13 Day Tour from Casablanca to Imperial Cities and the Desert

Today can be spent visiting Marrakech, the southern imperial city. You will visit the Koutoubia Mosque and admire its tower, the Saadian tombs of the 16th century; all decorated with colorful mosaic tiles, the 19th century Bahia Palace with its beautiful oriental architecture. You will have a break for lunch. In the afternoon, you will have time to explore the fascinating Souks (local markets) and the narrow streets around Djemâa El-Fna. In the evening, delight yourself with snake charmers, singers, acrobats, dancers, narrators and storytellers, who move from one group to another and spend the night at the hotel.

Departure after breakfast crossing the High Atlas by the port of Tizi Ntichka (2260m above sea level) then we deviate by a track visiting the Kasbah of Telouet. We will cross Berber villages to reach the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou, where they shot several famous films such as Gladiator, Obelix, Sahara with Penélope Cruz ... free time for lunch in the village and continue to Ouarzazate. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast and visit of the city of Ouarzazate, considered as the gateway to the great desert and the place from where the great expeditions, where the Taourirt Kasbah stands, and the main palace of Glaoui, Grand Pasha of South of Morocco. . We continue towards the valley of roses through Skoura, boumalne dades until reaching the Gardes del Dades. Dinner and accommodation.

Departure on a road dotted with kasbahs all different. After several stops, we will reach one of the strong points of tourism in the south: the Todra Gorge. The Todra River Canal has formed a gorge of vertical walls of enormous proportions and great beauty, it is a paradise for mountaineers and a unique place. We will continue our way south. Free lunch en route and continuation in the desert until the impressive dunes of Merzouga. Free time to climb the dunes and enjoy the sunset. After dinner, we are waiting for a Berber show with drums. Accommodation at the hostel.

Breakfast. We surround Erg Chebbi, an expanse of sand desert where lies the great dune of Morocco, more than 250 meters high, connecting track part of the route followed by the former Paris-Dakar, with the mountains which border Algeria. Stop at the oasis of Tissardmin and continue to a nomad camp where we will know some secrets of his life and his customs. Later, stop at a panoramic point where you can contemplate Erg Chebbi as a whole. Stop in Khamlia, the original city of Mali, where you can relax with a tea while enjoying a small concert of gnawa music. Back to the lodge, lunch and camel ride in an hour and a half that will take us to the foot of the Great Dune, wrapped in the beautiful sunset of the desert. We will sleep in a Haima in the heart of the desert under the spectacular blanket of stars.

We woke up before dawn to watch the sunrise. After breakfast, we said goodbye to the desert and went to the north of the country through the Ziz Valley, enjoying the cool Meski blue fountain where you can rest. Stop at Midelt for lunch then continue to Fez, passing by Ifrane (Moroccan Switzerland) we arrived in Fez where we stayed at the Riad in the medina.

After breakfast, the whole day will be dedicated to the discovery of Fez, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest of the imperial cities, home to the world's first university dating back to the 9th century and one of the most complete cities existing medieval buildings. Surrounded by huge defensive walls, it seems suspended in a temporal chain, somewhere between the Middle Ages and the modern. But it's more than that. It is a living city almost devoid of tourists. Strolling through its 9,000 small streets, you'll discover its noisy peddlers selling everything from colorful vegetables to delicious Middle Eastern pastries flavored with cinnamon and honey. Watch your back for the passage of the only mule or donkey transport! The bewitching sound of the call to prayer resonates on traditional rooftops, as skilled craftsmen noisily strike the metal in pots and metal utensils as they have for centuries. . Visit of the medieval medina. You will also explore the famous souks where craftsmen still work in the ancestral oriental tradition (silk carpets, Berber carpets, leather, gold, silver ...); Lunch alone. Continue the visits in the afternoon. Return to the hotel and night.

Departure for Meknes. Visit of the imperial city with its famous door, Bab El Mansour, the mausoleum of Mulay Ismaïl and the basin of Agdal. Possibility to discover the ruins of the Roman city of Volubilis located about thirty kilometers from Meknes and the holy city of Moulay Idriss, center of pilgrimage of all Moroccan. Dinner and overnight in Meknes.

After breakfast, we drive to Chaouen, the pearl of the north and one of the most beautiful cities of northern Morocco, and you will appreciate the beautiful colors faded blue and white of the city. We will cross the beautiful landscapes of the Rif Mountains to reach Chefchaouen. Once in Chefchaouen, you will have free time to explore the city at your own pace: visit the old Kasbah, the Outa Hamam square, the Chaouen art museum and stroll through the small blue street to admire beautiful pictures of the city: dinner and overnight at the hotel or Riad.

After breakfast, we will leave Chefchaouen for another beautiful city in northern Morocco. We will drive to Tangier, the capital of the north. In Tangier we will visit the Portuguese Kasbah, Cape Spartel and the Heracles Caves. After Tangiers we will continue to Assilah, another ancient Portuguese fortress famous for its colorful walls. Stop for lunch, then continue until the arrival of the capital of Morocco (Rabat) in the afternoon and register at your hotel or your riad.

Guided tour of the city of Rabat including the royal palace where the king of Morocco lives, after visiting the tombs of royal merinids in the Kasbah chelah, then visit the mausoleum of Mohamed V where King Mohamed 5 was buried with two of his son, Moulay Abdellah and Hassan II. After that, we will continue to visit the old Kasbah Oudayas of Moresque before leaving for Casablanca.

Breakfast and free morning, at the agreed time transfer to the airport and end of our services.

NB: We suggest:

• Standard Tours: including Official art historian guide and accommodation in Selected 3 stars hotels and Riads, Standard desert camp at the desert
•  Luxury Tours: including official art historian guide and accommodation in Selected Luxury hotel and Riads, luxury desert camp.