Morocco Culture and Nature Tour

You will devote your morning to exploring Marrakech's many historical sites, starting at the Menara, a magnificent pool surrounded by flowerbeds, reflecting the image of an exquisite Moorish edifice. It was constructed in 1866 for dignitaries who enjoyed glorious sunsets with the ethereal Atlas Mountains as a backdrop. The pool also functions as an innovative irrigation system serving dry life in the desert.

Your tour will cover many impressive sites, including the Koutoubia Minaret (identical to la Giralda, a tower found in Sevilla, Spain) and the Saadian tombs, which demonstrate Moorish architecture at its best. The tombs consist of sixteenth-century mausoleums, which had lain walled-in and undiscovered until 1917. Next, you will explore the gardens of Marjorelle. Finally, you will return to your hotel for dinner and other accommodations.

You will spend most of your day en route to Ouarzazate, exploring the legendary Kasbah of At-Benhaddou, a renowned architectural marvel classified as UNESCO world heritage. Your journey will lead you to the highest pass in Morocco, the Taddart and Tizi Tishka pass, at an altitude of 11,000 feet. This pass divides the mountains into two distinct facets: the harsh, stark side acting as a shield that protects the hinterland from the robust, dry expansion of the Sahara, and a lush side, soft and evergreen, which collects the moisture from the Gherbi winds of the Atlantic Ocean.

You will travel to explore the Dades Valley, traveling through El Kelaa De Mgouna and Boumalne to view the inimitable natural vistas and unusual rock formations. You will then continue to Erfoud, one large oasis that intercepts the flow of water between the Dades, the Draa valleys, and the majestic High Atlas Mountains.

Next, you will travel through the Dades valley, wherein the spring, thousands of Persian roses bloom in hedgerows, filling the air with their heavenly perfume. You will also see the thousands of Kasbahs scattered along the Dads River, majestic sandcastles with a visually appealing, timeless beauty. You will leave Valley of Todra traveling west toward the Erfoud, which lies right on the edge of the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert.

Only 15 kilometers from Tinghir inside the Valley of Todra, you will find the Todra's highest and narrowest gorges in the region. After you arrive in Erfoud, your driver will take you to base camp. Camels will be available for you to ride over the dunes. You will conclude your day in your command over the dunes of Merzouga, where tents are pitched for you to enjoy a night under the African Skies. After dinner, the local drummers will illuminate your night with their lively dances and moving chants. Enjoy this encounter of Man and nature at its best.

You will spend your day discovering the rural environs of the Atlas Mountains Berbers. Covered with evergreen pines, tall cedar trees, and poplars and laced with flowing streams, your first view of the Middle Atlas will appear oddly un-Moroccan. Passing by Imouzzer, with a quick stop at the Swiss-like town of Ifrane, you will soon come across the first real town of the Middle Atlas, Azrou.

At Midelt, the Middle Atlases give way to the High Atlas Mountains, whose peaks are visible through the haze, soaring to over 12,000 feet. You will stop in Midelt for midday meal, enjoying the dramatic sight before you. You will then continue to Midelt, passing by one of the most delightful southern regions consisting of a dry, red belt of the desert with a sudden drop into the lush valley of Ziz, with copious date palm groves and flowing streams.

Azrou is an important market center for Berber tribes, located at a major junction of mountain routes. Your driver will take a little detour in a cedar forest to introduce you to one of the oldest inhabitants of this region, the Berber apes. This may also coincide with the encounter of a nomadic family in its temporary enbase campment. As nomads are very hospitable people, we are invited at least for a mint tea under their tents whenever we encounter them. You will reach Fez in the afternoon.

Are you ready for the most exciting walking tour? Well, here you are with a local guide stepping back in time to the 8th century when this city was founded. Its wall city has not changed since. Remnants of antiquity are in every step you take. Fez is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest exclusively pedestrian area in the world. Cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and the like are strictly prohibited within the walls of the Medina. Mules are the only acceptable form of transportation and are known as the taxis of the Medina. Today, you will add to your most authentic encounters an immersion with most Moroccan cities in the kingdom of Morocco. The entire day will be devoted to exploring the city. You will begin with the Mellah, followed by the King's palace. The remainder of your morning will be spent on a walking tour of the Medina, a walled city with a maze of medieval twisting alleys, blind turns, mosques, shrines, fountains, workshops, and numerous markets. Enjoy a typical Fes Tagine for midday meal at a typical Moroccan restaurant. After midday meal, you will continue to explore the Medina and shop for the remainder of the afternoon, ending with a dinner at your hotel.

Travel to Chefchaouen, visiting Souk Larbaa and Kasar el Kebir. Chefchaouen is considered one of the best and most authentic white towns in the Mediterranean, Nestled on the peaks of the Rif Mountains.

Today is the day of time travel! This journey will take you from imperial Rome to the ninth century A.D. Unlike the movies, this temporal voyage will take almost the entire day. (Of course, there will be stops along the way.) The first stop will be the ancient Roman city of Volubilis. Volubilis was a critical city in the imperial Roman department of Mauritania (modern-day Morocco and Western Sahara) during the reign of Caracalla. Volubilis is impressively well preserved, and the genius of Roman urbanism is still intact. The two central integral streets in every Roman castrum, the Cardo, and Decumanus, are prominent. The Cardo is the north-south boulevard, and the Decumanus is east-west. The intersection of the two is the Heart of every Roman city. There you will find the ruins of the old forum.

Jumping forward in time and just a few minutes away is the venerated citadel of Moulay Idris, founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idris Al Akbar, grandson of the Prophet Mohamed (s.a.w.s). This citadel is considered the cradle of Sufism in Moroccan society and the first Islamic capital of the premier Arab dynasty. The city was created primarily for the indigenous population that migrated with Moulay Idris from the Middle East. You will drive around 15 miles to the next stop, the imperial city of Meknes. Meknes is a 17th Century city built by Moulay Ismail to rival Fez. It is also considered to be the Versailles of Morocco.

You will reach Rabat, a city styled in a spaciously elegant European grid, yet slightly aware of its modernity. Only a river separates Rabat and its twin city Sala Colonia, but they are historically worlds apart. They have an ancient legacy that spans hundreds of generations. Each civilization that has inhabited each of the cities has left its mark, resulting in a wide variety of architectural styles, including those from the Phoenician and Roman eras. You will spend your day discovering the delights that Rabat has to offer. Your guide will take you on a historical and lively tour of the Jewish quarter, the Mellah in the Heart of the city, starting at Place Sidi Makhlouf. The 12-century ramparts are best seen from this landmark. Walk up to Bab Chellah in the medina and cross Sidi Fateh St. This will lead you to the traditional Souk Laghzel (Yarn market). Your guide will introduce you to the importance of this guild in a textile role in Moroccan society.

Later, you will cross to the citadel of the Oudaya Kasbah, entering from its 12th-century main gate to explore an extraordinary Medieval Moorish marvel overlooking the delta of the Bourgreg River. You will have the opportunity to visit the old-fashioned Moorish gardens and stop in a traditional coffee house for mint tea. You will continue your quest by exiting the Oudaya Kasbah and up the hill to visit the Hassan Tower and Mohamed the V Mausoleum, an emblem of authentic Moroccan architecture at its finest. If permissible, We will take you to the You will reach the Necropolis of Chellah at the end of your tour. Finally, you will retreat to the hotel in Casablanca for dinner and other accommodations.

In the morning, your driver will meet you at your hotel to assist you with your luggage and transport you to Mohamed V Airport. Your trip coordinator will help you with your check-in and bid you farewell.