14 Days Morocco Jewish Legacy Cultural Tour from Casablanca
Overview
We have no Jews in Morocco, only Moroccans.” These words, immortalized by King Mohammed V, reflect Morocco’s deep-rooted commitment to religious tolerance and coexistence. For over 2000 years, Morocco has been home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the Muslim world, where Jews and Muslims have lived harmoniously, sharing neighborhoods, markets, and places of worship side by side. This tour offers more than just a journey through Morocco’s breathtaking landscapes of mountains, deserts, and coastal towns. It is a profound exploration of Morocco’s Jewish heritage—a chance to reconnect with roots in a land where religious diversity is not just respected but cherished.
From the bustling streets of Tangier, where the gateway between Europe and Africa beckons, to the serene blue-washed alleys of Chefchaouen nestled in the Rif Mountains, each stop on this itinerary unveils layers of Morocco’s cultural mosaic. In Fes, delve into the labyrinthine Medina, a UNESCO treasure trove of ancient universities, vibrant souks, and hidden courtyards. Then, venture into the Sahara Desert, where nights are spent under starlit skies in Bedouin-style tents, and days are filled with camel treks across golden dunes.
Along the journey, explore the historic Jewish quarters, synagogues, and cemeteries that bear witness to centuries of shared history and mutual respect. From Marrakech’s bustling Jemaa El-Fnaa square to the coastal charm of Essaouira, immerse yourself in the vibrant tapestry of Moroccan life, where every corner tells a story of resilience, acceptance, and cultural exchange.
This tour not only invites you to discover Morocco’s natural wonders but also to celebrate its enduring legacy as a beacon of religious tolerance and harmony—a land where diversity is embraced as a source of strength and pride. Join us on this unforgettable expedition to experience Morocco in all its richness and splendor, honoring its past while embracing its vibrant present.”Step into a realm of boundless wonder as we invite you to embark on a journey that transcends.
Highlights
- Visit an architectural masterpiece overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, notable for its retractable roof and unique accessibility to Jews.
- Explore the only Jewish museum in the Islamic world, showcasing 2000 years of Jewish-Berber history, including art, clothing, and religious artifacts.
- Discover the vibrant culture of Essaouira, once a haven for hippies and renowned for its Gnawa music scene, fortified walls, and annual Jewish pilgrimage to Rabbi Chaim Pinto’s grave.
- Dive into the bustling Jamaa El Fna square, Lazama synagogue, and the serene Majorelle Garden, revealing Morocco’s rich Jewish heritage amid historic landmarks.
- Journey through Hollywood’s favorite backdrop, the UNESCO-listed Ait Benhaddou, and explore Ouarzazate’s film studios, bridging Morocco’s cinematic allure with ancient kasbahs.
- Experience camel rides at sunset in Merzouga’s towering dunes, followed by an overnight stay in Bedouin-style tents, immersing yourself in the magic of the desert.
Itinerary
Day 1 : Casablanca Airport Arrival
Welcome to your roots ! it depends upon your time of arrival, you will be driven to your hotel/Riad to loosen up and have rest. You might like to to figure out some of casablaca’s sights, the architectural masterpiece, Hassan II Mosque that completed in the 90s, overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and has a retractable roof to let in sunlight, and one of few mosque that Jews are accorded the rare opportunity to enter.
Day 2 : Casablanca City Tour
This is your first day of pilgrimage tour of Jewish legacy in Morocco, Casablanca is a good place to start for a grounding pilgrimage tour of Jewish legacy, your most vivid memory will be of your visit to Beth El and Eim Habanim synagogues which are not the only Synagogues in Casablanca, then you move to the only Jewish museum in Islamic world, the Moroccan Judaism Museum where you’ll discover the Jewish-Berber costumes and jewelry, and you’ll find among its walls 2000-year history reflected on art, ornate clothing, religious relics and artifacts, besides a photo and video library, and rooms with partial reproductions of synagogues. This place was once, before renewing, serving as a Jewish orphanage. Carrying on our legacy discovery to the last Moroccan Jewish day school, Neve Shalom and Casablanca’s Jewish Mellah and Jewish Cemetery.You can have lunch in one of many kosher restaurant and later on at the afternoon you might like to have a drink in Tahiti Beach club that once was a local Jewish hangout.
Day 3 : Casablanca – Azemmour – Essaouira
You’ll have much time to explore Jimi Hendrix’s town, Afternoon, when you’re in Essaouira you’re free to roam in the city that was once and still a haven for hippie backpackers and Gnawa musicians. You can start your visit by the ramparts a series of forts that were built in the 15th century around the Medina of Mogador. Inside the Medina you’ll have the chance visit the Mellah where two-thirds of the population settled in the 19 century. Each year in Sept more than 2000 Jews from all over the world meet at the grave of Rabbi Chaim Pinto who was, in the 16th century Jewish cemetery, well-known by his ability to perform miracles.
Day 4 : Essaouira – Marrakech
If you did not get to explore the sights of Essaouira the day before, you’ll be able to do it this morning before you leave east to Marrakech. it’s highly recommended to walk through the narrow alleyways of Essaouira where you will noticed the painted houses that still have the Star of David above the doorways of Jewish houses, besides, even in its boat-lined port, look up at the symbols carved out on the harbor’s gate. A Jewish star rests inside a scallop shell often associated with Christian pilgrims, next to Islam’s symbolic crescent moon. Although the number of permanent Jewish residents has dwindled, their marks don’t fade.
Day 5 : Marrakech Medina Tour
You’ll have all day long to carry on your Morocco Jewish legacy cultural tour with you private guided tour as in other cities. You’ll be able to explore the famed Jamaa El-fnaa square and the highly recommended sites such as the newly opened Yves Saint Laurent Museum, the enchanting Majorelle garden and Berber Museum and the famed Jamaa El Fnaa square where the crazed cacophony of musicians, snake charmers, storytellers are performing. A visit to the narrow alleyways of the nearby Mellah is worth walking. Jewish stars punctuate doorposts leading to the tiny blue-and-white Lazama that was constructed by Jews escaping from Spain in 1492 and it’s recently opened for the public. Lazama synagogue has an interior courtyard and displays photographs and artifacts of Moroccan Jews. The tour also include The Saadiens Tombs and the Bahia and El Badi Palace.
Day 6 : Marrakech – Ait Benhaddou – Ouarzazate – valley of roses – Dades gorges
Around 8:00am your driver/tour guide will pick you up from the nearest point of your hotel/Riad. Through Tizi- N’Tichka pass (2260m) in the High Atlas Mountains, you will enjoy a snaky windy road (if you get car sick have your medication), beautiful landscapes with different colors and Berber villages along the way. The first pause will be in Ait Barka village. It will be around 10:00am to take beautiful pictures and have a cup of mint tea. It’s a point to start the highest Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The second pause will take place in the top of Tizi n’Tichka arriving to Ait Benhaddou, the 11th century UNESCO-protected red mud-brick ksar that has formed the backdrop for many Hollywood movies production such as Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, Gladiator, Game of Thrones and many others. Here you will also have time to explore the history of this amazing heritage. Then you will have lunch before continuing via Ouarzazate, « Ouallywood » studio and Taourirte Kasbah. Traversing the valley of roses and daggers straight to Dades gorges a rust-red and mauve mountains. A series of crumbling Kasbahs and Ksours line the valley in the Berber villages to the monkey Fingers Mountains.
Day 7 : Dades Gorges – Todgha Gorges – Tinejdad – Erfoud – Risani – Merzouga Desert
This morning, you head southeast towards Merzouga and the gateway into the golden dunes of the Sahara desert. Before getting there you’ll be stuck between gigantic rock walls and a hard place is a sublime experience in the Todgha gorges. Then it’s onward to Tinjdad where a local Berber culture museum is worth a lunch stop, later on after lunch we head to Arfoud where you can marvel at the million-year-old fossils that the area is famous for. Then it’s off to Merzouga that has the highest dunes in Morocco, you can store any luggage while packing an overnight bag to bring along. You’ll have the chance to ride your camel « ship of the desert » into the sandy seas. After hour-long camel ride you will be among the luckiest to watch the sun set over the Sahara dunes. Your stay for the night will be a Bedouin style tent.
Day 8 : Merzouga Desert – Midelt – Ifran – Fes
This morning you’ll wake up with the sun shining on you face to witness what we hope is a glorious sunrise among the dunes, meanwhile to watch the light creep slowly down the dunes and pull all the world around you outside their warmth heavy mound of blankets for an early-breakfast. After an hour-ride camel back out of the desert you will depart and head for Ifran through the Ziz Valley, among the largest producer oasis dates in Morocco. En route we will stop for lunch with a local family in Midelt. After lunch we will pass through the cedar forests of Ifran, the Switzerland of Morocco, if are lucky we’ll come across the Barbary macaques in our way to Fes where you can prepare for tomorrow’s amazing tour in its mysteries and secrets of the 9000 alleyways that make it a maze, do not panic the guide will show the must see sites.
Day 9 : Fes Medina Tour
With your private Fes born and bred guide you will have the opportunity to discover the ancient breeding ground for scholars and artisans and the largest medina of the world. You will see the American Fondouk, Nejjarines, the Tanneries and Karaouine the most ancient university in the world. Your guide will shed light on many tales and history of this UNESCO-protected Medina. For jews is highly recommended to scout about the winding streets to the 1438 Morocco’s oldest Mellah with its Spanish inspired Jewish balconies and windows faced outward the streets. The Jewish quarter is also has a 17th century synagogues, Slat Al Fassiyine. In Addition to the Aben Danan Synagogue which has unique features, and Beit Hachaim the most famous resting place for rabbis, Local jews.
Day 10 : Fes – Meknes – Fes
The lesser-visited Imperial city of Meknes is our 10th day visit. Today we will have the chance to see the famed gate Bab El Mansour, Dar Jamai Palace and Museum, the royal stables, Hedim square and Moulay Ismail tomb. Through the narrow lanes to the Mellah where the Jewish families used to live and to Jewish Zawiya where is the grave of Rabbi David Benmidan. 30 min driving away of Meknes is one of the earliest signs of Jewish existence is still struggling the age, Volubilus, a remarkable and fascinating archaeological site. A former Roman ruins Hidden among the intricate mosaics and rows of standing columns and building facades, excavators found a tombstone with Hebrew inscriptions dating back to the second century.
Day 11 : Fes – Sefrou – Chefchaouen
We say goodbye to city of Sophism, and drive south of Fes towards Sefrou « the little Jerusalem » as it known due to its high percentage of Jews. It was once a meeting point of traders from around the world. The town hosted among it walls the Jewish settlers present since the 13th century. Upon Morocco’s independence « Little Jerusalem’s » Mellah makes up half of the old city. If you want to discover more of the Mellah you might like to cross the Aggai’s river and walk through alleyways to get to large school, the synagogue, and a cemetery holding the tombs of important saints, merchants, and flood victims. When you finish your visit of the medina we will drive out of Fes to have a delicious local food in Lalla Fatiha’s house
In the afternoon your driver/guide will drive you towards the blue city where you’re goint to spend your night and visit it tomorrow morning.
Day 12 : Chefchaouen – Rabat
From coastal towns to the south and getting to the north, you will spend this morning in Chefchaouen before leaving to Rabat. Chefchaouen or Chaouen or the blue city as it known internationally. It was a refuge for Muslim and Jews escaping from the Spanish Reconquista. The presence of Jews remains evident in vivid blue washed-walls of each house and corner of the city. The blue color that cover the walls is a Jewish tradition of weaving prayer shawls with tekhelel (an ancient natural blue dye) representing the sky, the sea and God’s inescapable presence. In addition to this a lot of people enjoy roam arbitrary in the city.
Day 13 : Rabat City Tour
In every inch of Morocco you can catch the footprints of Morocco’s once vibrant Jewish life in glimpses. In Rabat you will have a free day to explore the city, first through the monumental Hassan tower with the pillared stumps of its mosque being all that remains from the earthquake of 1755. There is also the near-by Mausoleum of the royal family. And do not miss to walk through the passenger ways of the Medina and Mellah to have a cup of mint tea in red Oudayas, a walled village within a city.
Day 14 : Rabat – Casablanca departure
On your final day, as you bid farewell to Morocco, reflect on the enduring legacy of coexistence that shaped this land for centuries. From the bustling streets of Rabat, where remnants of Morocco’s vibrant Jewish community still echo through the Mellah and Medina, to the tranquil corners of the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum, each step resonates with the stories of ancestors who lived and thrived together in peace. Depart from Rabat and travel back to Casablanca Airport, where you bid farewell to the wonders and legacy of this beautiful country. Carry with you the essence of Morocco as you embark on your onward journey, cherishing the cultural tapestry and historical landmarks that have left a lasting impression on your soul.
Map
Accommodation
Unless a specific accommodation is requested, we reserve or recommend the best different authentic stays from the most quintessentially Moroccan accommodation available, reasonably priced, charming hotels/Riads in the Medina to the Kasbahs and Bedouin style tents in the Sahara desert with private bath, hot water, good service, value and sustainable management practices. Accommodation is based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room. Desert Camp feature full size walk-in tents for two or more persons with Bedouin-style bedding or sleeping pads. On trekking and camping trips tents, sleeping pads or mattresses, wash basins, toilet facilities, cooking equipment, lanterns, pack animals and portering gear are provided. Participants must furnish their own clothing, soft-luggage and day pack. Sleeping bags are necessary for some trips, but are usually available for rent. MSITravels reserves the right to substitute equivalent or superior hotels/Riads.
Nutrition
Morocco Social Impact Travel exists to authentically connect you, not only to Morocco’s incredible destinations. We want you to touch and feel the good quality of our local families home-cooked meals and to taste the ras el hanout and the saffron and more other commonly used spices in our Delicious local & seasonal cuisine, such as seven vegetable Couscous, flavorful Tagines & creative soups & vegetables, plus Tanjia and Rfisa, mint tea and pistachios. Plus, enjoy a hands-on cooking class so you can impress friends & family back home. Gluten free or vegan? We’ve got you covered!
Give Back
While in Morocco we are pleased to support the wonderful work of Ennajah Association and Chabab Time, two nonprofit organizations. the first one based in Zagora and aims to create sustainable development in community through The Fight Against School Dropouts of girls by providing transportation and providing water for the population …
The second one is based in Rabat but works all over Morocco and aims to motivate young people to actively participate in Public life. We may also pick a local Berber school to donate supplies & small toys, spreading joy in simple ways, and giving a bit back to the local people of the area.
Last but not least, we want you to have the opportunity to give back, to support vulnerable families in meaningful ways. To build authentic connections and know that your visit matters. That when you leave, you’ll take carpets and Argan oil and lanterns and photographs and memories, but you’ll also leave a mark that made a difference.
Transportation
We, in Morocco Social Impact Travel « MSITravels », care about our clients and their comfort. Thus, we offer different kind of transportation depending on the number of customers and the tour they’ve chosen. E.g. If the tour is off-road we will offer a 4 wheels drive car for each 4 customers maximum. Otherwise we have 7 seats Minivan, Minibus for 17 travelers and Coach for more than 17 travelers.
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DepartureYour driver/tour guide will meet you at the airport with a personalized card and accompany you throughout your trip, including organizing daily departure times until your return to the airport.
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IncludedAccommodation : 13 Nights included 1 night in a Berber Style tent in MerzougaLocal Guides : Casablanca – Essaouira - Marrakech – Fes - RabatEng, Spa or Fr profesional Driver/Tour guideMeals: 13 Breakfast, 2 DinnersTransport: Minivan or 4WD or MinibusToll road fees, fuel charges and all taxesTransport insuranceAir-conditioned vehicleCamel ride in the desertVisit to women's cooperativesShuttle from and to the AirportOptional: Home-cooked meals with local families can be arranged at the traveler's request and expense."An opportunity to visit and meet up with local families and Nomads
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Not IncludedFlightsTravel insuranceGratuitiesEntrance fees to historical monumentsAdditional servicesDrinksAnything not mentioned in ‘included’
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