Broad Morocco
BROAD MOROCCO
This Moroccan itinerary highlights the best places in the country, such as Fez, the Sahara Desert and Marrakech. Many companies are on this path, but only a few are successful. If you start (and end) in Malakesh, you can reverse this trip.
DAY 1 : CASABLANCA - RABAT
Today really depends on your arrival time, after you got picked up by your driver from the airport you might like to see some of the sights of Casablanca, in particular, the Mosque Hassan II with the second tallest minaret in the world, La Corniche Promenade and the Rick’s Cafe. We head to the capital city of Rabat, more tranquil than the hectic metropolis of Casablanca. Rabat has also a way richer history, having been a very important city during the assorted dynasties that succeeded on the throne. We’ll visit the 12th century Kasbah des Oudayas with its Andalusia Gardens as well as the Mohamed V Mausoleum and the Hassan Tower. We are able to dwell further into the past and visit the Merenid necropolis of Chellah. Dinner and overnight. Those who do not arrive early enough, may spend the night in Casablanca and go to Rabat tomorrow.
DAY 2 : RABAT - MEKNES - VOLUBILIS - FEZ
In case you didn’t visit Rabat sights yesterday, you can do so for the morning and head to Meknes Afternoon.
Meknes is one of Morocco’s Imperial Cities but less-visited when it comes to tourism. This city was built by the Alawi king Moulay Ismail at the end of the seventeenth century to be the capital of his kingdom. which he tried to make it like European capitals, to the extent that it was likened to French Versailles, but the city lost its importance in the eighteenth century by losing its status as the political capital of the Alawites, where the city of Fez took This privilege instead. We will visit the water reservoir of Heri Essouani, The Gate of Bab Mansour and Lehdim square.
Your next stop will be the Roman ruins of Volubilis, which occupies a prominent historical position, where there are many important Roman sites in the Maghreb and North Africa. Historians agreed that its history dates back to the first two centuries AD because of the Roman monuments it contains, such as the public square, the triumphal arch, and the ancient Roman court. Overnight in Fes Medina.
DAY 3 : FEZ MEDINA GUIDED TOUR :
After breakfast, your tour guide will meet up with you in your Riad and give you an idea about the day schedule. Here we go! we start exploring the Medina of Fez. The founding of the city dates back to the end of the eighth century AD; Where the city arose on the right bank of Wadi Fez in the Andalusian neighborhood in 789 AD. The Medina has nine thousand streets and alleyways! but your Fes born-bred guide will reveal the city’s most special parts. You will get to visit the King Palace, The Mellah Jewish Quarter, The Ceramic Complex, The Koranic School Mederssa Bou Inania, Fondouk Nejjarine, the tanneries and the various craft souks.
DAY 4 : FEZ - IFRANE - MIDELT - MERZOUGA
Departure at 8 am. The first stop is Ifren, a colonial alpine resort built by the French in 1929. You are almost … maybe in Switzerland. The surrounding countryside is dotted with apricots, walnuts and plum trees, and as you approach Midelt, you’ll see beautiful images of rural life in the Berber region. A few hours after crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains, we arrive at Erfoud, the capital of Morocco’s major date-growth region. As you get closer to Sahara, the changes in the landscape become noticeable. Overnight in Kasbah hotel facing the sand dunes.
DAY 5: 4X4 TOUR AROUND THE DUNES - CAMEL TREKKING & OVERNIGHT LUXURY CAMP
Exploring day around the sand dunes, morning stop at the Slaves village of Khamlia and assist at the local Gnaoua music performing, mint tea will be served for everyone. Stop at the Kohl mine near Mephis village.
Lunch at Nomad family place, Local Berber Pizza (Madfouna) will be served. Getting back to the hotel around 2 pm. Free time to use the pool or enjoy the magnificent views and atmosphere.
Later we meet our Camels for a 1hour trek or 20 min on a 4×4 into the Dunes to reach the Luxury desert camp at Erg Chebbi. Camel for everyone and additional Camels are provided to carry your luggage. The Camel trekking is usually prior to the sunset, allowing you to enjoy the sun setting over the landscape from the top of the Dunes. Once we arrive at the Luxury Desert camp, we are greeted with a cup of delicious hot mint tea and we spend the evening under the stars, on the dunes, also beside the warmth of the campfire built by the local Touareg especially for you. Get to enjoy locally cooked meals (special diets are catered for), a drum party, and story swapping.
Overnight in private Double or triple Luxury tent with toilet and shower in.
DAY 6 : MERZOUGA - ALNIF - DRAA VALLEY - OUARZAZATE:
After a traditional Berber buffet breakfast, We start our journey through the Draa valley and over the Low Atlas Mountains, Until you see the Draa valley, you can’t fully appreciate the amazing feat of Morocco’s existence. Before the Almoravids could conquer territory all the way up to Barcelona, and Saadians could monopolize the sugar trade, first they had to get past unassailable gorges, mud-brick watchtowers, and fiercely autonomous oases. Yet this desert landscape still seems wildly adventurous. After crossing the Ait Sawen pass over the Low Atlas Mountains, we would reach our Guest House in Ouarzazate, Dinner, and overnight.
DAY 7 : OUARZAZATE – CINEMA STUDIOS – KASBAH OF AIT BENHADDOU – TELOUET - TIZI N TICHKA PASS - MARRAKESH:
After the Breakfast at Riad, we head to visit the Cinema Studios in Ouarzazate known as ‘Ouallywood’ movie studios. It provides a compelling, exotic setting for a film set in Tibet, Ancient Rome, Somalia, and Egypt, making for a sufficient summary. Ait Ben Haddou is a great example of one of the few UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Morocco. If you’ve seen Gladiator, Alexander, or Lawrence of Arabia, the setting for all these movies, might sound familiar.
The Castle is built on the side of the mountain so as to control the most precious good of the area: the river flowing beneath. Its adobe houses intertwine with each other giving place to mysterious passageways and intricate light patterns.
A hide-and-seek paradise, the summit can be reached via a variety of narrow cobbled paths. The views from the granary at the top are breathtaking.
After the visit we head to Unila Valley to reach Telouet. The beauty of the valley winding down the road is indescribable. Once the principal residence of “Lord of Atlas” Pasha el Glawi. Telouet housed his courts, stables, mosques, and numerous slaves at the time Pasha was having tea with W. Churchill. He founded the first bus company in Morocco. A visit is highly recommended if you want to admire the splendor of this modern dynasty and the contrast between the abandoned exterior and the lavish interior.
Then, this time embark on the journey back across the High Atlas. The French Foreign Army has paved a route through these mountains. The route zigzags through steep valleys and mountain peaks. Arriving to Marrakech around 6 pm.
DAY 8 : MARRAKECH – GUIDED TOUR OF THE CITY :
DAY 9 : MARRAKECH – ESSAOUIRA :
Essaouira, the city of wind, the land of love and coexistence in Morocco. Once referred to as Mogador because of its story through the Portuguese along the fifteenth century.
We start a journey of 2 hours from Marrakech to Essaouira, driving through the Largest Argane forest Worldwide, a great opportunity to visit one of the Women Argan oil cooperatives.
Essaouira was Morocco’s main harbor for centuries where gold, precious wood, sugar, and slaves were traded internationally.
The African slaves left their music behind and its streets still resonate with the hypnotic rhythms of Gnawa. Even local people still talk about the short visit of certain Celebrities like Jimi Hendrix and Cat Stevens in the ’70s.
Essaouira is an ideal place to relax, wander in the Medina or by the beach, admire the different crafts and activities. Essaouira’s real charm comes from the fact that tourism hasn’t yet spoiled the town, which remains a hive of activity; where fishermen and boat builders get on with their daily activities as they have done it for centuries. In the afternoon we recommend visiting the Skalas (sea bastions): Skala de la Ville and Skala du Port with their impressive collection of 18th-century European brass canons.
DAY 10 : DEPARTURE CASABLANCA :
We say goodbye to each other after 4 hours journey from Essaouira to Mohamed V Casablanca airport. We may spend a night in Casablanca according to your outbound flight time.. We hope you enjoyed your Morocco Tour with us!