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Home > Holidays > Walking > Morocco > In the Footsteps of Sultans In the Footsteps of Sultans
Our new holiday in Morocco starts with 2 nights and busy days in the medieval labyrinthine chaotic melting pot that is Fez, retiring each evening to the opulence and elegance of a traditional riad. After such a pleasurable assault on the senses, you head for the hills where we have found four rewarding and fascinating guided walks through the cool cedar forests and spectacular rock formations of the Middle Atlas. The scenery and atmosphere here is reminiscent of the French Alps, with chalet-style houses, forested slopes and rugged peaks. Nights: 7
Starting point: You start your holiday in Fez staying at one of our carefully selected riads, each with its own intimate restaurant and roof-top terrace, a real oasis in the chaos of this bustling town. Day 1: your city guide will collect you for a half-day tour (included) of the city's souks (markets) and medina. Accommodation: Riad, Fez. Day 2: the next you have a transfer as you head for the mountains near Azrou. A perfect warm-up walk walk on your first afternoon, leads you along ancient mule tracks through one of the most beautiful parts of the Middle Atlas, incredibly green in spring, on your way to visit the spectacular cascading waterfalls of Oum-er-Riba. Accommodation: Hotel Amros (country hotel), Azrou. A rustic and comfortable retreat situated close to Azrou within the beautiful Middle Atlas mountains. Day 3: the following morning, after a short transfer, you walk to he village of Zaouiat d'Ifrane, initially across a rugged limestone plateau and then through the lush forests of the Kissarite royal Park. From these cook cedar and green oak forests, you emerge at the head of the Tisfoula valley above Zaouiat d'Ifrane, where the spectacular views open out over verdant valleys and mountains stretching far into the distance. Outside the dry season, glistening waterfalls cascade off the towering cliffs above the village. Accommodation: Hotel Amros (country hotel), Azrou. Day 4: today you start with a transfer up into the forests above Azrou for the walking highlight of the week. This exhilarating walk takes you through silent stands of ancient cedar that offer exciting glimpses of the valley below. Although you will also see maple, oak, juniper and mistletoe, it is the mighty cedar for which this area is famous with some living to a astonishing 600 years old. Wildlife abound, so look out for barbary apes - the most famous residents of the forest - as well as wild boar and foxes. The only other people you are likely to meet, are nomadic Berber shepherds and their flocks. As you climb above the trees, there are breathtaking views stretching as far as the High Atlas, before returning to Azrou down a secluded valley. After your walk you are then transferred to your second base in the mountains, the comfortable Grand Hotel in Lfrane. Accommodation: Grand Hotel (country hotel), Lfrane. Day 5: your walk starts at the hotel, passing a lake before ascending a gently winding path through Berber villages, mixed forests of oak, blue cedar and pine, and over a limestone plateau to the head of the Valeé des Roches, from where you get spectacular views across the mountains. You descend via a royal palace back to your welcoming hotel in Lfrane, having spent a rewarding day in the hills. Accommodation: Grand Hotel (country hotel), Lfrane. Day 6: after a leisurely breakfast you transfer back to Fez for your last day, where you can relax in the hammam (a Moroccan steam bath) or return to the souks, for those who want to have one last change to haggle. Accommodation: Riad, Fez. Recommendations for extra nights: We highly recommend adding an extra day in Fez, in order to visit the imperial city of Meknes, famous for its palaces, gates and the tomb of Sultan Moulay Ismail, and the Roman town of Volubulis, where extensive remains include columns, monuments and many impressive mosaics (£65pp based on 2 people). Prices & Travel 2008:
Recommended destination airport: Fez > Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back > Booking form (if you want to upgrade the last hotel, remember to state this in step 4)
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Fez the grandest of Morocco's Imperial cities, assaults your senses from all angles - sights, sounds and smells magnified a hundredfold. This is an ancient land of amazing contrasts, from bustling, colorful markets to the calm oasis of a stylish town centre riad, and from the lush verdant valleys to the magnificence of the rugged Middle atlans Mountains. .jpg)
Medina
