Overview
Style | Small Group TourTravel with a small, intimate group of no more than 16 likeminded travelers (and often much fewer), escorted by an English speaking guide and/or tour manager for some or all of your journey. (Some exceptions, including special promotional packages, may accommodate up to 30.) More of these packages
Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout |
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Departures | Group Size | 16 travelers max | |
Themes | History & Culture | ||
Activity Level | Moderate | ||
What to Expect | This fast-paced, escorted tour includes a reasonable amount of walking and requires an average level of physical fitness. This tour also includes long scenic drives between destinations and may have limited rest stops. | ||
Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. |
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Morocco encapsulates the romance of travel like few other countries in the world. Riding camelback through the Sahara to a spectacular desert sunset or eating delicious tajine against the backdrop of the Arab old town. Winding down the road of a thousand Kasbahs, following an ancient trail of nomads and traders through the Atlas Mountains. Witnessing oases-speckled valleys, the medieval medina of Fez, or the elaborate souks of Marrakesh. Morocco is at the apex of international travel, full of snake charmers, storytellers, magic genie lamps, and fire-eaters. The cities and culture are so different from your own that sitting in a café sipping sweet mint tea is an adventure, and driving from one town to the next may be remembered forever. On our Best of Morocco tour, you truly experience an in-depth encounter with this unique destination. Tour all four of Morocco's imperial cities, Casablanca, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Journey to the Sahara and the country's premier desert dunes, and along the way, discover the tiny oasis towns, bustling marketplaces, and ancient citadel Kasbahs that Morocco is known for. Become immersed in a place beyond imagination - and don't forget your camera! This country is a photographer's dream.
Package includes
- Flights
- Coach
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Guides
- Round-trip airfare from New York (JFK) or Newark (EWR), including fuel surcharge and taxes & fees
- All ground transportation and transfers
- 10 nights in first class and deluxe hotels
- 24 Meals: 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 10 dinners
- Comprehensive guided touring program including all entrance fees to places visited
- Experienced English-speaking tour director
- Advanced audio headset guided tour system
Optional add-ons
- Flights from other cities are available. Request pricing when making your reservation.
- Full day excursion to the seaside town of Essaouira with a visit to a winery and an Argan cooperative
Why you'll love it
- Tour the wineries and castles of Meknes and enjoy a wine tasting beneath the middle Atlas Mountains.
- Discover the ruins, mosaics and thermal baths of Volubilis, considered the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania.
- Create one of a kind pottery at a workshop in Fez.
- Journey through the sweeping sands of the Sahara Desert in a 4x4 Jeep.
- Attend a traditional dance performance in the Khamlia village.
- Ride by camelback over the Erg Chebbi sand dunes to witness an incredible Moroccan sunset.
- Marvel at Todra Gorge Canyon, a natural wonder carved out by the Dades River.
- Travel along the Thousand Kasbahs Road to Ait-Ben-Haddou, an ancient city constructed of clay on the edge of the High Atlas Mountains.
- Wander through the souks of Marrakesh, full of storytellers, snake charmers and fire-eaters.
- Enjoy dinner hosted by a local family in their home.
Itinerary at a Glance
- 1 Depart USA
- 2 Casablanca, Morocco
- 3 Casablanca, Rabat & Fez
- 4 Volubilis, Meknes & Fez
- 5 Fez
- 6 Fez, Middle Atlas Mountains, Erfoud
- 7 Rissani & Full Day Desert Excursion
- 8 Tinghir Oasis, Todra Gorge, Dadès Valley
- 9 Ouarzazate, Ait-Ben-Haddou, Marrakesh
- 10 Full Day sightseeing in Marrakesh
- 11 Marrakesh
- Optional Excursion: Essaouira Full Day Tour, $155
- 12 Return to USA
Videos
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Depart USA
- Your journey to Morocco begins this evening as you depart from the USA
Day 2 Casablanca, Morocco
- Upon arrival in Casablanca, following customs and immigration formalities, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel
- Enjoy panoramic bus tour en route to dinner
- Join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner with wine
Grand Mogador City Center Hotel or similar Dinner
Full Day ItineraryWelcome to Casablanca, the modern heart of Morocco and home to the most popular gin joint in all the world's towns. After completing customs and immigration formalities, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Though the city's reputation precedes it, Casablanca has much more to offer than just bars and lost love.
This evening, enjoy a panoramic bus tour en route to dinner through the business capital of Morocco. See the United Nations Place, the Habous Quarter, Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral, and the residential area of Anfa before strolling along the Aïn Diab coast, dotted with restaurants and cafes. Join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner with wine at a typical Moroccan restaurant.Day 3 Casablanca, Rabat & Fez
- Tour of Casablanca, including the Great Hassan II Mosque
- Tour of Rabat
Palais Ommeyad or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, depart for Fez, but not before discovering Casablanca gems for yourself on a guided tour of the city, including a visit to the Great Hassan II Mosque.
Your journey continues to the white imperial city 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), followed by a stroll in the beautiful Oudaya Kasbah and the old Ambassadors alley market. A Kasbah is a traditional Moroccan citadel where the local leader would often live. It would serve as a defense under attack and a community market and gathering place. You will encounter many beautiful Kasbahs during your time in Morocco!
Arrive in Fez and check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.Day 4 Volubilis, Meknes & Fez
- Explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis
- Enjoy a visit to a local winery with a tasting
- Visit Meknes, the Moroccan Versailles
- Join a pottery workshop this afternoon
Palais Ommeyad or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, head out to explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis, one of Morocco's most well-preserved archaeological sites. You'll see the Triumphal Arch, original mosaics, the thermal baths, and much more.
Continue to Meknes. Known as the Moroccan Versailles, this Imperial City was founded at the end of the 17th century by Moulay Ismail. Stand in awe of Bab Mansour, whose ornate calligraphy and Islamic patterns cover the horseshoe-shaped gate. Later continue to 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, with its altitude, sunshine, and mild temperatures in the heart of wine production in Morocco.
Round out the day with a pottery workshop at a local ceramics factory!Day 5 Fez
- Full day of touring in Fez
- Lunch in the old city and henna session
- Explore the medina of Fez
Palais Ommeyad or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, enjoy a day of sightseeing in Fez, the country’s most ancient cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco. 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.
Visit the Tanneries, the theological college of Medersa, the Karaouine Mosque, and the famous Nejjarine Fountain and its exquisite display of Moroccan tile craftsmanship. Stop for lunch in the heart of the old city and enjoy a henna session. A trip to Fez’s medina is a treasure trove of photo ops and an experience you won’t soon forget.Day 6 Fez, Middle Atlas Mountains, Erfoud
- A memorable scenic drive from Fez to Erfoud
- Along the way travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains and the Ziz Valley
Kasbah Hotel Xaluca or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter an early breakfast, depart for Erfoud on a fascinating drive that will surely be a highlight. Journey through the Middle Atlas Mountains to Midelt. After lunch, travel through the scenic Ziz Valley. Following the Ziz River, towering rock formations sheltering populated palm oases and small sand-colored fortified towns will transport you back in time.
Upon arrival in Erfoud late afternoon, check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.Day 7 Rissani & Full Day Desert Excursion
- Spend the day journeying through the Sahara by 4x4 vehicles
- Visit an open-air market in Rissani
- Enjoy traditional mint tea and a dance performance at the Khamlia Village
- Go by camelback through the Sahara to admire the sunset over the dunes of Grand Erg Chebbi
Kasbah Hotel Xaluca or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, prepare for another Bucket List day in Morocco: your trip to the Sahara desert. Board your 4x4 Jeep, your special transportation for the day, and travel to Rissani, where you will visit a local open-air market specializing in dates. See the main gate of Rissani, the gardens of Moulay Ali Cherif Mosque, and explore Ksar Ouled Abd El Halim.
Visit a Bedouin tent and learn about their customs. See the abandoned mines of M’Ifis to know how fossils were found and mined. Next, proceed to the Khamlia Village, a desert community and gateway to the dunes where inhabitants live very much today the way they have for centuries. Enjoy a traditional mint tea (ubiquitous in Morocco) while watching an exceptional dance performance by the villagers. Stop at Tisserdmine, where scenes from the film Sahara were shot. Relax at an oasis during a homemade grilled lunch under the palm trees. Later, head to Hotel Tombouctou, where you can relax while awaiting the approaching sunset. While here, take a dip, relax at the poolside bar, or retreat to the indoor lounge.
Then comes the coup de gras of your journey. 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! If available, for the adventurous, try camel milking and sample the fresh milk!
Return to your hotel in Erfoud for dinner and overnight.Day 8 Tinghir Oasis, Todra Gorge, Dadès Valley
- Enjoy panoramic views of the stunning landscape on a scenic drive through the Dadès Valley
- See the desert oasis of Tinghir
- Marvel at the Todra Gorge canyon
Hotel Xaluca Dades or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, depart your hotel for the Dadès Valley. Enjoy a brief visit to a fossil factory and hear an explanation of the different types of fossils, how they are excavated, and how they are transformed into many decorative products, and have a chance to shop. Along the way, stop to learn about khettara, an ancient system of underground water irrigation. Next, follow the desolate but starkly beautiful Tinejdad road to Tinghir, a breathtaking red-stoned oasis rising from the arid valley floor. In the heart of the High Atlas Mountains and built around a rock outcrop, Tinghir welcomes traveling pilgrims with its floral 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.
After time for lunch, continue to Boumalne Dadès and check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.Day 9 Ouarzazate, Ait-Ben-Haddou, Marrakesh
- Visit the Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate
- Travel along the Thousand Kasbahs Road
- Visit the ruins of the ancient Ait-Ben-Haddou Kasbah
Radisson Blu or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter an early breakfast, depart for Marrakesh. En route, stop in Kelaat M'Gouna, the Valley of the Roses, a colorful flower bejeweled valley and the country's most significant rose water and rose oil manufacturer. These decadent liquids are used worldwide for their antioxidant and anti-aging properties and to scent or flavor food and drink. You'll have time to shop or enjoy a coffee in a local café. Continue 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. After time for lunch, you'll have a chance to explore the ruins of this ancient citadel. Later today, arrive in Marrakesh.
Day 10 Full Day sightseeing in Marrakesh
- Discover Marrakesh on a full day tour
- Explore the souks of Djemaâ El Fna
- Join a local family for a home-hosted dinner
Radisson Blu or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryAfter 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 Menara gardens, established in the 12th century by an ancient dynasty. Then, stroll through the Mellah, the oldest Jewish area in Marrakesh. Visit the Berber Pharmacy, known for the best quality t of spices, medicinal herbs, oils, essential oils, and perfumes. Later see the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and the Koutoubia. This afternoon, experience another of Morocco’s quintessential traveler offerings: some time to wander through Marrakesh’s souks. Along the narrow, winding streets that open to the plaza of Djemaâ El Fna, witness the bustle, charm, and rhythm of everyday 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, enjoy a simple home-hosted dinner with a local Moroccan family in the palm groves of Marrakesh.
Day 11 Marrakesh
- Enjoy your final day in Morocco at leisure, or join an optional excursion
- Enjoy a final evening with your fellow travelers over a farewell dinner with wine
Radisson Blu or similar Breakfast & dinner
Full Day ItineraryOptional Excursion: Essaouira Full Day Tour, $155This morning, join an optional tour to Essaouira. En route, visit an Argan cooperative to see the production of Argan oil. 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 in Essaouira, a typical Portuguese harbor town with fine examples of both Moorish and Portuguese art. Essaouira is famous for its wood-working handicrafts, silver souk, art gallery, harbor, and islands. This excursion requires a minimum number of 4 passengers to operate.
Day 12 Return to USA
- This morning, transfer to the airport for your return flight via Casablanca
- Arrive in the USA later today
Breakfast
Hotels
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
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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? Depart from another city? 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 18 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.