2010 Itinerary
Seize the opportunity to discover Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes and more on Tauck's unforgettable Morocco tour in 2010!
Inclusive Prices
Hotel Accommodations ―The tour price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. The Tauck standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from place to place, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are accommodated in two rooms and must be requested at time of booking.
Gratuities Included ― All customary gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff, local guides and drivers are included.
No Options Sold ― Your Tauck Director will assist with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed, pleasant experience for you.
Not Included
Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from Tauck for travel originating in the United States.
Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours ― To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may prefer to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, Tauck will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through Tauck. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this website and discuss it with the reservations agent when you book your tour.
Luggage Responsibility ― Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. Therefore, it is important for your own protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Please refer to Tauck Protection Plan on this website for more information.
Personal Expenses ― Phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport departure taxes, individual airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.
Tauck Director Gratuities ― The customary gratuity for the Tauck Director is not included. We ask that you extend any gratuity on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.
Additional Information
Airline Security Measures –
If you are traveling from the U.S., beginning in 2010, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Secure Flight program will require that your name, as it appears on your domestic or international airline ticket, precisely match your name as it appears on the government-issued photo ID (i.e., passport or driver’s license) that you present during security screening. The ID name must also match any additional airline data, such as frequent-flyer information. For example, if you present your driver's license to security and it says John T. Smith, your ticket must also say John T. Smith; not John Thomas Smith, not Jack Smith, or any other variant. Your date-of-birth and gender information provided to the airline must also match your photo ID.
If you make your air travel arrangements through Tauck, please ensure that the name you provide us precisely matches your name as shown on the identification you will use while traveling. If you make your own airline reservations, please ensure that the airline has the correct information.
For more information on the Secure Flight program, please visit the TSA web site, www.tsa.gov, by clicking here.
If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.
Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocket knife, cigarette lighter, or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times.
Air Services ― Airfare may be purchased through Tauck for travel originating in the United States. By using Tauck's air services, you agree that Tauck, in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, is acting only as your agent and is not liable or responsible for any accident, death, personal injury, illness, property damage, delay or other loss or expense of any nature whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of any act of God, or any actions or omissions (including any failure to provide services) or default of, any carrier. All carriers are independent contractors and are not owned, managed, controlled or operated by Tauck. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline (and not Tauck), even if purchased through Tauck. Tauck is not liable for, and does not assume responsibility or accept claims with regard to, seat assignments, schedule changes, flight changes, cancellations, claims for a refund or reimbursement of airline ticket fees, or any other loss incurred by you for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation to, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar relief from creditors). Tauck must handle ticketing for Tauck's special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Special fares cannot be combined with any other promotional offer. Tauck's air services can only be purchased in conjunction with a Tauck tour. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be mailed with final documents. If you cancel or change your air before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply.
Holiday and Museum Closures ― Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed.
Itinerary Changes and Price Flexibility ― Tauck pledges to make every effort to operate all tours as advertised. Tauck reserves the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary. Any savings realized by these changes will be refunded to passengers. Any resultant added expense will be covered by Tauck. Although not expected, prices on this website may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecast at the time of printing.
Journey Start and End Times are provided at the time of booking. The tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Hyatt Regency Casablanca. You or your booking agent will be advised of any change to this schedule. When making flight arrangements, please allow sufficient time to claim luggage and clear customs in order to join the tour on time. The tour ends when you check out of the Sofitel Marrakech on the last day of the tour. If you extend your stay through Tauck, transportation will be provided to the Marrakech-Menara Airport upon checkout. We suggest you allow at least 2½ hours for flight check-in.
Membership will be granted to all persons. Tauck reserves the right to terminate the tour of any persons who are abusive of others or whose behavior disrupts the tour.
Photography on Tour ― Occasionally, we will use photographs taken by fellow guests or your Tauck Director on your tour for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify your Tauck Director at the start of your tour.
Preparing To Go
Air Conditioning ― All of the motor coaches used on this tour are air-conditioned for your comfort.
Valet dry cleaning is available at all hotels.
Following is a list of recommended items to pack:
- Casual daytime wear - shorts, slacks and short-sleeve shirts
- An optional jacket and tie for men
- Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
- A light sweater or jacket for cooler weather
- Swimwear
- Gym wear
- Lightweight, comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
- Sunglasses, sunscreen , hat
- Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and plenty of film
- Binoculars (7x50 recommended)
- Mosquito repellent
- Raincoat and collapsible umbrella
- Zipper lock bags or daypack for camera equipment
- Pre-moistened towelettes & plastic refillable water bottle
- Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room or cabin while traveling
Bottled water will be available on the motor coaches. Please be aware that there are no restrooms on the motor coaches as they are forbidden by law.
Unfortunately, walkers, wheelchairs, and motorized scooters cannot be accommodated on this tour. We also cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.
Smoking
Before visiting Morocco, you may need to get vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk of contracting while in Morocco. We recommend that you see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect.
If you will be arriving in Morocco within five days of leaving an area infected with Yellow Fever, you will need to provide an International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever upon arrival.
Routine vaccinations are recommended. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the U.S. and other western countries, they are still common in many parts of the world. If you are not vaccinated, you may be at risk for infection. Routine vaccinations include inoculations for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/ tetanus (DPT).
Medical Facilities
Adequate medical care is available in Morocco’s largest cities, particularly in Rabat and Casablanca, although not all facilities meet high-quality standards. Specialized care or treatment may not be available. Medical facilities are adequate for non-emergency matters, particularly in the urban areas, but most medical staff will have limited or no English skills. Most ordinary prescription and over-the-counter medicines are widely available. However, specialized prescriptions may be difficult to fill and availability of all medicines in rural areas is unreliable. Emergency and specialized care outside the major cities is far below the standards to which you may be accustomed, and in many instances may not be available at all.
Medical Insurance
We strongly urge our guests to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please click here to view a description of Tauck’s Travel Protection.
Medical Emergency Information
If you are a U.S. citizen who requires medical attention or hospitalization, you may contact the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca for information on available physicians and hospitals. The U.S. Consulate General may not recommend any particular doctor, but can provide a list of several doctors and medical centers from which to choose. Consular officers visit Americans who may be in need of assistance. If requested to do so, the Consular Officer can also notify the family in the United States and communicate any requests for funds from home. The U.S. Consulate General has no funds to assist with hospital or physicians’ fees.
The U.S. Social Security Medicare Program does not provide for payment of hospital or medical services outside of the United States. The Veterans Administration will only pay hospital and medical service outside the United States if you are a veteran with a service-related disability.
If you are a citizen of another country, we recommend that you determine what emergency medical services may be available to you through your country’s representative in Morocco before you travel.
Checked Luggage ― General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
In addition, airlines have adopted more strict policies in enforcing number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, Tauck cannot be held liable to the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers.
Tauck World Discovery cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!
Although oversize bags and carry-on luggage with wheels are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and only those items you need handy during the day such as purses, make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or in the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.
Travel Document Requirements – If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion of the tour. No visa is required for a stay of 3 months or less.
If you are a citizen of another country, please contact a consulate or embassy of Morocco to determine if you are required to obtain entry visas.
Travel Safety ― U.S. citizen residents in Morocco and U.S. citizen tourists who plan to visit Morocco are encouraged to register their presence in Morocco with the U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca. U.S. citizen residents may register via the U.S. Department of State’s Internet- Based Registration Service, which provides the data directly to the Consulate's databases, or in person at the U.S. Consulate General. Please be sure to provide your name, date and place of birth, passport number, itinerary or place of residence, and points of contacts in the U.S. and Morocco. The Consulate does not accept telephone, email or fax registration.
If you are a U.S. citizen, we recommend that you regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found. You may do so by clicking here.
We urge our guests to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures that you can take to protect yourself in an overseas environment, please read the U.S. Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad by clicking here.
Age Recommendations ― Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, for each itinerary we have a minimum recommended age to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.
Babysitting ― Tauck journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. However, our guests have occasionally inquired about babysitting services. If you are interested, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements, to ensure your precise needs are met. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer babysitting services that may be arranged on site; however, babysitting services are not guaranteed at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility ― We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with Tauck, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so.
CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.), any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., will be useful.
All children who are U.S. citizens should also have a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptism record for ID. Children over the age of 14 are also required to have a photo ID.
Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, Tauck requires all guests to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information is available from each country’s consulate.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
Children born to a Moroccan father may have difficulty when leaving Morocco without the father's permission. Under Moroccan law, these children are considered Moroccan citizens. Even if the children bear foreign passports, immigration officials may require proof that the father has approved their departure before the children will be allowed to leave Morocco. Although women, regardless of their nationality, are normally granted custody of their children in divorces, the father must approve the children's departure from Morocco.
For further information on entry/exit requirements for Morocco, you may log on to the Internet website for the Embassy of Morocco by clicking here.
Destination Information
Cell Phones ― We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you refrain from using your cell phone during motor coach travel or group functions. There are usually many opportunities to make or receive calls at times when it does not affect others.
Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine whether your cell phone service extends to Morocco.
Currency and Exchange Rates - The currency used in Morocco is the Morocco Dirham (MAD). ATM machines are readily available in Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Marrakesh. A 24-hour currency exchange machine is located in the lobby of your first hotel, the Hyatt Regency Casablanca.
Contact your bank in advance of departure to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM or credit card at locations abroad.
To obtain the most current exchange rate, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to the Internet website, oanda.com, by clicking here.
Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – Morocco’s customs policy for non-resident visitors permits the importation of the following items provided they are exported (taken home) at the end of their stay:
- Clothes for personal use
- Tobacco (200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 25 cigars, or 250 grams of assortments)
- Alcoholic drinks (1-liter bottle)
- Jewelry, perfumes (150 ml) and toilet water (250 ml)
- Souvenirs, presents whose value should not exceed 2000 DH
- Camera, camcorder, binoculars or CD player
- Tape recorder, radio, TV, camera, typewriter or calculator, portable computer, mobile phone
- Sport fittings
- Musical instrument
- Bicycle, tandem, bicycle having an auxiliary motor
- Products of Moroccan origin (craft industry, etc) acquired locally
- Souvenirs
- Ornamental, fossiliferous or semi-precious stones (should not exceed dozen)
If you are a U.S resident who will be returning to the U.S. at the end of the tour, current regulations permit bringing back $800 worth of items duty-free, as long as you physically bring them with you. There are limits to the amount of alcohol that can be a part of this exemption. Certain restrictions apply to unaccompanied goods mailed from abroad to the United States. Please call your local customs office or consult the U.S. government's customs website for further details and up-to-date limits by clicking here.
If you are a resident of another country, please refer to your own country’s rules and regulations regarding customs and duty-free shopping to ensure compliance upon your return.
Morocco currently levies a Value Added Tax (VAT) of approximately 19% on consumer goods and services. (The tax rate may be higher for luxury items and lower for basic goods.) As a rule, if you are not a resident of the country (or of the country’s intergovernmental economic community, e.g., the European Union) in which the purchase is made, you may be entitled to a VAT refund and should inquire about the refund policy where you shop.
Internet Access is available as indicated below:
Hyatt Regency Casablanca – High-speed access in rooms and the Business Center
La Tour Hassan - Access in rooms and the Business Center
Hotel Natura - High-Speed accedd in rooms, WiFi in common areas
Sofitel Palais Jamaϊ – WiFi access; internet access in the Business Center
Sofitel Marrakech - Business Center
Weather – Morocco has a wide variety of climates. The western coast has a mild Mediterranean climate tempered by trade winds. Inland areas have a hotter, drier, continental climate. Southern Morocco is hot and dry throughout most of the year, though temperatures can drop dramatically at night, especially in the months of December and January.
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Average Temperature
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Casablanca, Morocco
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Rabat, Morocco
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Month
|
Hi/Lo ºF
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Hi/Lo ºC
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Hi/Lo ºF
|
Hi/Lo ºC
|
|
January
|
63 / 48
|
17 / 9
|
63 / 46
|
17 / 8
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February
|
64 / 49
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18 / 9
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65 / 47
|
18 / 8
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|
March
|
67 / 52
|
19 / 11
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68 / 50
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20 / 10
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|
April
|
68 / 54
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20 / 12
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69 / 52
|
21 / 11
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|
May
|
71 / 59
|
22 / 15
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72 / 56
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22 / 13
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|
June
|
75 / 64
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24 / 18
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77 / 61
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25 / 16
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|
July
|
78 / 68
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26 / 20
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80 / 65
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27 / 18
|
|
August
|
79 / 69
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26 / 21
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81 / 65
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27 / 18
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September
|
78 / 66
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26 / 19
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80 / 63
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27 / 17
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|
October
|
75 / 61
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24 / 16
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76 / 59
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24 / 15
|
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November
|
69 / 55
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21 / 13
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70 / 53
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21 / 12
|
|
December
|
65 / 51
|
18 / 11
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65 / 49
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18 / 9
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|
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Fes, Morocco |
Marrakech, Morocco |
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Month
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Hi/Lo ºF
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Hi/Lo ºC
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Hi/Lo ºF
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Hi/Lo ºC
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January
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60 / 39
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16 / 4
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65 / 44
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18 / 7
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February
|
62 / 41
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17 / 5
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69 / 47
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21 / 8
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March
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67 / 44
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19 / 7
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74 / 52
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23 / 11
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April
|
70 / 46
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21 / 8
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76 / 54
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24 / 12
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May
|
76 / 51
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24 / 11
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82 / 58
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28 / 14
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June
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86 / 58
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30 / 14
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90 / 64
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32 / 18
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July
|
94 / 64
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34 / 18
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98 / 69
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37 / 21
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August
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93 / 64
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34 / 18
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98 / 70
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37 / 21
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September
|
87 / 60
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31 / 16
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90 / 67
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32 / 19
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October
|
77 / 54
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25 / 12
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82 / 60
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28 / 16
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November
|
67 / 47
|
19 / 8
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73 / 52
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23 / 11
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December
|
61 / 42
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16 / 6
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67 / 46
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19 / 8
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Average Rainfall
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Casablanca, Morocco
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Rabat, Morocco
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Month
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Inches
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Millimeters
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Inches
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Millimeters
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January
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1.8
|
46
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2.1
|
53
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February
|
1.3
|
33
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1.6
|
40
|
|
March
|
1.1
|
28
|
1.5
|
38
|
|
April
|
0.9
|
23
|
1.3
|
32
|
|
May
|
0.3
|
9
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0.4
|
11
|
|
June
|
0.1
|
3
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0.1
|
2
|
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July
|
0.0
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
August
|
0.0
|
0
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0.0
|
1
|
|
September
|
0.2
|
4
|
0.3
|
7
|
|
October
|
1.1
|
28
|
1.4
|
36
|
|
November
|
2.1
|
53
|
2.5
|
64
|
|
December
|
2.1
|
54
|
3.0
|
77
|
|
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Fes, Morocco |
Marrakech, Morocco |
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Month
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
|
January
|
1.7
|
42
|
0.7
|
19
|
|
February
|
1.3
|
33
|
0.8
|
19
|
|
March
|
1.4
|
35
|
1.0
|
26
|
|
April
|
1.5
|
38
|
0.9
|
24
|
|
May
|
1.0
|
24
|
0.2
|
5
|
|
June
|
0.3
|
6
|
0.1
|
2
|
|
July
|
0.0
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
August
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
|
September
|
0.5
|
11
|
0.2
|
6
|
|
October
|
1.6
|
40
|
0.6
|
14
|
|
November
|
1.7
|
42
|
0.7
|
17
|
|
December
|
2.0
|
51
|
0.7
|
18
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If You Have to Cancel
Cancellation Fees – Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in Tauck incurring costly penalties and cancellation fees from our travel and hotel providers. Therefore, if you have to cancel a confirmed booking, Tauck will charge you a cancellation fee according to when your cancellation notice is received in its Norwalk, CT office. To help limit your liability, Tauck offers Tauck Protection Plan.
If you choose to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will have your cancellation penalties reduced. Click here for more details.
If you choose not to purchase Tauck’s Protection Plan, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:
$600 per person
59-8 days before departure
$1,250 per person
7-1 days before departure
$2,000 per person
Did you know that you can link-up Tauck itineraries to create longer journeys? Many of these trips are in the same region, and depending upon availability you might connect with them before or after your trip. Alternatively, you might find one of these options better suited for your interests and preferences or for when you are available to travel.
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