Day 1: Tangier “Arrival in Morocco” / Chefchaouen

Upon arrival in Tangier by ferry, you will find our driver waiting for you. Depart towards Chefchaouen, the famous blue city of Morocco in the Rif Mountains. On the route, you will have a few stops along the way. You will enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the Rif Mountains. Dinner and overnight at the hote

Day 2: Chefchaouen / Volubilis / Moulay Idriss / Fez

In the morning after breakfast, you will have time to explore the Blue Medina of Chefchaouen. You will see the souks with the silk and wool weaving quarter, the main square with its cafes. Depart towards Fez; we will stop to visit the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis and spend some time exploring the 2000-year-old ruins and getting a picture of life during the Roman Empire. Then we continue to visit Moulay Idriss where there’s the mausoleum of Moulay Idriss, the founder of Fes. It’s one of the holiest cities in Morocco. We reach Fes for dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 3: Fez “Guided Tour”

After breakfast, you will begin your guided tour of the medina, one of the world’s largest walled-in 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, 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. You will also visit the King’s Palace. In the evening, enjoy dinner with a spectacle and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 4: Fez / Ifrane / Middle Atlas / Medilt / Merzouga

After an early breakfast, you will begin your ascent. We pass through Ifrane, a winter ski resort in a totally un-Moroccan style built by the French in the 1930s to resemble a Swiss village. Drive across the Middle Atlas Mountains. Most of the day will be spent winding your way through the beautiful forests, 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. We continue passing the Ziz Valley and some Berber villages. We reach Merzouga in the afternoon. After resting and having mint tea, the guide and camels will be waiting to carry you across the sandy dunes of the Erg Chebbi. You will enjoy the beauty of the sunset on camelback. After 2 hours, you will reach the desert camp to spend the night in a 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 tent.

Day 5: Merzouga / Gorges Todra / Boumalne Dades

After a special Berber breakfast, you’ll depart towards Ouarzazate. After a small visit to Rissani, the first capital of the Alouite dynasty, including some historical Kasbahs and the famous market, we continue traveling the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs that rise up like turreted sand castles along this ancient caravan trading route. The central region is one of the most exciting and romantic destinations in Morocco, nestled along rich rivers, valleys, palm groves, and burnished mud-brick homes ablaze in vibrant colors under the shelter of the blue desert sky. We’ll travel through the Ziz Valley, past dramatic escarpments and plunging gorges via Tinghir. We’ll stop for lunch and walk in the Todra Gorge. Then we will continue traveling through the Dades Valley and reach Boumalne Dades for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6: Dades / Ouarzazate / Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou / Marrakech

After breakfast, depart towards Marrakech. On the way, we visit Ouarzazate, including the Kasbah of Taourirt and the Atlas Studios movie studios, the largest and most famous in all of Africa. We also stop at the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. We will arrive in time 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 meters above sea level, passing through small villages, small waterfalls, and the continuously changing landscape and colors of these beautiful mountains. We reach Marrakech in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 7: Marrakech “Guided Tour”

After breakfast, you will have a full-day tour to visit Marrakech. The visit will include the Menara Gardens, a magnificent pool surrounded by flowers, the Koutoubia Minaret, the Saadian Tombs, the Dar Si Said Museum with the best display of Berber arts and crafts, and the Bahia Palace. Lunch will be at a local restaurant, and after that, we will walk through the colorful Souks of Marrakech. The day will conclude with a sunset drink overlooking Jamaa El Fna Square. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel/riad.

Day 8: Marrakech / Essaouira

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 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 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. We drive back to Marrakech for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 9: Casablanca “Departure from Morocco”

After breakfast, depending on the departure time, transfer to the airport in Marrakech for the end of the trip.