Imperial Cities and Desert
Day 1 – Casablanca
Arrive in Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco, you will be met and transferred by van to your Casablanca hotel, where you will check-in and relax for the afternoon. Depending on the time, you will have a guided tour of the Hassan II Mosque. Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Day 2 – Casablanca – Rabat – Chefchaouen
After breakfast, you will depart for Chefchaouen, Morocco’s famous blue city in the Rif Mountains. En route, we will make a stop in Rabat, the capital and residence of the king, for lunch and some time to enjoy the beautiful coastal city. After lunch, continue to Chefchaouen for the night. Dinner is served at the hotel.
Day 3 – Chefchaouen
After breakfast, you will have a tour of this “cool” blue city, hidden in the mountains. You will enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the Rif mountains. Dinner is served at the hotel.
Day 4 – Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes
After breakfast, set out in the morning to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis. You will spend the morning exploring the 2,000 year old ruins and get a picture of life during the Roman Empire. Lunch will be taken in Meknes, one of the imperial cities of Morocco. After lunch, your guide will take you on a tour of Meknes, and then you will head to Fez, the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco. Dinner will be served at the hotel
Day 5 – Fes Guided Tour
After breakfast, you will start your guided tour of the medina, one of the world’s largest walls in cities. You will explore the narrow streets filled with fresh fruit, oodles of spices, intricately woven Berber rugs and many other Moroccan art objects. A visit to the Palace of the Kings, the tanneries and potters are just a few places you will experience. For lunch you can eat in the traditional restaurant in the heart of the medina. After lunch, complete the tour and return to your hotel for the night. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant.
Day 6 – Fes – Ifran – Azrou – Erfoud
After breakfast you will begin your ascent through the Middle Atlas Mountains. Most of the day will be spent winding through beautiful forests, sheer rock faces and Berber villages as you cross the Atlas Mountains and begin to descend towards the Sahara desert. Half way, we will stop for lunch in the city of Midelt, famous for its fossils and rocks. Upon arrival at the hotel in Erfoud, a hot shower or bath in the pool (depending on the weather) will be a treat after the drive. Dinner is served at the hotel.
Day 7 – Erfoud – Rissani – Sahara Desert
Most of the day will be spent relaxing at the hotel or exploring the small but interesting desert town. In the afternoon, you will head off in some 4-wheel drive vehicles across the barren land to the majestic sand dunes of the Sahara. You will break out on camels for a 2-hour trek to the oasis where you will spend the night in Berber tents (Dinner included). *** this could be optional if you prefer to return to the hotel to sleep Desert Camp.
Day 8 – Merzouga – Todra Gorges – Dades Gorges
We will get up early to see the spectacular sunrise over the dunes before heading back to the hotel for breakfast and a shower. We will cross the palm-fringed valleys of Tourog and Tinjdad to reach the Todra Gorge. We will take a walk through the Todra Gorges and have lunch in a local restaurant before continuing with our accommodation in the Dades Gorges.
Day 9 – Dades Gorge – El Kelaa Magona – Skoura – Ouarzazate
After breakfast we will take a walk through the gorge and then take the off road track to see the nomad caves. We will continue through El Kelaa Magona, Valley of the Roses and the oasis of Skoura to arrive late in Ouarzazate.
Day 10 – Ouarzazate Guided Tour
You will have the day free for shopping or sightseeing. You can visit the Kasbah Taourirt and the “Hollywood of Morocco”, the Atlas film studios.
Day 11 – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Telouet – Marrakech
After breakfast, departure to Ait Ben Haddou and visit the world heritage site. We will continue with a visit to the traditional High Atlas Berber village of Telouet and the Kasbah el Glaoui. We will have lunch at a local restaurant in Telouet before descending the port of Tizi-n-Tichka to Marrakech.
Day 12 – Visit Medina Of Marrakech
You will have a guided tour to discover the many facets of Marrakech with a walk through the labyrinth of the narrow streets of the Medina among its famous souks and a visit to the most beautiful palaces and monuments of Marrakech.
Day 13 – Excursion Marrakech
You will have the day to explore Marrakech or you can take an optional day tour to Cascade d’Ouzoud.
Day 14 – Marrakech To Essaouira
We will spend the morning free to shop or relax in Marrakech before departing at your convenience for Essaouira.
Day 15 – Essaouira Beach
Enjoy your day wandering the old fortified fishing port of Essaouira, on the Atlantic coast. See the incredible mix of Portuguese and Berber architecture. Explore the colorful souks, art galleries, carpentry workshops dedicated to cedar and Thuya wood carving, and the fortified port with its stalls selling fresh fish and seafood.
Day 16 – Essaouira – Marrakech
We will spend the morning free to go shopping or relax in Essaouira before leaving early in the afternoon to arrive in Marrakech by 4:00 PM (or if you have an incoming flight or want to spend time we can leave Marrakech at your convenience).
Includes
– Private trip, there will be no more people with you.
– Pick up at the hotel, riad, airport or wherever you want.
– Transportation during the trip in an all-terrain vehicle with AC.
– Driver / Spanish-speaking guide
– Fuel
– Tent camp (Includes dinner and breakfast)
– Excursion on camels (one per person).
Does not include
– Flights
– Midday meals
– Beverages
– Tickets to Kasbah
– Tips and what is not in the program
