12 Day Casablanca, Imperial City, Desert, Gorges and Coastal Tour

In Casablanca we will visit the Hassan II mosque, the landmark of Casablanca which is the only mosque open for non-Muslims. The Hassan II Mosque will be the first introduction of Moorish influences in Morocco. It is built by the king Hassan II between 1987-1993. Over 25 thousand worshipers can pray inside and 80 thousand worshipers pray outside in the big square of the mosque.

Afterwards, we will leave to Rabat. Here you will see the Hassan Tower and the Oudaya Kasbah, before you check in to your riad in the medina. Overnight at Riad.

After breakfast in your riad, you will start travelling to Fes via Meknes and Volubilis. In Meknes, another significant imperial city in Morocco, known as the Ismaili capital of Morocco, you will see the famous gate Bab Mansour, the Sahrij Souani Bassin, and the Mulay Ismail Mausoleum. After lunch, your journey continues to the Roman city of Volubilis, where you will get a chance to see the wonderfully preserved original mosaics, Roman road, and city layout. As you travel through the Moroccan countryside we will pass by the Holy City of Moulay Idriss for a photo opportunity. You’ll get to Fes at the end of the afternoon and check in to your riad within the Medina. Overnight at riad.

Breakfast in your riad, before your day of exploration in the old medina of Fez where you will visit the many hidden treasures that only the inhabitants of the place know about. Fes served as the capital of Morocco for more than 350 years and is home to the University of Al Karaouine, the oldest operating university in the world.

Your guided tour will take you to Moulay Idriss mausoleum, the Nejjarine Fountains and the Tanneries. After lunch you will also view the exterior of the Royal Palace and walk through the famous Jewish quarter “the Mellah,” where you will have the option to visit one of the few living synagogues in Morocco. Your tour of Fes includes a short visit to the famous ceramic factory, and then you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view over the whole Medina of Fes. Overnight accommodation at your riad.

After breakfast in your riad, we will leave towards the southeast following the ancient caravan route to Merzouga. During this journey you’ll experience glimpses of the Middle Atlas and High Atlas mountains. Stopping at the Cedar forest of Azrou, the largest one in Morocco, if we are lucky we will sight some Barbarian apes.

After lunch in Midelt, we will continue through the large open high desert, watching how the scenery changes to reveal hints of the desert as we approach the city Errachidia. Our journey continues along the Ziz Valley and the Tafilalet date palm grove, famous for date cultivation. This area is the home of the Alaouite dynasty - the current ruling royal family in Morocco. We will arrive at Merzouga at the end of the afternoon – to be welcomed with a glass of mint tea before you check in to your riad.

After breakfast in the riad we will start our full ‘desert day.’ We will visit the Gnawa people - originally slaves brought from Sudan - to experience their music and lifestyle. We may also visit the souk in Rissani (depending on the day), a traditional town which was the meeting place of the caravans trading as far as Timbuctoo in Mali. We will head back to the village of Merzouga for some rest.

In the afternoon you will mount your camel, guided by an experienced camel man, to explore within the sand-sea of Merzouga. Overnight will be at our desert camp. Enjoy sunset and dinner before spending the night in the dunes, listening to Berber music, or stargazing.

This morning you have a ‘date with the sunrise.’ When you are in the middle of the desert, waking up early is a must to watch the spectacular sunrise from the top of a dune close to the camp. After breakfast, we will return to Merzouga on camels. We will leave the desert after breakfast to head to Rissani, where we will visit the market (market days are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).

We will then continue to Erfoud, where many fossils have been found, before making our way to the Touroug and Tinjdad palm groves. One hour later we will best the Todra Gorges. The course of the river has carved out a cliff-sided canyon. You will have some free time to walk through the gorge to better appreciate the beauty of the landscape, before having lunch.

In the afternoon we continue to the Dadès valley, also known as the fig valley. We will have dinner and spend the night in Dades.

After breakfast in our hotel we will drive through the Dades Valley towards Kalaat Mgouna 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 Kalaat Mgouna, "the rose city," to purchase rosewater, which will make your linen smell good a long time after your trip is over!

Continue to Ouarzazate via the Amridil Kasbah, one of the last Berber chieftains during the 18th century. We will spend the night in Ouarzazate, and you will have free time in the afternoon to wander around the sleepy medina of this city known as the ‘gateway to the desert.’

After an early breakfast in the riad, we start our journey to reach the ksar (fortified village) of Ait Ben Haddou, where we will visit the famous Kasbah (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986). Famous films have been shot in this spectacular stage, including Gladiator, Sahara with Penélope Cruz and Game of Thrones.

After visiting the kasbah we will head to Marrakech through the Tizi n’Tchka pass. At 2.260m we can enjoy spectacular views. We will enjoy beautiful landscapes from the viewpoints along the way, before arriving to Marrakech in the early evening. Overnight in a riad in the old medina.

After breakfast in your riad, we will head for the coastal city of Essaouira. On arrival, we will walk through the alleys of the medina and view hundreds of handicrafts. ‘The Windy City’ attracts surfers from all over the world. Essaouira knew many civilisations - including the Portuguese occupation, which affects much of its architecture - however, it remains a small village with much history.

Because of its size and its characteristic blue doors and white-washed walls, it is also regarded as Morocco’s Jewel of the Atlantic.’ You will visit the women's co-operative of argan oil. Here they extract the oil that is famous for its culinary, cosmetic, and medicinal properties. Lunch will be in the medina or in the port. In the afternoon you will travel back to Marrakech. Overnight at riad.

Full day in Marrakech: after breakfast in the riad, you will enjoy some of Marrakech’s historical and cultural sites, including the Koutoubia Minaret; the Saadian tombs; the beautiful Palace of Bahia and the Ben Youssef Quranic School. Finally, end the morning by walking through the medina alleys -getting a chance to admire the different artisans performing their crafts before arriving at the famous Jamaa El Fna Square. Lunch at a restaurant near the square, and then in the afternoon visit the gardens at Majorelle, and have a short tour at Gueliz -the new city of Marrakech. After dinner you will have the option to walk through the square entertained by magicians, story-tellers, tooth-pullers and food sellers. Overnight accommodation in your riad.

After breakfast, your driver will take you back to Casablanca airport. If you are flying out of a different airport, or want to end your trip elsewhere, we can organize this for you.