Desert Dreams & Imperial Delights: A Moroccan Odyssey

Upon your arrival at Casablanca Airport (CMN), our representative will greet you and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, settle in, and explore the area at your leisure. Additional nights in Casablanca before the tour can be arranged upon request, and hotel upgrades are also available.

Our tour begins this morning in Casablanca, Morocco's economic capital. We'll visit the exterior of the Royal Palace, Mohamed V Square, the residential Anfa area, the 'New Medina' Habous district, and the impressive Hassan II Mosque by the seafront.

From Casablanca, we drive to Meknes, a Berber town that served as Morocco's capital during Moulay Ismail's reign. He built the country's longest city walls (40km) and enhanced the town with gardens and gateways. In Meknes, we'll visit the Jewish Quarter, Royal Stables, and the Bab Mansour Gate.

Next, we'll tour the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Volubilis, known for its remarkable Roman ruins. On the way from Meknes, we'll stop briefly for panoramic views of the holy city of Moulay Idriss before continuing to the medieval city of Fez.

Fez, over 1200 years old, features both a modern half and an ancient heart. The medina is a maze of narrow streets filled with shops, bazaars, mosques, and workshops. We'll spend a full day exploring the city, including the exterior of the Royal Palace, the Moulay Idriss mausoleum, the Karouine Mosque, and a Medersa like Attarine or Bou Anania. After lunch, we'll delve into the ancient medina, visiting a leather tannery with dye pits and leather goods, as well as small mosques, craft workshops, and carpet shops.

Today, we'll reluctantly depart from Fes and drive through the Atlas Mountains, passing through the cedar woods of Immouzzer Kandar and the charming ski resort of Ifrane. We’ll continue past Azrou and stop in the village of Midelt for lunch. Then, we’ll descend through Errachidia and the palm-filled Ziz Valley, known for the annual date festival in Erfoud. After the long drive, we'll spend the night with dinner at a hotel in Erfoud, on the edge of the desert.

Today, we set out in 4WD vehicles to explore the edge of the Sahara desert. Our journey begins with a visit to the Gnawa people, originally from Sudan. We'll also visit the lake of Merzouga and the fossil gallery and souk at Rissani, a traditional town known as the cradle of the Alouite dynasty and a historic meeting point of old caravan trading routes to Timbuktu, Mali. In the afternoon, we'll drive to the famous Erg Chebbi sand dunes at Merzouga to enjoy the sunset and spend the night in comfortable tents at a Berber camp. An optional camel ride on the sand dunes is available. The standard camp can be upgraded to a deluxe camp with advance booking.

We rise early this morning and then head away from the desert and to the impressive Todra Gorge near Tinghir, whos rocks tower around 250 metres above you. Our journey then continues along the 'Road of a Thousand Kasbahs' crossing Kalaat M’Gouna and the Skoura Valley before arriving at Ouarzazate or 'place of no noise'. An incredibly dramatic landscape, this area has played host to countless well known films and is home to the famous Atlas movie studios.

This morning, we’ll have a brief orientation tour of Ouarzazate, including a panoramic photo stop at Kasbah Taourirt and an optional visit to the Atlas Movie Studios. Before heading into the mountains, we'll visit the famous Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site featured in many movies. After exploring, we'll have lunch and then take a scenic drive through the High Atlas Mountains, crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 meters on our way to Marrakech.

Today's tour of Marrakech, the city's second oldest Imperial City, begins in the morning with visits to the Menara Garden, Koutoubia Mosque with its iconic minaret, Dar Si Said Museum, and the Bahia Palace, known for its intricate Arabic craftsmanship. After lunch at the hotel, we'll spend the afternoon exploring the old city center, with its bustling souks and handicraft quarters offering a true taste of Morocco. The tour concludes at Djemaa el-Fna Square, which is worth revisiting in the evening for its vibrant street food stalls, musicians, and entertainers—a highlight of Morocco.

After returning to Casablanca this morning, we arrive in time for lunch. You'll have the afternoon free to explore the city center, enjoy some final sightseeing, or do some shopping. If you prefer to conclude your tour in Marrakech instead, we can make arrangements accordingly. Please contact us for more information

You have free time in Casablanca today until your transfer to Mohamed V Airport for departure.