On this Culture Morocco Trip Imperial Cities to Desert you will visit all Morocco Imperial cities, the Atlantic ocean and the most amazing Sahara desert part of Morocco. You will be able to contemplate some of the most impressive and different landscapes of the country. In a comfortable 4×4 or Minivan with AC, we will cross roads, cities, mountains, dirt tracks, valleys, ports, gorges, Camel ride in Sand dunes and villages with Bereber history & Moroccan culture.
Upon arrival, we’ll collect you and drive to Casablanca where you’ll visit the Hassan II Mosque, the largest outside Mecca and experience the coastal Cornish seaside. Afterwards, we’ll leave for Rabat, the capital of Morocco. Here, you’ll see the Hassan Tower, the Oudaya Kasbah before checking in to your Riad at the heart of the Medina. Overnight in our Hotel/Riad.
After breakfast in your hotel you can start the raod to Chefchaouen, for to get there in the mid-day for exploring the medina of Chefchaouen. A beautiful unique city with its white washed walls and its blue doors and windows. Unlike many parts of Morocco, this city was occupied by Spain and the influences of Spanish civilization and architecture are all around. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet locals and walk in this beautiful Medina. Overnight in your Riad.
After breakfast We will then depart via Volubilis, the Roman ruins and Moulay Idriss, the holy town. Then Meknas we will take a tour of the Medina including El Hdim square, Bab El Mansour, the massive gate which is the entrance to the old city and the Jewish quarter, the Royal Granaries & the city rampart. Night in your accommodation.
After breakfast in your Riad, you’ll start exploring the oldest city in Morocco browsing its alleys and small streets. Our visit starts by visiting the Royal Palace gate, the Jewish headquarter and the first Mellah ever built in Morocco. We will ensure that you visit all the sites with cultural and historical interest including the famous Al Qaraouine University – the oldest in the region, the Tanneries and the Attarine museum. After lunch, you’ll see the ceramic factory and experience a wonderful panoramic view over the whole Medina of Fes. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the new city” La Ville nouvelle” for a drink. Overnight in our Hotel/Riad.
After breakfast we’ll leave Fes travelling towards Ifrane, a beautiful mountain village, referred to as “the Switzerland of Morocco”. During this journey you’ll experience glimpses of the Middle Atlas and Higher Atlas Mountains. Stopping at Azrou – a Berber village in the middle of the famous cedar forest (the largest in Morocco, you may well have the chance to see some Barbary apes. Afterwards we’ll travel through the Tizi Ntalghamt Pass to Midelt and along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock. After lunch in local restaurant, you’ll travel to Merzouga by Errachidia and Erfoud. You’ll exploring the Ziz Gorge, taking views of the High Atlas plateau, noting how the scenery changes to reveal hints of the desert as you approach the city of Errachidia. Afterwards, you’ll travel along the luxuriant Ziz Valley, stopping for panoramic views along the way to Erfoud. Arriving at Merzouga in the afternoon, you’ll be welcomed with a glass of mint tea before checking in to your room.
After breakfast in the Hotel you can start exploring the area. You’ll visit the Gnawa people, originally slaves brought from Sudan, to experience their music and lifestyle, whilst not far away there’s the lake of Merzouga with its bird populations. You may also want to visit the nomad wire house where many Berber handicrafts are priced lower than in the big cities. In the afternoon it’s time for your camel trek, guided by an experienced camel man as you set off to explore within the sand sea of Merzouga. Dinner is in front of the tent where you will spend the night (the camp in equipped with flash-toilets and shower).
Your camel man will wake you up early in the morning to watch what well may be the best sunrise of your life after which you’ll camel-trek back to the village of Merzouga admiring the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes – changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast in the Riad, you’ll leave for Rissani, Tinghir and Todra gorges – the highest, narrowest gorges in Morocco. Lunch in the heart of the gorge precedes a drive through the Dades Valley towards Kalaa M’gouna and Ouarzazate. The route through Dades Valley is the way of the thousand Kasbahs – providing numerous opportunities to take some of your best photographic shots of the trip. We’ll stop at Kalaa Mgouna, “the rose city”, to purchase the rosewater, which will make your linen smell good a long time after your trip is over. Overnight in our Hotel/Riad.
After breakfast you well enjoy the best views of the valley from one strategic lookout in the mountains, from there we can appreciate the great number of kasbahs and the scenic characteristics of each one. Then we continue by a road to thousand kasbahs to Ait Ben Haddou passing by the cinema studios. Half hour driving from Ouarzazate, we will stop at ksar (fortified village) of Ait Ben Haddou where we will visit the famous Kasbah, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Knowed by Famous films have been shot in this spectacular stage, including Gladiator, Obelix, The Mummy, The Jewel of the Nile and Games of thrones. Visite of the site and time for lunch in town. In the afternoon raod to Marrakech through the Atlas mountain by Tizi Ntichka with stops to take pictures. On your way to Marrakesh you will stop in co-operative of Argan oil and Overnight accommodation will be in a local Riad.
The 10 days of the Sahara Desert via Atlas Mountains still give you the sensation of discovering Marrakech “the red city of Morocco”. We will ensure that you will see the most important sites of historical and cultural interest, including the Majorelle Gardens, the Koutoubia Tower, the Saadiens tombs, and the Bahia Palace. After having lunch at a restaurant near the square, you will walk through the souks “traditional market” and explore hundreds of handicrafts. Afternoon, you will have some free time to look around by yourself in the other parts of the city.
We will spend the morning at leisure for shopping or relaxing in Marrakech before leaving midafternoon to arrive in Casablanca by 4pm (or if you have a departing flight or want to spend time in Casablanca we can leave Marrakech at your convenience). End of the trip…