.8 Days from Casablanca to Merzouga Desert
Day 1: Casablanca
Welcome to Morocco 8 Days from Casablanca to Merzouga Desert. Following your transfer from the airport you will have a chance to relax at our joining hotel, before the pre-departure meeting at 18:00hrs, where you will meet your fellow travellers.
We recommend arriving a day before or early in the morning so you that you can join the group who started in Marrakech and visit the Hassan II Mosque in the afternoon. We are happy to arrange the pre-accommodation for you. Overnight Casablanca (Dinner included).
Day 2: Fes
After breakfast, we set off on our travels to the capital city of Rabat. We have a guided tour of the city where we will be visiting the Oudaia Kasbah in the oldest part of the city and we can see the Hassan Tower, Rabat’s most famous landmark. The Royal Palace and Chellah are also a must see whilst we are here.
We continue our journey through to Fes after a lunch stop in Meknes, one of Morocco’s Imperial cities. After lunch, we move on to the Roman settlement of Volubilis for a guided tour; it is the largest ancient site in Morocco and is a UNESCO site dating back to AD 40. We then move on to Fes tonight.
Day 3: Fes
Today, we take the guided tour of Fes. Fes is the oldest and largest medieval city in the world. Its medina, home to 400,000 inhabitants, with only donkeys and bikes as a means of transportation, is a heady mix of aromas, sights and sounds. There are plenty of mosques and palaces to visit, but be aware that only Muslims can enter mosques in Morocco.
After exploring the dye-pits, tanneries, pharmacy, pottery and restaurants, we return to our hotel to freshen up for tonight, where we have the chance of an optional traditional meal in the city with live Moroccan entertainment including traditional music, belly dancing and magicians.
Day 4: Sahara Berber Camp
Excitement is in the air as we head towards the mighty Saharan Dunes. En-route we stop off for an optional lunch and in the summer, we may even have time for a relaxing swim.
It is then time to head towards the great desert dunes of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga where we transfer to our camels and trek in to the vast Sahara Desert in time for sunset. We then return to our authentic Berber Camp on the edge of the desert to spend the night enjoying local food, music and an amazing night out under the Saharan stars.
Day 5: Todra Gorge
Leaving the desert, we move on to Todra Gorge. This 1000ft gorge is hemmed in on all sides by vertical limestone cliffs and is affectionately known as Morocco’s Grand Canyon. We’ll visit a favourite Berber co-operative where you can see and buy authentic, Berber handmade rugs, kilims and carpets.
The afternoon can be spent exploring the Gorge, walking through the Palmerie or trying our optional activity of rock climbing. The charm of Todra lies in its changing colours as the sun slowly moves from east to west.
Day 6: Ait Benhaddou
We must bid a fond farewell to Todra this morning on our way to Ait Benhaddou via Ouarzazate. We will stop for lunch along the way and have a chance for an optional tour of the film studios in Ouarzazate, famous for movies such as Gladiator, The Last Temptation of Christ and The Living Daylights. If you need a more adventurous activity, you have the option to go quad biking instead.
On a hill along the Ouarzazate River we find Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which boasts great examples of Kasbahs, some of which remain inhabited. This afternoon we have a guided tour of the famous Kasbah and village.
Day 7: Marrakech
We traverse the High Atlas today enjoying stunning views en-route to Marrakech. Why not book our optional guided tour of the city this afternoon?
Marrakech is set against the snow-capped Atlas Mountains; Its great pride and landmark is the Koutoubia Tower, sister to the Tower of Hassan in Rabat and the Giralda Tower in Seville.
It is said that after the third of these was completed, the sultan had the eyes of his architect put out, lest he should build another more beautiful tower elsewhere. No visit to the city is complete without a visit to the city’s UNESCO-listed medina and Djemâa-el-Fna, an extraordinary gathering and marketplace.
The rest of the afternoon is free time to relax by the pool or do a little shopping for souvenirs before we meet for the last group evening meal.
Day 8: Marrakech
Your adventure tour ends after breakfast.
