Explore Morocco and its cultural richness and the splendor of its imperial cities on this 15 days Morocco Grand Tour. Travel from coasts, to imperial cities to mountains and desert across the board authentic tour of Morocco. The entire history of Morocco is recorded on the dividers of the four cities of the circuit of the imperial cities: Marrakech and the Jemaa El Fna Square, Fez and the Nejjarine Fountain, Meknes and Bab El Mansour, Rabat and the Mohammed V Mausoleum, yet in addition Volubilis and Casablanca with the Hassan II Mosque, all classified as World Heritage by Unesco. Meandering the tangled Souks/Markets of Marrakesh or Fez, your faculties are stirred by the sound of exchange’s kin at work, the smell of orange bloom and the kaleidoscope of carpets, scarves and leather in tanneries. The Atlas Mountains, dabbed with minor villages and the huge dunes of the desert Sahara on this trip.
DAY 1:
Meet you in Casablanca airport and drive to Rabat
Upon arrival, we will greet you at the airport and drive to Casablanca and then to Rabat. In Casablanca you will see the Hassan II Mosque, the largest outside of Mecca and experience the coastal «Cornish» seaside. Afterwards, we will leave to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. Here, you will see the Hassan Tower, the Oudaya Kasbah before you check in to your riad.
DAY 2:
Casablanca – Rabat – Chefchaouen
After breakfast, we will visite Hassan Tower in Rabat then drive to Chefchaouen via the city of Knitra and the Rif Mountain, crossing via Wazzan and other Rif villages. We will be in Chefchaouen in the early afternoon.
DAY 3:
Chefchaouen
An easy day in Chefchaouen to explore one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco, one of the stunning villages in the feet of Rif mountains. Chefchaouen Medina had a Spanish-style square surrounded by many funky arts and crafts stores, roof-top restaurants and cafes where you will spend you night in a nice place to enjoy the breeze and the beauty of the nature.
DAY 4:
Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes
After your breakfast in the riad, our authentic journey will start towards Volubilis crossing via Wazan and other rif villages. In Volubilis we will discover the Roman ruins and learn about the archeological side of Moroocan history, after the visit of the ruins we will shift our way to Meknes city, the 17th century heritage where we will stop for lunch and hang around the historical huge walls of the medina, Bab el Mansour and enjoy a visit of Moulay Ismail s shrine. After the visit of Meknes we will drive directly to Fes city where you will spend the night at a hotel 4****.
DAY 5:
Sightseeing Fes
After breakfast in your riad, you will start exploring the oldest city in Morocco, walking in its alleys and small streets. Our visit starts by visiting the Royal Palace gate, the Jewish headquarter, the first Mellah ever built in Morocco, built during the 16th century. We will ensure that you visit all sites with cultural and historical interest including the famous Al Qaraouine University, the oldest in the region, the Tanneries, the Attarine museum and Mulay Idriss mausoleum. After lunch, you will visit the tiles cooperative and then experience a wonderful panoramique view over the whole Medina of Fes.
DAY 6:
Free morning in Fes and drive to Midelt in the afternoon. Midelt is half way from Fes to Merzouga.
At midday you will leave Fes, travelling towards Ifran, a beautiful mountains village, referred to as «the Switzerland of Morocco» and then on to Midelt. 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- where you may well sight Barbary apes. After sometime within the forest, your journey continues to Midelt along the magnificent hills and mountains of the Atlas. In Midelt you will be accommodated in a luxurious hotel, 4****.
DAY 7:
Midelt – Ziz Valley – Erfoud – Merzouga. Camel ride and night in a camp.
After breakfast in your hotel, you will travel to Merzouga via Errachidia and Erfoud. You will be travelling through the fascinating Tiz Ntalghamt pass and the Ziz Gorge, taking in views of the High Atlas plateau, you’ll notice how the scenery changes to reveal hints of the desert as you approach the city of Errachidia, here you will have lunch and enjoy the Berber hospitality. Afterwards, you will travel along the luxuriant Ziz Valley, stopping for panoramic views along the way to Erfoud and Rissani. Arrival at Merzouga in the afternoon. You’ll be welcomed with a glass of mint tea before you start your camel ride to spend an overnight on the desert camp with berber music and sand boarding.
DAY 8:
Merzouga – Ramlia village
The camel man will wake you up early in the morning to watch what will may be the best sunrise of your life. Afterwards, you’ll peacefully camel-trek back to your hotel appreciating the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi dunes – changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast and shower, you’ll leave for Ramlia village, a remote village in the middle of desert. A place where you surely will meet the local people and experience the real rural Morocco, a very small oasis. You will have the chance to see the projects of Friends Of Nomads.
DAY 9:
Ramlia Village – Toudgha Gorges – Dades valley
After breakfast in Aghbalou Ramlia guest house, we will drive off-road in the beautiful black desert crossing the berber oasises of palm trees, mud houses till we get to Alnif village, a place known with fossil industry where we will have a stop for a drink, than continue our journey via the High Atlas mountains to see the stunning gorges of Todgha where springs of water runs between the rocks and enjoy the contrast of beauty of nature. After the visit of the gorges, the way continues with its magic mountains to Dades valley where we will end our day spending the night in a nice hotel located on the top of the mountain to enjoy an overview to the valley and the mountains.
DAY 10:
Dades valley – Ouarzazette – Ait Ben Haddou kasbah – Marrakech
After breakfast in the hotel, you will travel 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 in both the valley of the roses and cinema city of Ouarzazate passing by Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, the largest Kasbah in Morocco. After that, we will shift the way to cross High Atlas mountains full of panoramic views and attractive berber villages all along the way till Marrakech.
DAY 11:
Marrakech – Essaouira
The hustle and bustle of Marrakech quickly slips away as you enter into the peace and beauty that is Essaouira. This ancient citadel on the West Atlantic coast of Africa literally means “wall” in the Berber language, and you’ll soon discover why. Travelers from all over the world come here to experience the very special weather, and explore its diverse and unique history.
After all of your morning travels, you arrive in Essouira, where you have the chance to wander the ancient streets and imagine what life has come before us. The streets have a genuinely Portuguese feel, after they renamed the city in the 16th century and used it as a port city of their own. Here you can dine on fish straight out of the sea at any number of local restaurants, and can even have a camel ride on the beach if you want!
DAY 12:
Essaouira – Marrakech
After breakfast in your riad, depart for Marrakech. On our way – since this is the land of Argan culture – this is an opportunity to visit the women’s cooperative of Argan oil where they extract the oil that is famous for its culinary, cosmetic and medical properties. After several stops to take photographs, you will continue your travel to Marrakech and check-in to your riad. After dinner you will enjoy walking within the famous square of Jemaa Elfna, entertained with magicians, story tellers, musicians and snake charmers. Overnight in a hotel 4**** in the Medina.
DAY 13:
Sightseeing Marrakech
After breakfast in the riad, you can start exploring Marrakech “the red city of Morocco”. We will ensure that you see the most important sites of historical and cultural interest, including the Majorelle Gardens, the Koutoubia Tower, the Saadian tombs, the Bahia Palacel. After lunch at a restaurant near the square, you will walk through the souks and view hundreds of handicrafts. On the afternoon, you will have some free time to wonder by yourself the other parts of the city.
DAY 14:
Free day in Marrakech
Today you will be on your own and if you would like to have a cooking class, we can arrange it for you.
DAY 15:
Transfer to the airport
WHAT TO BRING
You need to prepare as you would for walking in any mountain region: it can be warm and sunny during the day but the weather in the mountains can quickly change from sunshine to snow and cold winds (autumn through late spring). Please do not leave any rubbish behind you; carry out what you carry in.
We are tailored to match the season and your level of fitness. You have the choice of basing yourself in Berber Guesthouses, from where you can take daily walks, or you can Atlas Mule Trek for 2+ days. On mule treks you usually have the choice of staying in Berber Guesthouse/with families or wild camping in 2-person tents. In addition to regular packing, here is a check list:
- Good walking boots and socks
- Comfortable shoes/slippers for camp/guesthouse
- Trekking pants
- Lightweight waterproof over-trousers / rain-pants