Magnificent Kingdom of Morocco and Sahara Desert 6 Nights - Departure on November 16 with Turkish Airlines (November Semester Special)

Meeting at Istanbul Airport, international departures terminal, in front of the Turkish Airlines counter 3 hours before the flight. After baggage and ticketing procedures, departure for Casablanca with Turkish Airlines flight TK 617 at 11.50. Following arrival in Casablanca at 14.50 local time, our Marrakech city tour starts with our vehicle waiting for us at the area. Upon our arrival in Marrakech, we begin to explore Marrakech, which will take you back centuries with its narrow streets, and whose name derives from the word “mur akush” meaning “Land of God” in the language of the Berbers, the oldest indigenous people of North Africa. Marrakech, one of the country's most important touristic centers, is also known as the “Red City” due to its famous red walls. Among the places we will see during our city tour are the Bahia Palace, which offers a wonderful impression of what it was like to be a 19th-century nobleman in Morocco, the Koutoubia Minaret, one of the city's most important symbols, the Majorelle Gardens, home to plant collections from all over the world, and the Djemaa El Fna square, the heart of the city called the “Souks and Courtyard of Miracles”. After our tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. 
 

After breakfast at the hotel, we participate in the Magnificent Essaouira Tour, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Essaouira, whose coast has been home to civilizations since ancient times, is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast and is known for its medina (city center) surrounded by white old city walls, narrow streets, and traditional markets. Essaouira, whose city center is listed on the UNESCO ‘’World Heritage’’ list, is a quiet coastal town where art and culture intertwine, alongside being a fishing port. A very calm atmosphere prevails in the city, offering visitors a relaxing escape compared to Marrakech. Over the years, this atmosphere has attracted many world-famous artists such as Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix, and Orson Welles, turning the city into an art and culture center. The town has most recently hosted the filming of the famous Game of Thrones series. During our tour, the Essaouira ramparts and Essaouira Castle, the Essaouira Port where the fish market is located, and the world-famous Medina will be among the places we see.  You will also have the opportunity to shop with pleasure while exploring the city in Essaouira, which bears the traces of modern life with the elegance of traditional Moroccan architecture. After the tour, we return to our hotel in Marrakech. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
 

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for Ouarzazate. Our first stops on the way will be the Film Studios and Ait Ben Hadou. Here we will see the film studios where The Mummy, Gladiator, Alexander, and the television phenomenon Game of Thrones were filmed, and then we will proceed to Ait Ben Haddou, a historic village famous for its traditional earthen architecture. Situated at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, along the old Sahara caravan route, this impressive settlement makes visitors feel like they are traveling back in time with its high adobe walls, corner towers, and narrow streets. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987, Aït Ben Haddou offers incredible frames for photographers, especially with its structures turning into reddish tones at sunset. Our last stop on our tour is the city of Ouarzazate, which has hosted many Hollywood films and Hollywood artists, where we arrive at our hotel and have free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
 

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off towards the Sahara desert. Accompanied by the scenery of the desert on one side and the Atlas Mountains on the other, our first stops will be the Todra Gorge and M’gouna (City of Roses). Afterwards, we depart for our hotel in Merzouga (Sahara Desert). Upon arrival, we check into our rooms and enjoy the desert. Do not forget to photograph the sky in the desert darkness at night and the sunrise in the morning. Accommodation is in our camp in the desert.
 

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for Fes via Ifrane, located at an altitude of 1,700 meters and notable for its regular city plan, clean air, wide streets, and chalet-style architecture with sloping roofs, which is why it is called the “Switzerland of Morocco”. In accordance with the tradition of naming after the capitals of Berber countries, just like the examples of Tunisia and Algeria, the country of Morocco also takes its name from the city of Fes. The walled city, established around the Fez River flowing from west to east, is also called the “Mecca of the West”.  The Fes city center is listed as a World Heritage Site and is one of the largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones in the world.  During our old city tour, we will see the Bou Inania and Al Attarine Medrasas, unique examples of Islamic architecture, the Andalusian Mosque, the University of Al-Qarawiyyin, the oldest institution of higher learning in the world, Nejjarine Square, and the artisans' bazaar. Techniques that have not changed since the Middle Ages are used in the tanneries where leather is processed in the Medina. Transfer to our hotel after the tour. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. 
 

After breakfast at the hotel, we participate in the ‘’Magnificent City Blue Chefchaouen’’ tour. Located in northwestern Morocco at the foothills of the Rif Mountains, this charming town is famous for its blue-painted buildings and is also known as the "Blue City" due to this feature. Chefchaouen, where every corner and street is painted in different shades of blue, captivates visitors with its unique atmosphere as well as its natural beauties. While strolling through the narrow streets of the city, you can discover traditional bazaars, handicraft shops, and local restaurants. The city also bears traces of local culture and lifestyle; the local people keeping the Berber tradition alive offer a warm welcome to visitors. Chefchaouen's unique blue atmosphere and natural beauties make this city one of the most attractive and unforgettable destinations in Morocco. After our tour, we set off towards Meknes. Located between the coastal plains and the peaks of the Atlas Mountains, the city has been a commercial and cultural crossroads since ancient times. Meknes, possessing the feature of being one of the country's four royal cities, is home to many structures. During our city tour in Meknes, the Bab Mansour city gate, eye-catching with its Moorish architecture as one of the most important symbols of the city, the Agdal Basin built by Moulay Ismail, Lahdim Square, and Dar El Makhzen (Royal Palace) will be among the places we see. Following our tour, we depart for the Magnificent Capital Rabat. During our panoramic city tour upon arrival, the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built in memory of the current king's grandfather who pioneered Morocco's independence, and the Royal Palace will be among the places we see. After our tour, transfer to our hotel in Casablanca. Overnight and dinner at the hotel.
 

After breakfast and checkout procedures at the hotel, our Casablanca city tour begins. Morocco's main port, famous for the 1942 Hollywood production Casablanca named after the city, is the country's economic center as well as the most populated city. While wandering the streets of the city, you can see Islamic, French, and Berber influences regarding its rich cultural background. Among the places we will see are Mohammed V Square, the heart of Casablanca; United Nations Square, where Morocco's past and present are wonderfully blended; the Hassan II Mosque (from the outside), famous for its magnificent structure and having the 2nd tallest minaret in the world; the Old Medina; the Hobus district, famous for its open-air markets; and Ain Diab and the Corniche on the coastline located by the Atlantic Ocean. After our tour, departure for the airport at the time to be notified by our guide.  After baggage and ticketing procedures, departure for Istanbul with Turkish Airlines flight TK 618 at 16.45. Arrival at 23.25 local time and end of our tour.