Tour 12 days Marrakech, Rissani, Sahara desert, Fez and Chefchaouen

Art Culture and Traditions Desert Adventure Gastronomy History and architecture Imperial Cities Nature and Landscapes Nightlife Relax and Leisure

Travel itinerary

Day 1: Airport - Marrakech.

We start with a private pick up at Marrakech airport arrivals.

We will have the first contact with the famous Jmaa el Fna square, the medina and the most famous souk in the world, experience the smells, tastes, sounds, colors, a unique experience.

You will spend your first night in Riad / hotel.

Day 2: Marrakech.

We will visit the Medina and the famous Jamaa el Fna square, if the flight schedule allows a guided tour of the city and its main monuments accompanied by a guide specialized in history.

Marrakech is along with Meknes, Fez and Rabat one of the four imperial cities of Morocco, was founded in 1062 by Youssef Ibn Tachfine, first emir of the Berber dynasty of the Almoravids and was the capital of the Islamic Empire.

It is one of the most important cities in Morocco and is located in the south of the country, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. It has numerous World Heritage monuments, which makes it the main tourist attraction of the country.

Marrakech is known as the red city due to the color of its buildings. In 2001 UNESCO declared the Djemaa el Fna square a World Heritage Site, being one of the busiest squares in Africa and the world…

Day 3: Marrakech - High Atlas - Ksar of Ait Ben Hadu - Ouarzazat - Dadès Valley

Pick up at 08:30 am at Riad where you are staying in Marrakech to head towards the High Atlas Mountains, sub mountain range of the Moroccan Atlas through the Tizi-N’Tichka Pass, where we will make several stops to appreciate its beautiful panoramic views and take pictures of the Berber villages that are camouflaged with the color of the earth. Then we head south to reach the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou or Fortified City, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.

In this spectacular setting have been filmed countless films as well known as: Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, Gladiator, Obelix, Jewel of the Nile…etc. Lunch in the village to continue to Ouarzazate, known as the great gateway to the desert and whose name in Berber means without noise or without Confusion.

We will continue to the Valley of the Roses passing through the Great Palm Grove of Skoura where we can admire the more than 700 palm trees and the large concentration of kasbahs that are scattered throughout the oasis and its surroundings, later we will arrive at the Valley of Roses, as its name suggests is a beautiful place where the most beautiful damask roses are grown to make cosmetic products such as the highly prized rose water.

In this Valley once a year and in the month of May is celebrated the Museum of Roses. We will arrive at the Dades Valley where we will spend the night.

Day 4: Dades Valley - Todra Gorges - Merzouga Dunes - Overnight in Jaimas

After a walk in the Todra Gorges and lunch in Tinejdad or Touroug, we leave for the desert to reach the impressive dunes of Merzouga where we will depart in a caravan of camels on a journey of about an hour to reach our nomadic haimas, located in the middle of a sea of dunes (Erg Chebbi), we take the opportunity to see one of the most impressive sunsets you’ve ever seen. Dinner and overnight in nomadic tents in the heart of the desert under a spectacular blanket of stars.

After breakfast, we will enjoy one of the best views of the Dades Valley. We will do it from one of the most strategic places that the mountains offer us. From there we will be able to observe the number of kasbahs and the picturesque of each one of them. After making several stops along the way, we will arrive at the Todra Gorges. Located near the city of Tinghir, they give way to the desert. Surrounded by a valley full of palm trees and adobe villages, here are the mountains most appreciated by lovers of climbing. These Todra and Dades faults are the best known and also the most impressive in Morocco.

Day 5: Merzouga Desert - Nomadic Families - Khamlia Village - Back to Erg Chebbi

Today will be a day of Total Desert. We will wake up before dawn to watch the sunrise from the Great Dune. Return by camels to the village of Merzouga. After a hearty and rich breakfast, we will surround the dunes of Erg Chebbi, an extension of sandy desert where the Great Dune of Morocco is located, over 250 meters high, and connect by track with part of the route followed by the old Paris-Dakar and with the mountains bordering Algeria in the background.

We will continue to a nomadic settlement where we will learn some of their secrets and customs. Later stop at a panoramic point where we can contemplate the Erg Chebbi as a whole. We will arrive at the village of Khamlia, originally from Mali, where we relax with a tea while enjoying a small concert of spiritual music of Gnawa. Return to the hotel and evening or climb the dunes nearby to enjoy the sunset.

Day 6: Merzouga Desert - Ziz Valley - Middle Atlas - Cedar Forest - Ifrane - Fez

The width of its avenues, its urban development, its impeccable state of cleanliness, its gardens and green areas and especially its architecture, more typical of an alpine city, makes Ifrane feel out of place in Morocco and has earned the nickname of (the Moroccan Switzerland) where the ski slope Michlifen, one of the most important ski slopes in the world, is located. Arrival in Fez around 18h.

Stop planned in Midelt, right in the heart of the atlas, to rest for a while and have lunch. In the afternoon we will continue our way through the Cedar Forest where if we are lucky, we can find some monkeys, while passing through Ifrane, located on the northwestern slope of the Middle Atlas, at 1,630 meters above sea level.

Once ready, we will head north through the palm grove of Tafilalet where, in 20km, we can see countless palm trees, which makes it one of the largest palm groves in the world. Crossing it we will arrive at the Ziz Valley, named after the river that flows down from the High Atlas and feeds the palm grove. Here we will make a stop to observe the valley from above and see the village of Aoufous.

Day 7: Visit of the Medina and the Monuments of Fez

Full day to visit Fez with a local guide. Fez is considered in Morocco as the religious and cultural center of the country. The city is divided into three areas, Fez el Bali, (the old area within the walls), Fez-Jdid, (the new area where the Mellah, the Jewish quarter), and the Ville Nouvelle (the French area in the northwest of the city).

The medina of Fez el Bali is one of the largest medieval sites in the world today. The entire medina has been declared a World Heritage Site. To know the medina of Fez el Bali, you must start at the Bab Boujloud gate, enter the souk and walk through its narrow and labyrinthine streets often dodging mules loaded with large bales.

The district of the tanners, in the Middle Ages, the city became one of the main commercial centers of the Maghreb, being the main producer of adargas (shield made of leather and oval-shaped), originally used by the Muslim cavalry of Al-Andalus, with the name of add arqa. Visit the Bou Inania madrasa, with its valuable works in cedar wood, stuccoes and marble and onyx decorations. The zaouïa of Moulay Idriss, founder of the city. The Andalusian quarter with its mosque and the Es-Sahrij madrasa.

The old palace Dar Batha, of Arabic-Andalusian style dedicated to the arts and traditions of Fez. The University Mosque of Al-Karaouine which is one of the oldest in the world, founded in 859 by Fatima Al-Fihri, daughter of Mohammed Al-Fihri, a very rich merchant of those times. After the death of her father, Fatima and her sister received a large amount of money, and then Fatima decided to create the University Mosque.

Inside you can see many arches, mosaics, wood carvings and paintings of great beauty. The Festival of Sacred Music of the World of Fez, created in 1994, is part of the spiritual and artistic life of great international success.

Day 8: Fez - Chefchaouen

Today, after breakfast, we leave Fez to the beautiful blue city of Morocco. We will drive 3.5 hours to cross the mountains. We will arrive in Chefchaouen around noon and have lunch, then check in at the hotel/Riad. Afternoon free to enjoy the blue streets of Chefchaouen and sunset at the Spanish mosque.

Day 9: Chefchaouen - Rabat - Casablanca

Today in the morning we will drive from Chefchaouen to Casablanca and pass through the capital of Morocco (Rabat). In Rabat we can visit the most beautiful sites such as: Kasbah Oudayas, Hassan Tower. We will drive one hour and a half to Casablanca to spend the night at the hotel.

Day 10: Casablanca - Essaouira

In Casablanca, we will visit the largest mosque in Morocco, which is the Hassan 2 mosque. It contains very beautiful Andalusian muslim architecture. Then we drive to Essaouira. Beautiful small town by the coast.

Day 11: Essaouira - Marrakech

You can stay in Essaouira for half a day to enjoy the city walls, the harbor, the ocean and the authentic medina, then have lunch and drive to Marrakech night in Riad

Day 12: Marrakech airport - Flight home.

Transfer to Marrakech airport for a big hug, see you soon Ainshallah!