Morocco and Sahara New Year Tour: 7 Nights

Meet in front of the Air Arabia counter in the international departures terminal of Sabiha Gökçen Airport 3 hours before the flight. (You must be at the airport on the evening 1 day before the departure date specified for the tour.) Following baggage and ticket procedures, departure for Casablanca at 00.20 on Air Arabia flight 3O438. After arriving in Casablanca at 03.25 local time, we depart for Marrakech in the vehicle awaiting us at the airport. Following our arrival in Marrakech, we begin exploring the city, whose narrow streets will take you back centuries and whose name comes from the words "mur akush," meaning "Land of God" in the language of the Berbers, North Africa's oldest indigenous people. One of the country's most important tourist centres, Marrakech is also known as the "Red City" because of its famous red walls.

After breakfast at the hotel, we join the Magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Essaouira Tour. Essaouira, which has hosted civilisations since ancient times, lies on the Atlantic Ocean and is known for its medina (city centre), enclosed by white old-city walls, narrow streets and traditional markets. With its city centre included on UNESCO's "World Heritage" list, Essaouira is both a fishing port and a tranquil coastal town where art and culture come together. Compared with Marrakech, the city has a very calm atmosphere that offers visitors a relaxing escape. Over the years, this atmosphere has also attracted many world-famous artists, including Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix and Orson Welles, turning the city into a centre of art and culture. Most recently, the town also hosted filming for the famous television series Game Of Thrones. During our tour, the places we will see include the Essaouira ramparts and Essaouira Castle, Essaouira Port, where the fish market is located, and the world-famous Medina. While exploring Essaouira, where the elegance of traditional Moroccan architecture meets traces of modern life, you will also have the opportunity to enjoy shopping.

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Ouarzazate. Our first stops along 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, before continuing to Ait Ben Haddou, a historic village famous for its traditional earthen architecture. Located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains on the old Sahara caravan route, this impressive settlement gives visitors the feeling of travelling through time with its tall mud-brick walls, corner towers and narrow streets. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987, Aït Ben Haddou offers photographers incredible images, particularly when its buildings take on red hues at sunset. At the final stop of our tour, we arrive at our hotel in Ouarzazate, a city that has hosted many Hollywood films and Hollywood artists, and have free time. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for the Sahara Desert. With the desert on one side and views of the Atlas Mountains on the other, our first stops will be Todra Valley and M'gouna (Rose City). We then continue to our hotel in Merzouga (Sahara Desert). Upon arrival, we settle into our rooms and enjoy the desert. At night, remember to photograph the sky in the darkness of the desert and the sunrise in the morning. Accommodation at our camp in the desert.

After breakfast at the hotel, we visit Ifrane, situated at an altitude of 1.700 metres and noted for its orderly urban plan. With its clean air, broad avenues and chalet-style architecture featuring sloping roofs, it is known as "the Switzerland of Morocco." From here, we depart for Fes. Built around the Fez River, which flows from west to east, this walled city is also known as "the Mecca of the West." Fes city centre is listed as a World Heritage Site and is one of the world's largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones. During our old city tour, we will see Bou Inania and Al Attarine Madrasas, unique examples of Islamic architecture, Andalusian Mosque, Karaouine University, an ancient institution of higher education, Nejjarine Square and the artisans' bazaar. The tanneries where leather is processed in the Medina use techniques that have remained unchanged since the Middle Ages. After the tour, transfer to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we join the "Magnificent City of Blue Chefchaouen" tour. Located in northwestern Morocco at the foot of the Rif Mountains, this enchanting town is famous for its blue-painted buildings and is therefore also known as the "Blue City." With every corner and street painted in different shades of blue, Chefchaouen attracts visitors with its distinctive atmosphere as well as its natural beauty. As you wander through the city's narrow streets, you can discover traditional bazaars, handicraft shops and local restaurants. The city also bears traces of the local culture and way of life, while the local people, who keep Berber traditions alive, offer visitors a warm welcome. Chefchaouen's unique blue atmosphere and natural beauty have made it one of Morocco's most attractive and unforgettable destinations. After our tour, transfer to our hotel. Overnight stay and dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for Meknes. Located between the coastal plains and the peaks of the Atlas Mountains, the city has been a commercial and cultural crossroads since Antiquity. Known as the "city of a hundred minarets," Meknes is home to many structures. During our city tour of Meknes, one of the country's four imperial cities, the places we will see include Bab Mansour city gate, one of the city's most important symbols and striking for its Moorish-style architecture, Agdal Basin, built by Moulay Ismail, Lahdim Square and Dar El Makhzen (Royal Palace). After our tour, we depart for the Magnificent Capital, Rabat. During our panoramic city tour following arrival, the places we will see include Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built in memory of the current king's grandfather and a pioneer of Morocco's independence, and the Royal Palace. After our tour, we depart for Casablanca. Following arrival, our Casablanca city tour begins. Morocco's main port, the city is famous for Casablanca, the 1942 Hollywood film named after it, and is both the country's economic centre and its most populous city.

After breakfast and check-out procedures at the hotel, free time. We then depart for the airport at the time advised by our guide. Following baggage and ticket procedures, departure for Istanbul at 16.50 on Air Arabia flight 3O437. Arrival at 23.40 local time and the end of our tour.