Welcome to Morocco!

Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be met and greeted by a representative who will assist you with your luggage and transfer you to your hotel in Rabat. Time permitting, cross the city of Casablanca to see the Hassan II mosque, one of the largest in the Islamic world. 

Visit the Mohamed V Mausoleum this morning, a magnificent work of Moroccan art and craftsmanship situated next to the historic Hassan Tower, constructed in the late 12th century. You enter Kasbah Oudaya and its 17th-century Andalusia-style gardens. You leave Rabat and head inland to Meknes for a comprehensive tour of the city’s highlights, such as the impressive granaries and stables, the monumental gates, and El Hedim Square. You will spend the afternoon exploring Volubilis, the most significant Roman archaeological site in Morocco, before continuing on to Fez.

Fez will stimulate all your senses as you go on a guided tour inside the old town, across food and spice markets, handicraft quarters, auction squares, and colorful stores. Make stops to see medieval theological schools, shrines, and museums. Fes is a world of its own, where time stands still.

In the afternoon, you will move to a different part of the city to explore what used to be the largest Jewish quarter in Morocco, dating back to the time of the migration of the Jews from Spain in the late 15th century. You will visit the 17th-century synagogues before going for some panoramic views over this impressive city.

Today, travel beyond Fez through the Middle Atlas Mountains across the cedar forest at 7000 ft. of altitude. In the afternoon, you will reach the pre-desert area, where you will see the tents of nomadic shepherds and their herds of goats and sheep along the way. Before reaching Erfoud, your gateway to the Sahara desert, you will stop for photos along the magnificent gorges of the Ziz valley, the towering palm trees, and the fortified villages made of mud.

This morning you will head south to Rissani, built over the remains of a medieval caravan city. You will discover the historical mud-made villages where local communities live as well as the sanctuary of the founder of the Moroccan royal dynasty. In the afternoon, you will take 4x4 cars to the dunes of Merzouga, where you will enjoy a tour highlight as you set out on a camel ride over the beautiful high dunes of the Sahara desert to reach your comfortably accommodated campsite. You will be served a traditional dinner and entertained by a local music group. Prepare for an enchanting evening under the starlit desert sky.

After enjoying the sunrise over the dunes, you will have breakfast and leave the Sahara desert for a scenic drive across a series of luxuriant oases. Travel along a marvelous canyon and explore the 984-foot-deep Todra Gorge, home to a variety of rare plants and bird species. Drive through “The Valley of the Roses” in the afternoon before arriving in Ouarzazate.

After breakfast, start your journey from the Kasbah, which was once the home of the "Lords of the Atlas," before leaving Ouarzazate for a barren plateau with some film sets and studios, where several famous movies have been shot. You will stop at the UNESCO-protected village of Ait Ben Haddou, which is one of the most beautiful examples of Berber architecture. After lunch, you will set sail for Marrakech along the most spectacular scenic road in Morocco. Check in at your hotel, and time permitting, you may join the tour leader for a walk on the square of Jemaa El Fna, where different local entertainers perform.
 

First thing today, stand by the city’s landmark, the Koutoubia Mosque and minaret of the late 12th century. Then enter the Kasbah from Bab Agnaou gate to visit the Saadian Necropolis of the 16th century and continue through the 12th-century Kasbah and its food market, bakeries, and narrow alleyways to the Badii palace built in the 16th century. Admire the marvelous pulpit of the Koutoubia mosque, made in 1137. Continue to visit the Bahia palace and discover this splendid home built by a powerful Vizir for his Harem. Your tour will come to an end with a stroll through the Jewish neighborhood, where you can see the historic synagogue that Sephardic Jews constructed in 1492.

After a break for lunch, you will be guided through artisan quarters and the colorful Souks to interact with the real life of Marrakech's people. Before sunset, you will be strolling in the square for which the city is so famed, Jemaa El Fna, where hundreds of locals and tourists come to spend the end of the day watching jugglers, dancers, fortune tellers, storytellers, and traditional musicians.

You may wish to stay here for dinner on the square, where you can sample street foods from simple kebabs to the most bizarre recipes, or sit comfortably in one of the good restaurants around for a nice dinner before you return to your hotel.

Today you will visit the gardens and museums of Marrakech, starting at Dar Si Said, a museum of traditional arts. Visit the Museum of Birt Flint, where a private collection of sub-Saharan and Berber artifacts is displayed. From here, you will drive to The famous Majorelle Gardens, designed in the ’20s of the last century and owned by Yves Saint-Laurent, where he set up the Berber Museum. The rest of your day will be at leisure to rest, explore the artisan quarters for shopping or discover more of the city.

After breakfast, drive to the charming seaside historical city of Essaouira. Stop en route to see the women's cooperative that makes fresh Moroccan Argan oil. Once in Essaouira, go for a guided stroll in the colorful spice markets, the old Portuguese fort, and the fishing port. Along the way, admire the skills of cabinet-making artisans in their workshops. Essaouira is a great place to enjoy a seafood lunch at one of the stalls in the port. Tonight, you will enjoy a farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants in town.

After breakfast, transfer to Marrakech Airport for your return flight.

Goodbye, Morocco!