Highlights of Exotic Morocco

Welcome to Morocco! Your tour will officially start today with a warm greeting at the airport when your flight arrives. You can get a free Moroccan sim card at the airport if you need, and recharge it to make calls and surf the Internet. Your driver-guide will assist you with the sim card application.

★ Night tour in Jemaa el-Fna: At approximately 18:00, you will be picked up from your hotel to Jemaa el-Fna Square, the liveliest night market around the world. A local guide will take you on a journey to explore this World Heritage site that is still in use. Seafood, grilled foods, tajine, and more foods from all over Morocco are served here. If you're adventurous, try the local favorites – snail soup, lamb's brain, and chicken hearts. The food are at your own expense. We'll provide you with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, which is said to be the best in Morocco. In addition to the food, there are a variety of handicrafts, as well as street performances and games like fortune-telling，snake charming and monkey show. We’ll spend 2 to 3 hours here depending on your interests, and then send you back to your hotel.

★ Privilege of Our Guests: Instead of the normal vehicle, a traditional horse-drawn carriage is arranged between your hotel and Jemaa el-Fna.

Today, explore the best of Marrakech escorted by our professional local guide. The first stop will be the Jardin Majorelle Garden, aka YSL Garden, where you can encounter towering cactus clusters, romantic blue-painted villas, flourishing flowers and other colorful decorations. Then, we’ll visit the nearby Yves Saint Laurent Museum.

Thereafter, we’re to visit the exterior of the Koutoubia Mosque, where its minaret is 70 meters (230 feet) high, making it the tallest building in Marrakech and a landmark of the city. After about a 15-minute walk, we’ll arrive at Saadian Tombs in Old Medina, a must-see if you love architecture, history, and arts. Next, we’ll visit two palaces, the El Badi Palace and Bahia Palace. The guide will explain the similarities and differences between the two palaces in terms of their history, scales, and highlights.

Finally, we will step into Ben Yousself Medersa, the largest Koran school in Morocco. Built in the 14th century, it is fully decorated by Islamic carved patterns and exquisite walls. Before nightfall, we'll revisit the Jemaa el-Fna Square to find more hidden souks and local flavors.

Meals: Breakfast

Today we're leaving Marrakech for the peaceful village Imlil, at the foot of Mountain Toubkal, the highest peak of Altlas Mountain. This is completely a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and get in touch with nature. After about 2 hours of driving, we will arrive in Imlil. If it's a Saturday, we'll also stop over at Market Weekly Saturday Asni, a local vegetable market where villagers living nearby gather here once a week. It's a good opportunity to see how the locals live. Upon arrival in Imlil, we’ll check in the featured local Kasbah hotel.

★ Imlil trekking tour: After a short break, we will begin to trek, following the practiced trek guide. There are some trekking routes to choose, 3 km (1.9 mi), 5 km (3.1 mi) or longer; you are free to choose whichever route suits you. Berber mud huts dot the hillsides along the trekking trails, and you may come across children herding sheep and donkeys carrying heavy supplies. Their traditional and simple way of life will make you feel calm and relaxed. Reaching Cascade Imlil, you can relax your legs and enjoy a glass of cool juice or mint tea. Lunch will be served in a Berber guesthouse with traditional Moroccan home-made dishes. During the rest of time today, you can have a rest at the hotel, where offers a great terrace to overlook Mountain Toubkal.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we will set off for Ouarzazate, drive over Tizi n’Tichka pass and pass by the High Atlas Mountains, where you can enjoy the dramatic scenes.

After about 4.5 hours’ drive, we will arrive at Ksar Ait Ben Haddou, a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known for its fascinating clay architecture. Moreover, many films have been shot here, such as the Mummy, the Gladiator, and the TV series Game of Thrones, making it a hot filming site.

► Lunch Suggestion: Across the river in front of Ait Ben Haddou, there is a newly built village. Most natives of the Ait Ben Haddou live in these new houses now. There are lots of restaurants and cafés, and the ones by the river mostly have the rooftop and terrace with a wonderful view of Ait Ben Haddou. Traditional Moroccan dishes are served, of which Berbere omelet, lamb tagine, and veg & nuts salad are popular. Mint tea and orange juice are also essential. If you have other dining needs, your driver-guide will be glad to give you some advice. Lunch is at your own expense.

Next, we'll go on our drive to our destination Ouarzazate, in about 30 minutes. We’ll visit the Atlas Corporation Studio, where you'll feel like entering the dream factory of movies as you walk inside. Through the lights, cameras, settings, and the cast and crew coming and going, you could learn more about the stories behind film-making. After the visit, we’ll check into the hotel for a rest.

Meals: Breakfast

After a big breakfast at the hotel, we’ll head to Merzouga about 370 km (230 miles) away, which would take 5.5 hours or so by car. Although this is a long journey, you will never be boring today. Driving along the Road of 1,000 Kasbahs, we’ll first get to Skoura. The ancient oasis is well-known for the large palm grove, and you’ll be escorted to visit Kasbahs Amridil and Skoura palmeraie.

★ Privilege of Our Guests:
We've included a one-hour walking or biking tour in Skoura palmeraie for you. It is definitely a pleasant thing to walk through the 4,000 hectares (9,884.2 acres) of lush palm forest, while birds chirping and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains behind you would make you feel relaxed. In addition to walking and biking, donkey riding and horseback riding are also funny. Extra charge should be paid on site if you’re going to try.

In about 1.5-hour drive from Skoura, we will reach the Dades Gorge, which is renowned for its red rocks, sheer cliffs and lush valley. Don't forget to record the thrilling winding road, and your driver-guide will show you the best places for photographing. After lunch, we’ll continue our trip to the Sahara Desert, passing Berber villages, olive plantations, palm groves, ochre Kasbahs, and Todra Gorge. Late in the afternoon, we will arrive in Merzouga.

★ Have Fun in Sahara Desert Camp:
We will take a one-hour camel trek in the endless sand-sea to the famous sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. Along the way, it's highly recommended to take some pictures of the spectacular desert scenes and enjoy the stunning view of sunset over the Sahara. When night comes, a desert camp is specially arranged for you to enjoy the starry night in the Sahara Desert. What's more, a campfire with Berber music performance and a delicious local dinner tonight will bring your Morocco tours to a climax.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

At dawn, let’s watch the sunrise in the desert. You will be amazed at the beauty of nature as the golden sun rises above the rolling sand dunes. After returning to the camp for breakfast, the rest of the day will be mastered up to you.

► Things to do in Sahara Desert:

Tip: If you would like to book one or more of the above desert activities, we are glad to arrange it for you in advance.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We will leave the Sahara Desert today and head toward Fez, a historic city in Morocco. The whole journey is 480 km (298 mi) and will take about 8 hours totally by car.

Erfoud, about an hour's drive from Merzouga, is known as the Gate to Sahara. Driving through Erfoud, we’ll really say goodbye to the desert. We will then continue driving to Midelt via the spectacular Ziz Valley with fascinating volcanic rocks on either side of the gorge. Lunch will be arranged in a Berber village, situated on the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.

There will be a 3.5-hour drive from Midelt to Fez. As entering the Middle of Atlas Mountains, the landscape would change. The green hills, wild flowers, and flocks of white sheep will come into your sight, and the mountains are dotted with Berber villages along the way. We will have a stop in Ifrane for some photos. This small city is dubbed the Switzerland of Morocco for its chalets in Swiss style. You will also have a chance to encounter barbarian apes in the beautiful Cedar forest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

★ Morning: Home Cooking Class Tour (4 hours)
First, your culinary guide will take you to the local market for the ingredients, and to the colorful spice market to learn the passcode of Moroccan cuisine. The Cooking Class will be arranged in a local family, as the hostess will teach you from scratch. You won’t miss any step from cleaning the ingredients, preparing, to cooking. While enjoying the self-made meal, don't forget a cup of mint tea!

Tip: Your menu will include Moroccan Salad, Vegetable/Meats, Sweet Couscous/Pastilla and Harira Soup. We will prepare the menu for you to choose in advance. If you prefer a bakery or pastry class to Moroccan Cuisine, we will also be content to arrange it for you.

★ Afternoon: Guided Fez Medina Walking Tour (3-4 hours):
A professional local guide will show you around Fez Medina, the largest and oldest Medina in the world. We’ll pay a visit to Bab Boujloud, Bou Inania Madrasa, Dar Batha Museum, Fontaine Najjarine, Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II, Attarine Madrasa, Mosque and University Kairaouine, and Chouara Tannery.

Bab Boujloud is the most beautiful and famous city gate in Fez, and visitors are all fascinated by its fine blue mosaics. Therefore, it is called the Blue Gate. However, 80% of tourists will ignore a fact. You will be surprised to find that the other side of Bab Boujloud is actually green when you look back after entering the ancient city. No one knows why, but according to locals, blue stands for welcome while green wishes you a safe return!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After about 1-hour drive, we will arrive at the first stop today, Meknes, one of Morocco’s four royal cities. We’ll visit the Bab Mansour, El Hedim Square, Dar Jamai Museum, Bou Inania Medersa, Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, and Royal Stables.

To visit the Royal Stables, we’d better learn about Sultan Moulay Ismail, one of Morocco's greatest kings in history. He has long been rumored to have wealth, glamorous ladies in his harem, and over 800 children... But anecdotally, what he loved most were probably his horses. You can get an idea of his passion at the Royal Stables that you’ll visit today. There are more than 500 stables in existence, and it is said that more than 12,000 fine horses were housed here at its peak. Most of the horses were Arabian breeds, all of which were very valuable. Now, the roofs of these stables were destroyed by an earthquake, but the tall and thick walls show us the grandeur of that time. Apart from the stables, there is also a huge granary said to hold forage that could feed the horses for 15 years, and the cistern up to 15 m (49 ft) deep was to provide the horses with clean water for drinking.

After lunch, we will head to Volubilis, passing a town named Moulay Idriss Downtown on the way. Considered a sacred place by the locals because Moulay Idriss died and was buried there, it is also known as Morocco's "Little Mecca". Thereafter, we will go to the historic Roman site, Ruins of the Volubilis. At the end of the day, we’ll drive to Chefchaouen to round off today's trip.

★ Privilege of Our Guests:
1. Going cross narrow alleys, we will get to the Grande Terrasse, the highest position in Moulay Idriss. This is the best site to see the holy town.
2. At the ruins, we will arrange a professional English guide for you to explain during the whole course (2 hours), thus you can have a better understanding of Volubilis.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, let's explore this blue fairytale town Chefchaouen. The route will be: Bab EL Ain → Callejon El Asri → Place Outa el Hammam & Kasbah → Kasbah Museum → Grand Mosque → Ras El Maa Waterfall → Spanish Mosque. We’re about to spend 2 to 3 hours in the town.

The afternoon is at your disposal, and here are our suggestions:

Meals: Breakfast

Leaving the blue town, we will go to Rabat, the capital of Morocco and one of the four royal cities. The drive will take about 4 hours to reach the destination today. When you see 5-km (3.1-mi) red walls and blue coastline, we are just arriving in Rabat. Check into the hotel.

Our first stop in this imperial city is the Royal Palace of Rabat from outside. Near the palace, there is a large circle fountain as well as forts around the square. Next, we’ll visit the Hassan Tower with hundreds of surrounded columns.

Then, move southward to the nearby Mausoleum of Mohammed V, where you may not only glance at its luxurious interior but also encounter valiant royal soldiers at the entrance. Thereafter, you’ll be guided to meander through the Jewish Mella, and head to the historical Kasbah of Chellah, a vast remnant of ancient Rome.

The last stop will be the romantic Kasbah Udayas, which sits at the estuary of Bou Regreg River into the Atlantic Ocean. It is home to charming Andalusian gardens, a museum, cafes, quiet alleys, and an old castle, inscribed on the list of World Cultural Heritages in 2006.

Meals: Breakfast

The final destination will be Casablanca, about 1 hour's drive from Rabat. After reaching Casablanca, we’ll pay a visit to the Museum of Moroccan Judaism, the only Jewish museum around the Arab world. (Close on Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday; if it’s closed, you can admire the exterior and take photos.) Later, we’ll head to the wonderful Hassan II Mosque, situated right by the Atlantic Ocean. This iconic mosque, the only one that allows non-Muslims to visit, is full of intricate decorative patterns, colorful mosaics, and imposing designs, making it a must-see spot for visitors.

It is recommended that you book a flight leaving in the afternoon, so as not to miss the morning sightseeing in Casablanca. Your driver-guide will send you to Mohammed V International Airport depending on the schedule of your flight. Have a nice trip!

Meals: Breakfast