New Year's Eve in the Moroccan Desert

From December 27th to January 3rd, 2019
In the northern part of Morocco, nestled within a fertile valley among the hills of the Maghreb at 350 meters above sea level, lies the imperial city of Fez, a true stronghold of the country's culture and identity. Stepping into Fez (or Fes) feels like taking a leap into the past; your senses will be swept away by breathtaking landscapes, unique sounds, rich scents, and a vibrant palette of colors. Fez is divided into the New City, or Fèsel-Jedid—the imperial city built from the 1200s onwards, home to the train station, the Royal Palace, and the Jewish quarter—and the Old City, or Medina, known as Fèsel-Bali. This is the oldest walled part of Fes, a true labyrinth of over 9,000 narrow streets filled with markets of every kind, from carpets to brassware, ceramics, textiles, and leather, where goods are still transported by donkey. Founded as the capital of the Idrisid dynasty between 789 and 808, the city is home to the world's oldest university and reached its peak between the 1200s and 1300s, when it surpassed Marrakech as the capital.
The Ziz Valley is a magnificent region. We will travel along a long, winding road that emerges from the gorges of the High Atlas and continues through an area of beautiful, lush clearings, with palm groves overlooking the quiet river flowing south toward the edge of the Sahara desert. We will spend three days trekking along the valley before arriving in the Merzouga desert on December 30th and 31st. Our New Year's Eve will be enchanted by tents and dromedaries—a journey into the deep south of Morocco to experience a camel trekking tour across the fabulous dunes of Erg Chebbi, reaching our camp in the heart of the desert to watch the sunset and sleep in nomadic tents made of camel and goat hair. These two days offer stunning views of the Middle Atlas.

Fee: € 280.00 - Includes guide service, Global Assistance (Travel care) insurance, and excursion organization.
Other expenses: € 500.00. Includes: overnight stays in hotels and rural houses with double or triple room accommodations. 2 nights in a desert tent including all meals and toilets (showers excluded). Dinners and breakfasts from the evening of the first day until lunch on the last day, packed lunches for every day (except December 27th), and all transfers from arrival at Fez airport until departure from the same airport.
Group of 7 to 9 participants: a supplement of € 60.00 applies.
Costs do not include: round-trip airfare to Fez, an additional fee of € 20.00 for those choosing the camel option, and unspecified extra expenses.
Deposit: € 250.00 upon registration.
Balance: € 530.00 - Do not send; please bring it with you to pay on-site.
Meeting point: Thursday, December 27th, meeting with the group at Fiumicino Airport at 6:00 PM, Terminal 3, check-in desk.
End of trip: Thursday, January 3rd, 2019, at 7:45 PM, Terminal 3, Rome Fiumicino Airport.
Limited spots available.
Daily walking hours: 4 to 6 hours – The desert excursion can be done on foot or by camel for those who wish. The latter option has an additional cost of € 20.00 and must be requested at the time of booking.
Nights: we will sleep in rural houses, hotels, and 2 nights in desert tents.
Meals: packed lunches, outdoor trattorias, and restaurants.
Highlights: New Year's Eve in the desert, Ziz Valley, historical, cultural, and naturalistic sites, Fez, and local gastronomy.
Trip type: itinerant/stationary.
Difficulty: moderate.
Required equipment: winter trekking clothing, trekking shoes, long trousers, hat, sleeping bag, trekking poles (optional), towels for the desert days, flashlight, shower sandals, rain jacket (k-way), sweater, waterproof jacket, water bottle, and personal toiletries.
For insurance purposes, I require: full name, place of residence, date and place of birth. Optional travel cancellation insurance is available as an extra cost upon request.
Duration: 8 days/7 nights
Booking deadline: November 15th, 2018, provided that spots are still available.
Notes: the excursion may be subject to changes due to unpredictable natural events; in such cases, the guide will make the final decision.
Guide: Salvatore Marletta, contact 3334987946
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]