The Grand Morocco Tour

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This 10-days morocco itinerary features a perfect mix of history, culture, adventure, and relaxation, explore imperial cities, High Atlas Mountains, Berber villages, Sahara Desert landscapes, and coastal ramparts. Start in Tangier and Chefchaouen on the northern side of Morocco before working your way south to Fes, through the Atlas Mountains and over the Desert, to end your private Morocco tour in Marrakech after a day trip to Essaouira.

Highlights

 Discover the colorful Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Merzouga, Fes, Volubilis, Chefchaouen, Rabat & Casablanca.
 Wander the quiet, blue-washed streets of Chefchaouen.
 Discover the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis.
 Get lost in the maze of bustling alleyways in the medieval Medina of Fes.
 Ride a camel into the shifting sands of the stuning Sahara Desert Morocco.
 Explore colorful souks and stroll in the famous Jemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech

Brief Itinireray

Detailed Morocco Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival to Morocco – Explore Tangier

Welcome to Morocco – Welcome to Tangier, the gateway to Africa from Europe! Strategically located close to the south of Spain, as you arrive to the Airport, Ferry station in Medina Port / Tangier Med Port, you will be greeted by your English-speaking private driver, then he will take you to your luxurious Hotel/Riad, where you will relax. As soon as you feel settled and refreshed, your driver who will give you all the important details about the various places you will visit and tell you the most interesting stories, will take you to  start your tour in Tangier exploring the old Medina, sip on the fresh squeezed orange juice in the Kasbah, visit the square of Zoco Chico, and the modern city over the Mediterranean Sea, and take a paseo along Mohamed V Avenue.  After the sightseeing tour, you’ll enjoy a traditional Moroccan lunch at an exquisite local restaurant and enjoy the Moroccan finest cuisine.

End your sightseeing private tour discovering the Cap Spartel and the legendary Cave of Hercules, then return to your hotel for a comfortable evening.

Day 2: Tangier → Tetouan →The “Blue City” of Chefchaouen

You’ll savor breakfast at your hotel/riad in Tangier before driving to Chefchaouen. This car ride is an ideal opportunity to relax and take in the panoramic views over the Strait of Gibraltar. Stop in Tetouan city nicknamed “the white dove”, famed for its craftsmanship and musical delicacy, also characterized by its Andalusian style. Continue driving to the blue city of Chefchaouen. where you’ll feel like you are underwater walking through endless winding narrow streets!    No matter what your level of experience with photography is, this different world will be a heaven for you! Our past photography clients have LOVED shooting pictures in this lovely blue old Medina. This day tour will be devoted to exploring this blue town tucked away in the Rif’s Mountains, you’ll wander through the enchanting bustling alleyways and feast your eyes on the blue color all around you! Enjoy the scenic local handicrafts and picturesque Andalusian architecture of buildings, stroll in Plaza Outa el Hammam, visit the Grand Mosque, and explore the nearby old fortified Kasbah. From here, climb to the rooftop enjoying a panoramic view of the Blue City, then continue on following the street east to pass over Rass el Ma Spring and ascend the path until you reach the abandoned white Spanish Mosque where you will enjoy your last view over Chefchaouen as the sun sets behind the breathtaking Mountains.  Next, you will enjoy a wonderful dinner at a local gorgeous restaurant, which will give you the deep real taste of the Morrocan cuisine, before going back to the hotel to relax.

Day 3: Roman Ruins of Volubilis → the Imperial cities of Meknes and Fes

Rise early to snap photos of the tranquil and peaceful blue city, have a delicious and fulfilling breakfast before leaving for Fes. Stop along the way at the UNESCO protected ruins of Volubilis to witness the vestiges of the Roman empire in Africa. Explore the complex, wandering around merchants’ homes with still-intact heating systems, beautiful mosaics and temples. Continue on to Meknes, begin your private tour with an introduction to the history of this exquisite imperial city, then visit the bustling El Hedim square, the famous Bab al-Mansour gate, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, and the Royal Stables. You will savor lunch in Meknes, before moving on to Fez, famous for its impressively large old medina, Fes is a city worth getting lost in.  Spend the night at your Riad (a traditional Moroccan house with an interior garden) in Fez’s old Medina.

Day 4: Fes: Exploring the Imperial City and medieval Medina

Fes is the oldest imperial cities in Morocco and the most interesting to explore. A UNESCO protected site, which consists of two Medinas’ quarters, Fes el Bali (The old part, where you will spend most of your time) and Fes el Jdid (the new part of the city built by the French in the early 20th-century). After having devoured a healthy and full breakfast at your Riad, meet your professional local guide to start exploring the maze narrow streets of the of the old Medina, lined with fresh fruit, mounds of spices, intricately hand-woven Berber carpets and many other hand-crafted objects that reek of the ancient Moroccan traditions and art. Pass donkeys piled high with goods (this is one of the largest car-free urban zones in the world), visit the Medersa Bou Inania, one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, the 14th-century Al Attarine Madrasa and admire the zellij tile work, checking out one of the oldest, still operating universities in the world, Al-Qarawiyyin University and the splendid Funduk Nejjarine,  For lunch, you may choose to eat in a traditional restaurant in the heart of the old Medina. Now, venture into the colorful tanneries and climb to the roof for a better view of the goings-on. End your tour inside the walled Medina in the blue gate “Bab Abi al-Jounoud”, then continue your private tour to the Royal Palace, through the Jewish quarter. From here, drive to the pottery factory, where you will see kilns and discover how potters’ handcraft traditionally the beautiful ceramics. In the evening, return to your Riad to freshen up before heading out. Dinner will be served in a local restaurant (A great opportunity to experience the Moroccan specialities like Harira (chickpea soup) and chicken-stuffed pastilla with couscous).

Day 5: Over the Middle Atlas and into the desert: Erfoud, Merzouga and the Sahara

Today, the breakfast will be served early to start your journey south in no hurry, through the cedar forests and the Berber villages of the Middle Atlas mountains, crossing the Col du Zad pass (2178 m). You will see the Barbary macaque monkeys by the side of the road and in the trees as you travel to the majestic town of Midelt “the apple city”, famous for its mineral rocks that are millions of years old. After Lunch, you can also hit the shops there to get some fun souvenirs for your loved ones! Along the way, appreciate the scenery of Oued Moulouya and the apples’ orchards. Next, drive over the pass of Tizi n’Talghemt into the Ziz valley dotted with fortified Ksours and palm trees. As you are near Erfoud town, you will start to see the early signs of the Sahara Desert. Never stationary, the Sand dunes travel as the winds shift. Discover how the fossil & mines-rich rock are transformed into decorative and practical useful objects in Erfoud. In the afternoon, you will reach Merzouga village, where you will change the pace onboard a 4WD vehicle, continue on your comfortable off-road drive to the extensive sea of sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. some dunes rise to over 200 m, and their color. Arriving at camp and welcomed with a cup of min tea, before you enjoy your camel ride through the dunes to watch the colorful display as the sun sets behind the scenic huge dunes. Return to the luxury camp for enjoying traditional Berber music, dinner over the fire in the open air under a blanket of stars and spend the night in a Bedouin-style tent.

Day 6: Adventures around Merzouga, Rissani Market, Todra Gorge, and Dades Valley

Wake early to catch a breathtaking desert sunrise, feel the soft sand beneath your toes in the cool morning and try your skill at sand boarding over the sea of golden-brown dunes. After a full breakfast at the luxury camp in Sahara Desert, get on your 4WD vehicle for the journey back to explore the nearby Ganawa Village of Khamlia and experience traditional drumming music and dancing, before leaving the dunes behind and stop in Rissani, delight your senses in the very old Sijilmassa Market, Known for its impressive gates,  livestock auction, and donkeys park. From here drive to Todra gorges (300m) carved by the Todra River through red limestone, you will enjoy a leisurely walk around the gorge and relax in the cool waters of the shallow river below. Continue your beautiful journey along the road of Thousand Kasbahs towards the picturesque Dades Valley, where you will conclude your day with dinner and overnight over the pink-reddish river.

Day 7: Dades Valley, Ouarzazate, and Aït Benhaddou Kasbah – Tizi n’Tichka Pass over the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech

Once you enjoy your full breakfast, you will set out behind the High Atlas Mountains on route to Morocco’s most famous Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou. Passing through Kela’a M’gouna and stop to visit a roses local cooperative to see the process of converting rose petals into rose water and oil, also admire the rose bushes bordering plots of farmland. Continue driving west to Ouarzazate, home to Taourirt Kasbah, one of the fortresses of the Glaoui family and the famous Atlas Studio Cinema, here you will learn more about the filmmaking process and discover how this region have been featured in movies, including Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and Lawrence of Arabia. Move now to explore the nearby 11^th century Aït Benhaddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which held an important position along the trans-Saharan trade route, wander around the alleys to climb up to the old Granary, an excellent vantage place to see the picturesque Kasbah and the surrounding beautiful valley. The fans of Game of Thrones Movie may opt for a walk down to the river to see the featured gate. Afterwards, leave Aït Benhaddou Kasbah behind to begin the ascent over the High Atlas mountains (the mountain range’s highest peak at 4167 m). As you reach the top, you will get the opportunity to stretch your legs for a great panoramic view of the snaking road of Tizi n’Tichka Pass. In Taddart visit a local Olive Oild Cooperative, learn and sample, how olives are processed for various uses. Continue descending the High Atlas Mountains and see the dramatic change in landscapes and climate. Soon you will be a part of the clamor and the nose of the red city. As you reach Marrakech, check and settle at your Riad/Hotel, then move to Jemaa El Fna, the main and busiest square in all of Africa! in the early evening, it comes alive with musicians, dancers, sorry-tellers, snake charmers, performers and acrobats, games and food stalls. Dinner on a Terrace over the entertaining square and enjoy a cup of mint tea.

Day 8: Marrakech: Exploring the Red City

Nicknamed the “Red City”, for its 1000-year old walled Medina built with red sandstone, Marrakech is a major economic center and home to a thriving old Medina. Meet your professional guide and begin your sightseeing day tour exploring the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque, famous for its gardens and fountains, then wander the maze alleyways of the red old Medina and indulge your senses in the colorful Souks of Marrakech,  lined with fresh fruit, flavorful spices, intricately woven Berber carpets, traditional woodwork,  leather and many other handcrafted art objects of Morocco.  Next, visit the 16th-centry koranic school, Ben Youssef Madrasa, for a taste of the Islamic architecture and marvel at the exquisite calligraphy, arabesques, and colorful geometric tile work.
As you continue experiencing Marrakech’s wonders, add to you bucket list some other must-see sites, the medieval Caravanserai “Foundouk” which provided travelers and traders with shelter and supplies, the 19th-century Bahia Palace with its intricate woodwork and painted ceilings, the well-kept Jewish quarter, the 500-year old Saadian Tombs where royalty from the Saadian dynasty are buried, the extensive the 17th-century El Badi Palace with its courtyard and sunken gardens. After lunch, continue you tour in Marrakech to discover the lovely Menara’s Gardens, the enchanting Majorelle Garden and its museum. The guided tour in Marrakech will be concluded in Jemma el-Fna  to immerse yourself in the rich history, and culture . Dinner will be served at a local Restaurant and overnight at your Riad/Hotel in Marrakech.

Day 9: An Enchanting Day Trip to Essaouira

This could be a free day in Marrakech to relax, or you could opt for a day excursion to Essaouira. After breakfast, say goodbye to Marrakech, and travel over vast rolling plains to Morocco’s Atlantic south-west coast. Along this route, crossing Argan trees forest, you will see goats up in the tree branches eating the argan nut and you will also get the chance to visit a local Argan cooperative to learn how Argan oil is extracted from the tree and how it is used in food and cosmetic industries. Essaouira has become one of the most popular exquisite coastal towns in Morocco. Many famous artists and wood skilled carvers and make Essaouira their home.
Arrive in the port city of laid-back Essaouira, then walk to Skala along the 18th-century seafront ramparts over the Atlantic Ocean. After tasting fresh sea-food, spend the rest of the day exploring the UNESCO-protected walled-Medina and make your way to the windswept sandy beach tour. Return to your Hotel/Riad in Essaouira, where your Farwell dinner will be served.

Day 10: Return to Marrakech

Your Morocco 10 Days Tour comes to the end. Stroll along the sandy beach of Essaouira, then heading back to Marrakech Airport / Casablanca Airport to catch your return flight home, with incredible memories of your Morocco Experience. We hope to see you, your family, and freinds again!