Itinerary :
Start and end in Casablanca! With the In-depth Cultural tour The Best Holiday in Morocco / 12 Day tour from Casablanca, you have a 12 days tour package taking you through Casablanca, Morocco and 25 other destinations in Morocco. The Best Holiday in Morocco / 12 Day tour from Casablanca includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more.
Day 1 CASABLANCA AIRPORT PICK UP
You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Casablanca.Overnight in a hotel in Casablanca.
Day 2 CASABLANCA SIGHTSEEING
You will start your Casablanca City Tour at 9:00 AM. A friendly driver who speaks English will pick you up from your hotel. When you arrive at the meeting point, an English-speaking guide will warmly welcome you. Throughout the day, you'll explore the best of Casablanca. See how the city beautifully blends modern and traditional influences as you visit the Central Market, the Habous District, the Royal Palace, the Aïn Diab Corniche, and enjoy a panoramic view. You'll also have the opportunity to visit the stunning Hassan II Mosque. After your tour, we'll return to your hotel in Casablanca.
Day 3 CASABLANCA - RABAT - CHEFCHAOUEN
After breakfast in your hotel in Casablanca we drive to Rabat "the capital of Morocco"you will see the Hassan Tower and the Oudaya Kasbah . Then we will drive to Chefchaouen via the city of Asilah. Most of the drive will be by the coast. Our first stop will be in Asilah, where you will have the opportunity to explore the city. Asilah is known for its annual festival for the art - most of the walls of the Medina are painted by various famous artists from all over the world. Your visit includes the Skalla fortress, where you will experience a wonderful view of the Medina and the ocean. If time permits, you will have a drive through Tangier to get a feel of the city. Afterwards you will continue over the foothills of the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen. Overnight in a traditional Moroccan riad.
Day 4 CHEFCHAOUEN - FES
After breakfast in your riad, you will start travelling to Fes via Ouazzane and the Roman site of Volubilis. After a couple of hours drive, you will get to Volubilis, the well preserved Roman empire dating to 225 BC, where you will see the most beautiful Mosaics in Morocco dating back to 3rd century BC. Here you will have a guided tour of the site and learn a lot about the Roman Empire. After that we traveled to Meknes, the Ismaili capital of Morocco. In Meknes we see the fascinating gate Bab Mansour built by the sultan My Ismail; the granary and the Sahrij Souani, used for irrigation and plantation. Your visit also includes the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum. We then continue via the highway to Fes.
Day 5 FES SIGHTSEEING
This trip begins in Fes, the oldest lively medina in the world that many refer to as an actively living museum embracing ancient and modern times. In the morning, we will be visiting the attractions of Fez as the medieval medina with its Attarine and Bou Anania Medersas, Nejjarine fountain, Moulay Idriss mausoleum, Mausoleum (Zaouia Sidi Ahmed Tijani), and the Karaouine mosque. We will also visit traditional cooperatives and then experience a wonderful panoramic view over the whole Medina of Fes from a Riad terrace. In the afternoon, we will head to see Fes el Jdid – new Fez where you can have some modern activities before you spend your night in a Riad in the old Medina.
Day 6 FES - MERZOUGA DESERT
After breakfast, you will leave Fes travelling towards Merzouga to Midelt and the Ziz valley. Today you will travel via the Ifrane city, a beautiful mountain village, named the Switzerland of Morocco. Here you will also stop at the cedar forest on the middle Atlas Mountains. During this journey you’ll experience glimpses of the Middle Atlas and Higher Atlas mountains and stop at Azrou, a Berber village in the middle of the famous cedar forest – the largest one in Morocco – where you will have the opportunity to see the Barbary apes. After that, your journey continues to Midelt along the magnificent hills and mountains of the Atlas. After lunch in Midelt, you’ll be travelling through the fascinating Tiz Ntalghamt pass and the spectacular Ziz Gorge, taking in views of the High Atlas plateau, seeing how the scenery changes to reveal hints of the desert as you approach the province of the south-east Errachidia city. Afterwards, you’ll travel along the fantastic Ziz Valley, stopping for panoramic views along the way to Erfoud and Rissani. Arriving in Merzouga in the afternoon you’ll be welcomed with a glass of mint tea. Then take a camel ride in the dunes of the Sahara Desert of Merzouga to reach the camp where you will have the night.
Day 7 MERZOUGA - TODRA GORGE - DADES - OUARZAZATE
Your camel guide will wake you up early in the morning to watch what may be the best sunrise of your life. You’ll peacefully comel-trek back to the village of Merzouga. Enroute you couldn’t fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes – changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast and a hot shower on the riad, you’ll leave for Rissani , Tinghir, and Todgha gorges – the highest, narrowest gorges in Morocco. After lunch in the heart of the gorge we’ll drive through the Dades Valley, where you’ll see the majestic sand castles and the amazing rock formations known as « monkey toes ''. Overnight accommodation will be in a beautiful place in ouarzazate city with dinner and breakfast.
Day 8 OURZAZATE - AIT BEN HADDOU - HIGH ATLAS - MARRAKECH
After breakfast in your accommodation, Continue to Marrakech via the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah. Built by Et Hami El Glaoui, one of the last Berber chieftains during the 19th century, now the Kasbah is a house of many Glaoui people. Your journey will continue through the majestic Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2260 m) over the High Atlas Mountains, where you will have the opportunity to explore the process of producing the Argan oil- existing only in morocco – by Berber women in their cooperative, before arriving at your overnight accommodation in Marrakech.
Day 9 MARRAKECH SIGHTSEEING TOUR
After breakfast in the Riad, we will start exploring Marrakech “ the red city of Morocco”. We will visit the most imperial sites of historical and cultural interest, namely the Saadian tombs, the Bahia Palace, and the Koutoubia Minaret. In the afternoon we will visit the famous Djemaa El Fna square with its surrounding souks and handicraft quarters, as well as storytellers, musicians and snake-enchanters in public-circles. In the evening, it is optional to attend the Fantasia Show with dinner; then return to the Riad where you will spend a tranquil night.
Day 10 MARRAKECH - ESSAOUIRA
We will leave from Marrakech at 8 in the morning and drive for about 170 km, passing vast landscapes dotted with sheep and goats grazing on argan trees (which only grow in the wild and on which the goats climb to eat berries) and the occasional small village. If you wish, it is possible to stop for an argan oil tasting where the argan oil is extracted by a small cooperative run completely by women. This oil is very famous for its uses in cooking and especially in cosmetics.
A few kilometers further away, there is a panoramic view of Essaouira, a small blue and white town on the beautiful Atlantic Coast. Once you arrive in the port, you are free to discover its charm at your leisure. You can have a stroll along the quays which are full of life, where you can watch fishing boats coming back to the port, fishermen unloading their daily catch, and all the activities linked with the work of fishermen. You can feast on a cornucopia of freshly caught seafood options in a local restaurant overlooking the sea.
The visit to the town is pleasant and the sights varied, from the ramparts to the Medina. In Medina you will see a number of local artists and lots of craft shops, many of them exhibiting craft objects made of thuya wood. Marquetry remains the speciality of Essaouira (but be aware that the wood is rare and comes with sustainability issues).
Day 11 ESSAOUIRA - EL JADIDA - CASABLANCA
After breakfast, transfer to Casablanca via Safi, Oualidia and El Jadida. Safi was under protectorate by the Portuguese Empire from 1488 to 1541, while the fortress built to protect the city, under Portuguese rule, is still there today. Safi is the main fishing port for the country’s sardine industry, and also exports phosphates, textiles and ceramics. During the Second World War, Safi was one of the landing sites for Operation Torch. After Safi, stop at Oualidia for lunch before continuing through El Jadida to Casablanca for dinner and overnight.
Day 12 CASABLANCA AIRPORT DROP OFF
After breakfast , we will transfer you to Casablanca's airport for your flight back home.
What's Included:
Accommodation:
- 10 nights in hotels/Riads ( 3 & 4 stars )
- 1 night in the luxury camp in Merzouga dunes
Guide:
English speaking Driver & English speaking local guides
Meals :
- 11 breakfasts & one dinner at Merzouga desert camp
This tour offers Jain, Vegetarian, Vegan and Halal food options on request. Simply let Discover Morocco Tours know the food option that you prefer.
Additional Services :
- A bottle of water everyday for per person
- Camel ride in Erg chebbi
- Sandboarding in the dunes
- Free time to explore the sites, Breaks for photos,..Etc
Customized & Flexible stops
- Entrance fees to monuments, studios and Kasbahs
- Turban each for the Camel trip in the Desert
- Fuel
Transport :
- Private transportation in with A/C
- Airport transfer in Casablanca
- Pick up/drop off at your hotels/Riads
Optional :
- ATVs ( Quad biking in Merzouga desert )
- 2 Hours of Cooking class in Fes or Marrakech
Excluded :
- Personal expenses (gifts, souvenirs...)
- 10 Dinners ,Lunches in local cafes and Restaurants
- Beverages e.g. alcoholic,sodas,mineral water ect.