Marrakech, Desert, Fez, Casablanca and Essaouira

day 1 City of origin – Marrakech

At the agreed time, transfer from Marrakech airport to the hotel located near Jemaa El Fna square. Free time in the city of Marrakech.
A good option is go to Jamaa el Fna Square at sunset to watch from a café terrace. You will observe how little by little the square is filling up. With food stalls and illuminated by hundreds of lights. Then people gather for dinner.

day 2 Marrakech

Marrakech is the most vibrant city in Morocco.
After breakfast, we will start the visit in the square of the Koutoubia mosque. The high minaret is the icon of the city of Marrakech. Koutoubia, means “booksellers”. Reflects the vendors worked in the streets at the base of the mosque. From here, we go to the Jamaa El Fna square, and we enter the Medina, declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. We visit the souk and the main historical sights. The Saadiane Tombs, the Ben Youssef Medersa, the El Badi Palace. At the exit of the Medina, we will have a mint tea in one of the terraces of the Jamaa el Fna square. Declared by UNESCO as Oral Heritage of Humanity. Everything in Marrakech revolves around the Jamaa el Fna square, in this public space gather: musicians, storytellers, snake charmers, dancers, dentists, fruit juice sellers, acrobats, writers, water carriers, medicinal herb sellers … “a world in a square”.

day 3 Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate

After breakfast, we leave Marrakech towards Ouarzazate, on the way we will cross the High Atlas mountain range. We will enjoy the mountain road and its incredible landscapes. The highest point is the Tizi-N-Tichka neck, at 2,260 meters high, and from here we will descend until we reach Ouarzazate. Before reaching this city, we will visit Ait Ben Haddou, a fortified city, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

In the afternoon, free time in Ouarzazate.
We recommend visiting:

-Taourirt Kasbah, declared a World Heritage Site, former home of a powerful governor of the region. It is currently the center for studies on the conservation of the heritage of southern Morocco.

-Atlas Studios, film museum, the most important film studios in North Africa. Ouarzazate known as the “Hollywood of Africa”.

Night at the hotel.

day 4 Ouarzazate – Dades Gorges – Todghra Gorges

After breakfast, we will follow the route of the Thousand Kasbahs. We follow the route to the Skoura palm grove, and from here to Kelaat M’Gouna in the valley of the roses. We will continue towards the gorges and the valley of the Dades river.  The arid landscape mixed with the traditional adobe architecture is astonishing. Inside the gorge, we will see the curious geometric shapes caused by wind erosion. Some of them known as “monkey fingers”. At the exit of the Dades gorges, we will follow the route until we reach the Todra river valley.  One of the natural gates that connect the Atlas with the Sahara. The gorges of the Todra River is at the northern end of the palm grove of the city of Tinerhir. Little by little the palm grove narrows, and the walls that delimit it rises up to three hundred meters in height. After the visit, we will arrive at the hotel located at the entrance of the gorges.

day 5 Todghra Gorges – Merzouga

After breakfast, we leave for Merzouga. 194 km through pre-Saharan oases, we will arrive in Merzouga in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, Sahara desert. We will leave the 4×4 and ride on dromedaries and cross the red dunes of the desert. We will climb the dunes and see the incredible sunset. Typical Berber dinner, with music around the fire and with thousands of stars above our heads. We will sleep in a Berber tent.

day 6 Merzouga – Rissani – Ziz Valley – Fez

After seeing the sunrise in the desert, we will return by dromedary to Merzouga. There we will have breakfast in a hotel and, we will have the option of a hot shower.
We will leave for Rissani and visit its traditional market.
At the exit of the market, we begin the route that crosses the valley and gorges of the Ziz river. A desert landscape with an immense canyon full of palm trees watered by the river Ziz. The palm grove considered the largest in the world.

We follow the route to the Ifrane National Park. Located in the Middle Atlas Mountains. We will visit the cedar forest. In this place lives one of the last Barbary monkey communities, which only live here and in Gibraltar. After, we will leave for Fez.

Night in a riad.

day 7 Fez

Full day dedicated to the discovery of the city of Fez, at night we will return to the riad.
Fez is the religious and cultural center of Morocco. The city has three areas: Fez el Bali, (the old area within the walls). Fez-Jdid, (the Jewish quarter, Mellah) and the Ville Nouvelle (northwest of the city).
The Medina of Fez el Bali is one of the largest medieval sites in the world. The entire medina is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Its souks and alleys have not changed since the Middle Ages.

-Medina of Fez el Bali. From the Bab Boujloud gate, we enter the souk through its narrow and labyrinthine streets. Inside the medina we will see:

• The Bou Inania Madrasa, with its precious cedar wood works, stuccoes and decorations in marble and onyx.
• The zaouïa of Moulay Idriss, founder of the city.
• The Es-Sahrij madrasa.
• The old Dar Batha building, dedicated to the arts and traditions of Fez.
• Al-Karaouine University: one of the oldest in the world. Founded in 859 by Fatima Al-Fihri, daughter of Mohammed Al-Fhri, a wealthy merchant of those times.
• The Chouwara Tannery, a spectacle of natural dyes that fill countless pits. Little has changed the dyeing system of camel, lamb, and ox leather since the Middle Ages.

day 8 Fez – Volubilis – Meknes

Breakfast and then we will go to the Roman city of Volubilis. The most important archaeological site in Morocco. Inscribed in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After the visit of Volubilis, we will continue until we reach Meknes. One of the four imperial cities of Morocco, along with Fez, Marrakech and Rabat. It was the capital of the Maghreb in the 17th century.
We enter the Medina of Meknes through the amazing Bad el Mansour gate, built in 1732. We will walk through the souk. Likewise, we will see the historical buildings and the Great Almoravid Mosque from the 12th century.

Night at the hotel.

day 9 Meknes – Rabat – Casablanca

After breakfast, we will go to the capital of Morocco, Rabat. The city preserves the charm of different styles and historical periods.
We will walk near the ocean and visit the most important places in the city. The Kasbah Oudayas dating from the 12th century. The Mausoleum of Moahamed V. And the Hassan Tower that dominates the Bay of Salè.
We will continue to Casablanca where we will spend the night.

day 10 Casablanca-Essaouira

After breakfast, we will visit the Hassan II Mosque Inaugurated in 1993. The mosque located on an artificial island in the Atlantic Ocean, is the third largest in the world. After the visit we continue the coastal road to El Jadida, famous for the Portuguese Citadel also known as Mazagán, declared a World Heritage Site. We will continue to the Safi city, famous for its ancient pottery tradition. Safi is the main fishing port for the country’s sardine industry. We continue for 120 km parallel to the ocean until we reach Essaouira. One of the most beautiful cities on the Atlantic coast. Multicultural city and center of Gnawa music. After checking in at the hotel, free time.

“A walk through the medina and eating good fish, one of the pleasures of Essaouira”.

day 11 Essaouira – Marrakech

Free time to relaxed enjoy this beautiful city. The medina of Essaouira is one of the best preserved in Morocco. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
At sunset, transfer to Marrakech. Night in hotel.

day 12 Marrakech – Origin

At the agreed time, transfer to the Marrakech airport and end of our services.