Premium Morocco Explorer
12 Days Starting in Casablanca and ending in Marrakech
Visiting: Casablanca, Fes, Erfoud, Sahara Desert, Skoura, Ait Benhaddou - Imlil, Imlil , Marrakech
Tour operator:
Tour code:
XMPF
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Age range:
15-99 years
Trip Styles:
Tour Overview
Few places on the planet offer the marvellous diversity you’ll find in Morocco. In 12 days, this Premium adventure will take you through buzzing cities, tranquil oases, vast deserts and into the homes of welcoming local people. Explore Meknes’s animated medina, the historical Old Town of Fes and the lively Djemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech. Bake bread with the locals in Imlil, eat pastilla in the home of a Fes family and spend an unforgettable evening beneath the stars in the Sahara. From the country’s much-loved highlights to all the little moments that make up daily life, fall in love with the real Morocco.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Casablanca
Location: Casablanca
Accommodation: Idou Anfa Hotel & Spa or similar
Meals Included: dinner
Salaam Alaikum! Welcome to Morocco. Your adventure begins in Casablanca, where you’ll be met at the airport by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet your local leader and your new travel companions. If you arrive early, you might like to visit the Villa des Arts – an Art Deco gallery featuring exhibitions of contemporary Moroccan art. If you’re looking for a different type of cultural experience, then you can discover a unique part of Moroccan history at the Museum of Judaism. This evening, celebrate the beginning of a new adventure with a group dinner in traditional restaurant. Nowhere is Morocco’s cultural heritage more evident than in its food, and tonight you’ll have the chance to try classic dishes like tagine and couscous.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Fes
Location: Fes
Accommodation: Palais Ommeyad Suites & Spa or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
This morning, visit one of Casablanca’s most impressive sites – the Mosque of Hassan II. Second only in size to the great mosque at Mecca, it’s one of the only religious sites here that’s open to non-Muslims. Drive to Meknes to visit Mausoleum Moulay Ismail, where the 17th-century sultan who made Meknes his capital is laid to rest. Continue to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, where a local guide will help you imagine the bustling city that once was. Enjoy a picnic of fresh bread, cheese, fruits and olives from the market. Travel to Fes and settle in at your Riad – an oasis in the heart of the medina and your Feature Stay for the next two nights. Prepare for a treat this evening as you are warmly welcomed into the home-turned-restaurant of a local family for a pastilla dinner in a private after-hours experience. Learn how the iconic Moroccan pie is made as you chat with your friendly hosts about life in Fes.
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Day 3: Fes
Location: Fes
Accommodation: Palais Ommeyad Suites & Spa or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today, head into the Old Town, known locally as Fes el Bali. Your leader will share stories of the city’s history as you walk through twisting streets and alleyways, passing donkeys piled high with goods. Walking by historic khans, dye-pits and stalls loaded with fragrant herbs and spices, it’s easy to imagine yourself back in the Middle Ages. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the medina for a glass of traditional mint tea at a family-owned tea house. You’ll then get a closer look at some of Fes’ history with visits to the ornate inner courtyards of centuries-old Islamic school El-Attarine Madrasa and Funduq al-Najjarin – an 18th-century inn.
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Day 4: Erfoud
Location: Erfoud
Accommodation: Hotel Xaluca Erfoud or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Today, leave the intensity of the city behind for the desert oasis town of Erfoud. Prepare for a long driving day and have your camera ready as there will be plenty of stops to appreciate the ever-changing Moroccan landscape along the way. Wind past olive groves, shepherds tending to their flocks, forests of cedar, pine and oak, and valleys filled with date palms – all with views of the High Atlas Mountains in the distance. Arrive in Erfoud, your gateway to the Sahara Desert. Built by the French in the early 1900s, the town features tightly packed red sand buildings that blend seamlessly into the desert surroundings. While here, be sure to try some dates fresh from the local market – the dates in Erfoud are so delicious they celebrate them with a festival every year.
Day 5: Sahara Desert
Location: Sahara Desert
Accommodation: Sahara Sunny luxury camp or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Spend the morning exploring Khemliya – a village on the fringe of the orange-coloured Erg Chebbi sand dunes. This traditional Saharan village is known for a distinctive style of music and dance. For lunch today, you’ll get to see how the local speciality dish of medfouna is made, then sample some yourself. After, it’s time to do as the locals do and ride a camel through the desert towards your accommodation – a camp hidden away in the sand dunes of the Sahara. Here, in this escape from the modern world, you’ll experience the true essence of desert life. The remote location doesn’t mean skimping on amenities, however! Permanent tents feature large beds, en suite bathrooms and authentic decor. Tonight brings a traditional feast beneath a sky jewelled with thousands of stars, followed by live Gnaoua music around an open fire.
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Day 6: Skoura
Location: Skoura
Accommodation: Kasbah Sawadi or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Start the day with a camel ride across the desert during sunrise, watching the landscape turn remarkable shades of orange. After breakfast, you’ll drive to Todra Gorge – a massive trench that rises over 250 m to form one of the most dramatic and spectacular natural sights in Morocco. You’ll stop for lunch with a local family living within an old kasbah. Here, you’ll enjoy some regional dishes and another look inside a typical Moroccan home. Continue to Skoura – home to an oasis sprawling with palm plantations and a town dotted with mudbrick castles. Your accommodation for the evening is in an ecolodge with rammed-earth bungalows, water conservation systems and organic gardens that provide the produce for the meals served on site.
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Day 7: Skoura
Location: Skoura
Accommodation: Kasbah Sawadi or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Today, you’ll take a walk through shady palm groves. This will take around two to three hours, depending on the interests of the group, and will be over gentle terrain. During your walk, your leader will explain the importance of date farming in Morocco, and you’ll see examples of the agricultural practices of the area. After, visit the Kasbah Amridil – a 17th century fortified residence that serves as a living museum. The kasbah is well preserved and maintained by the same family who built it, giving you a look at what life here was like 300 years ago – with goats wandering the courtyards and a traditional olive oil press. The rest of the afternoon is yours to spend relaxing at the lodge. You may like to stretch out by the pool with a good book – there are few better spots to while away an afternoon in the sunshine!
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Day 8: Ait Benhaddou - Imlil
Location: Ait Benhaddou - Imlil
Accommodation: Riad Oussagou or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Depart Skoura and travel to Ait Benhaddou – a hilltop site almost unchanged since the 11th century. Its kasbah is one of the most beautiful in Morocco and the fortified village is a fine example of clay architecture. You may recognise the site from films and TV shows like Game of Thrones and Gladiator. Explore the Old Town, heading up to the top of the hill for some scenic views. After, visit the riverside teahouse Tawesna for lunch, including freshly made Amazigh bread, soup, Moroccan sweets and mint tea. This community-run establishment provides women with a small income to support themselves and their children. They use natural ingredients sourced from local cooperatives to prepare tea and pastries, taking great pride in sharing their stories and giving visitors an authentic experience. Visit Taman’Art Space – an art studio and cultural centre created by a local artist. Meet with the artist and founder and talk about his methods, inspiration and process, all while sipping a cup of tea on the terrasse. After, traverse the winding mountain pass of Tizi Ni Tichka to reach Imlil – a small village at the base of Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.
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Day 9: Imlil
Location: Imlil
Accommodation: Riad Oussagou or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
After breakfast, set off to explore the village of Imlil and the surrounding area on a leader-led walk, which will take about three hours, depending on the abilities and interests of the group. During the walk you’ll gain more insight into everyday life as the locals go about their mornings.
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Day 10: Marrakech
Location: Marrakech
Accommodation: Riad Nesma or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
After breakfast, you’ll travel to Marrakech – your final destination and home for the next two nights. Today, a local guide will bring the magic of Marrakech to life as you tour the medina and the bustling souks. Explore the orange blossom-scented courtyards and the extravagant Bahia Palace. Stop by the Koutoubia Mosque – the inside is for Muslims only, but the famous minaret is a sight to behold. Make your way to Djemaa el-Fna – the busiest and largest public square in the world – stopping off to taste some of the freshly squeezed orange juice from a local stall. The rest of your afternoon and evening is free, and you’ll most likely want to watch the sun go down in the square, as it comes alive with street performers.
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Day 11: Marrakech
Location: Marrakech
Accommodation: Riad Nesma or similar
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today is free to explore Marrakech at your own pace. You might like to visit Le Jardin Secret – a traditional garden with a gorgeous courtyard. Or, head back into the medina and practice your haggling skills. For your final evening, maybe join your group for a farewell dinner – your leader will be able to recommend some fantastic local restaurants.
Optional Activities:
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Day 12: Marrakech
Location: Marrakech
With no further activities planned, your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you’d like to extend your time in Marrakech, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Comfortable hotel (9 nights), Feature Stay (2 nights) -
Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
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Casablanca - Welcome Dinner
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Casablanca - Hassan II Mosque
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Volubilis - Picnic Lunch
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Fes - Home-cooked Pastilla Dinner
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Volubilis - Entrance and guided tour
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Meknes - Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
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Fes - Funduq al-Najjarin
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Fes - Medersa El Attarine
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Fes - Medina walking tour
What's Not Included
Transport
- There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from the main tourist routes. High passes, windy roads, and rough surfaces make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days, we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort. The best part about all of these long drives is the spectacular views and fun stops en route such as mountain passes, kasbahs, palmeries, sand dunes, goats up trees, etc.
- We also use public transport on some of our trips around Morocco. Be it a train or a public bus, remember that the best part of it is the possibility to interact with local people traveling along with you.
Accommodation
- 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.
- We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Intrepid style of travel, but please note that service and accommodation in Morocco may be different from standards you are used to at home.
- OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
- RIADS
- On each departure of this trip, we aim to spend at least one night in a traditional Moroccan riad. In the height of the season, however unlikely, there may be an occasion when contracting a full group in a riad will be impossible due to high demand and availability.
- TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
- Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite (even if you paid for single room supplement) and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.
- HEATING
- Some of our guesthouses/hotels are unable to supply heating as this would be a major financial and environmental strain. It's also a case of energy supply and timing provisions, which is limited in some places. Please be prepared for cold showers, which are a pleasure for most of the year. Air-conditioning systems (if available) don't always function.
- CHECK-IN TIME
- Throughout the trip, we request that our hotels 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.
- PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
- If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
Important Information
- 1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
- 2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room?on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip?and is subject to availability. There are a limited number of single supplements available per trip departure. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 3. Optional transfer from Marrakech to Casablanca
- If you are flying into Marrakech we can provide an optional transfer to the starting point city of Casablanca. This transfer is on request and prepaid. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Mode of Transport
- There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from the main tourist routes. High passes, windy roads, and rough surfaces make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days, we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort. The best part about all of these long drives is the spectacular views and fun stops en route such as mountain passes, kasbahs, palmeries, sand dunes, goats up trees, etc.
- We also use public transport on some of our trips around Morocco. Be it a train or a public bus, remember that the best part of it is the possibility to interact with local people traveling along with you.
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Are international flights included in this tour?
No
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Is this trip right for you
Ramadan is an annual month-long festival, during which travel can be a rewarding cultural experience, however some regular services may not be available during the day, such as restaurants or cafes, and occasionally travel can be disrupted by events. Your leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly, but please consider this when selecting your travel dates. You’ll find dates and further information in the ‘Climate and seasonal information’ section of the Essential Trip Information.
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes, Complimentary arrival airport transfer
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes if aged 15+ and accompanied by an adult
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Tuesday - Saturday
Dec 17, 2024 - Dec 28, 2024Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions