Imperial Cities and Sahara Desert from Casablanca:
Set on a captivating 10-day Morocco tour from Casablanca that seamlessly weaves together the grandeur of Morocco’s Imperial cities with the enchantment of the Sahara Desert. Begin your journey with a visit to the iconic Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, followed by a historical exploration of Rabat, where the Hassan Tower and Mohamed V Mausoleum beckon.
Explore ancient Roman ruins at Volubilis and the sacred town of Moulay Driss, then delve into the heart of Fes with a full-day tour, unravelling the city’s medina, ancient madrassas, bustling markets, and the intriguing leather tannery.
Next, you’ll venture into the captivating Erg Chebbi, where you’ll traverse rolling desert dunes, partake in camel rides, and experience the allure of nomad tents near the towering dunes of Merzouga. A hike through the Toudgha Gorges and a leisurely exploration of the Dades Valley will be memorable moments.
Visit the beautifully restored Kasbah Amredhil and the UNESCO-celebrated Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou. Conclude your adventure in Marrakech, where a bustling sightseeing tour invites you to explore local markets, the vibrant medina, and the colourful gardens, madrassas, and lively Djemaa El Fna square.
12-day Morocco tour from Casablanca – highlights:
- Explore Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Hassan Tower, and Mohamed V Mausoleum in Rabat.
- Discover UNESCO’s Roman Ruins of Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss.
- Embark on a comprehensive Fes sightseeing tour, exploring the medina, and local markets, and visiting leather tanneries and madrassas.
- Experience camel rides in Erg Chebbi, and spend nights in nomad tents while exploring the Sahara Desert.
- Visit the stunning Kasbah Amredhil and UNESCO-listed Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou.
- Explore Marrakech with a knowledgeable local guide, wandering its vibrant souks, ancient madrassas, royal palaces, and Djemaa El Fna.
- Savour the finest Moroccan cuisine and reside in charming riads and authentic guesthouses.
What is included:
- Transport in a private air-conditioned & comfortable van or 4WD vehicle
- Experienced English-speaking nomad driver-guide
- Overnight comfortable hotels with air-conditioned rooms with private bathroom
- Two nights in a luxury desert camp in Erg Chebbi under private & comfortable tents equipped with private bathrooms and shower
- A camel ride for about two hours with a guide in Erg Chebbi and free sand-boarding, if desired
- Berber drumming & music in the desert camp
- Guided tours in Fes and Marrakech
- Hiking amid beautiful scenery and free time to explore the sites of interest
- Tea/ coffee in the desert camp
What is not included:
- Lunches and dinners
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Tipping
Morocco Tour from Casablanca – itinerary:
1st day: Casablanca – Rabat
Upon your arrival, your driver will extend a warm welcome and arrange your transfer to your Casablanca hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the Hassan II Mosque, Africa’s largest mosque and the world’s highest religious institution. Adorned with exquisite Moroccan craftsmanship and adorned with splendid tiles, the mosque offers breathtaking ocean views, making it an absolute must-see.
Subsequently, we’ll embark on a scenic one-hour drive along the highway to reach Rabat, the capital city. Rabat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site brimming with historical and cultural landmarks. The remainder of the day can be dedicated to exploring the medina, Oudaya Gardens, and Kasbah. Your evening will be spent in a charming riad, where you’ll savor a delightful dinner and enjoy a restful overnight stay.
2nd day: Rabat – Fes
Following your morning meal at your riad, you’ll commence your day by visiting the iconic Hassan Tower, an emblematic landmark of the city, and then proceed to the Mausoleum of King Mohamed V, a tribute to the revered monarch. Continue your exploration of the lively medina, delving deeper into its vibrant atmosphere.
Following a satisfying lunch, we’ll journey along the motorway towards Meknes, allowing you to explore the medina and capture the grandeur of the imposing fortifications.
Soon after, we head north to the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, the Roman ruins of Volubilis. This sprawling archaeological site offers stunning vistas of valleys and hills. You can opt to engage a local guide for an in-depth understanding of the site’s intriguing history. From there, your journey proceeds to Fes, where a splendid riad awaits, providing a peaceful haven for the night.
3rd day: Fes Sightseeing Tour
Today, embark on a comprehensive day of sightseeing in Fes, delving into the historic treasures of Morocco’s oldest Imperial City.
Fes El Bali, also known as the “Old Fes,” has maintained its authentic allure and remains wonderfully unspoiled. During this guided excursion, you’ll have the chance to explore the enchanting Bou Inania Madrassa, wander through the bustling medina, and marvel at the intricate tile work adorning the picturesque courtyard of the Kairaouine Mosque, all while capturing memorable photographs along the way.
A significant highlight of this tour is a visit to the renowned University of Al-Qarawiyyin, founded by Fatima Al Fihri in 859. Acknowledged by both the Guinness Book of Records and UNESCO as the world’s oldest university, it holds profound historical importance.
You’ll also have the opportunity to explore the famous leather tanneries and gain insights into the leather processing methods that result in the raw materials used for the abundance of leather products found in the medina.
In the afternoon, venture into Fes El Jdid, or “New Fes,” and pay a visit to the Museum of Moroccan Arts, providing a window into the country’s rich artistic heritage. The remainder of the day offers the chance to explore more of the medina, with colourful shops enticing you to acquire silver and leather souvenirs if desired.
Your night will be spent in your riad at the heart of the medina.
4th day: Fes – Merzouga
Morning departure at 08:30 from your hotel or riad in Fes, as you travel south on your adventure. You drive past Ifrane, nicknamed the Switzerland of Morocco, where the houses have sloping roofs, something very remarkable and unusual in this North African country. This is to cope with the yearly snowfall of the winter.
From here, your itinerary continues over the Middle Atlas Mountains and via the Tizi-n-Talremt pass, travelling along beautiful roads bordered with oak and cedar trees as far as Azou. Here, you will stop to see the Barbary macaque playing around and looking for tidbits.
Afterwards, you will continue to Midelt just in time for lunch, nicknamed the “apple capital” and situated at the foot of Ayachi Mountain. Travelling further south, you travel along the mountains, enjoying beautiful views and via Berber villages. As you start to descend the mountains, you will be amazed by the extensive green oases and hupe palm groves, all indicating the beginning of the Ziz Valley.
You arrive in Errachdia and then Erfoud, which is known for its date festival and its fossils. Here, you can visit a local workshop and discover how the fossil-rich rocks are skilfully transformed into practical and decorative artefacts.
You then arrive at the dunes of Merzouga for a sunset camel ride to reach the desert camp near the dunes of Erg Chebbi (250m). From the top of the dunes, the sunset is spectacular. Here, at Erg Chebbi dunes, you will have dinner and spend the night in a desert camp among the big dunes.
5th day: Merzouga
After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to explore the Merzouga region. Initially, you will visit the Gnawa people residing in Khamlia, a village known for their expertise in Gnawa music, originally brought to the region through the sub-Saharan slave trade. They will treat you to a captivating performance of this unique musical style.
Your next destination will be the historic town of Rissani. This town holds historical significance as it was the birthplace of the Alaouite dynasty, the current ruling royal family of Morocco. Rissani is encircled by several ksars, which are fortified villages adorned with numerous towers.
The town boasts a bustling souk and an open market that is held three times a week. While there, you will have the opportunity to stroll through the souk, where a variety of items such as spices, vegetables, household items, and handmade crafts are sold. Rissani is situated on the former site of Sijilmassa, a crucial meeting point for the salt caravans originating from Timbuktu in Mali.
In the afternoon, you mount a camel, led by an experienced guide, and traverse the dunes of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga. This camel ride will last approximately one hour, allowing you to witness the breathtaking sunset over the desert. Dinner will once again be served in the camp, followed by an evening filled with nomadic music and drumming around a cosy campfire.
6th day: Merzouga – Dades Gorges
If you wake up early enough, you can witness the serene spectacle of the sunrise, as it gracefully bathes the dunes in an enchanting array of colours. The return to the hotel for having a shower is on camel back and, after having breakfast, you drive back east to Marrakech.
Back on the paved road, you travel to Tinjdad. You will notice strange piles of sand following the road. These are the heads of the “khettarat”, the ingenious underground water channels designed to minimize evaporation in the desert heat. It is fascinating to climb down to experience the coolness below ground and to wonder at the ancient engineering involved.
In the Todra Gorges, enjoy lunch in one of the local restaurants overlooking the valley, followed by a walk alongside the river bank, by the villages and into the mountains. Upon arrival at Dades Gorges, you enjoy a walk along a surprising landscape that is known for its stunning rock formations, kasbahs and attractive stones and villages.
You will spend the night in a beautiful guest house overlooking the valley.
7th day: Dades Gorges – Ouarzazate
After breakfast, your journey continues along the beautiful Valley of the Roses with an optional stop at the costmitics cooperative in Kalaat M’Gouna, which manufactures cosmetic products from the abundant roses of the valley.
Then, you travel via the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs, as far as Skoura Oasis where you visit Kasbah Amredhil with its museum. The kasbah, which used to be depicted in the old 50 dirham banknote, has been beautifully repaired and is well worth the visit.
Just before arriving in Ouarzazate, you stop to visit the Atlas Studios, a movie wonderland known for keeping its sets and reorganising them to offer a wide range of choices to production studios, but also for letting tourists experience the unique thrill of the movie sets.
You will spend the night in a beautiful riad.
8th day: Ouarzazate – Marrakech
After breakfast, an hour’s drive takes you to Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, which you will visit after lunch. This is the most famous kasbah in all of Morocco and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Kasbah is also renowned for its use as a filming location for many Hollywood blockbusters including “Alexander the Great”, “The Mummy,” “The Jewel of the Nile,” and “Kingdom of Heaven”.
Afterwards, you drive along the Ounila Valley with beautiful and prosperous villages, stunning mountains and views to Telouet. You finally reach Kasbah Telouet, which used to be the palatial residence of the Lords of the Atlas, the Glaoui Family. Although the Kasbah now stands in ruins after the last Pasha fled Morocco following the departure of the French, wait to be pleasantly surprised by the architectural marvel of this historic home. Lunch will be either here or later up in the mountains.
From here, you cross the Atlas Mountains and the Tizi-n-Tichka pass and arrive in Marrakech by the end of the afternoon. Your driver will transfer you to your riad bringing your 4-day desert tour from Fes to Marrakech to an end.
9th day: Marrakech Sightseeing Tour
This Marrakech sightseeing tour offers the ideal opportunity to delve into the vibrant red city, granting access to hidden gems you might not discover on your own. With a certified guide and a driver as your companions, you’ll uncover the essence of Marrakech through visits to the following attractions:
The Majorelle Gardens: This tranquil garden, originally designed by Jacques Majorelle and later owned by Yves Saint Laurent, is celebrated for its distinctive cobalt-blue walls. Within, you’ll find fish ponds, a quaint bridge, winding pathways, lush vegetation, and inviting cafés.
The Koutoubia Mosque: A majestic landmark within the red city, the Koutoubia Mosque is one of the largest and most splendid in the country. Its traditional Almohad architecture is crowned by a towering minaret adorned with four copper spheres.
El Bahia Palace: This exquisite 19th-century palace showcases Eastern architecture at its finest. A testament to the opulence of its era, it was constructed by Ahmad Ibn Musa between 1894 and 1900. The palace’s tiled walls and intricately carved cedar wood ceilings exemplify masterful craftsmanship.
The Saadian Tombs: Dating back to the reign of Sultan Ahmed Al-Mansur (1578-1603), these tombs, discovered in 1971 and subsequently restored, are an alluring attraction due to their delicate adornments and unique architectural features.
Djemaa El Fna Square: Perhaps Marrakech’s most renowned landmark, this bustling square teems with life. Here, you’ll encounter juice stalls, dried fruit and spice merchants, snake charmers, henna artists, storytellers, and an array of enticing food stalls. Explore the labyrinthine souks and boutiques of Marrakech’s vibrant market.
After a day of exploration, you’ll return to your riad for a comfortable night’s stay.
10th day: Marrakech – Casablanca
After savouring breakfast at your riad, your driver will coordinate a hassle-free transfer to the airport, ensuring it aligns with your flight schedule. This thoughtful arrangement will afford you sufficient time to complete the check-in procedures and get ready for your departure.