Welcome to Morocco! Your tour will start at the hotel in Rabat (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, there will be a tour meeting and an opportunity for you to meet your fellow adventurers.

Airport transfers can be arranged by request and are complementary from Casablanca. Transfers from airport in Marrakech can be arranged for an additional fee.

This morning after breakfast you enjoy a tour of the current capital city of Morocco, Rabat. Your visit will include all of the important sites such as Hassan Tower, Mohammed V Mausoleum, and Kasbah of the Udayas. After you tour, you will continue to the Blue city of Chefchaouen. You’ll arrive here by mid afternoon and have time to explore this magical small city before returning to your riad for the evening.

After breakfast, you will have a little more time to explore Chefchaouen before departing for Meknes, another Imperial city. Your visit will begin by entering the old medina through the beautiful 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 his 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 (built under the reign of Moulay Ismail) and Heri es-Souani, a former granary and stable that lay alongside the reservoir. After exploring these sites, you’ll have free time to spend in El Hadim Square before returning to your riad for the night.

After breakfast, you will head to the Roman ruins 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 will visit the nearby sacred city of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun which is home to the Idriss I’s tomb. After visiting here, you will make the short drive to Fes where you will spend the night.

No driving today! Your day will begin, as always, with breakfast after which you will explore the imperial city of Fez. This ancient city was actually originally two separate ones. The first, Fas Elbali, was founded by Idriss I in 789 AD and the second, Al-‘Aliya was founded by his son, Idriss II, in 808 AD and under his rule this city served as his seat of power thereby replacing Oulili as the capital of Morocco. In 1070 AD, the two cities were combined and renamed to Fes. The tour will take you into the medina of Fez through Bab Boujloud (the Blue Gate), where you will discover the ancient streets and neighborhoods, as well as Al-Qarawaiyin University. Founded in 864 AD and still in operation today, it holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest continually operated university in the world. After discovering all that the Medina has to offer, you will be taken to get a high up panoramic view of the old city before returning to your riad for the evening.

Today after breakfast, you will make your way to the desert. You’ll travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains through Azrou and through the largest cedar forest in all of Africa. This is also home to the Atlas Monkeys (aka Barbary Apes) that are always entertaining. After visiting the monkeys, you’ll continue to the town of Midelt located on a plateau between the Middle and the High Atlas Mountains which will be your stop for the night.

After breakfast, you will continue your journey to Merzouga and the great sand sea of the Sahara, Erg Chebbi. You’ll have a little time to relax and unwind from the days driving and just before sunset, you will climb aboard your camel and trek through the dunes to your Berber camp for the night. Once there you will watch the sunset and the stars come out. Dinner will be served and traditional music will be played while you lounge around the campfire gazing at the stars. When you are ready, you can retire to your tent for the night… or, if you wish, you can sleep under the stars.

This morning you will be awoken by your camel guide before dawn so that you can witness the breathtaking beauty of the Saharan sunrise. Afterwards, you will take your camels back to the kasbah on the edge of the dunes where breakfast will be served. You will also be given a room where you can shower and prepare for your day. After breakfast and showers, you will start the journey towards Marrakech. On the way, you’ll stop to visit the ancient irrigation system that once brought water all the way from the Saghro Mountains to the desert. Next, you will head to the town of Tinghir. Here you will have a guided walk of the oasis palmeraie before heading to nearby Todgha Gorge. You’ll have another opportunity to stretch your legs as you walk through the most impressive part of the gorge. From here you will make the short drive to the Dades Valley where you will stop for the night.

Today, you will enjoy a leisurely breakfast and morning and then you will have the opportunity to spend time with the locals.  You’ll head to the home of a local family for lunch.  If you would like, you can participate in the lunch preparations or just relax and visit with the family before enjoying a traditional Moroccan meal with them.  After lunch, you will have the option to visit a traditional Hammam OR discover a little of the nearby town center.  In the late afternoon, you will return back to your hotel for another delicious dinner.

*If the tour is in April or May, you’ll have a special local immersion: Pick roses with the locals and then take your petals to the local cooperative and make your own rose water.

After breakfast, you will take the road of 1000 Kasbahs on your way to the city of Ouarzazate (pronounced: Wor-za-zet, also known as the Hollywood of Morocco). After passing through Ouarzazate you will make the short drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou. You’ll have a chance to explore this impressive ksar, before traveling over the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka path, reaching an altitude of nearly 7500 feet above sea level. There will be plenty of stops for tea and photographs as you take in the breathtaking vistas before arriving in the evening to Marrakech.

After breakfast, you will meet your local city guide who will show you all around Marrakech. Your tour will include visits to the old Ben Youssef Madrasa, El Badi Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and the beautiful Koutoubia Mosque. After you’ve visited these monuments, your guide will escort you to the souks of Marrakech to see how artisans still use traditional methods for their handicrafts today. In the evening, after your tour, you will be free to explore the Medina and Jemaa El F’na on your own.

Today you will either enjoy a free day in Marrakech on your own, or join a day excursion to Ourika Valley. Should you choose to go on the day excursion, your will depart your riad in Marrakech for at 9 AM for Ourika Valley, located 1.5 hours outside of Marrakech. On the way, you will see authentic 16th and 17th century Berber Villages in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains. The sweeping vistas will include many agricultural terraces and unique reddish mountain landscapes. You will have lunch at a restaurant that is situated alongside the Ourika River. After lunch, you will visit Setti Fatma to take in the beauty of the seven waterfalls. If you are feeling extra adventurous, you can climb to the topmost waterfall and enjoy the view. When you’re finished, you’ll make the short drive back to your riad in Marrakech for the evening.

Today after breakfast, you will travel to the walled city of Essaouira, also known as Mogador from the Portuguese word meaning “wall”. Archeological evidence shows that this area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but the city as it is now was designed in the 18th century by the French engineer, Thédore Cornut. On the way to Essaouira, you will see groves of Argan trees from which Morocco’s liquid gold (argan oil) is produced with the unique help of local goats. You will arrive in the coastal city at 11:00 AM, just in time to make your way to the shore for a seafood lunch of freshly caught fish. Afterwards, you will have the afternoon to discover this beautiful city.

After breakfast, you will transfer directly back to the Casablanca Airport, estimated arrival time of 1 PM (13:00).

Transfers to Marrakech can be arranged upon request for an additional fee.