20 Days tour from Casablanca to The Desert

Upon arrival at the airport of Casablanca Mohammed V, we will meet and take you to the hotel. Our representative will provide a brief overview of the tour.

We start this private Morocco tour in Casablanca by visiting the Hassan II Mosque, then Casablanca beach, the Justice Court and the Habous quarters. Afterwards, we drive to Rabat; the administrative capital of Morocco where we will visit the 12th century Hassan tower, the Royal Palace Gardens and the Kasbah of Oudaya. Then, we continue to Meknes, once the capital of Morocco during the Ismailian era in the 16th century.

We will drive for half an hour to Volubilis, the famous roman ruins archeological site, and then head to Chefchaouen. You will have the chance to visit the “Blue Jewel of Morocco” and spend the night at a local riad or hotel.

In the morning we continue our private Morocco tour, driving to Tangier to explore the Grotto of Hercules and the Cap Spartel. Also, you will explore, both, the Mediterranean beach and the Atlantic coast. Then, our destination will be Asilah, the Phoenicians city, where you will spend the night at a local riad.

In the morning, we explore Asilah; then, we drive to Fez where you will spend the next 2 nights at a local riad.

After breakfast, you will begin your visit of Fes, "the oldest living Medina in the world” with a local official tour guide. You will see the Medina with its "souks" (markets), stopping at the gateway of the Royal Palace, the 9th century Karouine mosque and university. You will also visit the tomb of Moulay Idriss II, the city founder. Lunch will be at one of the traditional restaurants in the old Medina. After lunch, you will continue your tour to visit the Najarine Fountain, the old Harem Garden and the Batha Museum. On the way back to the hotel, you will stop to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

After breakfast, we will start our trip to Merzouga, crossing the Atlas Mountains and passing through Ifrane as well as the cedar forests of Azrou, home to the wild monkeys. It will be a good opportunity to take photos of wilderness in Morocco. Lunch will be in a small Berber village named Zaida. After lunch, we resume our trip through the Atlas Mountains; enjoying the landscapes of Midelt, before passing through the towns of Rich and Erfoud, in which we will feel the beginning of the Saharan oasis of Tafilalet. Later, we arrive to Merzouga and spend the night at a hotel near the dunes.

After breakfast at the hotel you will start your explorative desert journey of the area, visiting the village of Khamlia and its people - originally slaves from Sudan - to experience their music and lifestyle. Not far away, there is the lake of Merzouga, with its bird populations, including flamingos. You may also like to visit the nomad wirehouse where many Berber handicrafts are priced lower than in the big cities. In the afternoon, you will ride camels, guided by an experienced camel-man, to explore the mysterious sand-sea of the Erg-Chebbi. There, you will spend your first night under the stars, or if you prefer, in a traditional Berber nomad tent. Dinner will be served in the tent where you will spend the night. In addition to the dinner and overnight accommodation you will have breakfast in the desert.

After breakfast, we will drive through the Dades Valley towards Kalaa M'gouna and Ouarzazat. The way through Dades Valley is the Route of One Thousand Kasbahs, providing numerous opportunities to take some of your best photographic shots of the trip. We will stop at Kalaa Mgouna, "the Roses City", to purchase rosewater, which will make your linen smell good a long time after your trip is over. We continue to Skoura and the Birds Valley and visit the Ameridil Kasbah, a well-preserved kasbah in this area. After lunch, you will have some time for hiking within the valley and then we head to Ouarzazate - “the Hollywood of Africa”- whose geography and beautiful landscapes have attracted many world class movie producers. Overnight accommodation will be at a riad.

After breakfast at the riad, we will head to Taroudant via Taznakht, visiting Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, the largest Kasbah in Morocco. It was built during the beginning of the 20th century by Thami El Glaoui, one of the last Berber chieftains. This Kasbah used to be one of his stops during his long travel from the sub-Saharan countries to Marrakech, and is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Then, in Taliouine, the capital of saffron in Morocco, you will have the option to visit the Safran co-operative. If your visit coincides with saffron harvest, you will have the opportunity to see Berber families harvesting saffron in their fields. We should arrive in Taroudant by the afternoon, and there you will visit the ramparts and walk through the alleys of the Medina. Taroudant is always referred to as “The little Marrakech” because it was built by the Saadians who used it as their capital before they moved to Marrakech in the 16th century.

Following breakfast at the riad, we will be heading for Sidi Ifni, travelling via Tafraout. Our first stop will be in Tiznit, a resort city that has been a very big tourist destination for many years. After lunch and a walk along the Promenade, you will continue to Sidi Ifni. The coastal road offers beautiful scenery, as the area is famous for its unique Argan trees. There, you will notice herds of goats climbing the Argan trees, looking for food better than what they could find on the ground. After several stops along the coast we get to Sidi Ifni in the afternoon. You will stay overnight at a riad/hotel.

You will have breakfast at the riad before we take the road to Essaouira, travelling via Agadir through the Atlantic Coast. Arrival to Essaouira will be in the afternoon.

After breakfast at the hotel in Essaouira, we start our explorative journey of the city. You will visit the Skala Fortress, see Thuya wood carved by artisans, walk through the alleys of the medina and view hundreds of handicrafts. You will have lunch the Moroccan way, freshly bought fishes ‘cooked to order’. In the afternoon, you will have some free time to wander around, go to the beach and enjoy time to yourselves. Essaouira, nicknamed "City of the Wind", attracts surfers from all over the world. The place witnessed various cultural interactions, including during the Portuguese occupation. However, it remains a small village with much history. Because of its size and its characteristic blue doors and washed walls, it is also regarded as Morocco’s "Jewel of the Atlantic”. The city organizes an annual festival of “Gnawa music”, which attracts musical groups from different parts of Africa and the world. Usually it starts during the second week of June.

After breakfast at the riad, you will have some free time before leaving for Marrakech. On our way - since this is the land of Argan culture - you will have the opportunity to visit the women's co-operative of Argan where they extract the oil that is famous for its culinary, cosmetic and medical properties. After several stops to take photographs, you will continue your travel to Marrakech and check into the riad. After dinner, you will have the option to go for a walk in the famous square of Jemaa El fna, entertained with magicians, story tellers, musicians and snake charmers.

In this full-day tour of Marrakech, you will - among other things - visit the Menara, a pool surrounded by flowerbeds which functions as a source for the irrigation of the surrounding fields. The sightseeing tour will cover several impressive historic sites: the Koutoubia Mosque, Majorelle Gardens, Bahia Palace and Dar Si Said Palace Museum of Jewellery. Optional lunch will be in the medina, followed by a walk through the colorful souks of Marrakech. Enjoy a sunset drink overlooking the exciting Jamaa El Fna Square from the terrace of a café. Dinner and accommodation will be at a hotel.

You will enjoy a one-day trip from Marrakech to Ouzoud Waterfalls, starting in the morning. This site is located about 170 km away from Marrakech, northeast of the city. You will discover the beautiful waterfalls of about 110 m high and a beautiful landscape full of birds and monkeys. Upon arrival, if you like you can negotiate the services of a local guide to make walks or hikes at a height of 1068 m.

We will make a one-day trip from Marrakech to Ourika Valley starting in the morning. This is one of the most popular day trips from Marrakech, since Ourika Valley is very close to the city. On our Ourika day-trip you will travel on a private tour with your own vehicle, driver and guide. To achieve a truly authentic Ourika Valley experience, we aim at avoiding the typical tourist traps and focus on real Berber village life, exploring local trails on foot; far away from the fleets of tour buses....We will come back to Marrakech in the evening.

A free day in Marrakech to relax, enjoy a Hammam, Spa...etc.

Transfer to the airport (Marrakech or Casablanca), end of the 20-day tour from Casablanca.