13 Days in the Imperial Cities, Valleys and Desert of Morocco

Day 1:MENARA AIRPORT – MARRAKECH

Pick up at the airport of Marrakech at the estimated time with a sign with your full name and transfer to the Riad where you spend the night. Possibility to have a first contact with the Famoza Plaza Jamaa Lfna. Night in Riad.

Day2:MARRAKECH – MARRAKECH

Breakfast and start of the guided tour of Marrakech to see the most important places. City famous for its Jemaa el Fna square, which will occupy much of your time: an amalgam of aromas, sounds and sensations unrepeatable. The city also has countless places to wander and enjoy: the Majorelle Gardens, the Menara, the Saadian Tombs, walks through the medina or the mellah (the old Jewish quarter), the route of the ramparts and the modern city (Gueliz) with its western ways of life.

Day 3: marrakech – high altitudes – Ouarzazate – Valley of roses – Dades Valley.

After breakfast we start our route to Ouarzazate passing through the high altitudes, crossing the port of Tizi n Tichka making stops to see the magnificent views offered by the mountains of the high, we continue our route to the city of Ouarzazate, city known as the gateway to the desert (Hollywood of Africa) possibility to visit the film studios, where they shot films as famous as gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia jewel of the Nile etc ….

After several stops we head towards the Valley of the roses where we will make a stop to see the valley and the product that is taken from the rose bushes.

Finally we will finish our day in the dades valley, accommodation and dinner in riad / hotel next to the dades river.

DAY 4: dades gorges – todra gorges – erfoud – erg chebbi desert (merzouga)

Today will be a special day to experience the Sahara of Merzouga one of the most beautiful places in the country.

After breakfast we start our day heading to the gorges of the todra, a canyon of vertical walls that extends from its entrance about 15 km, its highest walls reach approximately 300 m high, being its narrowest point about 10 to 20 meters wide.

These gorges open into the lush valleys of the Draa where crops and palm groves intermingle with small villages. Arrival in the area of Merzouga in the afternoon. At sunset camel ride (40 mins approximately) in a sea of dunes of the desert of erg chebbi, arrival at the camp of luxury tents, accommodation and dinner.

Day 5: merzouga desert – nomadic families

On this day we have to get up early to enjoy one of the best sunrises of the trip, we go down to shower and have breakfast we can choose to return by 4×4 or camel. We arrive at the hotel where we are going to stay the same day, we leave the luggage and from there we start our desert day in 4×4 our first stop will be in a small village far from the center of Merzouga called Khaamlia (original village of black people) original from the south of African where we will enjoy a concert of Berber music with their original instruments and a mint tea, 

we continue our way to the marble mines and cabbage where and a panoramic view of the entire desert of Ergchebbi, from the mines after 5km we reach the nomad village setuadoa about 35km from the border with algeria, visit the nomad house (authentic berber tent) we explore the way of life taking another tea with a tasty bread made with love, Then we continue our day passing through the Dakar track (last time we pass there 2004) returning to our accommodation in Merzouga afternoon free, if you want to do the activity in Quad or Buggy to see the sunset in the high dunes of Merzouga (ergechebbi) accommodation in riad at the foot of the dunes.

DAY 6: MERZOUGA- ERFOUD-ERRCHIDIA-ZIZ VALLEY-MIDELT-BOSIQUE OF SEDROS-IFRAN-FEZ.

After a magical night in the dunes of erg chebbi, we continue our journey to fez, making our first stop after an hour and a half of road to stretch our legs or take a coffee in the ziz valley, one of the largest palm groves in Morocco to rest and enjoy the magnificent views offered by the valley, we continue our route to a city called midelt the symbol of the city is the apple, whose cultivation represents the first activity of the region and one of the main sources of work for its inhabitants. Stop at the local bus station where we will take advantage of a traditional local lunch, 

we continue our route about 2 hours we will make another stop in the cedar forest (michelifen) where we will see and alementar the macaques, original are from North Africa area giblaltar, about 15 km from the forest will reach the city called Switzerland of Africa by the roofs of houses in the city by the amount of snow that falls we make a stop of 10/15 mins to know the city center. After about an hour we will arrive at our destination Fez accommodation and breakfast in a riad.

Day 7: FEZ-LOCAL VISIT-FEZ

After breakfast, we will begin our visit of the city, known as the first of the Imperial Cities, with its origins dating back to the eighth century. It also holds the distinction of being one of the earliest holy cities of Muslim worship in Morocco and proudly hosts one of the oldest universities in the world. As you wander through the streets of its medina (old city), you can sense time reversing: the guild structure remains active, the narrowness of its streets restricts transportation to mules, and a constant buzz of people fills the labyrinthine streets, where we will encounter neighborhoods like the Andalusian, along with magnificent mosques and Koranic schools. 

Fez has always been associated with study and religiosity, and remains the spiritual capital of Morocco. After visiting the medina another option is to walk aimlessly through the streets of Fez-Jdid, where you will find the royal palace, the mellah (Jewish quarter) and the oldest mosque in Fez. Night in Fez.

DAY 8 : fez-meknes-roman ruins-chefchaouen

Breakfast at the Riad. Early departure to Meknes, one of the 4 powerful imperial cities of Morocco. Visit with a local guide. The Medina is smaller and more relaxed than that of Fez. Founded in the 10th century by a Berber tribe, it became the capital of the country in the 17th century. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Still today, it is protected by about forty kilometers of ramparts, where the “Bab al Mansour”, a large gate considered one of the most beautiful and well preserved in the country, stands out. 

The city is home to imposing monuments, including many mosques, hence the name “the city of a hundred minarets”. We will visit the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail the founder of the city of Meknes, the barn-stable “Heri es Souani” and the subway prison “Habs Qara”. After the visit we will head to Chaouen. On the way we will visit the Roman Ruins of Volubilis, the largest Roman archaeological site in Morocco: Triumphal Arch, capitol, house of Bacchus … form this outdoor treasure. After 2 hours of walking through the mountain, we leave the rif. Arrival in Chaouen, night in riad.

DAY 9: CHEFCHAOUEN- TETOUAN-TANGER

After breakfast, visitors should explore Chefchaouen, a mysterious village that was founded as a secret base to attack the Portuguese who had established themselves on the north coast of the country. The village remained completely off-limits to Europeans until the arrival of Spanish troops in 1920. Chefchaouen is situated within a natural biosphere reserve. Perched on the mountain, Chaouen is considered a holy city, with streets painted in white and blue. Its inhabitants, known for their wisdom, kindness, and respect, offer visitors beautiful urban panoramas, exquisite examples of local crafts, and a peace and serenity that are hard to find elsewhere.

Following our exploration of the blue city, we’ll head to Tetouan, also known as “the white dove” for its luminosity and the predominant color of its houses. We’ll visit the Medina, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, where we can admire the Andalusian influence. It’s important to note that for many years, Tetouan served as the capital of the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco. Our accommodation and breakfast will be at a riad in Tangier.

DAY : 10-TANGER-VISIT OF TANGER.

After breakfast in riad, we will visit the Caves of Hercules and then, 5 km away, Cape Espartel, where the waters of the Mediterranean Sea converge with the Atlantic Ocean, we will reach the medina of Tangier, just after leaving the port, up the “street of the beach” where we find one of the most precious buildings of the colonial era, the “Cervantes Theater” in a sad state of neglect. Then we arrived at the market of the small souk and the square of the great souk, 

the nerve center of the city that gives us entrance to the medina with its streets full of artisans, bazaars, cafes and street stalls that we walk until we reach the Kasbah, noble and high part of the medina where we taste the traditional cuisine enjoying beautiful views of the Strait, Tangier and its bay. On the way to the Café Hafa where we take mint tea remembering Bowles and others, we visit the Phoenician necropolis and in the evening, accommodation in riad.

DAY 11:Tangier- Asilah-rabat-Casablanca.

Breakfast at the Riad. We will continue our trip to Rabat the fourth imperial city of Morocco and current capital of the country and administrative and political center. In Rabat we will visit the Mausoleum of Med V, the Hassan Tower, the Kasbah of Oudaya where the bluish colors predominate again. After visiting the capital of the country we will continue to Casablanca, night in hotel with breakfast.

Day 12: Casablanca-Marrakech.

After breakfast at the hotel in Casablanca, the second largest city in Africa, where there is a
Africa, where there is an elegant mix of Art Deco and Neo-Moorish buildings lining wide avenues. Next we will visit the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world, then stop at Rick’s Café, the place featured in the movie Casablanca. This cafe never existed, as the entire movie was filmed in Hollywood. We will have lunch and go for a walk on the corniche to enjoy the sea breeze and the view of the beautiful Hassan II Mosque. After the visit of the great city of Morocco we contained our journey of about 2 hours to reach Marrakech.

Day 13: Marrakech – Marrakech airport.

After a rich breakfast in our riad free time to continue visiting the city and do the last shopping in Marrakech, transfer to the airport of Marrakech according to the time of departure of your flight and end of our services.