Imperial Cities Morocco Cultural Tour

Imperial Cities Morocco Cultural Tour

During this Imperial Cities Morocco Cultural Tour you will have the opportunity to explore and dive deep down into the Imperial cities of Morocco starting either by Casablanca, Fes or Marrakech. Optionally when you start by Casablanca you will spend a night in the largest and biggest city in Morocco, then you head east via Rabat the capital of Morocco with its well-known Hassan Tower and the pillared that stumps of its mosque being all that remains from the earthquake of 1755. Then Meknes and Fes the maze to end all mazes, with its mysteries and secrets of the 9000 alleyways. En route to the desert we will pass by the cedar forests of Ifran, the Switzerland of Morocco in order to catch up with the sun set over the Sahara dunes. After a night in the Sahara with its Bedouin style we will drive northwest along a series of crumbling Kasbahs and Ksours line the road in the Sahara villages to the gigantic rock walls of Todgha Gorges. Arriving to Dades gorges a rust-red and mauve monkey Fingers Mountains. Departing from Dades to Marrakech via Ouarzazate, the 11th century UNESCO-protected red mud-brick ksar of Ait Benhadou and the highest peak of the Atlas Mountains.

Itinerary day by day

Day 1 : Arrival to Casablanca CMN

Touch down to Casablanca. After your driver/tour guide has picked you up & dropped you off at your hotel you might like to discover some of Casablanca’s sights. Notably the Hassan II Mosque which is considered to be the largest in north Africa and the third largest in the Islamic world, with its splendid esplanade and its tallest minaret in the world. It is a long reach of marble and emerald zellige rising 210 meters into the sky. Grand and timeless, the Great Mosque is constantly busy, a meeting point for Sunday strolls.

Day 2 : Casablanca – Rabat – Meknes – Fes

Dive down east from Casablanca to Fes via Rabat and Meknes. Takes at first one-hour long through the highway to Rabat, the administrative capital will be waiting for you, salute the soldier-knights riding horses in front of the gate to 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. From here to the imperial city of Meknes takes us in about two hours’ drive. We start discovering Meknes from 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. The next stop is Fes the maze to end all mazes, with its mysteries and secrets of the 9000 alleyways.

Day 3 : Fes Medina Tour

Do not panic the guide will show you the must-see sites! With your private Fes born and bred guide you will have the opportunity to discover the ancient breeding ground for scholars and artisanas and the largest medina of the world. Your will see the America Fondouk, Nejjarines, the Tanneries, the Medersa (Theological college) and Karaouine the first established university in the world. Your guide will shed light on many tales and 1200 years of history of this UNESCO-protected Medina. When you finish your visit of the medina we will drive you out of Fes to have a delicious house-made food in Lalla Fatiha’s place in Sefrou.

Day 4 : Fes – Ifran – Midelt – Ziz Valley – Merzouga Desert

An early-morning start is recommended for this day. We leave the mazing Medina of Fes with its mysteries and secrets of the 9000 alleyways head to southeast towards Merzouga and the gateway into the golden dunes of the Sahara desert. En route we will pass by the cedar forests of Ifran, the Switzerland of Morocco, where you might think that you are in the Alps. If we’re lucky we’ll come across the Barbary Macaques in our way to Midelt where we’ll stopover for lunch. After eating we drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains to reach the Ziz Valley, which considered to be among the largest producer oasis dates in Morocco, then it’s off to Merzouga with its highest dunes in Morocco, you can store any baggage while packing an overnight bag to bring along. You’ll have the chance to be accompanied by a camel and blue-turban-robed guide into the sandy seas. After hour-long camel ride you will be among the luckiest to watch the sun set over the Sahara dunes and spend a night in a Bedouin style tent.

Day 5 : Merzouga Desert – Erfoud – Todgha Gorges – Dades Gorges 08:00

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 Erfoud where you can marvel at the million-year-old fossils that the area is famous for. Then heading north for a sublime experience in the Todgha gorges where we’ll be stuck between the gigantic rock walls. Arriving 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.

If we get there earlier and you still have some energy to hike a couple of hours we will drop-off our luggage at the hotel and get dressed for the hike.

Day 6 : Dades Gorges – Valley of Roses – Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou – Atlas Mountains – Marrakech

You leave Dades at 8:00am traversing the valley of roses and daggers straight to the 11th century UNESCO-protected red mud-brick ksar, which has formed the backdrop for many Hollywood movies production such as Lawrence of Arabia, Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus of Nazareth, Gladiator, Game of Thrones and many others. You might also like to explore Ouarzazate, home to Taourirt Kasbah and the «Ouallywood» studio. Wind up the memorable Tizi n’Tichka pass via the north Africa’s highest peak, the high Atlas Mountains with the Berber villages lined beside the road to arrive to Marrakech where you will have a day-long to explore the crazed cacophony of musicians, snake charmers and vendors in the open-air famed Jamaa El Fnaa square, and the highly recommended sites with your guide.

Day 7 : Marrakech City Tour

Today, with your private Marrakech born and bred guide, you embark exploring the Red City from its old part with its Medina’s skinny lanes that leads to lavish sites, tombs and religious monuments decked out in marble. Bahia and El-Badii Palace and Saadien’s Tombs will be your targets. Afterward, you driver/Tour Guide will pick you up for the outside medina visit to explore the Majorelle garden, Museum Saint Laurent, Berber Museum. While in Marrakech you will surely encounter thousands of motorcyclists and horse-carts roaming in the city and some of them pull over next the vast square of Jemaa El-Fnaa where it’s carnival night every night and musicians, acrobats, storytellers and slapstick acting troupes tap into the Medina frenetic pulse.

Day 8 : Marrakech or Casablanca Departure

Airport Shuttle

Our Morocco Cultural Tour comes to an end today, we hope that you spent a good time with us. Either you’ve arranged your depature from Marrakech or Casablanca pleae note that your driver/tour guide will let you know the time when he shall pick you up to the Airport.

Map

Included:

⋎        Eng, Fr or Spanish-speaking professional driver/tour guide

⋎        Shuttle from and to the Airport

⋎        Accommodation: 7 nights

⋎        City Guide: Meknes, Marrakech and Fes medina guided tours

⋎        Meals: 8 Breakfast, 2 Lunch with local families, 3 Dinner

⋎        Private Transportation: minivan, camel

⋎        Air-conditioned vehicle

⋎        Visit to women’s cooperatives

⋎        Toll road fees, fuel charges and all taxes

⋎        Transport Insurance

 Excluded:

×        Flights

×        Travel Insurance

×        Gratuities

×        Entrance fees to historical monuments

×        Additional services

×        Drinks

×        Anything not mentioned in ‘included’