Best of Morocco

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Depart USA

• Your journey to Morocco begins this evening as you depart from the USA

Day 2: Casablanca

1 night Hotel Sheraton Casablanca or similar. Dinner.

• Upon arrival in Casablanca, following customs and immigration formalities, meet our representative and have a panoramic drive en route to your hotel
• Afternoon sightseeing tour of Casablanca
• Join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Dinner with wine

Full Day Itinerary: Welcome to Casablanca, the modern heart of Morocco, and home to quite likely the most popular gin joint in all the towns of the world. After completing customs and immigration formalities, you will be met by our representative. En route to your hotel, enjoy a panoramic orientation tour of Casablanca. Though the city’s reputation precedes it, Casablanca has much more to offer than just bars and lost love. This afternoon, you’ll discover its gems for yourself on a guided tour. Enjoy a guided tour of the Great Hassan II Mosque. Then, see Mohamed V Square, the United Nations Place, the Habous Quarter, Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral, and the residential area of Anfa. Your tour concludes with a stroll along the Ain Diab coast, dotted with restaurants and cafes.

This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner with wine at a typical Moroccan restaurant.

Day 3: Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis & Fez

2 nights Palais Ommayed or similar, Fez.  Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

• Tour of Rabat
• Enjoy a visit to a local winery with a tasting
• Visit Meknes, the Moroccan Versailles
• Explore the Roman ruins of Volubils

Full Day Itinerary: After breakfast, depart for Fez. En route, stop for a tour of Rabat. Drive through the palm-fringed boulevards of Morocco’s charming capital city, past the Hassan Tower (an unfinished minaret from 1199, at the time, intended to be the largest minaret in the largest mosque in the world), Mohamed V Mausoleum, and the Kasbah of Oudayas. A Kasbah is a traditional Moroccan citadel where the local leader would often live, and it would serve as defense under attack, as well as community market and gathering place. You will encounter many beautiful Kasbahs during your time in Morocco! Continue towards Meknes, to visit Les Celliers de Meknes for a tour of the castles and wineries, followed by a wine tasting. Nestled in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, this regions, with its altitude, sunshine, and mild temperatures, is the heart of wine production in Morocco. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Meknes, the fourth imperial city of Morocco, including Bab Mansour Gate. Later, stop at the well-preserved ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis. Arrive in Fez in the early evening and check-in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Fez

Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

• Sightseeing in Fez
• Lunch in the old city and henna session
• Explore the medina of Fez

Full Day Itinerary: After breakfast, enjoy a day of sightseeing in Fez, the country’s ancient cultural capital. Visit the theological college of Medersa, the Karouine Mosque and the famous Nejjarine fountain. Stop for lunch in the heart of the old city and enjoy a henna session. Then, experience one of the true highlights of any trip to Morocco: the medieval medina of Fez. The medina quarter is the old Arab section of many North African towns, often walled, with narrow labyrinthine streets. Walk under the ancient Arab arches and discover a new world of commerce and culture: dried fruits and nuts, colorful and aromatic spices, tangerines and fresh cuts of meat at the butcher, lights and textiles and genie lamps, maybe even the tanneries quarter, where they prep and dye leather in huge earthen vats of colored liquid. A trip to Fez’s medina is a treasure trove of photo ops and an experience you won’t soon forget.

Day 5: Fez, Middle Atlas Mountains, Erfoud

2 nights Hôtel Palais du Désert & Spa on Oct 2 departure, Kasbah Xaluca or similar for all other departures, Erfoud. Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

• A memorable scenic drive from Fez to Erfoud

Full Day Itinerary: After an early breakfast, depart for Erfoud on a fascinating drive that is sure to be a highlight in itself. You’ll journey through the Middle Atlas Mountains to Midelt via Azrou. After lunch, travel through the scenic Ziz Valley. Following the turquoise Ziz River, with towering rock formations sheltering palm populated oases and small sand colored fortified towns, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled back in time. Upon arrival in Erfoud in the late afternoon, check-in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Rissani & Full Day Desert Excursion 

Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

• View the abandoned mines of M’Ifis
• Enjoy traditional mint tea and a dance performance at the Khamlia Village
• See camel milk vendors along the roadside
• Go by camelback through the Sahara to admire the sunset over the dunes of Grand Erg Chebbi

Full Day Itinerary:  After breakfast, prepare for another Bucket-list day in Morocco: your trip to the Sahara desert. Travel to Rissani, where you will visit a local market specializing in dates, see the gardens of Moulay Ali Cherif Mosque, and explore Ksar Oulad Abdelhalim. Visit a Bedouin tent and learn about their customs. See the abandoned mines of M’Ifis to learn how fossils were found and mined. Next, proceed to the Khamlia Village, a desert community and gateway to the sand dunes where inhabitants live very much today the way they have for centuries. Enjoy a traditional mint tea (ubiquitous in Morocco) while watching a special dance performance by the villagers. Continue to Tisserdmine, to see where scenes from the film Sahara were shot. Relax at an oasis during a homemade grilled lunch under the palm trees. After lunch, stop to see camel milk vendors plying their goods near the side of the road. Did you know that camel milk actually has three times more Vitamin C than cow’s milk and is packed with antibodies? Head to Hotel Tombouctou where you can relax while awaiting the approaching sunset. While here, take a dip in the pool, relax at the poolside bar, or retreat to the indoor lounge. Then, comes the coup de gras of your journey. You’ll continue to Grand Erg Chebbi (Desert of Dunes) where you will exchange jeeps for camels and ride intrepidly into the dunes to witness one of the most spectacular ends to earth’s daily second act: the desert sunset - a grandeur you’ll never truly understand until you see it for yourself! Return to your hotel in Erfoud for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Tinghir Oasis, Todra Gorge, Dades Valley

1 night Kasbah Tizzarouine on Oct 2 departure, Xaluca Dades or similar for all other departures, Boumalne Dades. Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

• Enjoy panoramic views of the stunning landscape on a scenic drive through the Dades Valley
• See the desert oasis of Tinghir
• Marvel at the Todra Gorge canyon

Full Day Itinerary: After breakfast, depart your hotel for the Dades Valley. En route, visit a fossil factory for an explanation of the different types of fossils, how they are excavated, and how they are transformed into many decorative products. Then, stop to learn about khettara, an ancient system of underground water irrigation. Follow the desolate but starkly beautiful Tinejdad road to Tinghir, a breathtaking red-stoned oasis rising from the parched valley floor. In the heart of the High Atlas Mountains and built around a rock outcrop, Tinghir welcomes traveling pilgrims with its flowered gardens and ornate Kasbahs. Continue to the canyon of Todra Gorge where the Dades River has carved out a narrow flat stony track, at times only 10 meters wide, through the towering cliffs. You’ll have the opportunity to marvel at this natural wonder. Finally, arrive at Boumalne Dades and check-in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Kelaat M’Gouna, Ouarzazate, Ait-Ben-Haddou, Marrakesh

3 nights Radisson Blu or similar, Marrakesh. Breakfast, lunch & dinner.

• Stop in Kelaat M’Gouna, Valley of the Roses
• View the Tifoultout and Taourirt Kasbahs in Ouarzazate
• Travel along the Thousand Kasbahs Road
• Visit the ruins of the ancient Ait-Ben-Haddou Kasbah

Full Day Itinerary: Get an early start after breakfast, depart for Marrakesh. Stop in Kelaat M’Gouna, known as the Valley of the Roses, a colorful flower bejeweled valley and the country’s largest manufacturer of rose water and rose oil. These decadent liquids are used worldwide for their antioxidant and anti-aging properties as well as to scent or flavor food and drink. Next, travel to Ouarzazate, passing by the Tifoultout Kasbah and visiting the Taourirt Kasbah. Travel along the Thousand Kasbahs Road, named appropriately for the stunning walled citadels along the way, to Ait-Ben-Haddou for lunch, followed by a chance to explore the ruins of this ancient citadel. Later today, arrive in Marrakesh.

Day 9: Full Day sightseeing in Marrakesh

Breakfast & dinner. 

• Explore Marrakesh on a full day tour
• Explore Djemma El Fna
• Enjoy dinner while watching a Fantasia performance

Full Day Itinerary: After breakfast, head out for your full day exploration of Marrakesh, the second oldest imperial city in Morocco, known as the Pearl of the South. Visit the Saadian tombs, the Koutoubia, Bahia Palace, and the Menara gardens, established in the 12th century by an ancient dynasty. This afternoon, experience another of Morocco’s quintessential traveler offerings: some time to wander through Marrakesh’s souks, or markets. Along the narrow, winding streets that open to the plaza of Djemaa El Fna place you’ll witness the bustle, charm and rhythm of every day local life that makes Morocco, Morocco. Storytellers, snake charmers, fire-eaters and seemingly everything under the sun for sale. The souks are one place where you can discover the real Morocco, and they won’t disappoint. This evening, depart for Chez Ali, where dinner will be served under caidal tents while enjoying a Fantasia performance complete with folklore and dancing.

Day 10: Free day in Marrakesh

Breakfast & dinner.

• Optional Essaouira excursion with visit to winery & argan cooperative
• Enjoy a final evening with your fellow travelers over a Farewell Dinner with wine

Full Day Itinerary: Today is yours to explore Marrakesh at leisure. Or join an optional tour to the seaside town of Essaouira.

This evening, join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner with wine in a local restaurant.

Optional Excursion: Essaouira Full Day Tour, $230 This morning, join an optional tour to Essaouira. En route, visit an Argan cooperative to see how Argan oil is produced. Then stop at a winery for a tour and tasting. Along the way, be on the lookout for tree-climbing goats on the boughs of the Argan trees! Later, arrive to Essaouira, a typical Portuguese harbor town with fine examples of both Moorish and Portuguese art. Essaouira is famous for its wood-working handicrafts men, the silver souk, art gallery, and the harbor and islands.

Day 11: Return to USA

Breakfast.

• This morning, transfer to the airport for your return flight via Casablanca
• Arrive in the USA later today

 

Reviews & Photos

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 21 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about Morocco? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.