8 DAY MOROCCO ITINERARY

Travel to Rabat. This city is the political and administrative centre of Morocco, where the Royal Palaces, government institutions and International Embassies are located. Rabat’s architecture is testimony of its centuries of old rich history.

Admire the masterful architecture of Mohammed V Mausoleum, visit the UNESCO listed site of Hassan Tower, the official residence of the King of Morocco and the 12th century UNESCO listed site of Oudaya Kasbah.

After leaving Rabat, head east via the stunning Moroccan countryside towards the imperial city of Meknes.

Visit the 18th century Bab Mansour gate which is the most exquisite of its kind in North Africa and one of the 4 most beautiful gates in the world, Lahdim square, the Royal stables (film makers also have marvelled at this amazing structure and that led to scenes for the movies Ishtar and The Jewel of the Nile being made here) and the incredible Agdal Basin.

Visit Moulay Ismail’s shrine (Sultan of Morocco from 1672–1727) to receive an insight into his interesting life and everlasting achievements.

Leaving the beautiful Meknes, you will head towards the Roman ruins of Volubilis, where you will undertake a guided walking visit of the ruins.

Morocco has one of the richest histories and cultures globally, influenced by centuries of diverse rulers, which includes Roman rule. Explore the ancient Roman city of Volubilis. Dating back to 3rd century BC, Volubilis is home to some of the most impressive Roman ruins in North Africa.

During Roman occupation of Morocco, Volubilis was the powerful ancient capital and administrative centre of Roman Africa and prospered economically. Among the most famous of the ruins are the luxury villas with their water tanks, large courtyard, beautiful mosaic floors, various pavilions, Basilica, Triumphal Arch built in 217 A.D and more than 300 temples. It was UNESCO World Heritage listed in 1997.

Continue your journey to the ancient, vibrant and the UNESCO listed Imperial city of Fes. This city is a north eastern Imperial Moroccan city referred to as “The Mecca of the West or The Athens of Africa”, also being the country’s capital of knowledge and culture.

Fes is the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities and an enchanting city you will admire while on your 8 day Morocco itinerary, it is renowned for its exciting and colourful Fes El Bali walled Medina, its Marinid architecture, vibrant souks, the famous Fes mosaic tile work and old world atmosphere and charm.

(Overnight in Fes).

On the 3rd day of your 8 days tour from Casablanca, after a tasty Moroccan breakfast in your charming Riad, you will begin a full day Heritage guided tour of Fes, with your expert local guide. (Walking tour with some transportation between sites).

• Begin with a visit to the 12th century “Bab Boujloud” or “blue gate” with its stunning blue and green ceramics.

• Stroll through the Mellah or Jewish quarter of old Moroccan Jewish heritage, built near the Royal residence for protection in 1438.

• Visit the largest royal palace in Morocco, Dar el Makhzen, exhibiting its seven golden doors and marvel at its wonderful golden gate, made of marble, copper and glorious mosaics.

• Experience the panoramic view of the city from Borj Sud, an ancient fortress on a hill, from where you can view the UNESCO listed ancient Medina of Fes.

• Visit the famous 11th century iconic Chouara tannery, the oldest leather tannery in the world and explore the narrow Medina streets lined with shops selling fresh fruits, spices, intricately woven Berber carpets, silk weavers and numerous other art and craft items from Morocco.

• Visit a pottery factory and observe how the unique pottery of Fes is made with its intricate mosaics and ceramics, which adorn half of Morocco.

• Visit the 14th century Bou Inania Madrasa religious school and be delighted by the Marinid architecture.

• Discover the holy school and historic University of al-Qarawiyyin, the world’s oldest working educational institution, i.e. University, as stated by UNESCO and Guinness World Records. Founded by a woman, Fatima al-Fihri in 859 AD.

• Lunch in an authentic restaurant in the Medina of Fes.

• Visit Madrasa Al-Attarine, Nejjarine Museum, Moulay Idriss Mausoleum (founder of Fes) and more.

While negotiating the narrow alley-ways, your expert local guide will instruct you about Moroccan history, culture and the Moroccan Berber way of life, especially around Fes. An enchanting day of discovery you will enjoy while on your 8 day Morocco itinerary.

(Overnight in Fes).

Today, you will begin your spectacular journey towards the magical and legendary Sahara Desert, the largest hot desert in the world and where the undulating golden dunes glisten like gold in the sunlight. Travel dreams do come true and this visit to the Sahara desert may be one of yours.

• Travel to Ifrane known as the Little Switzerland of Morocco and stop for a break to enjoy its marvelous landscapes.

• Here in Ifrane, you will become aware that this magical mountain town is one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco and features in the top 10 cleanest cities of the world. A beautiful place you will admire while on your 8 day Morocco itinerary.

• Navigate the green and superb Middle Atlas Mountains, marvel at the largest Cedar plantations in Africa and be captivated by the antics of the Barbary Apes. This species of Apes is found only in Morocco, Gibraltar and Algeria.

• Stop in Zayda town for lunch and enjoy a Moroccan tajine or some fresh barbeque. Drive through the scenic Middle Atlas Mountains and the striking Ziz Valley oasis, containing the largest palm grove oasis in Morocco and observe a dense canopy of palms between ancient striated cliffs dating back to the Jurassic period.

• Continue travel to the eminent dunes of Erg Chebbi and experience the glory of the Sahara Desert. Erg Chebbi is regarded as the gateway to the Grand African Sahara and has some dunes considered the highest sand dunes in North Africa at 350 M elevation.

• Meet your camel caravan and the experienced camel man, who will guide your trek to explore the mysterious Sahara sand sea, an alluring and a unique trek that will make your 8 day Morocco itinerary a memorable experience.

• Enjoy a charming sunset over the Erg Chebbi dunes and spend the night in a Sahara desert camp. The evening will include dinner, followed by entertainment around the campfire, listening to traditional Berber drum music, having the experience of a lifetime under the milky way stars. This will captivate your heart and soul, not for a night but forever.

(Overnight in a Sahara Desert Camp).

On the 5th day of your Morocco 8 day itinerary, you may climb the sand dunes for a fantastic view of the amazing sunrise in the Sahara Desert, followed by a typical traditional Berber breakfast.

• Begin your day with an optional 1-hour ATV Quad excursion through the Sahara Desert. Enjoy the exhilaration of speeding through the sands and up the dunes, where you will stop to enjoy a peaceful moment with just sky and sand dunes for as far as you can see. You will have a professional guide to ensure your safety.

• After having experienced a memorable night in the spectacular sand sea desert dunes of Sahara, we depart for the city of Erfoud, marvel at the globally renowned fossil city, where a stop at the fossil museum will uncover a wealth of ancient specimens.

• Departing Erfoud and continuing your Morocco itinerary 8 days, we depart towards Tinghir, where we will deviate to a minor road following the river of Todgha Gorge. Contemplate the scenic panoramic views of the old Jewish and Berber mud villages, overlooking the valley. Some time at leisure to enjoy the immensity of the huge red cliffs, 400M elevation, where many international rock climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport.

• The Todgha Gorge is recognised worldwide for being one of the most spectacular rocky canyons. No wonder this place has been used for filming many movies due to its magnificent natural setting, one of the most famous movies being the “Mummy”.

• In this area, lives a large community of Berber nomads. Sometimes, you can sight Berber nomad women, who have Berber tattoos on their faces. They may be seen herding their goats to drink water at the river’s edge and collecting their own water, which is carried by their mules back to the caves where they live.

• After lunch, we continue our 8 days in morocco journey towards one of the most beautiful valleys in the Kingdom and enjoy colourful Berber mud villages overlooking the amazing Dades Valley. We will drive along the spectacular Dades Valley to discover the amazing rock formations known as monkey toes or sometimes monkey fingers. These extraordinary rock formations are metamorphic rock, which has been severely eroded by rain, water (which has produced a chemical breakdown of the rock), wind and possibly sand storms over thousands of years.

• The Dades Valley prides itself for the extensive production of roses, wall nuts, groves of palm and almond trees. It was the site of ancient nomad crossings and the valley is dotted with oases and mud brick palaces known as Kasbahs, which gives the region its fairy tale nickname. Then it is time to arrive at your Riad / Hotel for a peaceful night in the Dades Valley.

(Overnight in Dades valley).

On the 6th day of your 8 days tour from Casablanca, after breakfast and spending the night in the heart of the beautiful Dades valley. Journey towards the Valley of Roses and the town of Kalaat Mgouna, known as the Rose capital and known for Damaskina roses, also known for the annual festival during the rose harvest in May to choose Miss rose of Morocco.

• Continue through the “Road of the thousand Kasbahs”, the iconic Berber mud brick villages and earth castles to the “Oasis of Skoura”. This oasis is UNESCO protected and is famous for its numerous Majestic Kasbahs and here, you will visit the iconic 17th century Kasbah of Amridil, an ancient fortification providing visitors a glimpse into life in rural southern Morocco.

• Amridil Kasbah was founded over 300 years ago and is largely unchanged today. It is one of the living museums of Morocco and is the ancestral home of the Nasiri family. The present generation of the family live on site, have a museum of ancient Moroccan artifacts as part of the Kasbah. In ancient times camel caravans of gold, spice, slaves, salt and other cargo off-loaded in Skoura, after many weeks trekking across the desert from several sub Saharan countries e.g. Mali, Senegal, Ghana and Sudan…

• Drive to the city of Ouarzazate known as the “Hollywood of Africa” and the gateway to the Sahara Desert. It was a former caravan town on the silk and salt route in the eastern foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. There may be an opportunity for photo stops and to visit one of the many cinema studios that the city is known for.

• Visit the spectacular UNESCO listed Ksar Ait Benhaddou, one of the most eye-catching filming locations in Africa. Stop for a walking visit to explore the 14th century World Heritage site, listed in 1987. This Ksar or village is one of the most intriguing of the red earth castles lining the ancient road of the camel caravans and it is the oldest mud village in Morocco. It was once a commercial hub for Trans Saharan caravan traders and has been the back-drop for many international movies, such as Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Prince of Persia, Indiana Jones, Kingdom of Heaven and many more.

• Travel over the wilderness and natural beauty of the High Atlas Mountains, through the exceptionally scenic Tizi n’Tichka Pass and witness the production of the world famous Argan Oil on the way to the magic city of Marrakech.

(Overnight in Marrakech).

On this day, you will embark on a full day city tour of exotic and vibrant Marrakech, exploring in-depth, the rich cultural heritage and antiquity of this enchanting city.

• Your Grand Morocco expert local guide will lead you through the UNESCO World Heritage listed, ancient-walled Medina, which dates back to the ancient Berber inhabitants and which extends back to more than 1700 BC. This experience is a highlight of your 8 day Morocco itinerary and offers a deep dive into the city’s history.

• Visit Bahia Palace, a masterpiece of Moroccan and Andalusian architecture and a major monument of Morocco’s heritage. This 19th century palace was built by “Ba Ahmed”, the grand vizier of Marrakech and named after his favorite wife “Bahia”. Craftsmen worked on this palace for fourteen years. The tiles were imported from Tetouan, the marble from Meknes while the cedar wood used for the painted and shimmering ceilings came from the Atlas Mountains.

• Visit Ben Youssef Madrasa, a 14th century school founded by the Moroccan Monarch “Abu el Hassan”, another beautiful example of Moroccan and Andalusian architecture. The Saadian dynasty enlarged and redecorated the building in 1570 and it became the largest Islamic college in North Africa.

• Observe the 12th century and largest mosque in Marrakech, Koutoubia Mosque and its 77 meter high minaret. It was completed during the reign of the Berber Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansour (1184-1199), and inspired other buildings such as the Giralda of Seville and the Hassan Tower of Rabat. Local laws restrict any new building projects from exceeding the height of the minaret, providing a focal point for all to enjoy.

• Visit Saadian tombs, the only remains of the Saadian Dynasty, which ruled Marrakech in 1524 to 1659.

• Explore the world famous UNESCO site of Jemaa el Fna plaza in the heart of Marrakech, a destination of all magic and a symbol of the ochre city where you will find a different and a unique atmosphere like snake charmers, storytellers, traditional musicians and Marrakech’s legendary souks to mention just a few. This vibrant plaza is an essential part of your 8 day Morocco itinerary, offering a truly immersive experience.

(Overnight in Marrakech).

On the last day of your 8 days in Morocco, you have the morning free to explore Marrakech at your own pace. You might choose to visit a traditional Moroccan Hammam or Spa to unwind before preparing for your journey back home.

We will collect you from your accommodation and transfer you to Marrakech Menara international airport or Casablanca Mohammed V international airport, for your on-ward flight. Now ends your 8 day Morocco itinerary.