Highlights of Morocco Private Immersion

Welcome to Morocco! Your tour manager will be awaiting your arrival at the airport in Casablanca. Once you have made your introductions, you will depart from the airport and head to the current imperial city of Morocco: Rabat. You’ll check into your accommodations for the night and then embark on a guided tour of this modern capital city. Your tour will cover the important monuments such as the Royal Palace, the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, and the Kasbah of the Udayas.

Note: If you arrive early enough, you can stop to visit the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca on the way to Rabat. Alternatively, if you arrive too late or do not have the energy, you can do the guided tour of Rabat on the morning of Day 2.

This morning, after breakfast, you will depart Rabat and head north into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, the magical Blue City of Morocco. This charming small city is nestled between two peaks of the Rif Mountains that resemble horns (in fact, “chaouen” is the Berber word for “horn” and explains how the city got its name). Once here, you will check into your accommodations and then re-join your tour manager for an orientation walk in the city.

Once you get your bearings, you’ll be free to explore on your own. Be sure to hike to the Spanish Mosque (ask your tour manager for directions or just follow the people) in the late afternoon to watch the sun set over the city.

Note: If you didn’t have time or energy on Day 1 to tour Rabat, you will do that this morning before heading north to Chefchaouen.

After breakfast today, you’ll say farewell to Chefchaouen and begin your journey to Fes, the first imperial city of Morocco and the spiritual capital of the country. 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 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 which once housed 12,000 horses. As a contemporary of Louis XIV, Moulay Ismail sought to rival Versaille with his capital city, and the Agdal Reservoir may remind you a bit of the Grand Canal at that famous site. After exploring Meknes, you’ll make the short drive to Fes where you will check into your accommodations and have the rest of the evening free to explore on your own.

Note: Most of the monuments in Meknes are currently undergoing extensive restoration and are closed for the foreseeable future. You may choose to skip this stop to have more time in Chefchaouen or Fes, if you wish.

Today after breakfast, your local guide will meet you at your riad and together you will embark on an odyssey through this medieval city. You will begin your tour with your driver as you make your way to the Royal Palace. After this, you will walk through the old Mellah (Jewish Quartier) where you will note a change in the architecture. If you are interested in Jewish Heritage sites, let your local guide know as there are several points of interest in this neighborhood.

When you’ve finished here, you will head to one of the towers (or Borj) of the wall that surrounds the city for panoramic views of the whole medina. Fes boasts the largest pedestrian-only old city in the world with over 9000 streets and alleyways. From this vantage point, you can really appreciate the size of the city.

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, your driver will take you as far as he can towards the medina. From here, your guide will lead you through the gates of the old city where you will discover the ancient streets and neighborhoods, visit the various artisan sections (including the tanneries), and see 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 in the mid-afternoon. After which you’ll have a chance to explore on your own. Or perhaps after all of that walking, you may wish to enjoy a relaxing hammam and massage!

After breakfast, you will depart from Fes and head to the desert. Your first stop on the way will be the interesting, Alpine-like city of Ifraine. Driving through this city, you will think that you have been teleported to Switzerland. The city’s biggest claim to fame is a statue of the now extinct Atlas lion that once roamed the lands. But the best part of the city is the European-like cafe in the main square that serves great coffee and delicious sweets.

After a quick stop here for coffee and a snack, you’ll continue into the Middle Atlas Mountains and through the largest cedar forest in Africa which is also home to the Barbary macaques (aka Atlas monkeys) which are sure to entertain. Just be prepared to pay a toll in peanuts. These little guys may not let you pass without it! After you’ve crossed through the Middle Atlas Mountains, you’ll pass through the city of Midelt located on the high plains between the Middle and High Atlas Mountains and then continue through the High Atlas Mountains via the Ziz River Gorge.

After passing through the High Atlas Mountains, you will enter the desert region and the lush oasis of Erfoud. From here, you’ll make the final leg of the journey to the Merzouga, a small city located on the edge of the big dunes of Erg Chebbi. Upon your arrival, you will check into your guest house and relax from your full day’s journey. Dinner will be served at your accommodations tonight.

This morning, you’ll want to be sure to get up early to watch the sun rise over the dunes (don’t forget to set your alarm). Grab some coffee and climb the nearest dune and watch as the sun lights the sand aflame. After this near-transcendental experience, you’ll have breakfast at camp and prepare for your day. When you are ready, you’ll take a 4×4 transfer back to the edge of the dunes.

Once you reunite with your tour manager, you’ll make your way to Dades Valley. Your first stop, today, will be to visit the ancient irrigation system that once brought water to the desert from the distant Saghro Mountains. From here, you’ll head to the oasis town of Tinghir where you will have a guided walk of the palmeraie and Mellah (old Jewish area). Next, you’ll visit nearby Todgha Gorge where you will walk through the most impressive part of the canyon. After this, you’ll head to your accommodations located in the Dades Valley where you will enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Today is all about exploring how the locals live in this magical place where time seems to run slow and fast simultaneously. After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll head to the “next valley over” in the heart of the Rose Valley. On the way, you can visit a local market and then go to the home of a local family where you can help to prepare lunch (or just relax) and then join the family for a traditional couscous lunch.

After lunch (and a little relaxation), you can explore a little more of the Valley either by car or by foot before heading back to your hotel in time for dinner. This area also has tons of great hiking, so if you prefer a more active day, you can choose from several options from a short hike in the unique rock formation known as the Monkey Fingers to a full-day hike through the Dades Canyon or over the mountain to the M’Goun River valley.

After breakfast this morning, you and your driver will begin the journey to Marrakech by following the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs through the heart of the Valley of Roses to Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco. If you are interested and time permits, you can have a backlot tour of one of the active film studios here before making the short drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou. If this impressive ksar looks familiar, it may be because it starred (or at least served as a backdrop) for many films and TV shows such as Gladiator, Jewel of the Nile, Lawrence of Arabia, and Game of Thrones.

Upon your arrival here, you’ll stop first for a panoramic view of this “mud city” and then head in for a closer look. You’ll cross the riverbed to the entrance and then climb the steep and winding streets to the granary, or “bank”, at the top for amazing panoramic views of the whole region.

After your visit here, the adventure will continue as you cross over the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka pass, reaching an altitude of nearly 7500 feet above sea level before beginning your descent to Marrakech. This part of the drive, though not far as the crow flies, takes a large part of the day. Don’t worry, though, there will be plenty of stops for tea and photographs as you take in the sweeping vistas.

You will arrive to your accommodations in Marrakech by late afternoon. Once you check in here, you will be free to explore on your own. Experience Marrakech’s thriving restaurant scene, or wade into the sea of excitement in Jemaa el F’na for dinner at one of the food stalls that pop up like magic as the sun goes down.

After breakfast, your local city guide will meet you at your riad and show you all around Marrakech. Your tour will include visits to some important monuments of the Red City such as Bahia Palace, Ben Yousef Madrassa, and/or Koutoubia Mosque. In between these sites, you’ll explore the various artisanal sections of the souks where people have practiced their crafts for centuries.

Your tour will end around lunchtime, and then you will have the rest of the day free to explore on your own. Don’t forget to make your way to Jemaa el F’na in the late afternoon to one of the cafés overlooking the square to watch it come alive as the sun goes down!

This morning, after breakfast, you will transfer to the airport of your choice (Marrakech or Casablanca). There your tour manager will bid you a fond au revoir until you next trip to Morocco!