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TOUR DETAILED ITINERARAY – Culture Nature Berber Adventure Morocco Tour 9 Days 

DAY 1 WELCOME TO MOROCCO  (30 KM)

Welcome to Morocco! Culture Nature Berber Adventure Morocco Tour 9 Days – On arrival at Casablanca Airport, you will be met by a Morocco Travel Specialist Guide and transferred to your hotel. While this is an arrival day and you may arrive at any time, please note that hotel rooms are generally only available after midday, and that there will be a Welcome Meeting with your tour guide tonight.

Morocco Travel Specialist operate tours from Casablanca, from Rabat, from Tangier to Marrakech with experienced drivers and guides to explore Morocco Culture & History, Imperial Cities, Berber culture Sahara desert, High Natural Landscapes, walking and fun adventures… Our tour will begin at Mohamed V airport in Casablanca,  We will visit the famous and the biggest Mosque in Africa, Hassan II, which was built between 1987 and 1993.  This will be a golden opportunity to see the skilful work of Moroccan artisans, revealing the richness and beauty of their handicraft. 

Accommodation : Hotel 4*

Tour Highlights:

Casablanca Hassan 2 Mosque

Meals Included: Welcome Dinner.

 

DAY 2: CASABLANCA – RABAT – MEKNES- VOLUBILIS – FES (280 KM)

From Casablanca, we head to Rabat, Morocco’s capital, Rabat, is the most relaxing Imperial cities to visit, which will give you an opportunity to experience the peaceful streets of this ancient centre before the hustle and bustle of the more hectic medinas of Fez and Marrakech. You will be exploring the city; the monumental unfinished Hassan Tower, with the pillared stumps of its mosque being all that remains from the devastating earthquake that killed an estimated ten thousand people in North Africa in 1755. Later we will stop at Mohamed V Musoleum built in 1972, and we will visit the tombs of Moroccan kings Mohammed V, who died in 1962, Hassan II who died in 1999, the tomb of Moulay Abdullah the uncle of Mohammed VI, watched over by red-robed Royal Guards; smell the flowers in the Andalucian Garden of the Kasbah Oudayas, a walled ‘village within a city’ we will explore Oudaya Kasbah which was built in 12th century and served as a military base for the Almorabits army in their defense against the Spanish army.  The roof of the Kasbah allows a stunning view of the surrounding area.  You will also get to see the 240 km long Abi-Regrag river , located in western Morocco between Rabat and Sala; and discover the Chellah Gardens and Necropolis, where hundreds of storks send their strange clacking call through the air, enjoy the charming garden of Challa, surrounded by walls and beautiful defensive gates, built between 1310 and 1330.

on this Morocco city tour, you’ll head to the lesser-visited Imperial City of Meknes. Once you meet your local expert and guide, you’ll be able to visit the famed gate of Bab El Mansour, Dar Jamai Palace, the Royal Stables, and the tomb of Moulay Ismail. Just thirty minutes away , Descend from the hills and travel north through the centre of the peninsula towards the sacred pilgrimage town of Moulay Idriss, (IF TIME PERMITS) your next stop at ancient Moulay Idriss offers a great insight into traditional Moroccan life. Here the faithful gather to pay homage at the tomb of Moulay Idriss I – the great-grandson of Mohammed and the man who brought Islam to Morocco. Explore the delightful streets, perhaps sampling the famous nougat candy sold at street-side stalls, From here it’s a short journey out to the World Heritage site of Volubilis. The remains of this Roman city make an undeniably impressive sight as they come into view on the edge of a long, high plateau. Take a tour around the arches, basilicas, and superb mosaics along the Decumanus Maximus, many of which remain intact. The reward for walking in the sun lies in an incredibly memorable lunch of traditional Roman recipes in the shadow of the ancient ruins. Recline on Moroccan Kilims and dine on local ingredients, much like the Romans did a thousand years ago. Once forbidden to non-Muslims,. Continue on to Fes, arriving by evening (approximately 1.5 hours), the spiritual heart of Morocco.

Accommodation : RIAD 4*  (2 nights)

Tour Highlights:

Rabat – Guided Walking Tour / Chella, Oudaya, Hassan Tower

Guided walking Tour Volubilis

Meals Included : Breakfast

DAY 3: EXPLORE – FES SIGHTSEEING TOUR

Enjoy the guided city tour of Fes. Begin with the entrance to the largest royal palace in Morocco. Continue with a panoramic view of the ancient medina. Enjoy an authentic experience at the traditional ceramic crafts village of Fes after that. Your next stop is Fes El Bali, the ancient town or Medina, which is a medieval part of Fes that has not changed for centuries. Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the famous Al-Karaouine mosque, built by Fatima Al Fihria in 857. Al-Karaouine mosque became home to the University of Al-Karaouine, which is the first university in the world and the world’s foremost center of learning at the beginning of the second millennium. The university was built by Fatima Al Fihria in 859, and, since then, it has become one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Muslim world. In the medina, visit also a Merdersa, which is a Coranic school. Complete the city tour of Fes with the leather Souq and the oldest Leather Tannery in the world. The tannery dates back at least nine centuries.

Fes is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco; vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming – a visual and pungent feast for the senses. It is made up of three distinct ‘cities’, or quarters, and you will stay in elegant, riad-style accommodation on the edge of the huge, well-preserved medieval old city – the mother of all medinas. Today 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. Walk through the twisting streets and alleyways, passing donkeys piled high with goods, and explore the specialty sections that divide the souk. Filled with historic khans, medresses and dye-pits, stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and soups, and where the squawk of chickens, smell of spice and sound of hammering of copper fills the air, it’s not hard to imagine yourself back in the Middle Ages. Spend the day exploring the old city, visiting, Mederassa Bou Inania, the tanneries and the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th century inn. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon. Car : 1 hours – Walk : 3 hours /

Tour Highlights:

Guided walking Tour Fes

Fondouk Nejjarine

Mederassa Bou Inania

Al karawyin university

Potter & Ceramic Workshop

Meals included : Breakfast

 

DAY 4: FES – MIDELT – ZIZ VALLEY – ERFOUD – MERZOUGA (470 KM)

This is a long driving day, where we will meet different colors of the kingdom by leaving the old Moroccan city of

Fes. In the way we will pass through the most modern and clean city in the country Ifran. This Berber name of Ifran means caves and it is nicknamed in Morocco as a little Switzerland since it is a very green town and is a ski resort in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco because of its high altitude at 1665 meters. Ifran is very known as well by The Brotherhood private university, established in 1997 by The king of Morocco Hassan II and the king of Saudi Arabia Fahd. Where all classes are taught in English, it is an international university. Lunch will be scheduled in a Berber village called Midelt which is situated on the foothills of the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains. From vast plateau we start crossing up those tough mountains which are still settled by a big Berber community. The landscapes here includes palm tree oases at Jbel Ayachi (at 3747 m) before driving down the curves and join the pre-Saharan zone passing first by Errachidia and Erfoud, which is famous for its pottery and the interesting fossil quarries. Fossils are a major industry in Erfoud, some 350 million years ago the region around Erfoud was a part of the huge ocean. Heading up to the red colored sand sea dunes of Erg Chebbi at Merzouga via Rissani, the hometown of the Alaouit dynasty, where Moulay Ali sheriff started to unify Morocco under his red flag in the beginning of the 17th century. From a vast plateau you will get impressed by the huge sand dune of Merzouga appearing from the horizon. On foot or camel back you have the option to travel into the remote dunes until our Nomadic style camp hidden in the dunes.  An evening sunset climb to one of the higher dunes is customary followed by dinner and perhaps a campfire experience and Berber songs and storytelling can be arranged.  Breakfast and dinner included.  Accommodation in a desert camp with private tent, shower & toilet).

Accommodation : LUXURY DESERT CAMP

Tour Highlights:

Meals Included : Breakfast / Dinner

 

DAY 5: MERZOUGA – RISSANI – TODGHA GORGES ( 200 KM )

Visiting Errisani and the Mausoleum of the founder of the Alaouite Dynasty of Morocco, Moulay Ali Chrif in the 17th century. This silent town was the ancient capital of Tafilalet and its location as a crossroads between north and south brought the city to an important status of a former major caravan center. Up to now Rissani remains a major commercial center in the region, with a large souk, particularly lively today on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday. It was noted for its leather and goat skin trading in ancient ages.

127 km from Errisani the great canyons of Morocco Todgha Gorges are situated beyond the central high Atlas Mountains. Here, the contrasting landscapes of palm trees, berber villages and the High Atlas Mountains, with its high plateau, its gorges and great canyons, and its peaks sometimes carved by erosion. Several peaks in this area exceed 4000 m, with Jbel Saghro 2500 m and Jbel Mgoun at 4068 m being the highest peak in this part of the High Atlas. The area is populated by Berbers. Here you can enjoy a hike among those fabulous canyons.. we walk along the valley which rises in the Central High Atlas Mountains, giving life to a huge Berber community by its rich agriculture, appearing with the green colors of its Alfalfa plants, palms, olive trees, fig trees and grapes. overnight in the valley of Todra.

Accommodation : Riad

Tour Highlights:

Guided walking tour of the valley and Gorge

Meals Included : Breakfast / Dinner

 

DAY 6: TODGHA – JBEL SAGHRO – NKOB – DRA VALLEY – 160 KM

Today we will head to the Anti Atlas Mountains, Jbel Saghro 2500m high, a volcanic range in the presahara, known for its beautiful rock formations and canyons, stretching for 600 km toward Agadir regions, home of Safran  terrain, we will discover the panoramic view of Tizi n tazazert pass, enjoy beautiful views and landscapes of the Anti Atlas, we will head to Nkob and Draa valley, an important point in the ancient Caravan trade route that linked Timbuktu in Mali, across the Sahara desert to the coastal towns of the Mediterranean and Atlantic ocean. Nkob is famous for its 45 Kasbahs, a symbol of power and prosperity for the nomadic berber tribes, Commercial Camel caravans crossed the immense Sahara of north africa trading the silk, gold, salt, spices and other African goods with the Mediterranean world. These caravans would be as large as 12.000 camels at the peak of their importance. Across these routes, many towns flourished and became cultural centers like the lost city of Sijilmasa, near Rissani, we will arrive to draa valley, the longest valley of Morocco, also called Moroccan date basket, stretching south for 300 km, local berber tribes grow dates, more than 300 types, and Henna, we will overnight in Agdez, one of the most important caravan carrefours, used to be the Biggest souk and trade center of the Caravans,

Among the many palm and almond trees, the Henna thrives under the hottest and driest temperatures. This native plant has been used for more than 6000 years across the northern Africa!

Accommodation : Riad 4*

Tour Highlights:

Jbel Saghro – Nkob village, Draa valley

Meals Included : Breakfast / Dinner

DAY 7: OUARZAZATE – MARRAKECH ( 260 KM )

Today we will visit Ouarzazate (Hollywood of Africa, Noiselessly town, The door of the desert), is a city situated in the middle of a bare plateau, south of the High Atlas Mountains. It is mainly inhabited by Berbers, who constructed many of the prominent kasbahs and building for which the area is known. One of those building is Taourirt Kasbah diverted in 17th century.

Why this town is nicknamed as Hollywood of Africa? Simply because it has been noted as a film-making location, with Morocco’s biggest studios inviting many international film companies to shoot their movies like: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Living Daylights (1987), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), The Mummy (1999), Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Martin Scorsese’s Kundun (1997) and Babel (2005).

We start our day visiting the fortified city of Aït Benhaddou, built in the 11th century. Once up on a time this Kasbah was the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh. It is situated on a hill along the Ounila River and has some beautiful examples of kasbahs, which unfortunately sustain damage during each rainstorm and windstorms. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; however, around five families are still living within this Kasbah.

Aït Benhaddou Kasbah has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and several films have been shot there, including Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Time Bandits (1981), The Jewel of the Nile (1985), Kundun (1997), Gladiator (2000) and Alexander (2004). From this beautiful fortified house we head west to the city of Marrakech. It is called the “Homeland of God in Berber”. The ramparts of the town are nearly 30 kilometers long.

Accommodation : http://www.riadnesma.com/ (2 night)

Tour Highlights:

Visit Skoura

Visit Cinema Museum

Visit Studios

Ait Benhaddou Kasbah

Meals Included : Breakfast

 

DAY 8: MARRAKESH, SIGHTSEEING TOUR

A Full guided tour will be scheduled to discover Marrakesh which is known as the “Red City”. Marrakesh is the most important former imperial city in Morocco’s history, it is situated near the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountain. Like all the old cities, Marrakech comprises both an old fortified city The Medina and an very modern city called Gueliz built during the French occupation. Marrakesh has the largest traditional market (souk) in Morocco and also has one of the busiest squares in Africa and the world, Djemaa el Fna. The square is full of story-tellers, water sellers, dancers, snakes charmers and musicians. During the night the square turns into a huge open-air restaurant.

Breakfast in the hotel. Enjoy a guided city tour of Marrakech, Paris of the Sahara as Winston Churchill once described it. Stop first at the Koutoubia Mosque, which is an old monument built under the reign of the Almohad Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (1184 to 1199). This monument inspired other buildings such as the Giralda in Seville in Spain and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. Stop next at the Bahia Palace. This Palace was built in the late 19th century and was intended to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style. Visit Madrasa Ben Youssef after that. This Coranic school is named after the Almoravid Sultan Ali Ibn Yusuf (reigned 1106–1142). Madrasa Ben Youssef is the largest in all of Morocco. Stop next at the Saadian tombs, which is a site that dates back to the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were discovered in 1917 and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Continue the tour with the world famous Jema El Fna Square where you will enjoy amazing performance of traditional activities by storytellers, snake charmers, peddlers of traditional medicines. Your last stop is the bustling souks in the old medina.

Tour Highlights:

Majorel Gardens

Bahia Palace

Souks

Jamaa lfna & Koutoubia

Coranic medrassa ben youssef

Monuments and Heritage Tour

Meals included : Breakfast

DAY 9: AIRPORT TRANSFER

Your trip ends today after breakfast. Check-out time is usually around midday and you are free to leave at any time. We will arrange a private airport transfer you will be advised of the pick-up time. Additional accommodation can be pre-booked if you wish to spend more time exploring here. Transfer to the airport according to your flight details

 

YOUR Culture Nature Berber Adventure Morocco Tour 9 Days TOUR ITINERARY OVERVIEW:

What’s included?

• A very comfortable and air conditioned Vehicule
• Fuel for entire journey
• English speaking guides during the tour (you can specify other languages)
• Inside Visit to Hassan 2 Mosque
• All nights accommodations en suite room Hotel + desert Camp
• Camel trekking
• Berber music and animation
• 3 Dinners during the tour ( vegetarian welcome ) check itinerary for details
• Breakfats daily
• Marrakech, Fes, Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis city sightseeing with local guides
• Pick up & Drop off at Hotels / Airport
• Visit to Oasis Museum
• Trekking Atlas Mountains
• Real life experiences

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What’s not included?

• Flights & Travel insurnace
• All Lunches, dinners ( see itinerary )
• Drinks
• Tips for your guides and driver, Porters
• Extra
• Monuments tickets
• COVID19 RELATRED expenses, PCR…