Imperial Cities and the Desert

Casablanca - Rabat  - Meknes - Fes - Midelt - Merzouga - Erg Chebbi - Todra Gorges

Dades Gorges - Ouarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou -  Marrakech - Casablanca

8 days/7 nights Morocco Holiday

Day 1     Casablanca - Rabat - Meknes

Will we collect you from your hotel to visit the Hassan II Mosque before departing to Rabat.  In Rabat you can visit to the Mechouar of the Royal Palace, the ruins of Chellah, the Mohammed V Mausoleum and the Hassan Tower.  After lunch we will depart to Meknes to arrive early evening. 

Day 2      Meknes - Volubilis - Fes

After breakfast we will take a tour of Meknes including El Hdim square, Bab El Mansour, the massive gate which is the entrance to the old city and the Jewish quarter, the Royal Granaries & the city rampart.  We will then depart via Volubilis, the Roman ruins and Moulay Idriss, the holy town. We will continue onto Fes.  Dinner and accommodation at a traditional riad.

Day 3     Fes

You will have a guided tour to discover the the medina and the famous Souks of Fes - its narrow cobbled streets are filled with ancient mosques and towering green-glazed minarets..  You will visit  the most beautiful palaces and monuments of Fes.  The tour will include a visit to the tannery and the ceramics cooperative to see the traditional moroccan crafts.

Day 4     Fes - Ilfrane - Azrou - Midelt - Merzouga

After breakfast we will depart for Merzouga through the Middle Atlas region. We will drive through Ifrane, the ‘Switzerland’ of Morocco and the cedar forests of Azrou where we can stop to hand feed the monkeys. We will continue to Midelt  where we will have lunch.  We will then follow the Ziz River through the valley and stop to see the Ziz Gorges on our way to Merzouga.   On arrival to Merzouga  we will ride the camels to see the sunset over the dunes and spend the night in the desert camp. We will have a traditional tagine dinner, drink delicious mint tea, listen to traditional berber music while watching the stars and the rising moon in the amazing Sahara desert.

Day 5     Merzouga - Dades Gorges - Ouarzazate
We will wake up early to see the spectacular sunrise over the dunes before making our way back to the hotel for breakfast and a shower.  We will cross the palm lined valleys of Tourog and Tinjdad to visit Dades Gorge.  We will continue via El Kelaa Magona, Valley of the Roses and the Skoura oasis to arrive early evening in Ouarzazate.

Day 6     Ouarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou - Telouet - Marrakech

After breakfast we will depart to Ait Benhaddou and visit the World Heritage Site.  We will continue with a visit to the traditional High Atlas Berber village of Telouet and the Kasbah el Glaoui. We will have lunch in a local restaurant in Telouet before descending the Tizi-n-Tichka to Marrakech.

Day 7    Marrakech

You will have a guided tour to discover the multiple facets of Marrakech with a stroll in the labyrinth of the narrow streets of the Medina amongst its famous Souks and a visit to the most beautiful palaces and monuments of Marrakech.

Day 8    Marrakech - Casablanca
We will spend the morning at leisure for shopping or relaxing in Marrakech before leaving mid afternoon to arrive in Casablanca by 4pm (or if you have a departing flight or want to spend time in Casablanca we can leave Marrakech at your convenience).