Morocco Family Holiday Comfort

From
Casablanca
To
Marrakech
From: 1.365,00$
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Duration

10 days

Age Range

5 to 99

Group Size

18 people

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

Highlights

  • Ride camels and sleep under stars in the Sahara
  • Discover Ait Benhaddou and dine on Moroccan tagine
  • Tour the ancient medinas and souks of Fes
  • Hike through the stunning Todra Gorge
  • Explore Casablanca's art deco and Hassan II Mosque

Tour Languages

English (US, UK)

Itinerary

Salaam Aleikum! Feel at Home in Morocco!. You and your family will be met at Casablanca airport by a local representative and taken to the hotel. There are no activities planned until your welcome meeting at 5 pm. As there's little free time included in Casablanca, it’s recommended you arrive a couple of days early to explore the city. Modelled after Marseille in France, this city is famous for its art deco buildings and the modern-day masterpiece, the Hassan II Mosque. If you do have time to space, maybe wander the old medina and the city walls, then jump in a taxi to visit the Quartiers des Habous – the new medina. You can also walk along the Corniche, watching the locals play football on the beach, or take it easy with a glass of sweet mint tea in one of the many great cafes.

After morning meal, take a guided tour of the impressive Hassan II Mosque before heading to Fes – the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco. When you arrive, head into the Old City, known locally as Fes el Bali – arguably the world's most fascinating and confounding Old City. Medieval Fes was one of the world's great centres of education and culture, both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and libraries are legendary, its mosques of great renown. This afternoon is free, so you might want to relax and take the kids for a swim in the pool.

This morning, you and your family will take a walk through the twisting streets and alleyways of Fes, passing donkeys piled high with goods. Discover the specialty sections that divide the souk, filled with historic khans, madrasas and dye-pits, stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and soups, and where the smell of spice fills the air. Spend the day exploring the Old City, visiting Medersa el-Attarine and the local tanneries. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon and maybe spend the evening relaxing in this calming oasis, away from the buzz of the medina.

Today it's time to leave the city behind and embrace the simplicity and beauty of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Journey in a private minibus through fertile valleys, pine forests and barren, rocky landscapes. You may see wandering nomadic shepherds as they tend to their flocks, or even catch a glimpse of barbary apes – North Africa's only monkey – before arriving in Midelt. This is a market town, originally built as a base for mining in the area. It is also surrounded by farms and orchards, so you’ll walk through a Berrem village for an insight into the local farming life and also enjoy a special home cooked midday meal. The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax or enjoy swimming in the hotel pool.

Travel by private minivan toward the mighty Sahara, stopping along the way to take in the views of kasbahs and palmeries (lush valleys with date palms, fields and orchards). As you pass through frontier towns like Erfoud and Rissani, you'll see the scenery alternate between barren mountainsides and fertile valleys until you reach the small village of Merzouga. When you arrive, leave your baggage, pack a daypack and saddle up for a one-hour camel ride into the desert at sunset – the kids will love this! Erg Chebbi is home to huge windswept dunes that are quintessential Morocco and tonight you'll sleep in a luxury desert base camp under the stars. The locals will prepare a hearty feast tonight, so all you and your family need to do is sit back, relax and take in the Milky Way.

Return from the desert and drive to Todra Gorge. On the way, you’ll visit the oasis museum of El Khorbat, before continuing to the beautiful Todra Valley, which follows the foothills of the Atlas Mountains and is dotted with mud-brick villages sitting on hillsides. The remarkable scenery – sprawling green valleys and rocks sculpted into stunning formations by the wind – will be your home for the next two nights.

After morning meal, you’ll have some free time to wander and explore the Todra Valley. A guided hike through the gorge and over a nearby mountain pass is highly recommended here – the most popular choice is a 10 km circuit that takes about 4 hours and isn't too challenging if you have a basic level of fitness. On the walk, you'll pass villages and meet locals along the way – you may even get a chance to share a cup of mint tea with some of them! The surrounding mountains and the famous Rose Valley in the distance make for a gorgeous setting. For midday meal, join some local ladies in their mudbrick kasbah to see how people live in this largely unchanged culture. The rest of the afternoon is then free to hike (if you didn’t in the morning) or simply lounge by the hotel pool with views over the lush palmeries and soaring cliff faces.

Today travel south to Ait Benhaddou. The scenic drive will take you past ancient kasbah ruins, former military outposts, mountains and valleys of palm trees. You'll pass through Ouarzazate, where productions such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy and Aladdin were filmed (ask the kids if they recognise anything!). On arrival to Ait Benhaddou you'll enjoy a delicious midday meal at a local NGO restaurant. Located between the river and the palm trees, the restaurant is run by an all-women co-op called the Tawesna Association. After midday meal have fun learning how to make Moroccan pancakes (baghrir) and other sweet treats with the local women in a hands-on cooking class. Later you will have the opportunity to explore the UNESCO World-Heritage-listed kasbah. Centuries ago, this fine example of clay architecture was an important stop for caravans carrying salt across the Sahara. Tonight enjoy a delicious dinner of Morocco's most famous cuisine: couscous and tagine!

It's an early morning start as you make the journey to Marrakech – a feast for the senses. Be enticed by the alluring scents and brilliant colours of the spice markets, the sounds of the musicians, the rich folds of carpets, the delicious food and perfumed gardens. The afternoon is free to recharge. In the late afternoon, head to Djemaa el-Fna – one of the largest public spaces in the world. When night falls, it transforms into a hive of activity – henna-painters, performers and storytellers share the square with a street food bazaar, packed with stalls loaded with Moroccan delicacies, including snail soup. Your street food dinner tonight might include some Moroccan pastries with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Maybe finish your day with a cup of tea on one of the roof-top restaurants overlooking the square.

Tour Destinations on the Map

This map itinerary may be inaccurate, Please check below for more accurate info.
- Casablanca - Fes - Midelt - Merzouga - Todra Gorge - Ait Benhaddou - Marrakech

Tour Includes

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

GENERAL ROOMING CONFIGURATIONS:

Family of two: All family groupings of two will be accommodated in a twin room.

Family of three: Wherever possible we will put you in a triple room. Please be aware that in some places triple rooms are in short supply. This means that a triple room will often be a twin room with a rollaway bed or mattress on the floor. Where triple rooms aren’t available it will be at your discretion which of your family takes the single room.

Family of four or more: You will most likely be accommodated in two twin rooms. Where possible, we will accommodate your family in a quadruple room.

While we do our very best to ensure that family groups are roomed close together (in some cases, we can arrange adjoining rooms), we can’t guarantee this. Most family holidays occur during peak season and we sometimes have little to no control over the exact placement of rooms within a hotel. Please be understanding if we are unable to room your family in immediate proximity of one another.

Comfortable hotels (8 nights) Luxury Desert Camping (1 night)

All Intrepid Family trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to assist your family to take the hassle out of your travels and help you have the best trip possible. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for fun things to do and see - for both kids and parents, recommend great local eating venues that will even get the kids trying new things, and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects.

Our leaders are not babysitters on this trip - we leave that to you (the experts), but they will make sure that group members of all ages are able to explore their destination safely and with as much fun as possible. Our group leaders are not responsible for looking after children at any time and children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times throughout this itinerary.

Complimentary arriving Transfer

Casablanca - Hassan II Mosque

Fes - Medina walking tour

Fes - Medersa El Attarine

Midelt - walking tour Berrem village

Sahara Desert - Camel ride

El Khorbat - Museum

Todra Gorge - Lunch in a mudbrick kasbah

Ait Benhaddou - Kasbah visit

Ait Benhaddou - Moroccan pancake cooking class

Ait Benhaddou - Lunch at Tawesna

Marrakech - Djemma el Fna square

Private Minivan

Tour Excludes

International flights are not included

Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency numbers number has been sighted by your leader.

If you have credit card insurance your group leader will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency numbers number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country.

Travellers who reside within the European Union or Switzerland receive basic international health insurance, so travel insurance is not mandatory under European Union Law. However, as this does not cover situations such as emergency rescues, private health care, or repatriation to their home country, comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended. European Union or Swiss travellers who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting.

Hamam (public baths) - MAD100

Berber midday meal in a local family guesthouse - MAD70

Urban Adventures - A Taste Of Marrakech - MAD605

Palais Bahia visit - MAD70

Marrakech - Marjorelle Gardens - MAD70

Urban Adventures - Medina, Palace and Tombs half day tour - MAD630

Other activities and services are not included

From: 1.365,00$

Know Before Your Trip

Time Zone: GMT+1 (UTC+1)

Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD)

Emergency: Police: 19, Ambulance: 15

VISA: Check if you need a visa to enter Morocco here. (Citizens from the US, EU, UK, Canada usually have visa-free access.)

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