’clock from your hotel
when we drive across the Saiss Plain to the wonderful Roman ruins at
Volubilis. Here we find olive presses, mansions, remarkably well preserved
mosaics, monumental arches and Corinthian columns where you’ll have a real
sense of Roman lifestyle. We leave Volubilis behind to drive alongside the
dark, outlaying ridges of the Zerhoun Hills to stop for a visit of the town of
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, The holiest Islamic town in the Kingdom of Morocco,
where thousands of the Moroccan faithful come on pilgrimage every August to
pray at the tomb of this descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. Arriving at the
elongated square we see above us the green-tiled pyramids of the Zaouia and
stroll amidst the labyrinth of alleyways before leaving for the Imperial City
rebuilt by Moulay Ismail. Here, in Meknes (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), we
shall visit easily the most beautiful Bab, or gateway, in all of Morocco, the
Bab Mansour. From here to the El Heri es-Souani – the granary of huge vaulted
structures and stables built by Moulay Ismail’s solders. This is next to a
pool fed by underground channels that brought fresh water all the way from the
distant Middle Atlas Mountains. Next we go to the Place el-Hedim to see the
famous state-owned stallion stables of Haras where Arabo-Berber horses are
bred. Time for lunch (optional, not included) before leaving Meknes around
4:30 in the afternoon, arriving back in our hotel at around a quarter to six,
the drama, scope and beauty of our visit forever indelibly imprinted in our
memory.
The Fresh Air of Ifrane and the Middle
Atlas Lake District
Departing from our hotel at around 8.30 in the moning for an exciting 2hours’ drive towards the south and the foothills of the Middle Atlas Ranges, after some 30 minutes we pass by the Kandar Massif (1768m) to arrive at the small 1920s French-built hill station of Immouzér du Kandar (1220m), perched on the limestone edge of the Saiss Plateau. Here we’ll pause for a while by the ruined Kasbah of the Ait Seghrouchen for a look at the little medina and a visit of the still-inhabited troglodyte homes, before continunig on for some 500 yeards up along a little road through evergreen holmm oak and juniper to the volcanic freshwater lake of the Dayét Aaoua. Depending on the season of course, for this area is one of porous limestone, we should see around this lake a large variety of dragonfly and damselfly, as with resident and seasonal migratory birds, sich as heron, stork, sandpiper, avocet, grebe and egret; duck and coot; wagtail, sand martin and swallow ; jay, bluetit, lark, warbler; buzzard and kite. We’ll stop for a quiet stroll around the area, accompanied by the knock-knock of the green woodpecker and firecrest in the lakeshore forest.
We now continue on to Ifrane (1650m), where we shall stop for a light lunch (not included) and short visit of this squeaky-clean Moroccan pseudo-Swiss town, with its slanted, russettiled roofs hidden amidst a forest of cedar, which cannot grow below 1600m. We shall then drive up alongside the trailing edge of the cedar Forest via the Mischliffen ski resort located in an extinct volcano’s crater to the first real town in the Middle Atlas – Azrou –which in the local Tamazight Berber dialect means “rock,”for, next to the mosque, is the massive outcrop from which this town takes its name. On Tuesdays there is a souq to where the Beni M’Guild tribes, renowned for their intercately-designed carpets, come to trade. In this traditional Amazigh Berber green-tiled roofed market squre village we shall take a short stroll through this charming area before rejoining our vehicule at around 3 o’clock to take us back to the hustle and bustle that is Fes.
Of Troglodyte Homes and Pre-Islamic Peoples
Leaving
our hotel at around 9 in the morning for a short, exciting drive towards the
south-east across the Saiss Plateau we turn into the lower foothills towards
Bhalil, a hamlet built in a narrow mountain valley. Bhalil-meaning “Beauty
of the Night”-claims ancient Christian origins, pre dating Islam, from those
Christian soldiers of the Roman Second Legion fleeing persecution of their
latest Emperor. The cobble-stoned alleyways and streets are a mixture of
some ancient but occupied troglodyte homes, where we’ll stop for a
traditional welcoming glass of mint tea with one of the families. Here also
you’ll see small, elegant stone bridges and women washing clothes and
carpets in the communal basin, or at the seasonal river. All add up to a
picturesque scene of local Berber village life, far from the hustle and
bustle of Fes or Meknes.
From here we shall set off with our vehicle once more to one of the most
attractive towns in Morocco – Sefrou (souq on Thursday). From the combined
Arab words ‘as’ and ‘frou’ meaning ‘shelter’-, this 1st century town is calm
and relatively unspoiled, with ochre pisé walls and turrets and nine ‘Babs’,
or gateways. We make a short stop to visit the 8th. Century Ksar el Kelaa,
once the barracks of the Berber army of Moulay Idress I, with its old,
thick-walled pisé homes and cobble-stoned lanes dominating the ‘newer’ town,
and passing by the small medina and maze-like Mellah, or Jewish Quarter, for
here there had been, since pre-Islamic times, a large Berber population
converted to Judaism by roving missionaries living alongside the unrepentant
Berber peoples. The town, known for its olive and cherry production, holds a
large Cherry Festival in June, and other smaller festivities throughout the
year. We finish our walk by strolling through the bustling souq for some
friendly bartering perhaps,before boarding our awaiting vehicule for our
1hour drive back along the “triq es soltan”, or old caravan trail, but now a
main road, to our hotel in the Imperial City of Fes, arriving around 1
o’clock in the afternoon..
Half Day Tour of the Historical Buildings and Souqs
Leaving our hotel at 9am, we drive via the Mechouer to the impressive Dar el-Makhzen for a 15 minute stop at the Royal Palace with its magnificent seven bronze gates. From here we walk to and through the Mellah with its intense atmosphere and fine examples of Hispano-Moresque architecture. At 10am we drive to the Borj Sud to take in the Panoramoc view of the medina. Off now down to start our walking tour of the labyrinth of the ancient Fes Medina ( a UNESCO World Heritage Site ); of the colourful es-Sebbaghine with its Street of the Dyers; of the brass workers at es–Seffarine; of the aromas of the Souq el–Atterine area of spices and groceries; of the impressive al–Quarawiyyin Mosque and University, the el – Attarine Medersa; the Kissaria and the Draz, where you’ll see materials being woven the traditional way on really old fashioned looms; the renowned tanneries on the bank of the Oued Fes; the Zaouia Moulay Idriss and the delightful el-Nejjarine Square with its fountain and caravanserai and onto the potteries, perfumes and beauty products at the souq el-Henna. Leaving the Medina from the Bab Boujloud around 1pm, we should be back at our hotel in time for lunch should you decide not to have a light snack surrounded by 1,200 years of history.
The Glories of Idrissides and of Roman Volubilis
Our days excursion to 2,000 years in the past starts at 9am from your hotel when we drive across the Saiss Plain to the wonderful Roman ruins at Volubilis, the Volubilis of really ancient olive presses, mansions, incredible mosaics, monumental arches and Corinthian columns where you’ll have a real sense of Roman lifestyle and of that of a subsequent medieval Berber town. We’ll leave Volubilis behind to drive alongside the dark, outlaying ridges of the Zerhoun hills to stop for a visit of the town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, the holiest Islamic town in the Kingdom of Morocco, where thousands of Moroccan faithful come on pilgrimage (moussem) every August to pray at the tomb of this descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. Arriving at the elongated square we see above usthe green-tiled pyramids of the Zaouia with its two conical quarters on either side and stroll amidst the labyrinth of alleyways before leaving for the Imperial City rebuilt bu Moulay Ismail. Here in Meknes ( a UNESCO World Heritage Site ), we shall visit the easily most beautiful Bab, or gateway, in all of the Maghreb – the Bab Mansour. From here to the El Heri es-Souani – the granary of huge vaulted structures and stables built by Moulay Ismails shoulders next to a pool fed by underground channels that brought fresh water all the way from the distant Middle Atlas Mountains, and the Place el-Hedim to see the famous State-owned stallion stables of Haras where these Arabo-Berber horses are bred. Time for lunch (optional, not included) before leaving Meknes at around 4.40pm, arriving back at our hotel at around 5.45pm, the drama, scope and beauty of our visit forever indelibly imprinted in our memory.
Imm. Oumlil N. 26, av. Hassan II, Agadir 80000
complete@menara.ma
Tel1 : (212) 28 82 34 01 / tel2 : (212) 28 82 34 02
Fax : (212) 28 82 34 03
www.complete-tours.com
