16 Days Grand Cultural Tour To Explore Morocco From Casablanca

Day 1: Airport – Casablanca

Your personalized tour starts with us giving you a ride from your arrival airport to the hotel you’ll be staying in in Casablanca; the biggest and most important city in Morocco, there where you’ll be served a delicious welcome meal in your honor as soon as you arrive. Today’s itinerary is dependent on your arrival time; depending on what we have of time, we can also visit a few of Casablanca’s most popular and iconic touristic destinations, including the iconic Hassan II beautiful mosque; Morocco and Africa’s biggest mosque and one of the most important and iconic monuments of the islamic world, and also Morocco Mall shopping center; one of the biggest and most important malls in Africa, finaly we’ll visit a local fascinatimg beach area in the surroundings where you’ll be able to enjoy your time, and then after that we’ll transport you back to the hotel.

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Day 2: Casablanca – Rabat – Meknes

We’ll start the day by visiting the marvelous Hassan II iconic Mosque then heading to the capital Rabat; Morocco’s royal city and administrative capital. Our schedule for this day will consider visiting the famous monuments that this city got to offer for us: The very fascinating Royal Palace, then we’ll pay a visit to the very well known medieval fortified Muslim necropolis ruins of Chellah; the remains of the Mouahideen era, the Mohamed V Mausoleum where two of the most important Kings in Morocco’s Modern era Mohamed V and Hassan II were buried, then we’ll go Just to the other side where Hassan old Tower stands, Rabat’s symbol and its most known monument, the minaret of an incompleted mosque that goes back to the 12th century, we will also take the chance to visit the old Medina and its fascinating Souks. We’ll next proceed to Meknes; the Ismailian capital of Morocco, the city that was founded in the 11th century by the moravids, and once was the capital of Morocco, we will have dinner in a restaurant with a beautiful view on the Lahdeem square that is situated directly in front of the Morocco’s widest rampart and one of world’s largest gates, the historic and famous Bab El-Mansour famous gate. And then after that we’ll take you to your hotel.

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Day 3: Meknes – Volubilis – Fes

Starting in there, we’ll head directly to the hotel where you’ll be staying in Fez via the relics of Volubilis, the old Roman city that goes back to approximately the 3rd century BC, where we surely stop to explore and take photos with the old ruins that are still standing till today before proceeding to Fes and then take you to your lodging where you’ll be staying the night.

 

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Day 4: Exploring Fes 

We’ll start the day exploring the oldest city in Morocco well known for being Morocco’s cultural and spiratual capital, strolling in its medieval streets and narrow alleys. We’ll be starting by exploring the Royal famous Palace colorful, imposing facade & gold-colored door, then exporing and discovering the Jewish Quarter which is considered as the first ever Mellah to be constructed in Morocco, that goes back to the 15th century. We will make sure that you explore all the sites that has a historical and cultural interest, such as the worldwide known Al Karaouine University, famous for not only being the region’s oldest but the oldest university in the world. Then we’ll surely pay a visit to the Tanneries; the oldest tanneries in the world to be exact, the Attarine historic museum and madrassa that is more than 700 years old of age, the holy Moulay Idriss ancient mausoleum which is the medina’s holiest shrine, it contains a mosque, shrine, old school or Madrassa and a Sanctuary. And after having your lunch, you will have the chance to pay a visit to various cooperatives of traditional handicrafts. And then after, experience an amazing unforgettable view of the whole city of Fes, then finishing the day at your accommodations in the hotel or Riad.

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Day 5: Fes – Midelt – Er-Rachidia – Erfoud

We’ll be starting the day travelling in the direction of the biggest chain of mountains in Morocco ; Atlas huge Mountains, with a stop in the surroundings of the city of Ifrane to see the famed cedar forest that is considered as the biggest in Morocco, which is the home of the endangered Barbarian Monkeys or Apes that you might observe on the trees during the journey. We’ll next go to Midelt through the TizNtalghamt mountain beautiful Pass then Ziz huge Gorge where we may take photographs and have lunch. We’ll travel from Midelt via the Valley of Ziz to Errachidia city in the middle of the desert in the province that is located in the south, then to Erfoud the old village where you’ll be spending this night.

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Day 6: Erfoud – Rissani – Merzouga

We’ll leave after breakfast for Rissani the city where the alaouite dynasty which is the current ruling family in morocco started, we’ll stop there to have our lunch then we will continue to the city in the heart of the desert Merzouga late in the afternoon, where we’ll stay in a hotel that contains restaurants and a pool in the surroundings. Take a lovely walk across the neighboring beautiful Erg Chebbi magical dunes before the sun sets. After that, we’ll enjoy a gorgeous sunset behind the huge dunes before dinner that will be served while we are over the campfire, which will take around 90 minutes to arrive at. We will spend the night in the desert in traditional Berber tents.

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Day 7: Merzouga desert tour

This day will be personalized for only the desert and city of Merzouga the heart of the east southern desert of Morocco, You’ll drive in a 4×4 to some local caverns where you may find historic fossils, after breakfast and a relaxing bath in the pool. Following your exploration of the caverns, you will be transported to Tissrdmin, a tiny and old village where numerous famous films has been shot. After that, you’ll go via what’s called the Black Desert, the desert that have gotten its name from the abundance of the volcanic rocks, there we’ll have some tea along with a welcoming Tuareg family the natives in this area. We’ll also visit the region of the desert near the Erg Chebbi huge sand dunes, where you’ll get a glimpse of the nomadic lifestyle and the desert’s stunning contrasts. Later, we’ll visit the famous Khamlia’s village that is called the ‘’Black village’’, where we’ll listen to some traditional Gnawa music. In the historic capital of Rissani, we’ll enjoy a typical Berber kind of Pizza for lunch, then late in the afternoon, we’ll ride on camelback to watch an unforgettable view of sunset behind the huge desert dunes then to our camp in the desert that will be spending the night at. We’ll eat a traditional Tagine for dinner when we arrive to the camp, sip some tasty mint tea of this region, and then listen to the traditional Gnawa music over the campfire and at the same time gazing at the magnificent Sahara desert sky admiring the moon and the shinning stars.

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Day 8: Merzouga – Todra Gorge – Dades Gorge

We’ll get up very early to not miss the chance of admiring the beautiful sunrise behind the sand dunes before checking into a nearby motel to rest. After breakfast, we’ll go to Todra gorge, the Morocco’s narrowest and tallest gorge, through Rissani and the small beautiful city of Tinghir. After having our lunch in beautiful view of the gorge, we’ll drive passing via the enormous Dades Valley, stopping to see the geological formation known of the name “Monkey Toes or Feet” in the surrounding area. We’ll spend the night in the beautiful views of Dades Valley.

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Day 9: Dades Gorges – Ouarzazate

Following our breakfast, we’ll continue our journey to Ouarzazate through what is called the road of the  Thousand Kasbahs (fortresses), stopping at KalaatMgouna, the heart of the Roses valley, which is known for the yearly Festival of Roses that takes place in it and also called the city of Roses. We’ll proceed to the kasbah of Ait Ben-haddou, a Unesco World Heritage site famed for serving as a location of filming for Hollywood films, movies like The Mummy, Prince of Persia and the HBO most famous TV show ‘’GOT’’ , this fortress is also known for being the biggest Kasbah or fortress in Morocco. We’ll next travel to Marrakesh along the atlas mountains through a famous mountain pass called Tizi-n-Tichka. The night will be spent there.

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Day 10: Ouarzazate – Taroudant

This day we will go from the city of Ouarzazate to historic city of Taroudant, a Berber town that grew out of a Souk or old market in Morocco’s southern area. Taroudant, known for its native crafts of jewelry and old traditional carpets, ceramics, and so on), is situated along the caravan road that was once used for trading caravans. It could be compared as a smaller, more ordered Marrakesh. We’ll spend the night in a Riad – Hotel in the area.

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Day 11: Taroudant – Tafraoute – Agadir

Starting from this city, you’ll go to Tafraoute city, the charming city protected from the scorching African sun by the geological granitic huge rocks that surrounds it, beautiful natural sight that lets you feel this fascinating region of Morocco. This path will take you to the city of Agadir, the city that you will spending this night in.

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Day 12: Agadir – Essaouira

Today, we’ll travel down the Atlantic fascinating coast to Essaouira, known for being the ‘’Atlantic’s Pearl’’ a beautiful and calm city by the coast.  Our schedule for the afternoon will consider checking into a small Riad before going out again to admire the unforgettable sunset above the city walls which are called the Murallas, it will be an unforgettable experience. You’ll get the opportunity to see the old city of ‘Mogador’ which is called today Essaouira, the name that was given to the city the time of the Portuguese colonization. The city’s medina is an aesthetic white and blue canvas bordered by long beaches along with the citadel historic walls from the colonial era, making it one of the most attractive coastal cities in the Atlantic. We’ll be invited to have dinner in the city’s freshest unique fish in the evening, followed by a late evening walk around its peaceful and scenic environment.

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Day 13: Free day in Essaouira

This day you will get the opportunity to explore and see Essaouira city by yourself. The city of Essaouira is a culturally rich city with long and illustrious history, and a strong tourist draw because to its famous yearly music festival. The city’s white and blue port, which is located by the sea, serves as a commercial hub for the fishermen of the city and all the surrounding regions. There is some of Morocco’s finest seafood to be found there. You might wish to eat lunch at one of the city’s restaurants near the harbor, where you will have the ability to choose your favorite fish and have it cooked to your taste.

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Day 14: Essaouira – Marrakesh

We’ll depart from your hotel after breakfast and travel to the red city Marrakesh, the city where you’ll be spending this night in a one of the cities Hotels/Riads.

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Day 15: The visit tour of Marrakesh

We’ll go on a guided special tour of cultural and historic attraction in Marrakesh today; the Red city and the touristic capital of Morocco. The worldwide known Square of Jamaa el-Fana with its medieval atmosphere, the fascinating Koutoubia old mosque, the old souks and markets of the old city, the special architectural palaces along with the historic museums are all among the city’s prominent attractions and landmarks. We’ll also visit the new avenue of Gueliz, The beautiful Menara beautiful Gardens with the Majorelle are also places in the city that will be considered in our schedule for the day.

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Day 16: Marrakesh to Casablanca

After having our breakfast in the city of Essaouira, there you will have some time to rest in the early afternoon before heading for Marrakech city or the city of Casablanca, where your tour with Tropical Desert Trips comes to an end at about 6 p.m