12-Day Morocco Highlights Tour with Sahara Desert and Imperial Cities

12 Days Duration

Experiences

About This Tour

Explore Morocco's deserts, imperial cities, and historic landmarks on this 12-day journey from Casablanca and Marrakech. Visit the mosques of Koutoubia and Hass...

Duration: 12 Days · Tour type: Shared · Activity level: Easy · Accommodation: Included · Standard · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: Not applicable · Cities: Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech, Essaouira, Errachidia, Midelt, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Merzouga, Todgha Gorge, Erfoud, Aït Benhaddou, Ziz Valley, Atlas Mountains, Erg Chebbi, Azrou, Dadès Gorges, Moulay Idriss, Volubilis · Languages: English

About Moulay Idriss

Morocco

Moulay Idriss

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What's Included

11 nights accommodation
Activities specified in the itinerary
Daily breakfast
English-speaking Moroccan guide
Meals as specified in the itinerary
Private tour with 4x4 or minivan
Rented camel and guide
Transfers to and from Marrakech Airport (RAK) or Casablanca Airport (CMN)
Transportation for the activities and trips specified

Itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival and Transfer to Marrakech

Upon arriving at Marrakech Airport (RAK) or Casablanca Airport (CMN), meet your tour guide and transfer to the riad in the old Medina of Marrakech.
2

Day 02

Marrakech City Tour and Cooking Experience

After breakfast, you will have a day tour of Marrakech, including a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city ramparts, followed by lunch. You will visit the Koutoubia Mosque, the Majorelle Garden, the 16th-century Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace, and the Dar Si Saïd Palace, a museum of jewellery, kaftans, leatherwork, carpets, chests, and doors. In Marrakech, you will also take part in cooking classes and cooking demonstrations. The night will be spent at the riad in Marrakech.
3

Day 03

Day Trip to Essaouira

Enjoy a private day trip from Marrakech to Essaouira, which will give you ample time to visit the important monuments, attractions, and sights of Essaouira. The Mogador exotic novels will enchant you with the beauty of its cool beach, its mild climate, and the bustle of its fishing port, where you will have the chance to taste fresh fish. The night will be spent at the riad in Marrakech.
4

Day 04

High Atlas, Aït Benhaddou, and Dades

Depart Marrakech and travel over the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass. You will have time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, as well as a break for coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. Visit several kasbahs along the way, including Aït Benhaddou, a 16th-century UNESCO site and one of the best-preserved spectacular kasbahs in Morocco. Scenes from the 2000 blockbuster hit movie Gladiator were filmed in Aït Benhaddou. After lunch, you will enjoy the landscapes of Berber villages, Rose Valley, and Dades Valley before arriving at Dades Gorge. The night will be spent in Dades.
5

Day 05

Dades to Todra Gorge and Merzouga

After breakfast at the hotel, you will depart for Todra Gorge, a massive fault rising to 300 meters in a narrow valley, thickly studded with palmeries and Berber villages. You will have lunch in the gorge before travelling farther into the desert to the tiny village of Merzouga. The night will be spent at the Kasbah Hotel around Merzouga's Erg Chebbi in the Sahara Desert.
6

Day 06

Saharan Desert 4x4 and Camel Ride

During the day, you will enjoy a ride through the dunes in a 4x4 as you visit the Mones wells and nomadic settlements. In the evening, before sunset, you will go for a camel ride through the Saharan Desert. The night will be spent in the middle of the dunes in a luxury tent.
7

Day 07

Sahara Sunrise Journey to Fes

Early in the morning, depart to enjoy the sunrise as you ride your camel back to the hotel where the 4x4 is parked. After breakfast, you will depart for Errachidia via Erfoud and the Ziz Valley. Your journey will take you to Midelt, where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will drive to Fes via the cedar woods at Azrou and the mountains of the Middle Atlas. The night will be spent in a riad in Fes.
8

Day 08

Fes Medina, Monuments, and Tastings

Today will be busy, as you will spend the morning exploring the ramparts of Fes, seeing the Tomb of the Merinids, and visiting the 14th-century Bou Inania Medersa and the excellent museum, with its collection of illuminated manuscripts and ceramics. You will have lunch in the Medina before exploring its fascinating cobbled lanes, the richly decorated Attarin Medersa, and the Neijarin Fountain. You will also have the chance to see the medieval tannery, the mosques, the fondouks where the donkeys and their owners gather, and the infinite variety of merchandise, such as handicrafts, edible goods, copperware, and pottery. In Fes, you will enjoy market tours with tastings, as well as wine and local food tasting sessions. The night will be spent in Fes.
9

Day 09

Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, and Chefchaouen

After breakfast, you will depart for Volubilis and explore the ruins of this Roman city. You will visit the holy city of Moulay Idriss, a place of pilgrimage for all Moroccans. Your journey will also take you to the wonderful city of Chefchaouen via the Rif Mountains. The night will be spent in Chefchaouen.
10

Day 10

Free Day in Chefchaouen

This will be a free day for you to unwind, relax, and explore the city at leisure.
11

Day 11

Rabat and Casablanca Landmarks

You will depart for Rabat, where you can visit the ruins of Chellah, the Mohammed V Mausoleum, and the Hassan Tower. After lunch, you will continue your travels to Casablanca, where you can visit the Hassan II Mosque. The night will be spent in a hotel in Casablanca.
12

Day 12

Departure Transfer to Casablanca Airport

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Casablanca Airport (CMN).