10 Days from Marrakech to the Desert and Fez
Day 1: Aeropuerto > Marrakech
Arrival in Marrakech. Pick up at the airport at the scheduled arrival time of your flight and transfer to your riad. Free day to get acquainted with the place. Overnight in riad with breakfast.
Day 2: Marrakech, City Tour
Breakfast at your riad and cultural visit of the city of Marrakech with guide to discover its fascinating history through the famous Koutoubia (XIIth century), the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs (XVIth century) and lunch in a typical restaurant in the Medina. Afternoon free to enjoy the souks and the famous Jmaa El Fna square, its outdoor activities: jugglers, musicians, fakirs, snake charmers, minstrels … that will awaken all your senses, with its many sounds, aromas, flavors and colors that characterize it. Accommodation at the Riad.
Day 3 : Marrakech > Ait ben haddou > Ouarzazate > Dades
At 8h in the morning departure from Marrakech direction Ouarzazate, to ksar ait ben Haddou, we will cross the Atlas Mountains (we will make small stops along the way to approach the beautiful landscapes and authentic Berber villages). The first stop will be the visit of the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a 16th century fortress classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and many great movies were made there too (Gladiator, Laurence of Arabia, the kingdom of heaven…). Then we continue to Ouarzazate, where we will have lunch and visit the kasbah of Taourirt. Then we will go to the Dades Valley and the Valley of the Roses, with a stop to see the locally made cosmetics, through the fascinating palm grove of Skoura, where numerous ancient kasbahs stand out among the palm trees. Overnight in hotel in the dades valley with dinner, breakfast.
Day 4: Dades > Gargantas de todra > Merzouga
After breakfast, we will enjoy one of the best views of the Dades Valley. We will do it from one of the most strategic places that the mountains offer us. From there we will be able to observe the number of kasbahs and the picturesque of each one of them. After making several stops along the way, we will arrive at the Todra Gorges. Located near the town of Tineghir, they give way to the desert. Surrounded by a valley full of palm trees and adobe villages, here are the mountains most appreciated by lovers of climbing. These Todra and Dadès faults are the best known and also the most impressive in Morocco. After a walk in the Todra Gorges and lunch in Tinjdad or Touroug, we leave for the desert to reach the impressive dunes of Merzouga where we will depart in a caravan of camels on a journey of about an hour to reach our nomadic haimas, located in the middle of a sea of dunes (Erg Chebbi), we take the opportunity to see one of the most impressive sunsets you have ever seen. Dinner and overnight in nomadic tents in the heart of the desert under a spectacular blanket of stars.
Day 5: Merzouga > Nomadic Families > Khamlia Village
Before sunrise, our dromedary guide will wake you up to climb the dunes and find the sun emerging above the horizon. We will start the trip on dromedaries and on the way we will pause to enjoy the view. Upon arrival at the hotel, after a hearty and rich breakfast, we will surround the Erg Chebbi, an extension of sandy desert where the Great Dune of Morocco is located, over 250 meters high, and we will connect by track with part of the route followed by the old Paris-Dakar and with the mountains bordering Algeria in the background. Stop at the oasis of Tissardmin where we can find Fossil race that are still found in this region and continue on route to a nomadic settlement where we will know some of their secrets and customs. Subsequent stop at a panoramic point where we can see the Erg Chebbi as a whole. We will arrive at the village of Khamlia, originally from Mali, where we will relax with a tea while enjoying a small concert of spiritual music of Gnawa. Return to the hotel and free afternoon to stroll around the village or climb the dunes nearby to enjoy the sunset. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 6: Merzouga > Valle de ziz > Midelt > Ifran > Fez
Once ready, we will head north through the palm grove of Tafilalet where, in 20km, we can see countless palm trees, which makes it one of the largest palm groves in the world. Crossing it we will arrive at the Ziz Valley, named after the river that flows down from the High Atlas and feeds the palm grove. Here we will make a mandatory stop to observe the valley from above and see the village of Aoufous, stop in Medilt where we will stop for lunch, and continue to the cedar forests of Azrou, where we can see and take pictures with the monkeys that live there. Then we will cross Ifrane to continue to Fez. We will arrive at your Riad. Accommodation with breakfast.
Day 7: Fez , City Tour
After breakfast, we will start the guided tour of the medina, one of the largest walled cities in the world. Founded in 790 AD, placing us somewhere between the Middle Ages and the present day. We will explore the narrow streets lined with stores selling fresh fruit, piles of spices, Berber carpets and many other objects of Moroccan art. We will visit the Royal Palace, the potters and tanners and then the oldest university in the world, earlier (even than Oxford or the Sorbonne). Then we will have lunch in a typical restaurant in the center of the medina. After lunch we will complete the visit of the medina and return to your Riad. Accommodation with breakfast.
Day 8: Fez > Meknes > Volubilis > Chefchaouen
After breakfast at the hotel/Riad, we drive to Meknes, the tanner of Fes Morocco chosen by Sultan Moulay Ismail as his imperial capital at the end of the 17th century, where we enter the city through the great monumental gate “ Bab Mansour ” to visit the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. The mausoleum is one of the most impressive buildings in the city. We will have lunch and continue to the Roman ruins of Voulbilis, highlighting its mosaics and temples where we will have a guided tour. Then we will go to Chaouen via Ouazane and arrive at your Riad. Accommodation with breakfast.
Day 9: Chefchaouen > Rabat
After breakfast we will visit Chaouen. This city is one of the most particular of Morocco. It welcomed Muslim refugees fleeing from Granada in 1492 or after the expulsion from Spain in 1648, so it has many similarities with the Andalusian villages, white and blue houses, steep medina on the back of the mountain and Andalusian courtyards. Chaouen is tranquility, we continue to the capital of the kingdom of Rabat. We will arrive at your Riad. Accommodation with breakfast.
Day 10: Rabat > Casablanca > Airport
After breakfast at the hotel/Riad we set off to visit the city which will include the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Hassan Tower, the Kasbah of the Oudayas and Challah. We will then drive to Casablanca, one of the largest cities in Africa, where there is an elegant mix of Art Deco and Neo-Moorish buildings lining wide avenues. We will have lunch and then visit the magnificent Hassan Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. Its handmade beauty is breathtaking. In the afternoon we will take you to the airport of Casablanca, to connect with your flight back home, Farewell and end of our services.
Whats Included
- Private vehicle with A/C.
- Private tour, no other people in the group.
- Accompanying driver, who speaks Spanish.
- Fuel
- Accommodation (09 nights)
2 nights in riad in Marrakech, with breakfast.
1 night in hotel in Dades valley, half board.
1 night in nomad tent camp, half board.
1 night in a hotel in the desert, half-board.
2 nights in a riad in Fez, breakfast included.
1 night in riad in Chefchaouen, with breakfast.
1 night in a riad in Rabat, with breakfast - Dromedary ride to and from the dune camp.
- Visit to the kasbah of Ait Benhaddou.
- Double rooms with private bathroom
- Guided tour in the medina of Marrakech and Fez, Volubilis.
No Included
- Airplane tickets
- Meals (at noon)
- Drinks and beverages
- Dinners in Marrakech, fez, Chefchaouen and Rabat.
- Tips and what is not in the program.
- Entrance fees to historical monuments