Two weeks tour around Morocco,exploring fes and its old city before going to sahara desert via atlas montains to camel trek and campfire. enjoy the desert oasis and old kasbahs in the way to Marrakech via taroudant and and souss villages to meet local berber people and know their life .your trip continues to Essaouira and sea-side cities to finish the tour in Marrakech or Casablanca.
We will pick you up from the airport in Casablanca and start our tour by visiting the Hassan II Mosque. It has the tallest minaret in the world and is the third largest mosque; it took 7 years to build and holds some 25,000 individuals for prayer. The craftsmanship is exquisite with zellig mosaics, ornately carved cedar wood, polished marble and glass. From Casablanca we drive to Rabat; the capital of Morocco. Here, we can see the Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of theOudayas. In the afternoon you can check into your accommodation in the heart of the Medina
After breakfast we will drive to Fes via Meknes and Volubilis. Meknes is one of the significant Imperial cities in Morocco; known as the Ismaili capital of Morocco. You will see the famous gate; Bab Mansour and the Sahrij Swani Basin and also we see the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum. After lunch our journey continues to Volubilis; the once strategic and important Roman city dating to 25 B.C. There aresome of the original mosaics still in very good shape and excavation is still ongoing in this extensive UNESCO site. After Volubilis, we continue to Fes along the foothills of the Rif Mountains.We will reach Fes in the late afternoon where we will check in to our accommodation in the heart of the ancient Medina.
Today with the help of a knowledgeable guide you will discover Fes; the oldest Imperial City of Morocco which was founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idriss II. You will visit the Medina of Fes el-Bali, a UNESCO Heritage site for more than 30 years, with more than 9000 streets in a car free zone; it is a labyrinth of intrigue and interest. The Attarine Koranic school; called a Medersa, is perhaps one of the most beautiful in Fes, we will also visit Nejjarine and the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss.
We will pass by the Quaraouiyine Mosque, belonging to the Quaraouiyine University, the oldest in history, which was founded in the year 880 by a woman.
After lunch we will visit the Pottery cooperative where the intricate zellig tiles are made as well as the hand-painted ceramics. After that we will drive to El Borj where you can view the wonderful panoramic view of whole of the old Medina.In the afternoon, we will visit the new city the new city for a drink.
After breakfast we will leave Fes to start the trip south. The journey from Fes is an amazing immersion in the diversity of the Moroccan landscape. The road south takes you into the Middle Atlas Mountains with its huge cedar forest where the indigenous Barbary Monkeys live, through Little Switzerland; the alpine towns of Azrou and Ifrane which are blanketed in snow during the winter and then we continue to Midelt where you will spend the night.
After breakfast we will continue our journey to reach the Sahara Desert. We will travel to Merzouga via Errachidia and Erfoud,drive through the fascinating Tizi n’Talghemt pass and the Ziz Gorge, taking in views of the High Atlas plateau. You will notice how the scenery has changed and will change again the nearer we get to the desert. In Errachidia, we will take a break for lunch and enjoy some local Berber hospitality. Our tour south takes us along the picturesque Ziz Valley where we will stop in a panoramic spot for some photos. Passing through palm oases and adobe villages, you will realise you have entered another world as the Sahara beckons. We arrive in Merzouga in the afternoon and we’ll be welcomed with a glass of mint tea before checking into your accommodation.
After breakfast we will go out in the 4x4 to discover the area, meet some of the locals and discover different ways of living. The village of Khamlia is inhabited by descendants of Sudanese slaves and through their Gnaoua music and songs they tell stories of their past.Not far from this village you can see the lake of Merzouga, which is visited by a seasonal flock of flamingos. There will be time to see local Berber handcrafts which are for sale, a good opportunity to buy from locals.After lunch and a rest, you will prepare to leave on the camel ride to discover the sea of sand guided by an experienced camel guide. Erg Chebbi dunes are the largest in this region of Morocco, the silence that can be found as you move across the red golden dunes is very special and the experience of riding a camel to your desert camp, spending the night under the stars in the company of nomads is something you may never forget. After dinner, some music and song, you will spend the night in a traditional Berber nomad tent.
We always recommend getting up early to experience the wonder of the sunrise and then we will return by camels to the hotel where you can have breakfast and refresh. Our trip continues as we departure the desert for Rissani and Erfoud, there we visit the workshops where marble and fossils are cleaned and crafted into wonderful projects. We drive to Tinghir and arrive in the Todra Gorge where we will have lunch and explore this canyon with its 300 metre high vertical walls and crystalline clear water as you walk along the river’s edge. Then after lunch we will drive through the Dades Valley and into the Dades Gorge to see the amazing rock formation known as “the monkey fingers” because of the shapes in the eroded landscape. You will also see the 19th century Kasbah of Ait Youl which is still-standing. We stay overnight in local hotel overlooking the Dades Valley.
After breakfast in the hotel, you will travel through the Dades Valley towards Kelaat M'gouna and Ouarzazate. The drive through the Dades Valley provides numerous opportunities to take some of your best photographic shots of the trip as the road is lined with rose coloured adobe kasbahs. Today you will have the opportunity to meet Berber Nomads who live in caves and then you will enjoy the fertile Rose valley; home to the fragrant Damascus rose that is cultivated here and processed into the world famous rose oil. We’ll stop at Kelaat M’gouna; the rose city, where you can purchase rosewater and other products, which will make your clothes smell good long after your trip is over. We then continue to Skoura where we visit Kasbah Amridil; a well-preserved kasbah in this area. After a short hike in the valley, we will stop in a restaurant which overlooks the whole valley for a welcome lunch break. From Skoura we drive to Ouarzazate; the Hollywood of Africa, whose geography and beautiful landscapes have and continue to attract many world class movie producers. Here you may choose to visit the studios, containing props used in movies you may have already seen; The Mummy, Gladiator and the Last Temptation of Christ. Overnight accommodation will be in a local riad in Ouarzazate.
After breakfast, we leave Ouarzazate and visit Ait Benhaddou; this is a strategic fortress town which is along the major salt trading route that continues to Timbuktu. It was used as a stopover for caravans trading between the Sahara and Marrakech. Now it is one of the many UNESCO heritage sites around Morocco and a well-known location for film directors to use on their movies.
We cross back over the Ouarzazate road and travel east to 0the saffron capital of Taliouine where you can visit one of the Saffron co-operatives. If your visit coincides with the harvest which usually takes place in October/November, you will have the opportunity to meet the Berber people with their families harvesting the precious flowers in the fields.
Next stop is 16th century Taroudant or Little Marrakech which we should reach in the afternoon, here you will see the ramparts and walk in the small alleys in the Medina. It has similar medina walls to Marrakech and has the same Saadian dynasty influences.Your accommodation will be in a local hotel or riad.
We leave this mountainous region and drive for the Atlantic coast; our destination is the charming medina of Essaouira. We will make a stop on the way in Agadir, a resort city which used to be a very big tourist destination for many years. After lunch and a small walk on the Promenade, we will continue to Essaouira on the coast road. The coastal drive offers really beautiful scenery, long sand unspoilt beaches, surf zones and rugged wild places full of herbs and wildflowers. This is also home to the Argan trees, the goats that love climbing these trees to find food can sometimes be seen stretched on their hind legs or even up in the trees. After several stops along the coast we reach Essaouira in the afternoon. Overnight accommodation will be at a riad in the Medina.
After breakfast we will start the tour of this delightful medina. You can see the influence of some of the European civilisations that have occupied this fortress town; the Portuguese have left their mark with the white washed architecture, the Spanish with their cannons along the fortified seawalls and the Jewish in the merchants part of the medina; the Mellah. The fishing port with its bright blue boats is a hub of activity and some strange looking fish can be seen at the auctions. This is a place of artists and artisans, galleries and small workshops are full of local artwork. Thuya woodwork is a local craft and is very beautiful along with marquetry work and inlaid crafts.
Music is a large part of the history here too; the world festival of Gnawa takes place annually usually in June and attracts many African as well as international musicians. If you wish to book your tour to coincide with this festival, we can add an extra day here.
Essaouira is home to the windsurfers as strong Atlantic winds make it the ideal spot to catch the wind and ride the waves. Today you will have lunch the Moroccan way; freshly bought fish cooked to order on the hot coals. In the afternoon, you have free time to walk and explore by yourself. Overnight accommodation will be in a riad in the Medina.
After breakfast we depart from the coast for the Red City of Marrakech with its impressive backdrop of the High Atlas Mountains and on our way we will make several stops to take photographs.Once in Marrakech, we will check-in to ouraccommodation in the old medina. After a delicious dinner we will enjoy walking in the famous square of Jemaa el Fna, entertained by magicians, story tellers, musicians and snake.
After breakfast we will explore the magical mystical city of Marrakech with the help of a local knowledgeable guide. We will see the most important sites of historical and cultural interest; the Majorelle Gardens, the Koutoubia Tower, the Saadian tombs, the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Koranic School. After Lunch at local restaurant near the main square, we will walk through the souks and view hundreds of handicrafts. In the afternoon, you will have free time to discover Marrakech by yourself.
Today you are free until the agreed time to take you to the airport.
If the itineraries we offer do not match what you are looking for, do not hesitate to contact us and we will prepare the trip to your needs and requirements and price depending on the number of Travellers, Hotel category and season.
