9 days tour visiting imperial cities of Morocco, starting from Casablanca
Tour C1:
Casablanca - Rabat - Meknes - Volubilis - Fes - Ifrane Azrou - Midelt - Merzouga - Rissani - Todgha Gorges - Dades Valley - Qalaat Magouna - Ouarzazate - Marrakech
Day 1: Casablanca – Rabat – Meknes
At 08:00 am, I will pick you up from the hotel to visit the Hassan 2 Mosque. Then we go our way towards Rabat. In Rabat, we will be visiting the ruins of Chellah, Mohammed 5 Mausoleum, and Hassan Tower. We have lunch, afterward, we head depart to Meknes. We will arrive in Meknes by evening
Day 2: Meknes – Volubilis – Fes
After breakfast, we embark on touring Meknes by visiting El Hdim square, Bab El Mansour; a massive gate which is the entrance to the old city and the Jews quarter, the Royal Granaries, and Stables of Morocco, and the city rampart. Afterward, we go our way to the Roman ruin (Volubilis), and then Moulay Idriss; the holy town. (60 minutes remaining to get to Fes city). Dinner will be at your accommodation (a traditional riad in Fes).
Day 3: Exploring Fes city
That day we highly recommend hiring an official guide who will show you the most interesting places such as Madrassa (Quranic school), Bouinania, Attarin souk, Fes El-Jadid, El-Qarawiyyin Mosque which is considered also as a university (the oldest university in the world). It’s very important to visit the neighborhood of leather tanners, where we can explore the craftsmanship. (You will spend the night in a riad/hotel).
Day 4: Fes – Ifrane - Cedar forest of Azrou – Midelt - Merzouga
After breakfast, we will pick you up at 08:00 am from your riad/hotel. Then we drive south to Ifran then Azrou forest through the Middle Atlas Mountains. On the way, we will stop at the cedar forest to see the Barbarian apes in their natural habitat. Then we go to Midelt, the city of apples. We have lunch and we go through the Tizi-Ntalghemt and along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through the volcanic rocks and through the Ziz valley to Erfoud and Merzouga. After we arrive in the desert and drink a cup of mint tea, we’ll leave the luggage in a secure room, then we take a camel ride to a Berber camp; the camel trek to the camp takes an hour and a half. The tents are immaculately equipped with mattresses, blankets, and cushions. After dinner, we will gather around the fire and enjoy the sound of traditional Berber drums under a starry sky.
Day 5: Merzouga - Khamlia - Erg Chebbi
After enjoying the sunrise, having a lovely breakfast, and a shower, you will be carried by camels returning to Merzouga village where your driver will be waiting for you. This day, we will have a big tour around Erg-Chebbi sand dunes, we will start our off-road desert adventure by visiting a village of the dark skin people ( Khamlia village), they are of various African origins. They got a band composed of 5 or more people playing Gnawa music by different instruments. In that village, we’re going to have lunch (Berber Pizza). Then our destination will be in the village of the Mines, then the local nomadic Berber families who still live in the desert. Afterward, we drive to the black desert (volcanic stones). We will go back to Merzouga to take an hour's quad bike drive on the dunes. (Night in a hotel)
Day 6: Merzouga - Rissani - Todgha Gorges - Dades Gorges
After taking a shower and having breakfast. Our next destination will be Rissani town to explore and walk around a traditional market. As soon as leaving Rissani town there is a sequent of Berber villages scattered around and wilderness landscape along the way, till we get to Tinjdad town where we will make a stop to have lunch. We drive to Todgha Gorges (water canyon), with free time to walk around. Then we go through the beautiful Dades Valley, Boumalne, and visit Qalaat MGouna, rose Valley. Then we make a stop in a rose cooperative to see how various products are made of roses such as shampoo, soap, perfume, and then we will drive directly to Dades Valley where we will have dinner and spend the night.
Day 7: Dades Gorges - Qalaat MGouna - Ouarzazate - Marrakech
We go through the beautiful Dades Valley, Boumalne, and visit Qalaate Magouna, Rose Valley. Then we continue to Ouarzazate; the Hollywood of Africa. Lunch will take place at the famous “Ait ben Haddou Kasbah”; the UNESCO World Heritage. La Kasbah is surrounded by a protective high thick wall against external attacks with many towers in. After visiting Kasbah we continue through the majestic Tizi-N-Tichka passing over the High Atlas Mountains, we will stop to enjoy the impressive views and visit the Argan Oil cooperative. We will arrive in the red city of Marrakech by evening.
Day 8: Exploring Marrakech City
On a half-day tour in Marrakech accompanying a professional local city guide, you will visit the Menara; a surrounded pool. The surrounding flowerbeds and other fields around are being watered by the irrigation system. The sightseeing tour will include several impressive sights such as the Koutoubia Mosque, Majorelle Gardens, Bahia Palace, and Dar Si Said Museum of jewelry. Optional lunch will be in the Medina followed by a walk through the colorful souks (markets) of Marrakech. Then you will have a free evening to enjoy the sunset overlooking the exciting Jemaa El Fna Square from a terrace of a café. (Night in riad)
Day 9: Marrakech - Casablanca
We depart from Marrakech to Casablanca Airport.
-Tour includes comfortable transportation, driver/guide who speaks your language, fuel. Hotel/ Riad/desert camp over-night stay.
-Not included: plane tickets, lunch, meals, drinks, and tickets for historical monuments