In this 7-day desert tour from Casablanca to Marrakech and the Merzouga desert, you will explore diverse landscapes, from economical city of Casablanca to the capital of Morocco, Rabat. passing through the blue town of Chefchaouen and the historical city of Fes, all the way to the Little Switzerland of Ifrane, to the cedar forest, where you will have the opportunity to play with the monkeys. And the High Atlas Mountains, to the beautiful kasbahs, and the desert, where you will have the opportunity to ride a camel in the dunes. You will spend a wonderful night in a luxury camp, with Berber music and a starry sky afterward.
We will start our 7-day Morocco tour from Casablanca airport or from your hotel. Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and the country’s economic and business centre. We will start by visiting the Hassan 2 mosque. It is the second-largest mosque in Africa and was built by Moroccan artisans from across the kingdom. Then we will visit the Mohammed 5 square. The square is known popularly as “Pigeons’ Square.” Afterwards, we will stop at Rick’s Café, a place designed to recreate the bar set from the classic movie Casablanca.
”In the event of a late arrival at the airport, we will proceed directly to the hotel and schedule our visit to Casablanca for the following morning.”
After breakfast at the hotel, we will start the day by leaving Casablanca for Rabat, the capital of Morocco. There, you will visit the Oudaya Kasbah. This ancient kasbah from the Almohad period (12th century) is a true architectural marvel, which was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. Then we will stop to visit the Hassan Tower, an incomplete mosque built at the end of the 12th century. The tower was intended to be the largest minaret in the world. We will have lunch in Rabat, right after we drive about 4 hours towards Chefchaouen (the blue city). Chefchaouen is a city in the Rif Mountains of northwest Morocco. It’s known for the striking, blue-washed buildings of its old town. Overnight in a Riad/ hotel in the blue city.
In the morning, we will leave Chefchaouen and drive 3 hours to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, an archaeological Roman site that is well-preserved and listed by UNESCO (1997). Then, we will go to Meknes. Meknes was developed by Sultan Moulay Ismael in the 17th Century and became the capital of Morocco. It is famous for its beautiful gates, mosques, and madrasas. You will see the granary of Sahrij Swani. It is used to store food and water for the “black Army” of the sultan Moulay Ismael. Then, you will visit the mausoleum of the sultan and the Arab-Andalusian style. We will have a look at the tremendous gate of Bab Mansour. Then, we will go to Fes, where we will spend the night
On the fourth day of our tour, you will explore the rich history of the Medina of Fes with the local guide. The day begins with a visit to the entrance of the Royal Palace, where you will get a sense of the palace’s wealth, and continues with a stop in the Jewish Quarter, an ancient enclave that was Morocco’s first Mellah. Then, we will drive to the mosaic factory and visit the pottery and ceramics. Later, you will have a walk in the midle of the old medina, exploring the centuries-old Al Qarawiyin University, considered the oldest in the world. And you will stop at the famous tanneries, where the ancient art of leatherworking is practiced today. The guide will show you an old Madrassa ( school), before we get back to our hotel. Overnight in the same hotel.
We will start the day by driving for an hour and a half to Ifrane. Ifrane is a town in the Middle Atlas Mountains, known for its alpine-style architecture and nearby ski resorts and forests. There, we will visit a lion rock statue carved entirely from stone by a sculptor. Then we will continue to the middle of the cedar forest, where we will see wild monkeys (macaques). We will pass through Zaida, Midelt, and Rich, and stop for lunch somewhere. After lunch, we will make a stop in Ziz Valley and continue to the desert. Once you reach the Erg Chebbi dunes, we will drive to where the camels are waiting for you. Your luggage will be loaded into the four-wheel drive vehicle and taken to the camp, and you will be able to take a joyful camel ride through the dunes and admire the sunset on the way to the camp. At the camp, you will get your private tent equipped with a bathroom and shower. And after a delicious dinner, the fire will be lit, and you will enjoy traditional Berber music under the starry desert night.
You will have a warm breakfast. Then, we will leave the desert behind and go to the Rissani Traditional market, known as Sijilmassa. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday ( 3 days a week), people from around come to buy all their needs from fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, clothing, crafts, dates, nuts, dry fruits… Then, we will continue to the fossil factory in Erfoud. After, we will drive to Toudra Gorges, where the mountains cover the sky, and enjoy its beautiful Canyon views, and stretch your legs and enjoy the views of the high cliffs. After lunch, we will head to the Dades Valley, where you will admire the green valley surrounded by the dry mountains. We will stop at a rock formation known as Monkey’s Fingers, and it is one of the lesser-known yet extremely impressive sights. overnight in a beautiful hotel in the Dades.
After a great breakfast at the hotel, we will go to the rose town of Kelaat Mgouna, known for the “Roses Festival” which takes place in the city every year in May. We will stop in a factory for the distillation of roses and the production of rose water, essential oils, and cosmetic products. Then, we will go to Ouarzazate, known as the Hollywood of Morocco for its film industry, where we will visit the Atlas studios. Then, we will continue to the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. This Kasbah has been featured in over 20 international films and is recognized as a significant fort along the ancient Salt Road, where caravans transported commodities. We will have lunch and drive through the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech. We will terminate the tour by dropping you off at your Riad/hotel.
An amazing experience from our 4-day desert trip from Fes to the desert, where we stayed for 2 nights in a lovely tent with en-suite. Rose rode camels, visited a nomad family, travelled through villages and towns, saw traditional markets and a UNESCO heritage Kasbah, crossed the High Atlas Mountains and Todra Gorge. I’m sure I’ve missed things out, but the whole trip was incredible, made even more special by our wonderful driver/guide, Youssef, who became our trusted companion with his kind, friendly, and thoughtful ways and his knowledge of everything we saw. He is highly recommended.
We did a 4-day desert tour from Fes to the Sahara Desert and to Marrakech; we really enjoyed the experience overall. The landscapes were breathtaking, especially watching the sunset and sunrise over the dunes. The tour was 4 days, and covered everything from the Todras Gorges, Ifrane, the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara Desert, and everything in between. The organization of the tour was solid, and we didn’t have to plan anything. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and we appreciated learning more about the local culture and traditions along the way. If you’re curious about the desert and want to experience something different and scenic, this is a great way to do it.