Day 1: Fez “Arrival Morocco”

Upon arrival in Fez Airport, the spiritual capital of Morocco, you will be met by our driver. Depending on the arrival time, transfer to the Riad for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Fez “Medina Guided Tour”

After breakfast, you will begin your guided tour of the medina, one of the world’s largest walled cities. You will explore the narrow streets lined with fresh fruit, mounds of spices, intricately woven Berber carpets, and many other art objects of Morocco. You will visit mosques, including the Quaraouiyine Mosque founded in 859 by Fatima el Fihri and the Andalusian Mosque dating back to 860. Entry is not permitted for non-Muslims. You will also visit fountains, including the Nejjarine Fountain, Medersas (Koranic schools) founded as early as the 13th century, Batha Palace now a museum of arts and traditions, Chouwara Tanneries, souks including Souk Attarine, one of the liveliest in the city, Bab Boujloud with its green and blue ceramics, Mellah, and the 17th-century Ibn Danan synagogue. In the afternoon, visit the Borj North or South to see the old medina from the top and enjoy the sunset. Overnight in the Riad.

Day 3: Fez / Ifrane / Medilt / Merzouga

Depart early from Fez. You will begin your ascent, passing through Ifrane, a winter ski resort in a totally un-Moroccan style built by the French in the 1930s to resemble a Swiss village. Continue passing through the cedar forest in Azrou where you will see the monkeys. Drive across the Middle Atlas Mountains. Most of the day will be spent winding your way through the beautiful forests, springs, jagged rock faces, and Berber villages as you cross the Atlas Mountains and begin to descend towards the Sahara Desert. Halfway, you will stop for lunch in the town of Midelt, famous for its fossils and rocks. Then, continue towards Merzouga. On the way, you will stop at panoramic views to see the huge oasis of palm trees. You will reach Merzouga in the afternoon. Depending on your arrival, you will go to a traditional Kasbah on the foot of the dunes of Erg Chebbi. After resting and having mint tea, the guide and camels will be waiting to carry you across the sandy dunes of Erg Chebbi. You will enjoy the beauty of the sunset on a camel. After one hour, you will reach the desert camp to spend the night in a Berber tent. At your desert shelter, your camels are hobbled and mint tea is served. After a wonderful dinner, watch the stars and overnight in the Berber tent.

Day 4: Merzouga / Tinghir / Gorges / Ouarzazate

After a delicious breakfast, you’ll depart for Ouarzazate, traveling the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs that rise up like turreted sand castles along this ancient caravan trading route. This area has long been a popular location for Hollywood films such as “The Last Temptation of Christ,” “Jewel of the Nile,” and most recently “Hideous Kinky.” The central region is one of the most exciting and romantic destinations of Morocco, nestled along rich river valleys, palmeries, and burnished mud-brick homes ablaze in vibrant color under the shelter of the blue desert sky. We stop for lunch and walk in Todra Gorges. We’ll travel through the Dadès Valley past dramatic escarpments. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 5: Ouarzazate / Ait Ben Haddou / Marrakech

After breakfast, we will visit the town of Ouarzazate, including the Kasbah of Taourirt. We will stop in Ait Ben Haddou for lunch. Here we can visit the famous Kasbah, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was the scene of films like “The Gladiator,” “Babel,” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” We continue passing through the High Atlas and the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, along a road that climbs from the plains up to 2260 m above sea level, passing through small villages, small waterfalls, and the continuously changing landscape and colors of these beautiful mountains. We will have a stop to visit the Argan oil cooperative. We reach Marrakech for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Marrakech / Essaouira / Marrakech

In the morning after breakfast, depart towards Essaouira. On the way, we stop to visit a cooperative of argan oil. We will start the visit of Essaouira, a relaxed town set two hours from Marrakech, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a protected city. The ramparts of Essaouira and the 16th-century walled city offer astonishing views of the Atlantic Ocean. A day trip to Essaouira, one of the most charming medinas in all of Morocco, gives you ample time to visit the important monuments, the old fish markets, and the seaport. You’ll also have a chance to watch silver craftsmen and wood carvers at work. In the afternoon, we drive back to Marrakech for dinner and overnight in the hotel.

Day 7: Marrakech “Depart Morocco”

Depending on the departure time, transfer to the airport for the end of the trip.