This entire itinerary has flipped. We will begin the trip at the point originally scheduled for 22 March. Also, I will be staying in Madrid for about 24 hours before departing for Istanbul, Turkey. More on Turkey as the plans unfold!

16 March: en route to Marrakech, Morocco

17 March: Marrakech exploration; return to riad for cooking class late afternoon

18 March: Marrakech exploration; shop for ingredients for cooking class

19 March: Marrakech exploration and cooking class

20 March: Marrakech exploration, cooking class, etc.

21 March: Marrakech exploration, shop local spice shops for ingredients for final cooking class, The Souq, etc.

22 March: Marrakech to Ouarzazate (200 km) over the High Atlas Mountains. Lunch in a kasbah in a secluded oasis.

23 March: Bou Tharara – Boumain Dades – view the gorges that were carved over the centuries.

24 March: Todra Toudra – Tamttatoucht – travel through oasises and gorges lined with palm groves.

25 March: Tinghir – Erfoud – Rissani – Merzouga Erg Chebbi – visit ancient towns, oasis and kasbahs, sand dunes in the Sahara by way of camels. Camp out under the stars.

26 March: Marzouga – Rissani – Agdez – visit the oldest souq and experience food of the area. Visit Saharan Berber villages and the nomads along the way…

27 March: Agdz – Marrakech to catch the flight to Mardrid, Spain in the morning.

28 March: Travel from Madrid to Istanbul, Turkey

29 March: Istanbul, Turkey

30 March: Istanbul, Turkey

31 March: Istanbul, Turkey

1 April: Istanbul, Turkey

2 April: Depart for Minneapolis via Madrid and JFK.