11 Days Colors of Morocco

We will meet you upon your arrival in Marrakech airport to accompany you to your hotel, where you can relax and settle in. Depending on your arrival time, you may wish to take a guided tour of the city or explore at your leisure before having dinner and spending the night.

Breakfast will be served at your Riad, after which a knowledgeable local guide will lead you through the labyrinth of Marrakech's winding alleyways, hidden gardens, and secret souks. You will continue to the Djemaa el Fna, the principal cultural space in Marrakech and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, beside which the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque can be seen towering into the sky. In the evening this square overflows with food stalls, dancers, acrobats, fortune tellers, musicians, and henna artists. Following your tour you will have the full day to spend at your leisure, whether its pampering yourself at a local spa with massage or further exploring the souks of the medina. We will spend the night at our hotel in Marrakech.

We will meet you upon your arrival in Marrakech or directly from your accommodation, and escape the hustle and bustle of the city towards the High Atlas Mountains. Through the highest mountain pass in North Africa and across the Glaoua territory, we will pass countless ancient kasbahs and fortified granaries that dot the countryside. From there we continue on to Ouarzazate, a bustling southern city often referred to as "The Hollywood of Morocco" owing to the many famous films shot on location such as Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, and Kingdom of Heaven, as well as several seasons of the hit show, Game of Thrones. Here, we will stop for lunch and explore the nearby Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, the most famous kasbah in Morocco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the backdrop for many of the films and shows shot on location. As the afternoon sun wanes, we will relax in our hotel overlooking the fort.

We will leave the bustling southern city of Ouarzazate in the morning for the Todra Gorge. On the way we will pass the Skoura Oasis, where numerous ancient kasbahs, some sadly in ruin, stand among the palm trees. From here our route will take us through Kelaa M'gouna, the Valley of Roses, where we will stop to see locally-made cosmetics made from the valley's abundant roses. These products are famous and highly valued throughout Morocco. From there we will go off-road along the Boutaghrar piste to visit Berber nomads in their caves and join them for a glass of tea. Afterwards there will be plenty of time to stroll along the banks of the river before continuing to the Todra Gorge. We will stay overnight in the Dades Valley.

Following breakfast we continue our drive along the banks of the Todra valley, where olive, pomegranate, and orange trees flourish, until we reach the Todra Gorge, where we will take some time to wander among the towering rock walls of the narrow corridors. As we descend into the desert plains, the landscape gives way to a vast stony plain that marks the edges of the Sahara. Upon our arrival, we will leave all unnecessary luggage behind in safe rooms at a nearby hotel before mounting our camels and trekking into the towering dunes of the Moroccan Sahara. Here we will have ample free time for you to explore and take in the beauty and vastness of the desert dunes. Once the sun sets, a Moroccan dinner will be served alongside live music around the campfire, after which you are free to explore again - this time in the company of a million stars exploding against the pitch-black sky, and the all-encompassing silence of the Sahara at night.

If you would like to wake up early so that you can watch the spectacle of sunrise, when the color of the sand contrasts beautifully with the play of shadows on the dunes - after which you might want to try your hand at sand-boarding down them. After a refreshing shower and breakfast, we will ride the camels or fun 4X4 off-road drive through the dunes back to the kasbah in Merzouga town, we will be able to relax for a couple hours before taking a 4WD off-road tour around the dunes. On the tour we will visit the oasis of Merzouga, the nomadic depository, and Khamlia Village, where we will be able to hear gnawa music from the local people who are descendants of ex-slaves that found their way to Morocco from Senegal via the Salt Route. We will continue on to meet desert nomads in their tents and discover their way of life. We will also visit the nearby Lake of Merzouga, with its diverse population of birds. Afterwards we will leave for Rissani. Once called Sijilmassa, this was the meeting place for the salt caravans coming from Timbuktu, Mali. Here you'll be able to walk through the souk, where you will be able to find spices, vegetables, and clothes. After having a pizza lunch in Rissani we will drive back to our Kasbah, where we will be greeted with a glass of tea or glass of wine and have some time to relax by the pool if available watching the sunset. In the evening we will dine on Moroccan cuisine and enjoy traditional live music, sit down and chat with locals, or enjoy some drumming lessons.

After breakfast, we will retrace our steps through Erfoud to the dramatic Ziz Gorge, a spectacular gash in the hills that surround the Ziz Oasis, the largest oasis in Morocco. The region is dotted with deserted kasbahs, palm trees, and mud-brick villages, and is a photographer's paradise. After passing through a barren plain of scrub and desert on the other side of the mountains, we will stop for lunch in the town of Midelt, from which we will have a fantastic view of the dramatic peaks of the High Atlas rising behind the town. The different landscapes we will cross is unbelievably diverse, ranging from rocky, sun-baked plains to cedar-covered mountains and deep, spectacular canyons. In the hills south of Azrou we might be lucky enough to spot a troupe of the Barbary Apes that still make their home in the local forests. We head onward to Ifran, the Switzerland of Morocco. After having crossed the plains we will arrive in the evocative city of Fes, which is the cultural capital of Morocco and one of the most complete medieval Islamic cities in the world. Our guide will help you find your riad and leave you to settle in for the night.

Following breakfast at the hotel, our accredited local guide will accompany you on a walking tour of the Fes medina. Step back in time as you wander through the labyrinth of twisting alleyways - donkeys and mules pass through the narrow streets, savour the aromas from the market stalls where countless spices and perfumes are traded, and explore the leather tanneries where men treat leather using century old techniques. We’ll cap the day with dinner at one of the many local restaurants of the medina then settle in for the evening at your hotel.

After a traditional Moroccan breakfast in Fes, we will head to the breathtaking archaeological site of Volubilis (Walili), an open-air museum with remains of altars, sculptural fragments, and colorful mosaics. Once occupied by the Romans, Volubilis has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site and gained international acclaim when Martin Scorsese used it as the feature location for his film "The Last Temptation of Christ". The driver will briefly take you through the city of Moulay Idriss before making a stop in Meknes, or the "Moroccan Versailles", which was founded at the end of the 17th century by Sultan Moulay Ismail. Some of Meknes' highlights include: Bab Mansour, the 8 meter intricately patterned arch argued to be the most beautiful in Morocco; the Place El Hedim (Square of Ruins), surrounded by arches and protruding towers; and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, reminiscent of the Saadian Tombs in Marrakech. Next we will drive to see Koubba el-Khayatine and Habs Qara, an imperial pavilion that once received diplomats coming to negotiate the ransom of Christian prisoners. We will continue to the Dar el Makhzen, the "Palace of Labyrinths", and then to Bassin de l'Aguedal, a water tank built to supply water to the palace and imperial city. Afterwards we will depart to Rabat, where we will spend the night.

After breakfast you will be led through the history of Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco. Your guide will escort you on a walk around the picturesque Almohad northern walls of the Oudaïa Kasbah, and then continue to the Hassan Tower, which towers over the Wadi Bou Regreg. The Hassan Tower is a gigantic mosque, emblematic of Rabat and famous for its unfinished minaret where storks make their nests. Next door, we will visit the beautiful Mausoleum of Mohammed V, decorated with stained glass windows, white marble, and a wrought-iron entryway with a stairway leading up to an impressive dome. After we finish we will depart for Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco, where we will visit the grounds of the Hassan II Great Mosque, one of the Islamic world's greatest monuments. Afterwards we will return to Marrakech, where we will spend the night.

Marrakech is a sensory-rich city with a unique blend of ancient traditions and modern conveniences. You may want to try a Moroccan hammam or a spa, try your hand at a local cooking class, or perhaps take a ride on a donkey cart around the city. Whatever it may be, our guide is at your service to help with suggestions, information, and arrangements. As we bid you farewell, we will help you with any departure formalities and arrange for your transfers to the airport. We hope you enjoyed your journey with us, and hope to see you again soon.