Morocco Tour From Casablanca ...
10 Days Trip Imperial Cities, Atlas Mountains And Sahara From Casablanca
10 Days Trip Imperial Cities, Atlas Mountains And Sahara From Casablanca
Introduction
With our dedicated guides, you’ll get to any attention-grabbing view, see what it's like to live the Moroccan style, experience their traditions, and have a taste of their special cuisine recipes. you'll cross pathways with nomads in remote stretches of mountains and desert, be hosted by locals for homemade meals and have a friendly unforgettable conversation with the locals, and discover the beauty of Moroccan ancient buildings, including Casablanca's Hassan II mosque. Along the way, you'll enjoy intimate stays in authentic Riads, Moroccan homes converted into elegant and ornately-tiled hotels with open-air, as well as Andalusian-style courtyards.
At the meantime, you'll benefit from the expertise of our local Trip Leader who will share valuable knowledge and deep insight of the Moroccans’ lives. Moreover, you will get the chance to step on the hills of the mighty Sahara that has so decisively shaped Moroccan culture to its roots. you’ll also camp under its starry skies in tented camp, and even explore its tides by camel tours.
Highlights
- Visit the biggest and largest Mosque of Hassan II.
- Rabat with its monumental ramparts and gates.
- Meknes and Volubilis - Two remarkable sites, rich in history and culture.
- The atmospheric medina of Fez also known as Mecca of the West.
- The impressive sand dunes of the Sahara Merzouga.
- Walk in Toudra Gorge, Morocco’s Grand Canyon through spectacular rock formations.
- Visit the world heritage site of Ait Benhadou.
- Marrakech - Discover Morocco's vibrant Red City.
- The Atlas Mountains - The highest and most scenic mountain range in North Africa.
Itinerary of the tour
Day 1 : Arrival to Mohamed V Airport and Overloand to Rabat
After landing in Casablanca, you'll have the chance to sit for lunch on your own. Then, you travel to Rabat. Then, in the afternoon you walk through Medina of Rabat to discover more by foot. you will converse with locals and have a taste of some Moroccan traditional food. Then, you will have a group meeting with trip leader and followed by group dinner. Meals: D
Day 2 : Rabat sightseeing- Meknes (home hosted lunch) - Volubilis – Fes
After breakfast, you meet your local guide at Riad, and start the tour of Rabat, Morocco’s political capital; you will learn Rabat’s history and enjoy its beautiful domes, minarets, wide avenues and green spaces. Your guide will escort you on a walk around the picturesque Almohad northern walls of the Oudaïa Kasbah. The kasbah was built by Moulay Ismaïl from 1672-1727 to protect the city and is enclosed by ramparts dating from the Almohad period. Visit Bab Oudaïa, a monumental gate and example of Almohad. You will visit Hassan Tower in Rabat. Then, drive to Meknes, once the heart of the Moroccan Sultanate, lying amidst the landscapes of the Oued Boufekrane river valley. The Sultan loved Meknes, and he would have liked never to leave it once wrote a chronicler to the tyrannical Sultan Moulay Ismail. Ismail (1672- 1727) was a tireless builder, and his greatest efforts were reserved for his capital at Meknes, which at its peak, with over 20 grand gateways and 50 palaces, must have been a sight to inspire any who looked upon it.
From here you head next for the nearby ancient site of Volubilis - the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania Tingitana. The detailed mosaics here are still intact and the site gives a good idea of the layout of provincial settlements. The afternoon then sees you taking the road northeast, travelling via Nzala des Beni Ammar to the country's cultural capital, Fes. Probably the oldest of the imperial cities.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 3 : Fes city guided tour/interact with locals
After breakfast, you will have a guided visit at 9:00 am in the medina of Fez. To begin with the southern tower and the fortress of 16th century face to face with northern one, a panoramic view over the medieval city. You will visit an enjoyable cooperative of pottery. It will enhance your knowledge about the making of Moroccan mosaic “zellige” and the blue pottery of Fez. You will travel in time back to the medieval period of the city where people still work in small narrow streets, several tiny stalls of all kinds of traditional crafts, and donkeys loaded with supplies are going up and down in the streets of the medina. You will feel no sense of direction and time halts for a while. The medina of Fez is rich of its Islamic monuments: the fascinating old mosques, the University of El-Karaouiyine and its libraries. All These elements made Fez the intellectual and cultural capital of the country. To finish the day there is an optional to see Jewish quarter including the Aben Danan Synagogue.
In the afternoon, you will finish the tour of Fes; your guide will take you back to your Riad and have a free time to relax.
Meals: B, L
Day 4 : Fes– Middle Atlas (home hosted lunch) - Erfoud
Turning south today you climb steadily into the dramatic landscapes of the Middle Atlas, heading first towards Immouzer and Ifrane and passing near the small mountain village of Azrou, which in the Berber tongue translates as 'the rock'. This is the land of the fiercely independent Berbers, the Lords of the Atlas, whose traditions and ways still hold sway up here in their mountain strongholds far away from the cities below. The Berbers present us with a unique view of a way of life lost to the rest of North Africa, where music and dance, even language and religion, are far removed from their Arab neighbors. Continuing into Berber sheep raising country you head to Timadite and over the Col du Zad. You stop to enjoy a home hosted meal prepared by a berber family. You across Tizi N'Tairhemt Camel Pass and continuing via the Gorge du Ziz to Er Rachidia. Finally, you traverse a broad plateau past Meski Oasis, the so-called 'Blue Spring' bordering the arid desert plains, from where your journey brings you at last to the desert settlement of Erfoud. Meals: B, L, D
Day 5 : Erfoud- RissaniI (Enjoy a local food “ Madfouna” Merzouga sand dunes.
Your day starts by following the meandering Ziz River towards Rissani, the last sizeable community and the end of the vegetation belt before the dunes of the Sand Sea begin. The settlement is the homeland of the Alaouite dynasty, which reigned in this region for 300 years, and this morning you'll have an opportunity to visit the founder's Mausoleum and explore something of the local ksour (fortified villages). You stop to enjoy a local food known as MADFOUNA, bread stuffed with meat and spices, you then drive on to the settlement of Merzouga, which lies on the edge of Erg Chebbi, an area of spectacular high dunes that are amongst some of Morocco's most spectacular natural landscapes.
In the afternoon you start your Safari adventure by taking a 4WD tour around the high sand dunes with a stop to share a cup of tea with nomadic family. Later, you come back to Merzouga village and get ready for the camel ride which takes about 01h or more as you like to reach the camp where you continue the spirit of the nomadic Berber lifestyle. After dinner you gather round the fire and enjoy the desert night perhaps with traditional Berber drums.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 6 : Merzouga – Toudra gorge (home hosted lunch) – Rose valley – Skoura ouasis
The camel man will wake you up early in the morning to watch what well may be the best sunrise of your life. After having your breakfast, shower in the camp, you’ll peacefully ride your camel back to the village appreciating the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi dunes – changing with the light as the day progresses. You’ll leave for Tinghir and Todra gorges – the highest, narrowest gorges where you will be invited by Ibrahim for a delicious lunch. Then you continue to the Rose valley, famous for its roses, the town lies blanketed under a landscape of scented blooms each spring, which are then harvested in May during the famous Festival of the Roses and processed into rosewater to be sold throughout the Islamic world. Your arrival to Skoura will be at late afternoon. Meals: B, L, D
Day 7 : Skoura ouasis – Ait Benhaddou Kasbah- High Atlas Mountains – Marrakech/food tasting trail.
After breakfast; you leave Skoura and drive to Ouarzazat “the Hollywood of Africa” you will have time if you are interested to visit the museum of cinema, before you drive to the famous Ait Ben Haddou kasbah, the largest Kasbah in Morocco. Walking tour with your guide takes 1 hour to see and visit the most beautiful Berber Village. After lunch, you will drive for four hours through the winding roads of the Atlas, bound for Marrakech, an ancient, exotic city wrapped in European modernity. There’s no rush as the scenery through the High Atlas Mountain passes is magnificent, and there will surely be calls for several photo stops along the way. On arrival in Marrakech you will check in to your hotel. This evening, you head for a food testing. You will test some Moroccan donuts with some tea, some nuts, olives, roasted lamp, we end our testing food at the main and great square of Jemaa el Fna one of the largest public spaces in the world and unique to Marrakech. Meals: B, D
Day 8: Marrakech city guided tour
After breakfast you start your tour with the local guide by visiting the old Medina in which there are many interesting historical sites to visit. Koutoubia mosque 12th century that represents the glory and depth history of the city. You will discover the royal necropolis of the Saadians 17th century, the beautiful Bahia palace 19th century and the famous souks of Marrakech. You will be amazed of how many different stalls, colors, smells and goods in the souks. It is nice to have a cup of mint-tea in one of the terraces in order to end up your journey in the red city, offering a great view over the magical square Jama Elfana that you always will remember!!! Meals: B, D
Day 9 : Marrakesh -Women’s Solidarity Association - Casablanca
Today you leave Marrakech to Casablanca. on your arrival, you stop for lunch at the Women’s Solidarity Association. Founded in 1985, this non-profit organization provides professional experience to single women, mothers, and victims of abuse by training them to develop the skills needed to work in restaurants, bakeries, and hammams. At the restaurant, you’ll be treated to traditional cuisine prepared by the women of the association, and have the chance to get to know one of the women training there. This is a great opportunity to get a true sense of what life is like for women in Morocco, and you encourage travelers to interact, ask questions, and come away with a better understanding of local life. Then, in the afternoon you will visit Hassan II Mosque. This mosque is the largest in Morocco with the tallest minaret in the world. you’ll have about two hours at the mosque to admire its marble columns, intricately designed dome, and mosaic tiles. While here, you may even hear the call to prayer emanating from the towering minaret. After, you’ll check into our hotel for the night. In the afternoon, you'll set off for a discovery walk through the city center where you'll encounter some of its gems—particularly its impressive colonial architecture. Meals: B, D
Day 10 : Departure to airport.
You leave your hotel, 35-45 min drive to Mohamed V airport. Meals: B
Good to Know
Included
- 09 Nights' accommodation.
- Mineral water in the Van.
- comfortable 4WD or Minivan.
- 10 Days of Car services.
- Fuel and all car expanses, taxes and road tolls.
- Professional English-speaking guide/driver.
- Professional Local guides in Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis, Fes, and Marrakech.
- Entrance fees.
Not included
- Tips.
- Soft and alcoholic drinks.
- Travel Insurance.