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Imperial cities and desert tour: 8 Days from Marrakech
This tour includes all the highlights of Morocco for first time visitors. See the imperial cities and explore the desert dunes.
Day 1: Marrakech - Casablanca - Rabat
After you got picked up in your Riad, we leave Marrakech and take the motorway in direction Casablanca. Casablanca is a modern city and home of industries and finance business as well as art galleries and fashion designers. Visit the spectacular Mosque of Hassan II situated directly at the ocean. A must see for every visitor of Casablanca! Afterwards we continue to Rabat, capital of Morocco, where we visit the magnificent mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan II and enjoy the view of the Tour Hassan and its gardens. Enjoy your dinner in the medina. Overnight in a Riad in Rabat.
Day 2: Rabat - Meknes - Fez
After breakfast in your Riad we head in direction Meknes, which is famous for its luxurious palaces and beautiful mosques as well as one of the most important souks of Morocco. Continue the route to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, a complex declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO with a new museum. After the visit, we continue our trip to Fez, where you'll have your dinner in the medina. Overnight in a Riad in Fez.
Day 3: Fez
Today we'll spend the whole day exploring the impressive city of Fez with its huge Medina «Fes el-Bali» together with a local guide. Keep your eyes open for the numerous beautiful decorated fountains, do some bargains in the souk and enjoy a snack at one of the hunderts of snackbars and food sellers. Fez is the oldest and most famous imperial city in Morocco. Dinner in the medina and overnight in Fez.
Day 4: Fez - Azrou - Midelt - Erfoud - Merzouga
We start our journey in the morning and head for the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop for a coffee in Ifran, also known as «Switzerland of Morocco» with its chalet like houses. Shortly after it’s time to feed the monkeys! They life in a cedar forest and love the sweet bananas which you can buy at the roadside. From here we are heading south through several typical villages and you will have the opportunity to spot nomad families living in their tents along the road.
After our lunch in Midelt we continue our drive and enjoy panoramic views crossing the Tizi N' Talghoumt pass. In Erfoud, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the valley of the river Ziz lined with thousands of date palms. Now we’re almost at the dunes! After arriving in Merzouga, we will enjoy dinner in the desert lodge where we'll spend the night.
Day 5: Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
Today will be devoted entirely to enjoy the desert. We'll cross the dunes with our 4x4, visit nomads for tea in their tents, explore an oasis and ride through the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Visit the famous village of Khamlia and enjoy its folk music. After arriving back in Merzouga in the late afternoon, you will experience a one hour camel ride to reach the desert camp while the sun sinks down behind the dunes. Enjoy your evening dining in a berber tent, look for shooting stars at the camp fire and sleep in a nomad tent!
Day 6: Merzouga - Todra and Dades Gorges
Wake up by the first strays of light to watch the sunrise over the sahara before you enjoy your typical breakfast. We return on the camel's back or 4x4 to the desert lodge where a nice shower awaits us. In Rissani we will have the opportunity to visit the local market with the «donkey parking» and have a look at some fossils outside the city.
After lunch break, we will follow the road along the river to reach the gorges of Todra, where you can take a short but spectacular hike between the up to 300 m high rock walls. Before arriving at our Riad for the night in the Dades valley, we head to Boumalne Dades where you can make some nice pictures of the special rock formations which look like monkey hands. Dinner and overnight at a riad in Dades.
Day 7: Dades Gorges - Ouarzazate
Today we will see a lot of different landscapes on our way to Ouarzazate. Admire the views of the Valley of a thousand Kasbahs and the famous Valley of Roses along the road. In the desert city Ouarzazate, also known as «Hollywood of Morocco», you can explore the acient Kasbah of Taourirt, which was built in the Glaoui dynasty. Dinner and overnight in a Riad in Ouarzazate.
Day 8: Ouarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou - Marrakech
A little outside of Ouarzazate lies Aït Ben Haddou, the fortified clay city with its numerous ksars and kasbahs, where several famous movies such as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven and Prince of Persia have been shot. This photogenic city is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After the visit and enjoying your lunch in Aït Ben Haddou, we pass the High Atlas mountains over the Tizi n’Tichka pass with scenic views along the road and many opportunities to take photos. Early evening arrival in Marrakech at your Riad or Hotel.
After you got picked up in your Riad, we leave Marrakech and take the motorway in direction Casablanca. Casablanca is a modern city and home of industries and finance business as well as art galleries and fashion designers. Visit the spectacular Mosque of Hassan II situated directly at the ocean. A must see for every visitor of Casablanca! Afterwards we continue to Rabat, capital of Morocco, where we visit the magnificent mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan II and enjoy the view of the Tour Hassan and its gardens. Enjoy your dinner in the medina. Overnight in a Riad in Rabat.
Day 2: Rabat - Meknes - Fez
After breakfast in your Riad we head in direction Meknes, which is famous for its luxurious palaces and beautiful mosques as well as one of the most important souks of Morocco. Continue the route to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, a complex declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO with a new museum. After the visit, we continue our trip to Fez, where you'll have your dinner in the medina. Overnight in a Riad in Fez.
Day 3: Fez
Today we'll spend the whole day exploring the impressive city of Fez with its huge Medina «Fes el-Bali» together with a local guide. Keep your eyes open for the numerous beautiful decorated fountains, do some bargains in the souk and enjoy a snack at one of the hunderts of snackbars and food sellers. Fez is the oldest and most famous imperial city in Morocco. Dinner in the medina and overnight in Fez.
Day 4: Fez - Azrou - Midelt - Erfoud - Merzouga
We start our journey in the morning and head for the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop for a coffee in Ifran, also known as «Switzerland of Morocco» with its chalet like houses. Shortly after it’s time to feed the monkeys! They life in a cedar forest and love the sweet bananas which you can buy at the roadside. From here we are heading south through several typical villages and you will have the opportunity to spot nomad families living in their tents along the road.
After our lunch in Midelt we continue our drive and enjoy panoramic views crossing the Tizi N' Talghoumt pass. In Erfoud, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the valley of the river Ziz lined with thousands of date palms. Now we’re almost at the dunes! After arriving in Merzouga, we will enjoy dinner in the desert lodge where we'll spend the night.
Day 5: Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
Today will be devoted entirely to enjoy the desert. We'll cross the dunes with our 4x4, visit nomads for tea in their tents, explore an oasis and ride through the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Visit the famous village of Khamlia and enjoy its folk music. After arriving back in Merzouga in the late afternoon, you will experience a one hour camel ride to reach the desert camp while the sun sinks down behind the dunes. Enjoy your evening dining in a berber tent, look for shooting stars at the camp fire and sleep in a nomad tent!
Day 6: Merzouga - Todra and Dades Gorges
Wake up by the first strays of light to watch the sunrise over the sahara before you enjoy your typical breakfast. We return on the camel's back or 4x4 to the desert lodge where a nice shower awaits us. In Rissani we will have the opportunity to visit the local market with the «donkey parking» and have a look at some fossils outside the city.
After lunch break, we will follow the road along the river to reach the gorges of Todra, where you can take a short but spectacular hike between the up to 300 m high rock walls. Before arriving at our Riad for the night in the Dades valley, we head to Boumalne Dades where you can make some nice pictures of the special rock formations which look like monkey hands. Dinner and overnight at a riad in Dades.
Day 7: Dades Gorges - Ouarzazate
Today we will see a lot of different landscapes on our way to Ouarzazate. Admire the views of the Valley of a thousand Kasbahs and the famous Valley of Roses along the road. In the desert city Ouarzazate, also known as «Hollywood of Morocco», you can explore the acient Kasbah of Taourirt, which was built in the Glaoui dynasty. Dinner and overnight in a Riad in Ouarzazate.
Day 8: Ouarzazate - Ait Ben Haddou - Marrakech
A little outside of Ouarzazate lies Aït Ben Haddou, the fortified clay city with its numerous ksars and kasbahs, where several famous movies such as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven and Prince of Persia have been shot. This photogenic city is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After the visit and enjoying your lunch in Aït Ben Haddou, we pass the High Atlas mountains over the Tizi n’Tichka pass with scenic views along the road and many opportunities to take photos. Early evening arrival in Marrakech at your Riad or Hotel.
