From Dougga to Marrakech
Tunis & Morocco - 13 Day Version

Very popular with "galactic traveler"

Imagine "traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies...."

A 13 day FRIENDS ABROAD^sm TOUR - For the Independent traveler

Compare with the 11 day version or the 6 days Tunisia ( budget travel)

Start in Tunisia ANY DAY

Click here for Morocco Independent traveller edition: 10 Day with a stay at the sea side Essaouira
or the 12 days with a one night stay in the Sahara

Tunisia !! AAAAH ! desert oases, curious troglodyte dwellings, Islamic splendors, a Roman amphitheater, and unspoiled beaches. You'll appreciate the breathtaking beauty of a land that has drawn wanderers over the centuries.

O yes, galactic traveller, there is a land where fabled cities arise from the sand, where gnomes have left behind their warrens of dwellings, where sleek craft hover millimeters above the surface, free from gravitational bonds. Green oases and palm-fringed beaches promise extraterrestrial pleasures. The land is Tunisia. Visit Matmata Oases and maybe experience the troglodyte accommodation ( Subject to availability) .We'll send you a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to Tunisia and Morocco, so you can read up on this romantic destination. Episodes I II, and IV of Star Wars were filmed among, and inspired by, the extraordinary landscapes, the exotic architecture, and the pervasive mystery of this land, and we’ll explore it in the Star Wars spirit. We’ll visit legendary Kairouan, canyons and waterfalls concealed in desert fastnesses, and traverse great sand dunes. Our adventure will culminate with an in-depth exploration of Oung Jemel, the real-life desert planet of Tatooine. Join us, for a combination of fantasy, pleasure, and enlightenment, in the Tunisia of Star Wars and Moroccan Kasbahs

International airfare is not included in the rates, so feel free to use frequent flyer tickets, or ask us about our special fares.

Suggested Itinerary
(if you have your own ideas , we'll be glad to custom tailor your visit)

Day 1- Tunis
Our local staff will meet you upon arrival at Tunis Carthage International Airport. You'll be assisted with the formalities, and escorted your hotel.

Day 2- Tunis (B)
Full day own activities.

Day 3- DOUGGA (BL)
After breakfast at the hotel, we start our full day to Dougga: A Numidian city, mentioned in the 4th century B.C. by Diodorus the Sicilian as Tocai, tukka was from the 2nd to 1st century B.C. one of the residences of the Massyle Kings (MASSINISSA, MICIPSA,JUGURTHA).

In Roman times the municipal land was split into two parts; the Numidian city, and a pagus (rural area) under the authority of Carthage, Whole again, thugga was a municipium in 205 and honorary colonia in 261. With some 5,000 residents, thugga had a municipal bourgeoisie which endowed her with a number of rich monuments.

The monuments are incredibly well preserved, allowing us to imagine the infrastructure this small Proconsular town possessed: 12 temples, 3 of which were transformed into churches in the 4th Century , 3 Roman baths, numerous fountains, aqueducts and more. Thugga slowly lost its glory, though it still enjoyed brief periods of revival in the 3rd, the 4th and 6th centuries (Byzantine fortress) .

Though it was never deserted, archaeological research required the removal of its residents to a new Dougga lying below classical thugga.We'll enjoy lunch (Included) at a local restaurant. Return early evening to our hotel in Tunis .

Day 4- SFAX, GABES, MATMATA (BL)
Our busy day starts with a drive to the coastal city of Gabes, a Roman outpost of old and a traditional market center where, for centuries, goods from across the sea and across the desert have changed hands. We'll visit the oasis, where palm groves and gardens flourish. After a lunch stop ( included ) our route takes us through terrain of increasingly sparse grasses and shrubs, into the desert to Matmata. We'll visit of the troglodya community of miniature underground houses, where the earliest settlers sheltered from the extremes of the desert above -- as do the Berbers of today. We'll settle in to comfortable lodgings at a four-star hotel. For those interested in the real experience of " Star War" ambiance, then you may spend the night at Sidi Driss hotel in Matmata, modest 2-3 stars rating.

Day 5 - Matmata, EL DJEM (B)
After breakfast , proceed in your private chauffeured car to Gabes &
El Djem / El Jem, which boasts a Roman coliseum very similar to the famous one in Rome .
Accommodation : in Modest 3 star Ksar El Djem.

Day 6 - Sidi Bou Said (B)
After breakfast, drive back to to Sidi Bou Said, visit of the picturesque village on the
hill, stroll in the narrow streets .
After enjoying the traditional tea with mint at the cafe Sidi Chabaane overlooking the
Mediterranean sea, transfer to Hotel and overnight

Day 7- Departure for Marrakech (B)
After breakfast, our local personnel will escort you to the international airport, where you'll board flight onward to Marrakech , international air fare is included between Tunisia & Marrakec ,in our rates.

You arrive in the Kingdom of Morocco, landing at Marrakech, our staff greets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. Then, take your first plunge into this wonderful, exotic city.

Day 8 - MARRAKECH- Complimentary HOME HOSTED DINNER (BD)
There is much to see in this great city which Winston Churchill called "the most beautiful place in the world at sunset." Grab your guidebook and explore! The top sights that you may wish to explore on your own:
include the stately Koutoubia Minaret, the hidden tombs of the Saadian dynasty, the Menara pavilion and gardens, the ruins of sprawling Badi Palace, the Bahia Palace Museum, the Ben Yousef medersa, and the Koubba (chapel) of el-Ba'adiyn.
Not to forget Marrakech's fabulous medieval souk (bazaar)? Penetrating the labyrinthine souk, you'll see some of the age-old guilds at work, including the dyers and tanners. Save an hour--and bring your camera--for famous Djemaa el-Fna square with its circus atmosphere of itinerant dancers, jugglers, acrobats, storytellers, soothsayers, snake charmers, medicine men and public scribes. Find a cozy bistro for lunch, and perhaps an elegant restaurant for dinner--it's all up to you.

If you'd like an orientation tour (optional at extra cost), just contact our local representative, who will be happy to make your reservation

This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Istanbul! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening , by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 9 - MARRAKECH TO VOLUBILIS (BL)
We'll set out in the morning for the site of Volubilis, (private car & driver) once the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania Tingitania. We'll have lunch included en route. In Volubilis we'll spend the night at the modest Hotel Volubilis.

DAY 10 - FEZ (B)
After a breakfast at leisure , we'll spend another half day in Volubilis then it is on to Fez .

Own activities in Fez : Put on your walking shoes this afternoon for a trip in time back to the ninth century, as you explore the old city of Fez. Its Medina and its labyrinth of souks have been declared a world cultural treasure. Explore as you wish on your own .
Oldest of Morocco's four Imperial Cities, Fez is endlessly fascinating, and today it's yours. Top sights include the medina (old city), the 15-century Borj Nord Arms Museum, the gateway of the royal palace, the fortifications of the Kasbah, the 9th-century Karaouine Mosque and University, the medersas (theological seminaries) of Bou Inania and Attarine, the shrine of the city's founder Moulay Idris II, the Nejjarine Fountain, the monumental gateway of Bab Boujelloud, the old harem gardens, Dar Batha Museum, and the artisans' guilds in the souks.

DAY 11 - FEZ (B)
Breakfast at the hotel , with another day to explore Fez on your own.

DAY 12 - Chefchaouen or Casablanca (B)
We'll pick you up in the morning and proceed to Chefchaouen if you will be leaving to Spain by ferry the next day.
For guests going to Chefchaouen, accommodation will be in the Parador hotel or similar.

( Chaouen means the peaks and Chef means look, Chefchaouen is look at the peaks ).

Chefchaouen : This delightful town in the Rif Mountains is a favourite with travellers for obvious reasons, the air is cool and clear, the people are noticeably more relaxed than in tangier and Tetouen. Founded by Moulay Ali Ben Rachid in 1471 as a base from which to attack the Portuguese in Ceuta, the town prospered and grew considerably with the arrival of Muslims refugees from Spain.

Places to visit in Chefchaouen are : the Market near Mohamed V th square, the Medina, la Plaza Uta el-Hammam & Kasbah.

For guests going to Casablanca we proceed by train to Casablanca .
Tickets in a first-class compartment. You'll roll in comfort through stunning scenery to Casablanca. Once you detrain, we'll escort you for a complimentary visit the Hassan II Great Mosque ( on Fridays , only tour the exteriors in respect for Friday prayers) , a monument to Moroccan artisanry and architecture.
Hotel accommodation in Casablanca in a hotel based on the category of hotels you booked.

DAY 13 - DEPARTURE (B)
Our staff escorts you to Casablanca airport for your , or for the guests taking the ferry , we escort you to the pier in Tangiers . Bon Voyage.

Rates per person

	Deluxe	First Class	Tourist Class
Triple	US$ 3110	US$2590	US$2440
Double	US$3248	US$2812	US$2725
Single	US$3920	US$3082	US$2925

DEPARTURE DATES
You may begin your tour on any day of the week. Christmas, New Year's weeks, please dad 15 % supplement to the rates

Your Friends Abroad^sm tour includes:

• Hotel accommodation at a carefully-selected hotel in the class of your choice (Deluxe, First Class, Tourist Class), including tax ,breakfast daily and service charges .
• Transportation between cities in Tunisia, by an air conditioned van/car as per itinerary .
• International air fare Tunisia / Marrakech.

• Tours , entrance fees,local guides as per itinerary.

• Train transportation in Morocco, first class tickets as listed

• Lonely Planet guidebook to Morocco, and Tunisia

• Consultation and referral services of our local Friends Abroad^sm representative in each city on your tour.
• Complimentary Panoramic tour of Casablanca. Including entrance fees to the Grand Mosque ( except on Fridays no tours of the mosque on Fridays).
• Complimentary Home hosted dinner in Marrakceh.

What's not included:

• International airfare from to your home country
• Lunch or dinner except where/when listed
• In Morocco we did not include tours and local guides (except when/where listed) , which are always available at extra cost if you would like them

• Ferry ticket to Spain or Gibraltar.

• Tips
• Travel Insurance, we'll be glad to mail you the flyer
• Beverages

Tunisia Sample Hotels

For deluxe & First Class we'll use El Hanna International or 5 star beach property : Khamsa Corinthia Hotel in Tunis.

For tourist class the hotels are either 3 or 2 stars: Sample : Maison Doree in Tunis , Sidi Driss in Matmata, and Ksar El Djem in El Djem

 

Sample Hotels Morocco	Five Stars	First class Four Stars	Tourist Class Two-Three Stars
Casablanca	Royal Mansour	Sheraton	Idou Anfa
Marrakech	Imperial Borj or Kenzi Farah	Tichka, Holiday or Diwan	Riad Les Oliviers
Fes	Les Merinides	Wassim, Menzah Zalagh	Fes Inn
Voulubilis			Voulubilis
Chefchaouen			Parador

Henna party ( For ladies only ) :
One of the "insiders" excursions into Tunisian & Moroccan culture, a chance to attend a henna party, the painting of hands and body r with this natural red dye is a symbol of joy at weddings and regarded as a way to enhance one's beauty , if interested in attending a Henna party , please let's know in advance.

Oh oui, voyageur galactique, il existe une terre où des villes légendaires s'elèvent du sable, d'où les gnomes sont partis, laissant derrière leur tanières, où les navettes aérodynamiques flottent quelques millimètres au-dessus de la surface, libérées des fardeaux gravitationnels. Les oasis et les plages entourés de palmiers verts promettent des plaisirs extraterrestres. Cette terre s'appelle la Tunisie.

Les épisodes I, II et IV de La guerre des étoiles ont été filmés entre, et inspirés par, les paysages extraordinaires, l'architecture exotique, et le mystère pénétrant de cette terre. Et bien sûr, nous profiterons de notre voyage pour y explorer dans le même esprit que La guerre des étoiles. Nous visiterons le légendaire Kairouan, les vallées et les chutes d'eau dissimulées dans les coins secrets du désert, et traverserons de grandes dunes. Notre aventure culminera avec une exploration approfondi de Oung Jemel, la véritable planète désertique de Tatooine.

Joignez-nous pour une combinaison de fantaisie, de plaisir, et d'éclaircissement pendant six jours et cinq nuits dans la Tunisie de La guerre des étoiles!