11 Days Trip

Day 1 :CASABLANCA AIRPORT – RABAT (~1h20min)

Our local representative will be awaiting your arrival at Casablanca International Airport. Please look for him in the arrival hall. He will be holding a sign with your name on it. He will escort you to your private vehicle. Then drive to rabat via highway that links the two cities. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel and overnight.

Day 2: RABAT – CHEFCHAOUEN (~4h05min)

Explore Morocco’s political and administrative capital. A clean central beach, an intact and evocative Kasbah, and an attractive walled medina that is far less touristy than in other large Moroccan cities. Our tour starts from the Mohammed V and Hassan II Mausoleum, the landmark of Rabat, the Hassan Tower, and one of the oldest mosques of Morocco.

The Kasbah of the Udayas, Rabat, historic citadel occupies the site of the original Ribat (fortress-monastery) that gave the city its name. After the tour, drive to Chefchaouen (also called Chaouen). The roads wind around the valley edges as we travel towards the Rif Mountains. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel to rest and overnight.

Day 3: CHEFCHAOUEN FREE DAY

After breakfast, we explore the bustling heart of the medina, cobbled Plaza Uta El Hammam, which is lined with cafes and restaurants, it is also where youll find The Kasbah built in the 15th century. and the Grand Mosque. The large tree at the center makes for a great meeting point.

Chefchaouen is the most charming village in Morocco with its Medina, Bab El Ansar, and the famed Ras El Maa (waterfall), where a short walk takes us to Rif Sebbanine, the laundry district. Chefchaouen is all about losing ourselves in its streets. Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 :CHEFCHAOUEN – VOLUBILIS – MEKNES – FEZ B (~4h20min)

After breakfast, we drive to the ancient Roman city of Volubilis to explore its stunning ruins. Impressive stone arches and columns, some tumbled down and others still standing tall against the vivid blue sky, invite us to take a step back in time. Only about half of the 40-hectare UNESCO site of Volubilis has been excavated. The better- known monuments are in the northern part of the site, farthest from the entrance in the south: The Capitol, dedicated to the Triad of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, dates 218AD; the Basilica and 1,300 sq. meters Forum are nearby.

Here, floors of what were once family dwellings are still covered with decorative tile mosaics depicting mythological beings, such as Orpheus charming animals with their lyre and Hercules performing his legendary 12 labors. The fact that so many of these tiles are still in place with their colors, after centuries of exposure to the elements, is astonishing. Then off to the Imperial city of Meknes, the one-time home of the Moroccan sultanate with its Medina all-winding narrow streets and grand buildings that justify its stamp of Imperial City.

Remnants of three sets of fortifications, ingeniously incorporated into the city roads network, emphasize its past importance and glory. The king tomb sits at the heart of what remains of the original imperial city, flanked by an almighty royal granary, the magnificent Bab el-Mansour. Continue to Fez for overnight.

Day 5: Fez City Tour

Today you take a step back in time into the Middle Ages with the visit of one of the most imperial, timeless, and untouched cities in the world, the cultural heart of Morocco, Fez El Bali (Old Fez). Enjoy exploring some of the 9,000 narrow lanes and alleys in the souks (open air markets) that make-up the labyrinth of the city old quarter, originally founded in the 8th century.

The Imperial capital was a renowned medieval learning center, and at its heart still remains the Karaouine, one of the oldest, still functioning universities in the world. Nearby is the Attarine Medersa (Koranic college), a jewel of Hispano-Moorish architecture, built in the 14th century. Then you will visit the Nejjarine Square, with its beautiful fountain, a mosaic of elaborate tilework, and the Fondouq (Caravanserai) that has been converted to a Museum of Carpentry.

In the 13th Century the Merinide Dynasty built Fez El Jdid (New Fez) with its Royal Palace, mosques, madrasas (Koranic schools), souks and the city walls. Most notably, Fez El Jedid is home to the Mellah (Jewish quarter), which provides an interesting insight into Jewish architecture. The wrought iron decorated windows and splendid carved wood balconies of the old mansions are particularly outstanding. The medieval Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to tour hotel for overnight.

Day 6: FEZ – IFRANE – MIDELT – ERFOUD - MERZOUGA B(~6h50min)

This morning, depart Fez to pass through many amazing cities and villages, the first of which are Ifrane, also called Morocco Switzerland, a charming ski town with sprinkled with European-style chalets. Continue to Midelt, which serves as the commercial center of a large agricultural hinterland. It is also one of Morocco principal cities for the mining industry.

You will have some free time in Midelt before continuing your journey through the dramatic Ziz Gorges to arrive in Erfoud. a 4x4 vehicle will be waiting for you to continue your journey to the dunes of Erg Chebbi, perhaps the largest dunes in the Sahara Desert. Enjoy your dinner at the camp then overnight under a Berber tent.

Day 7: MERZOUGA – DADES – SKOURA – OUARZAZATE (~5h20min)

Wake up early today to witness AND enjoy 1 hour ATV and enjoy a sunrise camel ride. Then we drive to Tinghir and Todra Gorges, the highest and narrowest gorges of Morocco. Situated on the east side of the High Atlas Mountains, the Todra Gorges are recognized around the world as one of the most spectacular canyons. Here, both the Todra and Dades Rivers have carved out cliff-sided canyons on their 25-miles stretch through the mountains, leaving behind a series of landforms and etches in the rock. The Todra is the name of the last 600 meters (just under 2,000 feet) of the canyons.

The gorge is popular for its hiking paths and a well-maintained dirt road for visitors to share with mules and donkeys. After lunch (on your own), we will drive through the Dades Valley with its majestic sandcastles and incredible rock formations known as Monkey Toes. The route through Dades Valley is also known as the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs. You will catch a spectacular view of a vast valley dotted with small s and hundreds of ancient fortifications. The sand-colored walls of the Kasbahs may all start to look the same, but each holds a special historical treasure within, and offer innumerable opportunities for remarkable photos.

Continue to Skoura, a quiet little village speckled with palm tree groves, Skoura is surrounded by acres of palm groves (Les Palmaraies), which are a paradise of palm and olive trees peppered with Kasbahs and small villages. This is where we find Kasbah Amridil that stands out from the rest. Originally built in the 17th century, it is one of Morocco’s most iconic living museums that has withstood the test of time. Then we drive to Ouarzazate for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: OUARZAZATE – AIT BEN HADDOU – MARRAKECH B (~3h50min)

After breakfast, we visit Taourir Kasbah, one of the most beautiful Kasbah in Morocco. After the French left in 1953, the movie business flourished in Ouarzazate. The visit of the Film Studios is optional. Then, you might recognize the sand-colored houses of this impressive Ksar (Arabic for fortified city) when you will see the spectacular fortress of Ait Ben Haddou, the iconic landscape immortalized in such films as, Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, and Alexander.

Ait Ben Haddou is a massive fortification made up of six Kasbahs all listed as UNESCO world heritage. You can spend time in its maze of winding streets until reaching a fortified granary at the top of which you will get an amazing view of the valley. After the French left in 1953, the movie business flourished in Ouarzazate. The visit of the Film Studios is optional. We leave Ait Ben Haddou, crossing the High

Atlas Mountains via the magnificent TizInTichka pass to Marrakech, our home for the next two nights.

Day 9: MARRAKECH - City tour BD

After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of Marrakesh. We start at the square and marketplace Djemaa el Fna, Marrakesh’s heartbeat surrounded by bazaars, food-stalls, mosques, terraced cafes’, snake charmers, fire-eaters, and fortune-tellers. After the visit, we stop at the Koutoubia Minaret, the oldest of the three great Almohad towers, and the Bahia Palace, a marvelous display of painted wood, ceramics, and symmetrical gardens. Continue to Dar El Bacha Museum, built in 1910 and was the residence of Thami El Glaoui, named Pasha of Marrakech by Sultan Moulay Youssef in 1912. It is one of the medina finest examples of Riad architecture, dripping with Moroccan Zellige (colorful geometric tilework), intricate white plasterwork and heavy carved cedar-wood lintels.

Before sunset we will be strolling in the square of 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, story tellers and traditional musicians. You will end your exploration with a stroll in the beautiful Jardin Majorelle; Yves Saint Laurent gifted the Jardin Majorelle to Marrakesh, the city that adopted him in 1966. Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé bought the electric-blue villa and its garden to preserve the vision of its original owner, landscape painter Jacques Majorelle, and keep it open to the public.

The garden began cultivating in 1924 and thanks to Marrakshi ethnobotanist Abderrazak Benchaâbane, the psychedelic desert mirage of 300 plants species from five continents continues to be preserved. The garden is also home to the Berber Museum, which houses a small but spectacular collection of authentic Moroccan garments, weapons, and jewelry, dating to the 19th century and before. The craftsmanship and artistry, particularly of the women dresses, had surely not been lost on Yves Saint Laurent, who arranged to have his ashes scattered in the garden, where a small monument marks his passing.

After the tour, head to your hotel to check in and freshen up. At 4PM, you’ll be picked up for a unique gastronomic experience, 20-min. drive from Marrakech. The cooking class is taking place on the terrasse of the villa in a spectacular décor with the Atlas Mountains in the background. The New York Times 3-stars Executive Chef will unlock the secrets of the Moroccan recipes he has mastered over the years. You’ll leave with an inside perspective on one of the world’s most highly cherished cuisines.

Dinner with the Chef (cooked class food will be served). After the cooking class, drive back to Marrakech for overnight.

Day 10: MARRAKECH - CASABLANCA B (~2h50min)

After breakfast, drive to Casablanca via highway. Upon arrival, start discovering Morocco’s largest city and economic capital, Casablanca, best representation of the modern side of Morocco. Begin the city tour of Casablanca with an outside visit of Hassan II Mosque. It is the largest mosque in the country and the 7th largest in the world. You then continue to the Ain Diab Corniche for a pleasant stroll along the coast. Your next stop is Mohammed V Square in the city center.

The city tour includes also the Habous Quarter, one of the oldest areas in Casablanca. The district was built by the French in the 1930s as an attempted solution to the ongoing housing shortage. It marries the best of traditional Moroccan architecture with modern facilities and French ideals – even the mosque fronts onto a strip of grassy lawn just like a village church. Then continue to your hotel for overnight.

Day 11: CASABLANCA AIRPORT B

INCLUDED SERVICES:

10 nights double room accommodation
Daily Breakfast
Dinners at the hotels in Merzouga, and Ouarzazate
Modern transportation through the tour (bottle of water available in the car)
English speaking driver during the trip
4x4 round-trip transfers at the desert
Sunrise Camel ride at the dunes
ATV RIDE for 2 pax at sahara dune camp
Cooking class in Marrakech
Majorelle Garden and YSL museum
Entrance fees to monuments as per itinerary
Guided tours as per the program
Porterage at the hotels
All taxes

Rates per person in USD English speaking driver through the tour

Hotel’s category 4* hotels Price per person in triple room

$2,243

Majorelle and YSL museum $30

City 4* Hotel or similar

Rabat

Chefchaouen Fez

Merzouga

Ouarzazate

Marrakech

Casablanca

Zyo Riad

Puerta Azul

L’Escale hotel

Sahara dune camp

Dar Chamaa

Riad terra bahia

Idou Anfa