Essential Morocco with Desert Camping

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive in Casablanca and Visit Hassan II Mosque

  Welcome to Casablanca, Morocco! Upon arrival, your private English-speaking chauffeur guide will meet you at the airport exit. After a short break, you will set off for the Hassan II Mosque. The mosque was built on the coast in the mid-1980s and combined the Arab Andalusian heritage and the local Berber culture. Enjoy your time visiting this landmark of Casablanca. Afterward, you will be escorted to your hotel for rest.

  • Casablanca

• Day 2: Casablanca - Rabat - Fez

  After breakfast, head to the imperial city and present-day capital of Rabat. Discover the Hassan Tower, a minaret of the incomplete mosque. The 4th Almohad ruler Yaqoub al Mansour intended to build the mosque into the largest in the world for the time. Though unfinished, the tower still has a magical appearance. Visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, where three royals were buried here: Mohammed V, Hassan II, and his brother Moulay Abdellah. Continue to the Kasbah of the Udayas. Enter through the grand door into Rabat's old city center. Walk through the streets and alleys where locals still inhabit and see houses with white facades and colored doors. After the tour, depart for Fez.

  • B
  • Fez

• Day 3: Explore the Medina of Fez

  Among the four Imperial Cities in Morocco, Fez is the oldest and is often considered the country's cultural capital. This walled city, a UNESCO Heritage Site, will transport you back to medieval times. Visit the ancient maze-like quarters of the Medina and spend half-day learning about the history and culture as you navigate the narrow and winding streets, traditional tanneries, and potteries. To the north of the Medina, you will meet another highlight today to have a panorama view over the old imperial Fez city.

  Afterward, visit the King's Palace in the Fez El-Jdid neighborhood, near the Medina of this imperial city. Then the remaining time of the afternoon is free for you to explore more this stunning city has to offer.

  • B
  • Fez

• Day 4: Volubilis Ruins and Meknes

  Not far from Fez lies Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins of Volubilis. Wander the expansive complex, exploring the still-intact columns of former buildings, large merchant homes, temples, and the colorful mosaics. Afterward, continue your journey to the whitewashed town of Moulay Idriss. Holding the mausoleum of Idris I, the first major Islamic ruler of Morocco, Moulay Idriss is considered the holiest city in Morocco. The Sentissi Mosque here, built in 1939, has the only cylindrical minaret in Morocco and is covered by green tiles.

  After lunch, head to the Meknes. Though not as famous as other imperial cities, Meknes has its own charm and beauty. Spend time exploring its ancient medina before taking a private transfer back to Fez.

  • B
  • Fez

• Day 5: Fez - Erfoud

  Continue your journey to the south towards Erfoud. Along the way, you will climb up and over the Col du Zad pass (2,178 m), through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas mountains, and see many Berber villages made up of traditional mud-brick buildings. Enjoy lunch in Midelt.

  Afterward, pass over the Tizi n'Talremt pass and travel into the Ziz Valley, known for its hidden oases and palm tree clusters. Finally, reach Erfoud, an oasis town in the Sahara Desert, for the night.

  • B D
  • Erfoud

• Day 6: Explore the Sahara Desert with Camel Ride

  Start your day bright and travel to the Sahara Desert! This morning, you will pay a visit and learn about the Berber Tent handwoven by camel or goat hair by the Nomads of the Sahara. Later, join the ethnic Gnawa people and enjoy their traditional music performance.

  In the afternoon, continue your journey to Erg Chebbi, a vast sea of dunes covering an area of 13.5 square miles (35 square km). Change a 4-wheel drive vehicle and go deep into the fascinating Sahara Desert. Upon reaching Merzouga, check in to your camp and then take a camel safari to watch the colorful display as the sun sets behind the colossal dunes. Try sandboarding before returning to your site for dinner and a campfire under the starry night sky.
  *If you prefer, a traditional Berber tent can be arranged in advance.

  • B D
  • Erg Chebbi

• Day 7: Erg Chebbi - Tinerhir - Ouarzazate

  Wake early to catch the rising sun over the dunes. Later, you will take a private transfer to the Dades Gorge in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, near the town of Tinerhir. On the way, you will also pass by the Todra Gorge. Enjoy your time for some photographs of the red cliffs with an average height of 400 meters, or talk a short walk at the end of the Todra Gorge to get an impressive view of the enormous rock walls. Afterward, continue on your journey to Ouarzazate.

  • B
  • Ouarzazate

• Day 8: Ouarzazate - Marrakech, Visit Ait Ben Haddou

  Set off for the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that you may see many times in famous movies like Gladiator, Game of Thrones, and Black Hawk Down. You can overlook the splendid valley surrounded by a river while walking along the path of the castle. After that, leave for Marrakech and enjoy some free time there.

  • B
  • Marrakech

• Day 9: Marrakech City Highlights

  In the lively and passionate Marrakech city, you will explore the magnificent historical buildings and have the chance for a pure Morocco experience. Start your city sightseeing from the brilliant Bahia Palace to the Saadian Tombs. After lunch, visit the Koutoubia Mosque and stroll around its garden. Continue you will visit the fabulous Jemaa el-Fnaa market. The market becomes more beautiful and active when the sun goes down with various performances, activities, and stalls. Walk around the market to find some interesting souvenirs, or sit for a traditional mint tea and enjoy a relaxing time.

  • B
  • Marrakech

• Day 10: Marrakech Relaxing Time

  There are still many things to discover in the Red City of Marrakech. Today you will have enough time to explore it at your own pace. Drinking spice-infused cocktails at an underground bar, watching artisans at work, or dining at a rooftop restaurant high above the city's buzzing medina are good options.

  • B
  • Marrakech

• Day 11: Marrakech - Casablanca, Departure

  Enjoy some leisure time before being picked up and escorted to the Casablanca airport (about 3 hours drive) for your flight back home.

  • B