Tour includes :

• Guided walking tour
• Tour transport 4×4 or Minubus with air conditioning
• English-speaking driver.
• Fuel.
• Hotels/Riads
• Breakfasts
• Dinners

Not includes:

• Flight tickets
• Entrance fees.
• Meals and drinks
• Lunchs

The post 8 Days Imperial Cities Tour from Casablanca appeared first on Merzouga Destinations.

DAY 1 : CASABLANCA – RABAT

DAYS 2- : RABAT – MEKNES – VOLUBILIS – MOULAY IDRISS – FES

 After breakfast in your riad, you will start travelling to Fes via Meknes and stop for a short time to see the Volubilis in Meknes, another significant imperial city in Morocco. It is known as the Ismaili capital of Morocco, you will also visit the famous gate Bab Mansour, the Sahrij Souani Bassin, and Mulay Ismail Mausoleum. After lunch, your journey continues to Volubilis, the Roman ruins, dating to 25BC where some of the original mosaics are still in very good shape, explore the site and continue to Fes via the foothills of the Rif Mountains. Get to Fes at the end of the afternoon. Check in at your riad at the heart of the Medina, before dinner and night .

DAY 3: FES – GUIDED TOUR

DAY 5 : MERZOUGA AREA AND THE CAMEL TREKKING

After breakfast in your riad, you will be taken in an explorative journey of the area before you camel trek. to the Gnawa people, originally slaves brought from Sudan, to experience their music and lifestyle. Not far from our location there’s the lake of Merzouga, with its bird populations. You may also visit the nomad wire house where many Berber handicrafts are priced lower than in the big cities.

On the afternoon you will mount your camel, guided by our experienced camelman to explore the golden sea sand of Merzouga .Returning for dinner in front of the tent, where you will spend the night. (the camp is equipped with flush toilets).

DAY 6 : MERZOUGA – TODRA GORGES – DADES VALLEY

We wake up early in the morning and go on a camel trek to watch the best sunrise of your life. You’ll peacefully camel trek back to the village of Merzouga. Enroute you couldn’t fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes, changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast in the riad/hotel, we’ll leave to Tinghir , via Rissani, and Todra gorges, the highest narrowest gorges in Morocco. After lunch in the heart of the gorge we’ll drive through the Dades Valley, where you’ll see the majestic sand castles and the amazing rock formations known as “monkey toes”. We will spend the night in a fancy hotel overlooking the Dades valley.

DAY 7 : OURZAZATE – AIT BENHADDOU – TELOUET – MARRAKECH

DAY 9 : MARRAKECH CITY TOUR

DAY 10 : MARRAKECH – ESSAOUIRA – MARRAKECH

DAY 11 : MARRAKECH – CASABLANCA AIRPORT

 

Tour includes :

• Guided walking tour -Casablanca –Marrakech –Rabat-fez- kasbah ait benhadou- Volubilis
• Tour transport 4×4 or Minubus with air conditioning
• English-speaking driver.
• Fuel.
• Hotels/Riads
• 1 hour and a half tour in camel with related guidance
• Party with drums in berber tent.
• Breakfasts
• Dinners

Not includes:

• Flight tickets
• Entrance fees.
• Meals and drinks
• Lunchs

The post 11 Days Classic Morocco Tour from casablanca appeared first on Merzouga Destinations.

The post Explore The Best Tour of Morocco 14 days 13 Nights appeared first on Merzouga Destinations.

DAY 1 Arrive in Ariport –Casablanca

arrival in Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco, you will be met and taken to your Casablanca hotel. Later, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

DAY 2 Casablanca–Rabat–Meknes–Fez

A short ride along the coast to Rabat, once a lair of the corsairs and now the country’s capital. Sightseeing includes the Royal Palace, Hassan Tower, and the Kasbah of Oudayas. You are reminded of the time when Morocco was the Roman province of Mauretania as you visit the fine ROMAN RELICS OF CHELLAH and its GARDENS. Continue to Meknes—during your guided tour, see its monumental gates, mosque, palace, and miles of protective walls. Visit its ROYAL STABLES, originally built to house 12.000 of the royal horses. Travel east towards Fez, Morocco’s most enchanting city.

DAY 3 Fez- Guided walking tour

At leisure in ancient Fez, which occupies a position of outstanding scenic beauty. Visit the exotic ancient Medina on the optional sightseeing tour, a maze of narrow, bustling streets and alleys that are home to colorful souks.

DAY 4 Fez–Ifrane –Middle Atlas-Ziz GorgES- Erfoud

Travel today into the very heart of Morocco. Stop in the quiet, French-built alpine mountain resort of Ifrane. Verdant cedar forests give way to volcanic mountains and wind-swept plains as you motor across the Middle Atlas range. Pass fortified mud-and-straw villages and descend into the spectacular ZIZ GORGES. Afterwards, the landscape becomes progressively more arid and you enter a stony desert. Approaching Erfoud, an unexpected and breathtaking surprise: the peaceful oasis of the Ziz Valley.

DAY 5 Erfoud-Desert-Merzouga-desert Camp

The best choice today is an included excursion to Rissani to see the MAUSOLEUM OF MOULAY ALI SHARIF, the first ruler of the Alaouite Dynasty. This evening, enjoy an optional excursion in the desert.

DAY 6 Erfoud– Dades Valley – Kasbahs– Ouarzazate

Enjoy the drive through the eastern slopes of the Atlas Mountains and arrive at the Tinerhir oasis with its green valley of palms and local villages. On to the impressive Todra Gorge, then along the Dades Valley to the film capital of Morocco, Ouarzazate.

DAY 7 Ouarzazate–Aït Benhaddou–Tizi-n-Tichka Pass–Marrakesh

Enjoy an orientation drive this morning in Ouarzazate, famous for its film studios, and a visit of the KASBAH DE TAOURIRT. Next, to AÏT BENHADDOU, a kasbah famous as a film location for Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. Pass through picturesque villages surrounded by craggy mountains towards 7,414-foot-high Tizi-n-Tichka Pass in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains. Each new twist in the road leads to a different, more dramatic landscape. Leaving the pass behind, the landscape gradually changes to a tapestry of red ochre. Enter the gates of the red-colored imperial city of Marrakesh, justly reputed the most fascinating of all Moroccan cities. An optional evening excursion is a fitting way to end the day.

DAY 8 Marrakesh : Guided walking tour

The included city sightseeing with a Local Guide starts with an orientation drive followed by a walk through the ancient quarters to the fascinating JEMAA-EL-FNA SQUARE and its exotic bazaar, BAHIA PALACE, and SAADIAN TOMBS. You’ll really feel as if you’ve stopped the march of time.

DAY 9 Marrakesh–to Casablanca

Leave Morocco’s magical city of Marrakesh for the journey back to Casablanca. In the afternoon, see the sights in the company of a Local Guide.

DAY 10 Airport -Casablanca

You will be transferred to the airport for departure.

Tour includes :

– Guided walking tour -Casablanca –Marrakech –Rabat-fez- kasbah ait benhadou- Volubilis

-Tour transport 4×4 or Minubus with air conditioning
– English-speaking driver.
– Fuel

–1 night in Berber tent

– Hotels/Riads

– Breakfasts

– Diners

Tour Not included :

-Meals and drinks.
-Airline ticket

-Entrance fees for visits

-Lunchs

The post Tour Morocco Most Beautiful Sights in 10 days appeared first on Merzouga Destinations.

Day 1 Airport – Casablanca

Upon arrival in Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco, you will be meet by our driver guide. Depending on arrival time, you will visit the city, of Casablanca “the white city” begins with an orientation tour through its broad avenues, stroll through the narrow streets of the medina, the United Nations Square, the Place Mohammed V, the central market district Endowments, the residential district of Anfa, Boulevard of the Corniche along pools and restaurants and the Hassan II Mosque. As it is the second largest mosque in the world and indeed a beautiful work of art, it is one of the rare mosques opened to non-Muslims. Diner and over night in your  hotel

Day 2 Casablanca – to Rabat :

After breakfast this morning overland to Rabat, one of Morocco’s ancient imperial cities and its capital since 1913. We’ll arrive at our hotel in the early afternoon, followed by some time at leisure.This evening we meet our fellow travelers who took the optional pre-trip extension to Tangier, Chefchaouen & the Berbers of the Rif during an orientation briefing. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner on a boat that is docked on the Bou Regreg river, which separates Rabat from the city of Salé.

DAY 3 Raba- Guided walking tour

After breakfast this morning, we have a brief introduction to the Arabic language before heading out on a guided tour of Rabat. We see the exterior of Rabat’s Royal Palace and its impressive Bab ar-Rouah (Gate of the Winds), and visit the ruins and wild gardens of the Chellah, a 14th-century Merinid necropolis. We walk in the Andalusian Gardens, within the walls of the kasbah (fortress) of the Oudaya. We stop at the Hassan Tower, a huge unfinished mosque, built mostly at the end of the twelfth century.Enjoy lunch on your own in Rabat, and then the afternoon will be yours to make your own discoveries. Tonight, we gather for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 4 Rabat – to Fez

This morning, we leave the coast and Rabat behind, and set off for Fez. We’ll drive past sweeping fields, rolling countryside, and the tree-covered slopes of Mount Zerhoun, which mark the beginning of the Rif Mountains. Depending on the time of year, the fields and slopes may be speckled with poppies, prickly pear, olive trees, or snow.Upon our arrival in Fez, we’ll check into our riad—a Moroccan home that has been refurbished into an intimate hotel—and have lunch there. Then we’ll take a short drive up a hillside to take in a panoramic view of Fez’s tightly clustered Old City, the medina, which we’ll explore in depth tomorrow. Afterward, we’ll learn how Moroccan pottery is made at a local ceramics workshop.

DAY 5 Fez – Guided walking tour

Following breakfast in our riad, we’ll begin our full-day exploration of Fez. Led by our Trip Leader and a local city guide, we leave our bus, the 21st century, and all previous conceptions of urban design behind as we enter Fez’s medina, often considered the world’s most well-preserved medieval city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We start by exploring the traditional Jewish quarter, called the mellah, where we’ll view the elegant gates of the Royal Palace.Then we’ll enter the souks (markets) of Fez, walking through myriad tiny lanes. This ancient section of Fez is a maze of narrow streets, and one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world. Every inch of space is filled with bazaars, cafés, shops, donkeys, and people. You can’t help but be amazed by the vibrant display of age-old urban tradition, and the intensity of life bursting around every corner. The thrill of it must be experienced to be understood.We have lunch in a local restaurant and then explore the medina some more before returning to our riad.Early this evening, we have a bit of free time to continue exploring Fez. Then we’ll join a local family for a Home-Hosted Dinner, where we’ll get the chance to taste authentic regional cuisine, and learn even more about daily life in this ancient city.

DAY 6 fez – Day trip to Volubilis and Meknes

After breakfast in our riad, the day is yours to make your own discoveries in Fez.Or, you may join a full-day optional tour of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Volubilis and Meknes. First we’ll explore Volubilis, one of the most well-preserved Roman cities in North Africa. Led by a local guide, we’ll wander amongst its historic ruins and striking mosaics, and our guide will help us envision what life was like in ancient times. From this vantage point, we’ll be able to gaze upon the panoramic, whitewashed vistas of the holy city of Moulay Idriss in the distance.Then we’ll set off for Meknes, onetime home of the Moroccan sultanate. After passing through the monumental gates of this walled city, we’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Then we’ll embark upon a tour of the Old City, including the immense stables—a massive structure that once held 12,000 horses—and granaries that were built for 17th-century sultan Moulay Ismail.

Upon returning to our riad, we’ll regroup for a stroll down Hassan II Avenue, a palm-lined boulevard in the French-influenced Ville Nouvelle district. Your Trip Leader will be happy to provide you with recommendations as you seek out dinner on your own.

DAY 7 Fez – Middle -Atlas mountain – Ifrane – Erfoud

begins today, as we drive across the Middle Atlas mountain range, winding through beautiful pine groves and giant cedar forests. The contrast of the rich purple soil and the tall evergreens is magnificent. We cross a 6,000-foot pass in the mountains and head further toward the Sahara. This is a long, but fascinating transfer as we witness the varied geologic and ecological zones we travel through. Along the way, we’ll briefly stop in the ski resort town of Ifrane, and we’ll have lunch at a restaurant in Midelt.In the late afternoon, we descend into Erfoud, a small trading village that is the gateway to the vast Sahara Desert.This evening, we’ll enjoy dinner in our hotel.

Day 8 Erfoud Merzouga Sahara desert :

home and learn about their traditional way of life. Then we head into the desert, where we enjoy a chance to hike on top of the dunes, and to travel the desert the traditional way—on the back of a camel. Lunch is served after the camel ride in a ceremonial tent facing some of the highest dunes in Morocco.Afterward, we journey to our private tented campsite, at a sea of sand dunes near Merzouga, experiencing the remote environment of the Sahara: No roads, no people except an occasional nomad, and total silence as we navigate the sandy tracks. Should we encounter some nomads during our drive, we’ll stop to visit with them.We arrive at our campsite in the late afternoon, and gather around the dining tent for tea. Keep your journal handy as our Moroccan chef gives us a lesson in preparing Moroccan cuisine. Most Americans are familiar with couscous, a nourishing staple of Moroccan diets, but savory discoveries abound in this exotic cuisine: harissa, a fiery sauce made from hot red pepper, olive oil, and garlic; tajine, a slow-cooked stew named for the pot that it’s cooked in; and the crowning glory of bstila, squab pie made with 100 individual layers of flaky dough. We’ll come away with not only a delicious meal, but also some authentic cooking tips to take home with us.

DAY 9 Merzouga – Khamlia – desert village- Merzouga

Today, we absorb the feeling of the extraordinary desert environment. We are camped where few foreigners venture, along routes known only to the camel and goat-herding Tuareg nomads. If you wish, you can rise before dawn to watch the sunrise in the Saharan dunes, then stretch your legs during a guided walk.We’ll return to camp for breakfast, and then set off to visit a local farm, where we’ll learn about the local produce and vegetation produced there. After, we’ll head to Khamlia, a remote desert village. This region is renowned for the ritual music of its Gnawa musicians, and we’ll get the chance to hear their melodic chants during a lively musical performance. We’ll learn more about everyday life in the desert as we visit nomadic families. After lunch, we’ll have a free afternoon to make our own discoveries, with the option of hunting for fossils during a hike to the sand dunes.This evening, we’ll hear about the basic tenets of Islam during a fascinating discussion before dinner at our camp. We’ll spend our last night sleeping beneath the starry desert sky, where (weather permitting) the Milky Way appears uncannily clear and bright.

DAY 10 Merzouga- Rissani –Erfoud- Tinejdad- Ouarzazate

This morning we leave the open desert behind and set off for the oasis town of Ouarzazate, making a stop in Tinejdad. There, we’ll arrive at the Ksar of El Khorbat and take a walk inside one of the unique and ancient fortified ksars We’ll then visit a Berber museum and learn about the history, architecture, and daily life of Berbers in this region.After lunch at El Khorbat, we’ll continue with our overland transfer to Tinejdad Ouarzazate, a city built by the French as a garrison outpost in the Sahara.  We arrive late this afternoon and will check into our hotel. This evening, we’ll gather for dinner together at our hotel.

DAY 11 Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou-Kasar – Ouarzazate

Today, we visit Aït Benhaddou, a picturesque, mountainside ksar that features one of the best-preserved kasbahs in the entire Atlas region. Scenes from the classic films Lawrence of Arabia and The Man Who Would Be King were set here, and Aït Benhaddou has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its striking example of southern Moroccan earthen architecture. Our group will have the opportunity to experience A Day in the Life of several aspects of the community in Aït Benhaddou, beginning with meeting some of the local men and women who work in the fields, cutting the grass and plowing the land. Next, we’ll learn more about the history of this ksar as we sit down with locals and have a conversation over mint tea.After, we’ll visit the Imik Smik Women’s Association for Rural Development. Established in 2012, the association’s goal is to create workshops and programs that teach girls and women how to sew, read, cook, develop healthcare and further education that otherwise would not be available. Sponsored by Grand Circle Foundation, the Imik Smik Women’s Association currently generates funding by selling bread, pastry, and couscous to locaguesthouses in the village. We’ll meet these women and learn how they are trying to change their lives and those of the young women in their community, for the better.We’ll enjoy a Home-Hosted lunch and henna ceremony with the women of the association before returning to Ouarzazate. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Tonight, we’ll have dinner together at the hotel.

DAY 12 Ouarzazate- Atlas Mountains -Marrakech

We travel through the High Atlas Mountains today en route to Marrakesh. Along the way, we’ll pause high above narrow green valleys to take in spectacular views. This is a somewhat long, yet scenic drive.Upon our arrival in Marrakesh, we’ll check into our riad where we enjoy lunch together. If you wish, your Trip Leader will take you on an orientation walk, and lend suggestions on where to go for dinner on your own.

DAY 13  Explore Marrakesh- Guided walking tour

In the morning, we explore the legendary city of Marrakesh in a traditional horse-drawn calèche. We begin in Gueliz, the modern part of the city designed and built by the French in the early 20th century, then visit the Koutoubia minaret, the Saadian Tombs, the Moorish spice market, and the opulent Bahia Palace.

Following our tour, you’ll have time for lunch on your own as you explore the famous medina of Marrakesh, one of the ancient crossroads of North Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This afternoon is at leisure and dinner is on your own. Afterwards, you may choose to join your Trip Leader on a walk down to the Jamaa El Fna, the main market square in Marrakesh, to get a sense of the local nightlife.

DAY 14 Marrakech  free day

You have the day free in Marrakesh, where past travelers have greatly enjoyed time for independent exploration. As in Fez, there is much to see, do, and buy in the bustling medina, and our Trip Leader will be able to offer you plenty of suggestions about where to go. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out the high-energy street performers in the legendary Djemma El-Fna square.

Or, you can choose to join our optional Marrakesh Museums tour, which features visits to the Jardin de Majorelle and Islamic Art Museum; the Ali Ben Youssef Medersa and Marrakesh Museum; a stroll through Marrakesh’s ancient medina, and lunch with some local Moroccans.

This evening, we’ll come together to share our stories over a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 15 Marrakech – Casablanca

After breakfast we’ll depart for Casablanca, enjoying lunch en route. Upon arrival, we’ll set off for a discovery walk through the city center where we’ll discover some of its gems—particularly its impressive colonial architecture.While the French controlled Morocco in the first half of the 20th century, they added their unique flair to the local architecture. Today, Neo-Moorish and Art Nouveau buildings from this era are peppered throughout the downtown area, as are some fascinating and beautiful Art Deco structures. After Morocco gained its independence in 1956, the styles changed considerably as Casablanca sought to leave its colonial past behind. Some buildings from the colonial era have been beautifully renovated, while others have fallen into disrepair and await restoration to their former glory. We’ll have a chance to gaze upon striking facades, horseshoe arches, and decorative tilework.After taking in Casablanca’s architectural history, we’ll check into our hotel and enjoy dinner at our hotel.

DAY 16 Casablanca – Airport

After breakfast, transfer to Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport for your return flight. Assistance with the boarding formalities.

Tour includes :

– Guided walking tour -Casablanca –Marrakech –Rabat-fez- kasbah ait benhadou- Volubilis

-Tour transport 4×4 or Minubus with air conditioning
– English-speaking driver.
– Fuel
-1 hour and a half tour in camel with related guidance

-Party with drums in berber tent.

Hotels or Riads

Dinners

Breakfasts

–1 night in Berber tent

Tour Not included :

-Meals and drinks.
-Airline ticket

-Entrance fees for visits

-Lunch

The post Morocco tour from Casablanca 16 days via Fes – Merzouga Desert – Marrakech appeared first on Merzouga Destinations.