West Africa...
Teranga. Hospitality. This Wolof word is the
essence of West Africa. West Africa boasts some of the most original
cultures remaining in the world, and their homes are always open to
visitors. Once you step into West African cultures, you will be forever
changed.
What will you find? The rhythmic pounding of women preparing grain for
tonight's dinner. Youngsters having fun on a cart pulled by braying donkeys.
The family gathered in the afternoon shade for three rounds of
traditional Arab tea. Sitting under a baobab tree philosophizing with
the village elders. Such is a typical afternoon in most West African
villages and you can be a part of it!
Visit
Timbuktu, cruise on the Niger River, travel by camel in the Sahara Desert,
walk along the Bandigara escarpment in Dogon Country and shop at the artisan
market in Bamako.
Two of the most popular destinations are Mali and Morocco.
About Mali...
Arriving in Mali can be quite a shock. As you step out of the
air-conditioned cocoon of a modern jet at Bamako's dusty, decaying airport,
you may feel as though you've left civilization behind. But first glances
can be deceiving. If you look beyond the rusting terminal, you'll see the
real Mali: distinctive mud dwellings inhabited by flamboyantly dressed
Malians going about their business. In many ways, little has changed since
Mali's days as the site of great empires. Travelers willing to brave the
heat and dust will find that they have entered an impressive civilization,
where life today is much as it always has been. 
Mali has more
archaeological sites than any other African country except Egypt - it is
a poor country with an extremely rich heritage. Mali, however, is more than
ancient artifacts. It contains within its borders the transition between the
tropics of West Africa and the arid northern region. The culture mix makes
for a colorful population, while the geographical variety accounts for the
country's beauty. Given the diversity, Mali would be the destination we'd
choose if we could make only one stop in West Africa.
Geography
Landlocked Mali is the largest country in West Africa. It is geographically
dominated by the Niger River (from ghir nigheren, river of rivers),
which provides irrigation for much of the country. Desert and rugged hills
characterize the Saharan north, and the Sahara itself is moving south at
quite a clip. Whole villages and towns have been swallowed up by sand.
Desert gives way to the Sahel (arid, flat plains with scrub brush) in the
center and marginal cropland in the south - only in the extreme south is
there sufficient rain for crops.
About Morocco...
Morocco's dazzling mosaic of African, Arab and Berber cultures
- with a dash of European influence - is at once strange and
romantic, alluring and discomfiting. It's little wonder that Morocco has
regularly drawn seekers of the exotic. 
The country is one of Africa's most popular travel destinations. No matter how well-seasoned a traveler you are, you'll find plenty to see and do: fine Atlantic and Mediterranean beaches, desert excursions, wondrous imperial cities, Islamic landmarks, wild Joujoukan trance music, Roman antiquities, resort facilities, mountain villages and towering sand dunes.
Geography
The North African nation - slightly larger than California - lies across the
Strait of Gibraltar from the southern tip of Spain. The country has the
Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Algeria to
the east and Mauritania to the south. Terrain ranges from fertile coastal
plains along the Atlantic to mountains and deserts throughout the interior.
The Atlas Mountains, which run northeast from southern Morocco to the
Algerian frontier, average 11,000 ft/3,353 m in elevation.
MOROCCAN ADVENTURE
(Offered by Globus Vacation - available through us!)
11 days including air
 Day 1 (Sat.) Board your
overnight transatlantic flight. |
 Day 2 Arrival in Casablanca, Morocco. (Sun.) After you
check into your hotel, there’s time to rest or start exploring Morocco’s
pulsating business capital. At 6 p.m. meet your tour director and
traveling companions for a welcome dinner. (D) |
 Day 3 Casablanca-Fez. (Mon.) Follow the infamous
Barbary Coast to the imperial city of Rabat, once lair of the corsairs
and now the country’s capital. Sightseeing focuses on the Royal Palace
and residence of King Hassan II, MOHAMMED V MAUSOLEUM, Hassan Tower, and
the fortified KASBAH OF OUDAIAS. Today’s second imperial city is Meknes,
with its monumental gates and city walls, known as the unfinished dream
of Sultan Moulay Ismail. Visit the impressive OLD GRANARIES and STABLES,
which housed up to 12,000 horses, and stop at the Market Square to
admire Bab el-Mansour, the finest gateway in North Africa. Continue your
journey to Fez. (BB,D) |
 Day 4 Fez. (Tue.) Snap pictures of the magnificent
entrance to the Royal Palace, drive through the Mellah, the old Jewish
quarter, and travel on to beautifully ornate Bab Bou Jeloud, the
traditional entrance to old Fez. Today’s highlight is a visit to the
labyrinthine FES-EL-BALI, Morocco’s largest medina: follow your local
guide to exquisite MEDERSA BOU INANIA, admire Nejjarine Square and its
fountain, the Karaouiyne Mosque and University, and the Mausoleum of
Moulay Idriss. Enjoy a ten-mile drive along the panoramic Route de Fez,
stopping at its best vantage point. Back to your hotel with time to
relax by the pool. Tonight your tour director may suggest an optional
folklore dinner at a typical Moroccan restaurant. (BB) |
 Day 5 Fez-Erfoud. (Wed.) An unforgettable scenic
journey through ever-changing landscapes on your way to the mystical
deep south. Morning break in the quiet Swiss-style village of Ifrane.
Verdant cedar forests give way to volcanic mountains and wind-swept
plains as you motor across the Middle Atlas range to Midelt. Pass
fortified mud-and-straw villages, and spot young shepherds driving their
flocks to scant pastures. Descend into the spectacular Ziz Gorges, and
arrive in Er-Rachidia, an important crossroad once controlled by the
French Foreign Legion. Afterwards, the landscape becomes progressively
more arid, and you enter a stony desert. On your last stretch to Erfoud,
an unexpected and breathtaking surprise: the miraculous and peaceful
oasis of Ziz Valley, dotted with palm-fringed towns, fortified
strongholds, and scenes of timeless rural life. (BB,L,D) |
 Day 6 Erfoud. (Thu.) A short drive takes you to holy
Rissani, gateway to the Sahara Desert, where a few bowing date palms
recall what was once a luxuriant oasis. For a thousand years this was
the principal trading post for caravans from the Niger River, where gold
was exchanged for salt and sugar. See the Grand Gateway of the town and
the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Sharif, the first ruler of the Alawite
dynasty. A thrilling experience is the visit to the colorful SOUKS, the
desert tribes’ market, where Tuareg, Berber, and Blue People meet and
animatedly swap silver jewelry and rugs for vegetables, salt, and other
goods, by slapping one another’s hands. Weather permitting your tour
director will offer you an exciting optional four-wheel-drive safari
tour to the 450 foot-high Erg Chebbi sand dunes for a close-up encounter
with the Sahara Desert. (BB,D) |
 Day 7 Erfoud-Ouarzazate. (Fri.) Motor along the
eastern slopes of the High Atlas mountains to the enchanting oasis of
Tinerhir. Follow its lush valley, where crops grow in the shade of date
palms, hemmed in by mud-brick villages and barren mountains, to one of
Morocco’s most impressive natural sights: the Todra Gorge, or the "Grand
Canyon of the Sahara". After lunch explore its narrowest point, just 33
feet wide, but some 950 feet high, with a crystal-clear river running
through it. Drive further west through the Dadès Valley, called "Valley
of the Thousand Kasbahs" for its superb and noble fortresses, and "Roses
Valley." Arrive at the resort town of Ouarzazate, famous for its film
studios. Before heading to your hotel, time for a visit to the carefully
restored TAOURIRT KASBAH, where outstanding views of the fortified town
and valley can be seen from the terrace. (BB,L,D) |
 Day 8 Ouarzazate-Marrakesh. (Sat.) Pass through
picturesque villages surrounded by craggy mountains while motoring
towards the 7,414-foot-high Tizi-n-Tichka Pass in the heart of the High
Atlas mountains. Each new twist in the road leads to a different, more
dramatic landscape. Leaving the pass behind, the landscape gradually
changes to a green mantle. Lunchtime arrival in the red-colored imperial
city of Marrakesh, situated in an oasis of more than half a million palm
trees and surrounded by deep walls. In the late afternoon enjoy a
leisurely carriage ride and a stroll through the exquisite YVES SAINT
LAURENT GARDENS. (BB,D) |
 Day 9 Marrakesh. (Sun.) Guided half-day sightseeing
includes MENARA PARK with its man-made lake and quaint pavilion, BAHIA
PALACE, the elaborately decorated 16th-century SAADIAN TOMBS, and Djemaa
El-Fna, the palpitating town center dominated by the 222-foot-high
Koutoubia Minaret. Afternoon at leisure to catch up on your postcards or
bargain hunt in the souks. Tonight an optional excursion not to be
missed: the 30-horse fantasia and Moroccan feast "Chez Ali." (BB)
|
 Day 10 Marrakesh-Casablanca. (Mon.) Head across farming
country towards Casablanca, Morocco’s modern seaport with a strong
French accent, recalling scenes from the film starring Humphrey Bogart
and Ingrid Bergman. Sightseeing focuses on the magnificent United
Nations Square, the Arab League Park, Anfa’s residential quarters, the
SYNAGOGUE, the church of OUR LADIES OF LOURDES, and to top it off, the
imposing HASSAN II MOSQUE, built in a breathtaking setting on the shores
of the Atlantic Ocean. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner celebrating the
success of your fascinating Moroccan adventure. (BB,D) |
 Day 11 (Tue.) Your homebound
flight arrives today. (BB) |
Rates vary for this package depending upon your travel dates, number in party and departure city. For an exact quote, click here.