Arrival in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Casablanca - Welcome to Morocco! Upon your arrival in Casablanca, a private driver will greet you and transport you to Rabat. Settle into your luxurious accommodations and begin exploring the city with your driver.

Rabat - Once you’re ready for a meal, choose a delightful restaurant that matches your preferences. As Morocco’s capital and the royal family’s residence, Rabat exudes imperial charm, from ancient relics to modern fine dining establishments. If you’re craving traditional dishes, take advantage of the Atlantic’s bounty, with fresh delicacies like briny oysters and creamy sea urchin available even in the medina. Your driver will recommend an excellent spot for your first meal.

Kasbah des Oudaias - After lunch, explore the blue-painted Oudaya neighborhood overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The Kasbah of the Oudayas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the highlight of this area. Wander through its lush Andalucian gardens and head to the ramparts for a stunning sunset view.

Tonight, enjoy Rabat’s vibrant culinary scene. While Moroccan cuisine is widely available, the embassy quarter of the New City offers some of the best French and Italian dining in the country.

Rabat to Fes: Hassan Tower and the Roman Ruins at Volubilis

Hassan Tower - Today, immerse yourself in royal history as you spend more time in Rabat before visiting other imperial cities.

Begin your journey with a visit to the Hassan Tower monument, a remarkable structure from the Almohad Dynasty. This minaret of a 12th-century mosque was never completed, leaving behind the red sandstone tower standing at 145 feet (44 m) and about 200 columns intended for a larger complex.

Meknes - On your way out of Rabat, explore Meknes, a historic town with a more manageable medina than Fes. The shopkeepers are friendly, allowing you to leisurely explore souks filled with spices, slippers, and colorful treasures. With your driver’s assistance, make the most of your visit to the scenic Ville Impériale area, discovering palaces, gardens, and architectural wonders.

Volubilis - Continue your royal journey with a visit to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring Morocco’s best-preserved Roman ruins. The expansive complex includes merchant homes, mosaics, temples, and more. If you’re eager to learn more, your expert English-speaking guide can provide a private tour tailored to your interests.

Fes - After a day of sightseeing, arrive in Fes at a luxurious five-star riad. This oasis in the imperial city offers a central courtyard for relaxation and may even have its own hammam. For a personalized spa experience, enjoy a massage in one of Fes’s hammams in the evening.

Regardless of your choice, a delicious dinner awaits to conclude your imperial adventure. You can dine at your luxe riad or explore one of the city’s top restaurants with recommendations from your driver and specialists.

Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina & Hammam

Fes - After breakfast, meet your tour guide to begin exploring the Fes Medina. This UNESCO-protected medina is filled with narrow alleyways and roads. Your Fes-born guide will share hidden stories and show you secluded corners, revealing both the daily life and the grandeur of Fes’s madrasas and palaces. Be sure to ask your guide for lunch suggestions.

Fes is a hub of Moroccan crafts and arts, where you’ll meet artisans and learn about their trades’ history and significance. Visit tanneries and mosaic workshops to see traditional crafting methods still in use today.

Fes - In the afternoon, return to your riad for some relaxation, then end the day with a visit to an authentic Moroccan hammam. Discover the traditions and history of the hammam while enjoying a rejuvenating experience at one of Fes’s top spa destinations. Most hammams offer a variety of services, including massages, baths, and treatments using locally sourced products like argan oil.

Traditional Cooking Class

Fes - Morocco’s cuisine is renowned for blending European, African, and Middle Eastern flavors into something unique and delicious. What better way to unwind than by taking a private traditional Moroccan cooking lesson from a master?

Start your day with a leisurely breakfast at your riad, followed by relaxation or a neighborhood stroll. Then, embark on a five-hour cooking class, beginning with a visit to a nearby souk to shop for produce, just like the locals.

Fes - As you prepare a traditional four-course meal with fragrant spices, vibrant saffron, and preserved lemon, you’ll learn about Moroccan cooking methods and create lasting memories. After class, savor your delicious dishes, which you can recreate at home.

Spend the rest of the day as you wish—relax at your riad, enjoy its hammam, or explore more of Fes. For dinner, your cooking teacher, specialist, and driver will have excellent recommendations for dining in town.

Fes to Merzouga: Over the Middle Atlas Mountains to the Sahara

Midelt - Start your day early to embark on a journey to the Sahara. Although it’s a long drive, the destination is worth it.

After breakfast, begin your road trip by crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains through Azrou and its majestic Cèdre Gouraud Forest, where Barbary Macaque monkeys lounge in ancient cedar trees. Stop for lunch in Midelt, known as Morocco’s “Apple City” for its productive orchards, thanks to the Moulouya River’s year-round water supply.

Anti-Atlas Mountains - Continue through a landscape of steep mountains, broad valleys, and narrow canyon passes. Your driver will guide you through the Ziz Valley, a vital branch of the ancient Saharan Trade Route. Observe the ksars, fortified houses built by merchants to protect valuable goods.

After passing through the Ziz Gorge, you’ll see early signs of Saharan dunes, constantly shifting and encroaching on farms, roads, and buildings. Witness an ancient water “mining” method, transferring water from mountains to farmland before modern pumps. Along the way, notice the nomadic shepherds and their tents.

Erfoud - Pass through Erfoud, a bustling market town known for dates and fossils. If interested, stop at a local artisan collective to learn about fossils and their transformation into various products. As you continue, the massive dunes of Erg Chebbi will appear in the distance, covering 13 square miles (35 square km) with some dunes rising over 650 feet (200 m).

Merzouga - As night falls, the moonlight will guide you and your camel to your unique accommodation: a luxurious camp at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Relax in your impeccably-appointed glamping tent, enjoy meals prepared by local Berber tribesmen, and cozy up by the fire with live music. Gaze at the stars from your romantic spot or atop the dunes before retiring for the night.

Merzouga to Tinghir: Adventuring in the Todra Gorge

Tinghir - Early risers will be rewarded with a sunrise over the dunes. After breakfast in camp, travel back across the desert to Merzouga.

Meet your private driver for a 3.5-hour drive to Tinghir, an oasis city at the foot of the Atlas mountains. Consider stopping in Rissani to explore a traditional market where animals are bought and sold. Don’t miss the “donkey parking lot.”

Alnif - Enjoy a spectacular journey across Morocco, traveling through remote, empty land bordering the Sahara. The vast views of desert plains, high mountains, and plateaus create a sense of wild grandeur. Along the drive, see umbrella-shaped Acacias thriving in the harsh environment. Break up the trip with a stop in Alnif to visit local fossil workshops.

Dadès Gorges - Experience a change in landscape upon reaching lush Tinghir, where a weekly market offers figs, dates, and wheat. Relax with a delicious lunch and explore the scenic area before continuing your journey.

Your road trip continues through a green valley that narrows into the vertical Todra Gorge. Explore rustic trails leading up and out of the canyon, then descend into the Todra oasis for a night in a finely-appointed Kasbah, featuring mud bricks and local products.

Lounge in luxury, then explore the valley for dinner; several ambitious restaurants await. The locals are friendly, so feel free to explore the oasis after your meal.

Tinghir to Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate - Travel along ancient trade routes from Tinghir to Ouarzazate through the Valley of A Thousand Kasbahs. Along the way, see iconic fortified towns and stop for photos as you wish.

The first major stop is Boumalne Dadès, an oasis town at the mouth of the Valley of A Thousand Kasbahs. Visit the Dadès Gorge, cutting through a dramatic landscape of rust and mauve-striped mountains. The valley below is an irrigated oasis with fig, almond, and olive orchards, dotted with kasbahs and Berber villages. Ask your driver for lunch options in Boumalne Dadès.

Ait Ben Haddou - Heading south from Boumalne Dades takes you through the Valley of Roses, the heart of Morocco’s rose oil production. During the spring harvest, the landscape is filled with the scent of Provence Roses.

End the day in Ouarzazate, known for its role in the Moroccan film industry. Beyond movies, visit the iconic ksar of Ait Benhaddou, dating back to the 11th century along the trans-Saharan trade route.

Tonight, retire to your kasbah across a dry riverbed from Ait Benhaddou. If you venture out, enjoy a nighttime stroll under the moonlight, illuminating the valley with a magical glow.

Boumalne Dades - Tonight, retire to your kasbah across a dry riverbed from Ait Benhaddou. If you venture out, enjoy a nighttime stroll under the moonlight, illuminating the valley with a magical glow.

Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Over the High Atlas & Ait Benhaddou

Ouarzazate - Cross the High Atlas Mountains from Ouarzazate to Marrakech, transitioning from the desert’s tranquility to one of Morocco’s most vibrant cities. Consider exploring Ait Benhaddou once more in the morning light before leaving the Sahara.

Travel through the Tizi-n-Tichka pass in the High Atlas Mountains, enjoying panoramic views of the mountains and Marrakech’s plains below. Look for Mount Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak, to the west. As you descend, notice the climate and landscape changes, crossing deep river valleys and seeing almond and walnut orchards.

Marrakech - Upon arrival in Marrakech, check into your luxury riad, the perfect place to unwind. Spend the afternoon at a leisurely pace, sipping fresh mint tea by the pool or in the shade of a jasmine bush. In the evening, explore the medina’s main square, Jemaa el Fna, as it comes alive with musicians, performers, snake charmers, games, food stalls, and more.

Wander the square for street vendor fare or watch the spectacle from a nearby cafe. Alternatively, explore Marrakech’s modern food scene in the new city. As Morocco’s culinary heart, you’re sure to enjoy a memorable meal.

Marrakech: Medina & City Tour

Marrakech - After breakfast, meet your local private guide for a tour of Marrakech’s old city. As you explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll encounter lively souks and maze-like alleys. Be dazzled by displays of djellabas, brightly colored babouches, intricately-pierced lanterns, exotic spices, and the medina’s vibrant life. Your knowledgeable guide will share the history and stories of the Medina, Souk, and Mellah neighborhoods. Your guide will also recommend great lunch spots!

Marrakech to Casablanca: the Atlantic Coast & Portuguese Ports

El Jadida - Depart early for Casablanca via the coastal route, visiting two old Portuguese fortified cities along the way. Your first stop is El Jadida, where you’ll tour the haunting Portuguese cistern and explore the Church of the Assumption.

Next, visit Azemour, a source of inspiration for many Moroccan artists. Despite its proximity to Casablanca’s art market, life here remains traditional. The crumbling 16th-century medina, nestled between the Oud Er-Rbia River and the ocean, offers artistic inspiration.

Casablanca - As you travel, savor the Atlantic’s bounty with a traditional fish lunch. Your driver can take you to local fish markets, where food stalls serve fresh grilled and fried seafood. Buy fish in the market and have it cooked for a small fee, or order directly from the stalls.

Upon arrival in Casablanca, check into your chic downtown hotel and explore the city’s trendier neighborhoods. Discover Maarif, home to the French-style market, and Ain Diab, a beachfront community with the Morocco Mall and walking paths. The Corniche is perfect for people-watching, especially at sunset.

Depart from Casablanca

Casablanca - Bid farewell to Morocco. Depending on your departure flight time, enjoy some last-minute sightseeing in Casablanca or tea at a traditional café. When it’s time, head to Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport for your flight.

• 10 night accommodations
• Breakfast
• Dinner
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Local Guides
• Cultural experiences like local cooking class or traditional performances
• Camel ride

• Lunches

Embark on an eleven-day journey through Morocco, experiencing the royal treatment as you explore ancient medinas and stunning natural landscapes. Enjoy luxurious glamping in the Sahara, reside in a private kasbah along a historic trade route, and relax in beautifully designed riads that serve as your urban retreats. Engage with locals, discover cultural traditions, and indulge in the elegance of Moroccan hospitality.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.