Morocco – 12N/13D

Itinerary:

Day 01: Airport Mohammed V / Casablanca
Arrival at Mohamed V airport of Casablanca.
Meet and greet by your driver. Check-in at hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 02: Casablanca/ Rabat
Morning, Enjoy a city tour of Casablanca
Visit of the great Hassan II Mosque before strolling along the Ain Diab Corniche and passing by the residential area of Anfa.
Afternoon, departure for Rabat, the administrative capital of Morocco.
Sightseeing of the “Imperial Garden City” with its main monuments: Oudayas garden, Hassan Tower and Mausoleum. You’ll also see the ramparts and walls of the Mechouar which surround the Royal Palace. Late afternoon arrival at hotel for check-in, dinner and overnight.

Day 03: Rabat / Meknes/ Fes
After breakfast, drive to Meknes, then start your sightseeing of Meknes. The “Moroccan Versailles” which was founded at the end of the 17th century by Moulay Ismail, a contemporary of LOUIS XIV. Additional sightseeing includes Bab El Mansour, considered as the finest gateway in Morocco.
The Moulay Ismaïl Mausoleum
As well as the mosque and his tomb, Lunch Free.
Afternoon visit of the ruins of Volubilis:
At the foot of Jebel Zerhoun, lie the Roman ruins of Volubilis. The remains of Volubilis, identified by Tissot in 1874, bear witness to the grandeur of the former residence of King Juba II. After, short visit of Moulay Idriss, a sacred Islamic town.
Transfer to Fes. Dinner & overnight at hotel in Fes.

Day 04: Fes
After breakfast, the whole day will be devoted to discovering Fez, the oldest of the Imperial Cities, which is well known for its spiritual and educational contributions to the Moroccan culture. Visit of the medieval Medina. You will also explore the famous souks where craftsmen still labour in the age-old oriental tradition. Lunch at leisure.
In the afternoon, Visit of the new city “Fes Jdid”. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 05: Fes / Midelt/ Erfoud 485 km
Early wake up and breakfast, departure for Erfoud via Immouzer du Kandar, a Berber village, Ifrane, a delightful ski resort, and Azrou, a Berber village known for its handicraft cooperative filled with wood carving and carpet weaving.
Lunch free at a Kasbah in Midelt.
Then continuation via the Ziz canyons a spectacular route
Offering wonderful scenery of the Atlas.
Continuations to Erfoud, at arrival check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 06: Erfoud/ Merzouga
Breakfast at hotel
Morning at leisure to relax
Then depart to Merzouga by 4X4 for a night bivouac and admire the sunset and sunrise on the sand dunes if wished.
Dinner and overnight

Day 07: Merzouga / Erfoud/ Tinghir
After breakfast departure to Tinghir, the highest and the narrowest gorges in the region are Todra’s, only 15 km from Tinghir
The Todrha Canyons just near Tinghir The road through the Todrha Gorges follows the right bank of the river, which is covered with palm trees. Farther east is the narrowest and most spectacular section of the gorges, where for a distance of 110 yards the narrow corridor between the sheer, towering walls of rock (985 feet high) is only 65 feet wide.
Lunch at leisure and Free time to walk around the “gorges”, enjoy the river and the fabulous views. Then go to the hotel at Tinghir, dinner and overnight

Day 08: Tinghir / Boumalne / Ouarzazate
Breakfast at hotel and departure to visit the Dades Gorges.
The Dades Valley is a great location for walking. In the Dades Valley the vividness of the colors will stop you every few steps for a picture, so be sure to bring extra film! The soil is a deep earthy red that rubs off on the hands and leaves the scent of the earth.
Then drive to Ouarzazate via Boumalne and Kelaa M’Gouna & Skoura.
Arrival to Ouarzazate and visit of its mains Kasbahs.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Ouarzazate.

Day 09: Ouarzazate / Marrakech
Breakfast at hotel and drive to Ait Benhadou Kasbah 30 km far from Ouarzazate. It is the most spectacular fortress in the south of Morocco, used as decors for many films like the “Lawrence of Arabia”.
Aït Benhaddou
The fortified village of Aït Benhaddou has been classified by UNESCO as one of the world’s cultural treasures. It is studded with crenulated towers and its buildings decorated with geometrical motifs and considered to be one of the most beautiful villages of this kind in Morocco. A program of restoration work is currently under way to encourage the repopulation of the village which is at present inhabited by just five families. Then departure to Marrakech via a long mountainous road and the Tizin tichka Pass, the highest pass in Morocco. Arrive; check in, dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Marrakech
Breakfast at hotel and full day city tour of Marrakech the second oldest Imperial City and definitely the “Pearl of the South”. Founded by the Almoravides at the end of the 11th century, Marrakesh sits in a lush oasis nestled at the foot of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. You will visit the famous Bahia Palace, Menara Gardens, Koutoubia mosque from outside,-
Free lunch, continue with sightseeing the souks and the famous Jemaa El Fna square.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
OPTIONAL: Evening, transfer to “ Chez Ali” local restaurant for a dinner animated by different folkloric troops and a show of Fantasia at the end of the dinner or at an Arab palace with belly dance.

Day 11: Marrakech/ Essaouira 180 km
Breakfast and departure to Essaouira:
Essaouira, or Old Mogador, is a city that reminds us of the times when Spain, Portugal and England fought to maintain control over its coasts.
It is a typically Portuguese harbor with beautiful samples of the Moorish and Portuguese arts.
Essaouira is known for its artists who work on thuja wood, its silver market, the art gallery, the harbor, the islands … It was also in Essaouira where Orson Welles shot his film Othello.
You will visit the ramparts of Skala, the sea-port and the Medina.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 12: Essaouira / Safi/ El Jadida/ Casablanca 400 km
After breakfast you depart for Safi, one of the oldest African ports beyond Gibraltar. You will also visit the remains of the Portuguese Sea Castle, the Pottery’s hill (the ideal place to buy superb pottery pieces) before continuing to the seaside resort of Oualidia, famous for its oyster farming. Here you have the option of free lunch. In the afternoon, you will continue to the stunning and popular beach resort of El Jadida (once called “Mazagan” by the Portuguese) for a short visit, before driving to Casablanca. Dinner and overnight.

Day 13: Casablanca/ Mohamed v airport
After breakfast, transfer to Mohamed V airport for your return flight.

Itinerary:

Day 01: Airport Mohammed V / Casablanca
Arrival at Mohamed V airport of Casablanca.
Meet and greet by your driver. Check-in at hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 02: Casablanca/ Rabat
Morning, Enjoy a city tour of Casablanca
Visit of the great Hassan II Mosque before strolling along the Ain Diab Corniche and passing by the residential area of Anfa.
Afternoon, departure for Rabat, the administrative capital of Morocco.
Sightseeing of the “Imperial Garden City” with its main monuments: Oudayas garden, Hassan Tower and Mausoleum. You’ll also see the ramparts and walls of the Mechouar which surround the Royal Palace. Late afternoon arrival at hotel for check-in, dinner and overnight.

Day 03: Rabat / Meknes/ Fes
After breakfast, drive to Meknes, then start your sightseeing of Meknes. The “Moroccan Versailles” which was founded at the end of the 17th century by Moulay Ismail, a contemporary of LOUIS XIV. Additional sightseeing includes Bab El Mansour, considered as the finest gateway in Morocco.
The Moulay Ismaïl Mausoleum
As well as the mosque and his tomb, Lunch Free.
Afternoon visit of the ruins of Volubilis:
At the foot of Jebel Zerhoun, lie the Roman ruins of Volubilis. The remains of Volubilis, identified by Tissot in 1874, bear witness to the grandeur of the former residence of King Juba II. After, short visit of Moulay Idriss, a sacred Islamic town.
Transfer to Fes. Dinner & overnight at hotel in Fes.

Day 04: Fes
After breakfast, the whole day will be devoted to discovering Fez, the oldest of the Imperial Cities, which is well known for its spiritual and educational contributions to the Moroccan culture. Visit of the medieval Medina. You will also explore the famous souks where craftsmen still labour in the age-old oriental tradition. Lunch at leisure.
In the afternoon, Visit of the new city “Fes Jdid”. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 05: Fes / Midelt/ Erfoud 485 km
Early wake up and breakfast, departure for Erfoud via Immouzer du Kandar, a Berber village, Ifrane, a delightful ski resort, and Azrou, a Berber village known for its handicraft cooperative filled with wood carving and carpet weaving.
Lunch free at a Kasbah in Midelt.
Then continuation via the Ziz canyons a spectacular route
Offering wonderful scenery of the Atlas.
Continuations to Erfoud, at arrival check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 06: Erfoud/ Merzouga
Breakfast at hotel
Morning at leisure to relax
Then depart to Merzouga by 4X4 for a night bivouac and admire the sunset and sunrise on the sand dunes if wished.
Dinner and overnight

Day 07: Merzouga / Erfoud/ Tinghir
After breakfast departure to Tinghir, the highest and the narrowest gorges in the region are Todra’s, only 15 km from Tinghir
The Todrha Canyons just near Tinghir The road through the Todrha Gorges follows the right bank of the river, which is covered with palm trees. Farther east is the narrowest and most spectacular section of the gorges, where for a distance of 110 yards the narrow corridor between the sheer, towering walls of rock (985 feet high) is only 65 feet wide.
Lunch at leisure and Free time to walk around the “gorges”, enjoy the river and the fabulous views. Then go to the hotel at Tinghir, dinner and overnight

Day 08: Tinghir / Boumalne / Ouarzazate
Breakfast at hotel and departure to visit the Dades Gorges.
The Dades Valley is a great location for walking. In the Dades Valley the vividness of the colors will stop you every few steps for a picture, so be sure to bring extra film! The soil is a deep earthy red that rubs off on the hands and leaves the scent of the earth.
Then drive to Ouarzazate via Boumalne and Kelaa M’Gouna & Skoura.
Arrival to Ouarzazate and visit of its mains Kasbahs.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Ouarzazate.

Day 09: Ouarzazate / Marrakech
Breakfast at hotel and drive to Ait Benhadou Kasbah 30 km far from Ouarzazate. It is the most spectacular fortress in the south of Morocco, used as decors for many films like the “Lawrence of Arabia”.
Aït Benhaddou
The fortified village of Aït Benhaddou has been classified by UNESCO as one of the world’s cultural treasures. It is studded with crenulated towers and its buildings decorated with geometrical motifs and considered to be one of the most beautiful villages of this kind in Morocco. A program of restoration work is currently under way to encourage the repopulation of the village which is at present inhabited by just five families. Then departure to Marrakech via a long mountainous road and the Tizin tichka Pass, the highest pass in Morocco. Arrive; check in, dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Marrakech
Breakfast at hotel and full day city tour of Marrakech the second oldest Imperial City and definitely the “Pearl of the South”. Founded by the Almoravides at the end of the 11th century, Marrakesh sits in a lush oasis nestled at the foot of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. You will visit the famous Bahia Palace, Menara Gardens, Koutoubia mosque from outside,-
Free lunch, continue with sightseeing the souks and the famous Jemaa El Fna square.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
OPTIONAL: Evening, transfer to “ Chez Ali” local restaurant for a dinner animated by different folkloric troops and a show of Fantasia at the end of the dinner or at an Arab palace with belly dance.

Day 11: Marrakech/ Essaouira 180 km
Breakfast and departure to Essaouira:
Essaouira, or Old Mogador, is a city that reminds us of the times when Spain, Portugal and England fought to maintain control over its coasts.
It is a typically Portuguese harbor with beautiful samples of the Moorish and Portuguese arts.
Essaouira is known for its artists who work on thuja wood, its silver market, the art gallery, the harbor, the islands … It was also in Essaouira where Orson Welles shot his film Othello.
You will visit the ramparts of Skala, the sea-port and the Medina.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 12: Essaouira / Safi/ El Jadida/ Casablanca 400 km
After breakfast you depart for Safi, one of the oldest African ports beyond Gibraltar. You will also visit the remains of the Portuguese Sea Castle, the Pottery’s hill (the ideal place to buy superb pottery pieces) before continuing to the seaside resort of Oualidia, famous for its oyster farming. Here you have the option of free lunch. In the afternoon, you will continue to the stunning and popular beach resort of El Jadida (once called “Mazagan” by the Portuguese) for a short visit, before driving to Casablanca. Dinner and overnight.

Day 13: Casablanca/ Mohamed v airport
After breakfast, transfer to Mohamed V airport for your return flight.