10-Day Tour From Marrakech

Dates, teapot, cup with tea near the fire in the desert with a beautiful background. Ramadan Kareem

lighting shop in the souk of marrakech, Morocco

Beautiful girl at traditional carpet shop in Goreme city, Cappadocia in Turkey.

Fes, Morocco. October 10, 2021. Man cutting leather with knife at tannery next to brims of old stone water baths

extreme-long-shot-two-people-sitting-top-dune

Set off on a 10-day tour from Marrakech and explore Morocco’s most breathtaking sites. Visit the ancient medina of Fez, explore the Moroccan Sahara, go camping in the desert and admire the magnificent coastline. Start your journey in Marrakech, a city full of culture and history. Visit the emblematic Djemaa el-Fna square, explore the medina and admire the city’s magnificent architecture.

From Marrakech, head to the Sahara Desert for a unique experience. Ride a camel, watch the sun set over the sand dunes and sleep under the stars. Then on to Fez, Morocco’s oldest imperial city. Explore Fès el-Bali, the world’s largest car-free urban area, admire the magnificent mosques and madrassas, and buy Moroccan souvenirs. Then visit northern Morocco and enjoy the blue city of Chefchaouen. Finally, end your trip with a visit to the city of Rabat and explore the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca.

Day 1: Arrival to Marrakech

Upon arrival at Marrakesh airport, you will be greeted by our designated driver who will facilitate your transfer to your hotel/Riad. After settling in and unwinding, embark on a brief sightseeing excursion around Marrakesh to acquaint yourself with the city’s charms.

Day 2: Guided tour of Marrakech

Following breakfast at the hotel, your day will be dedicated to exploring the rich history of Marrakesh, often referred to as the “Pearl of the South.” Having served as a capital city during the reign of three Moroccan sultan dynasties, Marrakesh boasts a plethora of museums and architectural wonders, each representing a masterpiece of art. The morning will be spent immersing yourself in these cultural treasures, including visits to the iconic Koutoubia Mosque, the serene Manara Pavilion surrounded by verdant olive groves, the historic tombs of the Saadian sultans, the opulent Bahia Palace showcasing intricate palace architecture, the majestic El Badii palace, and the enchanting Majorelle Gardens. Following a delightful lunch, you will explore the vibrant markets of Morocco, culminating in a visit to the renowned Jemaa El Fna square. Here, amidst a bustling open-air theater, you’ll encounter mesmerizing sights such as snake charmers, traditional healers, mystical sorcerers, and vendors selling an array of fruits and exotic spices.

Day 3: Marrakech to Dades via Atlas Mountains and Ouarzazate

Starting in Marrakech, we’ll take you through the Atlas Mountains ‘TIZI-N-TICHKA’ to the Kasbah AIT BEN HADDOU, one of Morocco’s most beautiful villages and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The journey then continues to the great African film studio of Ouarzazate, where famous films have been shot: The Mummy, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven and many others. Lunch will be taken in Ouarzazate and you’ll continue the drive to the DADES Gorges, where you’ll spend the night in a hotel with dinner and breakfast included. Between Ouarzazate and DADES, we’ll pass through the Rose Valley at KELAAT M’GOUNA, famous for its annual rose festival.

Day 4: Dades valley to Erg Chebbi dunes

Our journey will take us towards Merzouga, with a scenic stop near the charming town of Tinghir nestled amidst a sprawling palm oasis, perfect for capturing panoramic photos. Following this, we’ll venture to the renowned Todra Gorge, where you’ll have the opportunity to stroll along its impressive cliffs and beside the flowing river. Our next destination is Rissani, home to the intriguing “Fossil Factory,” showcasing the abundance of fossils found in this region. After exploring Rissani, we’ll proceed to Merzouga, where we’ll spend the night.

Day 5: 4x4 excursion in desert

In the morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we’ll meet the 4×4 driver for an excursion into the dunes, then have a cup of tea with the desert nomads, and see how they manage to live in the desert. Arrival at the small village of Merzouga, at the foot of the white sand dunes. In the afternoon, camel ride to the desert camp, with comfortable beds, individual showers and toilets. In the evening, we’ll have a Moroccan dinner, play drums around the fire and listen to the songs of the Berbers in the desert. You’ll also be able to admire the stars in the clear sky.

Overnight in the camp.

Day 6: Desert to Fez via Ifrane

We’ll wake up with the first rays of the sun to watch the sunrise over the astonishingly silent sand dunes. This moment will become one of your most vivid impressions of Morocco!
After breakfast, departure for Fez. This is one of the longest journeys – around 7 hours on the road, not counting stops – but with the change of scenery, we’ll appreciate the time.

On the way, we cross the gorges and valley of the Ziz River, one of the longest valleys in Africa. Lunch stop in Midelt, then onward journey. Near Ifrane, we can admire the majestic Atlas cedars and feed the wild monkeys on the way to Azrou. Monkeys are friendly and love to be fed. We’ll stop in Ifrane, which boasts a European climate and nature, parks with lakes and chalets, a ski resort and an abundance of snow in winter, giving the town the nickname “Moroccan Switzerland”. After 1 hour, we arrive in Fez for the night.

Day 7: Private guided sightseeing tour of Fez

We’ll be sightseeing in the Kingdom’s cultural and religious capital. You’ll immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere of a medieval oriental city, strolling through the narrow, winding streets of the ancient medina and discovering the many historical and architectural monuments that adorned the former capital of the kingdom of the sultans of the Merinid and Alawite dynasties. Most of these monuments are excellent examples of the Moorish architectural style. You’ll visit the Bu Inanya mosque, the madrassas (Muslim universities), Nejarin square and the fountain. You’ll find yourself in the artisanal quarters, where leather and pottery craftsmen work using technology inherited from their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, the secrets of which have been carefully handed down from generation to generation. We then continue on to the Jewish quarter, still present today. It bears witness to the coexistence of the two communities, Muslim and Jewish.

Day 8: Fez to Chefchaouen via Meknes and Volubilis

Breakfast at the hotel and departure. Transfer to Meknes, one of the imperial cities. We’ll take a short tour of the city before continuing on to Volubilis, about 45 minutes’ drive from Meknes. We’ll visit the ruins of the city of Volubilis (UNESCO World Heritage Site), which was founded in the 40s BC. It is one of the best-preserved monuments of the Roman era in North Africa. The ruins are vast, stretching across picturesque green fields. There are impressive administrative buildings, palaces and baths adorned with magnificent mosaics. Then it’s on to the blue city of Chefchaouen. This is one of the most picturesque and photogenic cities in the world. You’ll have plenty of free time.

Overnight in Chefchaouen.

Day 9: Chefchaouen to Casablanca

Today, we’ll be leaving the Blue City for Morocco’s capital, Rabat. This is one of the country’s imperial cities. We’ll explore the city’s main attractions. Oudaya, the old medina, Shalla and the Hassan Tower. Later, transfer to Casablanca. We visit the Hassan II mosque. Transfer to hotel. Free time.

Night in Casablanca.