Day 1: Saturday, Aug 26
Departures to Casablanca
Day 2: Sunday, Aug 27
All Day group arrivals into Casablanca – Airport pickups, fast tracks, and transfers to Barcelo Anfa for Hotel check-in
at Le Casablanca
7:30pm Gathering in front of the hotel to head to Rick’s Café
8:00pm Dinner with the group (some will not have arrived by now, but we will make sure you have something to eat upon
arrival) Looking at having an Anthropologist join us.
10:00pm Return to the hotel for overnight in Casablanca
Day 3: Monday, Aug 28
4:30am Meet directly in front of the hotel to depart to the CMN airport
7:45am Royal Air Maroc Flight to Ouarzazate (AT1469 – 2 hour flight)
9:30am Arrival to Ouarzazate & SUV pickups from the airport
10:00am Depart to Kasbah Ait Benhaddou and Kasbah Telouet
1:00pm Lunch en route
3:00pm Visit Atlas Studios (finding an alternative to this)
5:00pm Drive to hotel to check in at Ksar Ighnda and rest
8:00pm Dinner at the Riad and overnight in Ouarzazate
Day 4: Tuesday, Aug 29
6:30am Breakfast and check out
7:00am Meet in front of the hotel to depart for Merzouga Desert (6 hour drive)
11:00am Stop to visit Todgha Valley & Gorges
1:00pm Lunch en route
3:00pm Continued drive to Sahara desert w/stops along the way
7:00pm Arrival at the camp
7:15pm 1 hour Sunset Camel ride around the camp
9:00pm Dinner followed by campfire and stargazing (joined by guest astronomer), accompanied by local tribal music
Overnight at Desert Camp
Day 5: Wednesday, Aug 30
6:30-6:50am Optional Sunrise experience
Breakfast
8:30am Explore with your ATV or Dune Buggy
10:30am Depart and head to Khamlia Village & Dar Knawa (History of Gnawa Music)
1:00pm Medfouna Lunch near an Oasis (Traditional Berber Pizza cooked on the sand)
2:30pm Explore the village & Visit the Nomads
3:30pm Drive to Erfoud (1 hour drive)
4:30pm Visit the fossils museum followed by Sijilmissa Center
7:00pm Drive to Hotel, Palais Masandoia and check in
8:30pm Dinner at the hotel and overnight
Day 6: Thursday, Aug 31
4:30am Departure with SUV rides to Errachidia airport for flight to Casablanca (1 hr drive)
7:30am Royal Air Maroc flight #AT1447 departs (1 hour flight)
8:30am Arrive in Casablanca with Fast track
Lunch in Airport
1:30pm Depart Casablanca on Egypt Air – MS #848
8:25pm Arrive in Cairo
*Meet & greet by Excel Travel airport representative (assist with entry visa, assist in collecting luggage, assist through
customs till escorting to the waiting Vehicle waiting outside the airport).
9:20pm Transfer to your hotel – Steigenberger El Tahrir Hotel
10:00pm Arrive at your hotel and check-in
Dinner in the hotel
Overnight
Day 7: Friday, Sept 1
6:30am Breakfast at the hotel and Check-out
7:00am Depart and drive Southwest to El Heiz Oasis
Make stop at Ancient Petrified Forest
11:00am Arrive at El Heiz Stop for lunch & refreshments
12:30pm Drive towards the incredible White Desert
1:00pm We will visit the Black desert and Crystal Mountain
3:00pm Head to the White Desert and explore and enjoy the White charming Limestone rocks.
5:30pm Drive to camp
6:00pm Arrive at camp
Check-in, Dinner & Overnight at Camp
Day 8: Saturday, Sept 2
7:00am Breakfast at the camp
8:00am Continue exploring the White Desert
12:00pm Lunch at Local Restaurant
1:00pm Depart for Fayoum
5:30pm Arrive at your hotel in Fayoum – Helnan Auberge El Fayoum Hotel
Check-in, Dinner at the hotel & overnight in Fayoum
Day 9: Sunday, Sept 3
7:30am Breakfast at the hotel
8:00am Drive to Wadi El Rayan
8:30am Visit the Water fall at Wadi El Rayan (most impressive waterfalls in Egypt)
10:00am Continue to Modawara Mountain
11:00am Visit Wadi Hittan site & Museum
1:00pm Continue to Magic Lake & Enjoy BBQ Lunch, safari & Sand boarding
4:00pm Visit Tunis Village & Pottery School on the way back to Cairo
5:00pm Drive back to Cairo
7:30pm Arrive at Hotel in Cairo
Check-in, Dinner at the hotel & Overnight in Cairo
Day 10: Monday, Sept 4
8:00am Breakfast at the Hotel and Check-out
9:00am Transfer to National Museum of Civilization (includes Mummies Room)
9:30am Arrive at National Museum of Civilization for a short visit
10:30am Transfer to Coptic Cairo (Visit Includes: Hanging Church, St. Sergio Church & Coptic Museum)
12:30pm Transfer to Pyramids Area
1:15pm Arrive at Pyramids
1:30pm Lunch at 9 Pyramids Lounge restaurant (located at Pyramids area)
2:30pm Visit Pyramids and Sphinx
5:00pm Transfer to Hilton Heliopolis Hotel (very near to the airport) for refreshment and drinks
5:40pm Arrive at Hilton
6:30pm Transfer to Cairo International Airport for departure
10:40pm Egypt Air – MS #849 departs Cairo (arrive in Nairobi at 3:33am on the 5th)
Day 11: Tuesday, Sept 5
3:33am Arrive in Nairobi – Jomo Kenyatta Airport
Meet and great and transfers to hotel
4:30am Depart to Four Point by Sheraton
Rooms provided to freshen up and rest
7:00-8:00am Breakfast at the hotel
Check-out (Hotel has agreed to store any luggage that we don’t need to take on flight to Mara because of the strict
33 lb limit per person in soft sided luggage)
8:30am Private transfer to Wilson Airport (aprx 30 min)
10:30am Air Kenya Flight to Maasai Mara Game Reserve
11:10am Arrive at the local airstrip in Maasai Mara where you will be met by your driver guides and transferred to the camp
(game drive enroute/aprx 1.5 hour)
12:30pm Arrival at Camp – Zebra Plains Camp and Check-in
1:00pm Lunch at the camp
(Beverages included at all meals: House wine, local beers, selected spirits, teas, coffees and soft drinks)
Time to settle in, rest and unpack.
4:00pm Game Drive – Drive with guides in the reserve, returning to camp before dusk (may need long sleeves or light jacket)
6:30pm Return to Camp. Time to freshen up before dinner.
7:00pm Dinner is served – Overnight at Mara Camp
Day 12: Wednesday, Sept 6
5:00am Hot Air Balloon Safari – You will be picked up from the camp and driven to the launching site over the Maasai Mara
Game Reserve. (may need light jacket) After about an hour’s flight, you will land at a site where breakfast will be
served.
Return to the camp and enjoy the rest of the morning at leisure
1:00pm Lunch served at camp
4:00pm Game Drive – Return before dusk (may need long sleeves or light jacket)
6:30pm Return to Camp and freshen up for dinner.
7:00pm Dinner served – Overnight at Mara Camp.
Day 13: Thursday, Sept 7
6:30am Early Morning Game Drive
9:00am Return to camp for breakfast
11:30am Maasai Village Experience – After breakfast visit the Maasai Village, where you will get an opportunity to interact with
the community and learn their way of life.
1:00pm Lunch at Camp
4:00pm Game Drive – Return before dusk (may need long sleeves or light jacket)
6:30pm Return to camp and freshen up for dinner.
7:00pm Dinner is served – Overnight at Mara Camp
Day 14: Friday, Sept 8
8:00am Enjoy breakfast at camp
9:00am Check-out and depart for airstrip for flight to Nairobi
11:15am Air Kenya flight departs Mara to Nairobi
1:00pm Arrival at Wilson Airport
Met on arrival at Wilson Airport and proceed to Karen Blixen Coffee Garden Restaurant for lunch. After lunch visit
Karen Blixen Museum, Giraffe Center and Beads Factory & Shop if there is time.
**Collect any stored luggage from Four Points by Sheraton
Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for departures Home
(We will make sure everyone arrives at the airport in plenty of time for their departure)
Day 15: Saturday, Sept 9
Arrive at Home