Morocco Immersion Tours and Adventures
Your Moroccan Tour Experts
Imperial Cities of Morocco Immersion
9 Day Small Group Tour
Marrakech to Marrakech
Tour Overview
Discover the history of Morocco’s ruling families with visits to the cities that served as the seat of power from the first dynasty (Fes to the current one (Rabat) with a few in between (Meknes & Marrakech). If you enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life and have a passion for history, this is for you!
About This Tour
- Tour Type: Small Group Tour
- Starts from: Marrakech
- Ends in: Marrakech
- Activity Level: Easy to Moderate
- Maximum Group Size: 12
Tour Highlights
- Wander through the blue streets in Chefchaouen
- Uncover the ruins of an ancient Roman outpost
- Travel back in time in the maze-like medina of Fes
- Get a glimpse of the country-side
- Become acquainted with the excitement of beguiling Marrakech
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Welcome to Morocco! Arrival to Marrakech
Welcome to Morocco! Tour will start in your riad in Marrakech (details provided upon booking). You can arrive any time, as today will be a day of leisure to recover from your travels and prepare for the journey ahead. In the evening, you’ll meet your group for a welcome dinner.
Airport transfers can be arranged by request and are complementary from Marrakech. Transfers from airport in Casablanca can be arranged for an additional fee.
Meals: Dinner
Overnight: Marrakech
Accommodations: Riad Nesma (or similar)
Day 2: Marrakech Immersion
After breakfast, your local city guide will meet you at your riad and show you all around Marrakech. Your tour will include visits to the important monuments such as Bahia Palace, Ben Yousef Madrassa, and Koutoubia Mosque. In between visiting these spots, you’ll wander with your guide through the maze-like souk filled with local artisans hard at work at their crafts. Marrakech is known for its spices used for medicine for thousands of years, so your tour will include a visit to a traditional pharmacy to learn about these various uses.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Marrakech
Accommodations: Riad Nesma (or similar)
Day 3: Marrakech to Fes: A Glimpse of the Countryside
After breakfast you will depart from Marrakech and head to the imperial city of Fes. This will be kind of a long day of driving, but there will be plenty of stops for tea and photographs along the way.
After a long day of traveling, you may not feel like going out upon your arrival to Fes, so dinner will be available and included at your riad in Fes tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Fes
Accommodations: Riad Al Makan (or similar)
Day 4: Fes Immersion!
Today after breakfast, your local guide will meet you at your riad for a guided tour of the Fes. To start your tour, you will first go to the Royal Palce and then walked through the old Mellah (Jewish Quartier) of the city. From here, you will head to one of the Borj (towers) and get a panoramic view of the entire medina. Next, you’ll head to a mosaic house where you will have a demonstration of the traditional pottery methods utilized by Fassi artisans – you’ll see every step of the process from the formation of the clay to the piecing together of the mosaics. After this, the tour will take you into the medina of Fes where you will discover the ancient streets and neighborhoods, visit the various artisan sections (including the tanneries), and the important historic monuments (including the tomb of Idriss II and the Al-Qarawaiyin University – the oldest continually operated university in the world). Your tour will end after lunch at which time you’ll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to explore the medina. Don’t worry if you get lost – that is all part of the experience.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Fes
Accommodations: Riad Al Makan (or similar)
Day 5: Fes: Another Day of Exploration
You’ll have the day free to explore the ancient city of Fes on your own. Wander through the maze-like medina, enjoy a relaxing day at a Moroccan hammam, or become acquainted with Fassi cuisine with a cooking class. The day is yours, but your tour manager will be available should you need help arranging anything.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Fes
Accommodations: Riad Al Makan (or similar)
Day 6: Fes to Chefchaouen: Roman Ruins & Magnificent Meknes
After breakfast, you will depart Fes and head north towards Fes. On the way, you will stop to visit the ruins of the Roman outpost of Volubilis. Before the Romans came, Volubilis was an Amazigh city known as Oulili (pronounced wa-lee-lee) which dates back to the 3rd century B.C. Although severely damaged by an earthquake in the 18th century and subsequently further damaged by Moulay Ismail’s architects (who used pieces to build the gates of the city of Meknes), it is still “an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire”, according to the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The city was reclaimed by the local Amazigh tribes around 235 AD and it was near here in the 8th Century that Idriss I established the first dynasty of the Kingdom of Morocco.
After a guided tour of Volubilis, you’ll head to the lessor known imperial city of Meknes. Your visit will begin by entering the old medina through the interesting gate of Bab Mansour, which incorporates marble pillars that were moved from the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Once inside the medina, you will visit the tomb of Sultan Moulay Ismail. It was under this eccentric ruler’s reign from 1672 to 1727 that Meknes served its time as the capital of Morocco. Next you will visit the impressive Agdal reservoir and Heri es-Souani, a former granary and stable that lay alongside the reservoir and which once housed 12,000 horses.
After exploring Meknes, you’ll drive to the blue city of Chefchaouen. Although this is not an official “imperial city”, it is well worth a visit.
Important Note: The majority of the monuments in Meknes are currently undergoing extensive restoration for the foreseeable future, so the tour here may be limited or skipped.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Chefchaouen
Accommodations: Riad Hicham (or similar)
Day 7: Chefchaouen: The Blue Pearl
Today, you will have the entire day free to explore this magical city and discover why it is called Morocco’s Blue Pearl.
OPTION: Spend the morning hiking nearby to Cascade d’Akchour. The full hike to the big waterfall is a challenging 10 mile round trip trek, but the out and back trail makes it easy to hike as little as you might like.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Chefchaouen
Accommodations: Riad Hicham (or similar)
Day 8: Chefchaouen to Royal Rabat
After breakfast, you will head to the current capital city of Morocco, Rabat, where you’ll see the most important historic sites such as Hassan Tower, Mohammed V Mausoleum, and Kasbah of the Udayas. After touring these sites, you’ll have some free time to explore on your own before meeting up in the lobby for one last dinner together as a group.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Rabat
Accommodations: Hotel des Oudaias (or similar)
Day 9: Bon Voyage!
Today after breakfast, you’ll head back to Marrakech for your flight home. The tour will end at Marrakech airport at approximately 2 PM (14:00). To be safe, your departing flight should be after 4 PM (16:00).
If time allows and the group is interested, a stop to visit the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca may be added.
If you wish to depart from Casablanca Airport, a stop can be made there on the way to Marrakech (ETA 11:00 AM) free of charge).
Meals: Breakfast
DATES & RATES
*Price listed is based on double occupancy. Private rooms are available for an additional fee of $360 USD per person.
2023 Dates
| Departure Date | Adult Price | Child Price | Book Now! |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10-18, 2023 | $1750 USD | $1245 USD | Book Now! |
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Inclusions
- Ground transfers to/from Airport
- Private transportation
- English Speaking Tour Manager
- 8 Nights of Accommodations
- Meals Included: 8 Breakfasts; 3 Dinners
- Guided Tours of Marrakech, Fes, Volubilis, and Meknes*
- Entrance Fees (to sites listed)
*Please note that the majority of the monuments in Meknes are currently under extensive restoration for the foreseeable future, so the tour here may be skipped or very limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I meet the tour group on arrival day?
The tour meeting point is the first riad (listed in your finalized itinerary) in Marrakech.They will be expecting your arrival. We will meet in the lobby of the riad at 6:45 PM on your arrival day for a welcome dinner where you will have a chance to meet your fellow travelers and get answers to any questions you might have about the adventure to come. Just look for the Morocco Immersion Sign.
Note: The meeting time may change depending on the arrival time of the majority of the participants. You will receive more details prior to your tour start date.
What time should I arrive the first day?
You can arrive any time on Day 1, but if you would like to join the group for the welcome dinner, please plan to arrive in Marrakech by 5 PM.
Remember when you are booking your flights that most flights depart in the evening and arrive the following morning. Double check your flight to be sure that the arrival date is the same as the Tour Start Date.
Where and when does this tour end?
This tour will end at the Marrakech (RAK) airport. The estimated arrival time is 2 PM (14:00). If you prefer to depart from Casablanca Airport, a stop can be made there on the way back to Marrakech free of charge (ETA to Casablanca Airport is 11 AM).
When selecting your departing flight,be sure to allow time for check in and security. Departing flights from Marrakech should be after 4 PM (16:00). Flights out of Casablanca should be after 1:30 PM (13:30).
Which airport should I fly in and out of?
This tour will start and end in Marrakech which makes the Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) the ideal place to fly in an out of. We will also provide complementary ground transfers to/from this airport. We will also provide a free transfer on the departure day to Casablanca Airport, if you prefer to depart from there.
If you fly into Casablanca, we can arrange ground transfers to the Tour Meeting Point in Marrakech for an additional fee (per transfer).
What if I would like to spend extra time in Morocco before or after my tour?
No problem! We are happy to arrange accommodations and/or transfers if needed. Just let us know!
Will ground transfers be provided to/from the airport?
We are pleased to provide complementary ground transfers to/from the Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK). We will ask for your flight information during the pre-Adventure registration process (after booking). For this tour, we will also provide a complementary transfer to Casablanca Airport on the Tour End Date (Day 12) upon request.
Ground transfers from the airport in Casablanca to Marrakech on the Tour Start Date are available upon request for an additional fee. Contact us for more information.
What is the minimum number of participants for this tour?
We will operate this tour as long as we have a minimum of 2 participants.
What is the maximum number of participants for this tour?
12 participants. We are not a “big bus” tour operator and prefer to keep our group tours small so that you can truly experience Morocco’s rich culture and way of life.
What if I have a large group that would like to do this tour?
Contact us! Groups of 8 or more qualify for special discounts and groups of 13 or more can be accommodated as a private tour (again, for special pricing).
I am ready to go! How to a book this tour?
Simply follow this book now link. We request a 30% deposit at the time of booking. The balance is due prior to the Tour Start Date.
After you book, you will be contacted by the Morocco Immersion Adventure Organizer who will guide you through the pre-Adventure registration process, keep you updated on any tour changes, and answer any questions you might have.
What if I book this tour and then the tour does not get the minimum number of participants?
f we must cancel the tour due to a lack of participants, we will give you the following options:
- Switch to a different tour.
- Convert your tour to a private tour for an additional fee.
- Refund 100% of your deposit and any other additional payments made to us.
We will not refund any loss not paid to us such as airfare change or cancellation costs. For that reason, we STRONGLY recommend the purchase of travel insurance.
What if I need to cancel after I have booked?
If you cancel up to 14 days prior to your Tour Start Date, you will receive a credit for your deposit (for use on a subsequent trip) and any additional money paid shall be refunded. For cancellations made 14 or less before the in-country start date, no refund of or credit for the deposit will be given; however, any final payments made will be refunded until 1 day prior to the tour start date. Please refer to our terms and conditions.
If you must cancel your tour, please notify as soon as possible.
Is travel insurance required?
No, it is not required, but we strongly recommend it to cover any losses due to trip cancellation or interruption. Travel insurance that includes medical evacuation is also advised as some areas of Morocco are remote and may lack proper medical facilities.
Because we do highly recommend it, we have partnered with World Nomads to provide “one-stop-shopping” for your tour. You can check out our travel insurance page for a free quote today.
I am a solo traveler, but would like to share a room. Can you help me find a roommate?
Yes! We will help you with that during the pre-tour registration process. If we are unable to find a roommate for you, we will ask you to pay a portion of the single/private room supplement (typically 50% roughly $17.50 USD per day) to cover the additional expense.
Will I need any vaccinations to travel to Morocco?
No vaccinations are currently required for travel to Morocco; however, it is generally advised that you be up to date on your normal vaccinations and consider vaccinations for Hep A and Typhoid to prevent food borne pathogens. For more information, you should contact a travel clinic or review the CDC guidelines for travel to the area.
There may be additional travel requirements due to COVID-19 (such as a negative PCR test prior to arrival). While we will advise to the best of our ability, it is your responsibility to make sure that you adhere to any additional requirements.
Do I need a visa to travel to Morocco?
US Passport holders currently do not need a visa to travel to Morocco for a duration of less than 3 months for tourism purposes. If you do require a visa, you are responsible for acquiring it.
It is your responsibility to acquire and bring required travel documents such as passport and visa (if applicable). Be sure to put that on your packing list!