13-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca to Marrakesh with Sahara Camp

• Your private driver will pick you up from the airport when you land in Casablanca today. The Hassan II Mosque, which has one of the tallest minarets in the world, is where your Moroccan adventure begins. The only mosque that is accessible to the general public for interior tours is this impressive structure, which showcases the best of Moroccan architecture.
• You will travel toward Rabat after lunch in order to visit the Hassan Tower, a minaret of the incomplete mosque, and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V. There are only the minaret and about 200 incomplete columns left in the area. 
• You'll stay in Rabat tonight, and your driver can recommend restaurants for you to choose from for dinner.

• You'll travel to Chefchaouen today. Walls, doors, windows, stairways, alleyways, and archways—everything is a combination of pastel, sky-blue, and richer hues—make this small city a visual delight. The Rif Mountains' Chefchaouen is a popular destination for tourists seeking a taste of traditional Morocco.
• You can relax or take it easy after checking into your riad, a traditional Moroccan home. The main square, Place Outa el Hammam, is a good place to observe daily life. You can find town life if you take the winding, confusing alleys uphill from the touristy areas. Budget-conscious shoppers will love shopping here because they can find handcrafted wool clothing, woven blankets, cedarwood furniture, and other artisanal goods. Make sure to get an upside-down coffee called a maqlouba and enjoy it while observing the neighbourhood women fetch water and wash their clothes in the spring nearby.
• Before going to bed for the evening, take time to enjoy dinner alone.

• Keep an eye out for Chefchaouen's blue structures, which sparkle in the early morning light. To see the sunrise over the mountains from the nearby Spanish Mosque, make sure to get up early. You can take this opportunity to explore the town in relative peace since many stores don't open until 10 am.
• You'll then set out on a guided hike through the Rif Mountains. Here, you can hike to the Cascades d'Akchour, a breathtaking waterfall that will be the subject of many photos, and you can explore the surrounding wilderness among cedar trees. 
• Along the way, you'll also come across smaller waterfalls where, depending on the weather, you can cool off in the water. Take the inclining path to God's Bridge, a naturally occurring rock formation, on the other side of the river. The bridge can also be seen from below by going further down the canyon.
• When you return to Chefchaouen, explore the medina and take in the scenery. Go for a stroll to the market, where you can purchase some fresh fruit, and then observe the locals going about their daily lives while wearing vibrantly coloured traditional attire. You can eat dinner whenever you want, and the rest of the evening is yours to unwind before your next tour tomorrow.

• You'll bid Chefchaouen adieu today and head south to Fes. You'll stop en route to see the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco, Volubilis, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Explore the expansive complex and its many well-preserved mosaics, large merchant homes with apparent heating systems, and temples. 
• Before stopping in Meknes, you'll eat lunch in Moulay Idriss, Morocco's first Islamic capital and a location of ongoing cultural significance that from a distance resembles a sitting camel. You can wander around the medina more leisurely than you might in Fes because it is smaller.
• You can see gardens, palaces, the imposing Bab al-Mansour gate, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, and the Royal Stables as your driver guides you through Ville Impériale. Be on the lookout for Roman columns concealed in unexpected places because many of these palaces were built with materials from Volubilis. Fes, one of Morocco's four imperial cities, is where the day will come to an end. Moulay Idriss I founded Fes, and his son Moulay Idriss II made it the centre of the Idrisid dynasty. The late afternoon and evening are yours to do as you please after settling into your riad in Fes' medina.
• The world's largest car-free urban area is Fes' historic medina, a maze of winding streets that climb both sides of a narrow river valley. While exploring, you'll probably get lost, but that can also be liberating. The key to leaving the medina is to be aware of whether you are walking uphill or downhill at all times. Generally, ascending a hill will bring you to the edge of the medina, where you can hail a taxi or more clearly see your destination.

• After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you to begin your daylong exploration of the Fes medina. This medina, which is UNESCO-protected, is full of arms-width alleyways and donkey-wide roads. You will see daily life as well as the splendour of Fes' madrassas and palaces while touring the medina with your native-born guide who was born and raised in Fes. 
• You can meet artisans to learn about the significance of their trades and their history in Fes, which is a centre for Moroccan arts and crafts. You'll go to tanneries and mosaic studios to see how old-fashioned techniques are still used in contemporary crafts.
• Return to your riad in the afternoon and unwind for a while. After that, go on a guided tour of the neighbourhood hammam (traditional public bath). 
• After a strenuous day of walking, this is among the most soothing activities you can engage in. After your soak, you can relax further by having the entire evening to yourself.

• After breakfast today, a guided day trip to Sefrou will depart from your riad. Around 27 kilometres (17 miles) southeast of Fes, in the Middle Atlas mountain range, is the walled town of Sefrou. The town was founded as a market town in the Roman era and served as a resting place for trade caravans travelling from the Mediterranean to the Sahara desert. Then, long before Fes was created in the eighth century, it developed into a significant Moroccan town. 
• While he was constructing Fes, Moulay Idriss II resided in Sefrou. The main industry in the area is agriculture. In Sefrou, which is known for its cherry festival and is one of Morocco's oldest and most renowned regional celebrations, the mountainous terrain is ideal for fruit trees, especially cherries. The now annual celebration, which takes place in early June during the cherry harvest, was first introduced by the French in 1919. It gives the locals a chance to introduce thousands of tourists to the endearing customs, traditions, arts, and crafts of the region. On the third day of the festival, the "Miss Cherry Festival" is crowned, and there is a parade of exquisite and vibrant floats.
• You'll go to the Sefrou Craft Center while you're here (Ensemble Artisanal de Sefrou). This lovely complex, which is near the old city, houses a number of workshops where craftspeople create items out of wood, ceramic, rug weaving, silk djellaba, and silk buttons. You have the opportunity to observe their work and pick up tips here. 
• After that, you'll return to Fes for the evening, where you'll eat on your own. You can get suggestions from your guide for delectable meals.

• Get moving early today because you'll need to travel a long distance to reach the Sahara. You'll begin by passing through the town of Azrou and its cedar forests as you cross the Middle Atlas mountains. 
• You can make a quick detour from here to the picturesque Cèdre Gouraud Forest, where troops of Barbary macaques relax next to the road in old cedar trees. In Midelt, a town situated on a chilly high desert plateau, you'll take a break for lunch. Midelt is referred to as Morocco's "Apple City" for its productive orchards despite the harsh landscape. Following the Ziz Valley, you will eventually come across a number of fortified houses (ksars), which were constructed by traders to guard the gold, salt, and spices that were transported along this route. 
• You'll notice the earliest indications of Saharan dunes after passing through the Ziz Gorge. Due to their constant movement, these wind-created dunes frequently encroach upon farms, roads, and structures. 
• Visit a local artisan collective in Erfoud, a thriving market town famous for its fossils and dates, to learn about the different kinds of local fossils and to see how the fossil-rich rock is fashioned into lovely objects, both large and small.
• You can stop briefly as you get close to Merzouga to get ready for your camel ride to your desert camp. When you get there in time, you can climb a nearby dune to watch the sunset as the sun descends toward the horizon. 
• After dinner, return to camp for a night of traditional Berber music by the fire and stargazing before going to bed.

• Before you leave Erg Chebbi on a camelback and leave the camp, get up early for rewarding views of a desert sunrise. After leaving the dunes, you'll travel by car through the isolated Saharan borderlands, stopping in Rissani to see a traditional (desert) market. While you're there, make sure to visit the "donkey parking lot". Wide-ranging views of desert plains, tall mountains, rough plateaus, and specially adapted acacia forests can be seen as you travel. 
• You are welcome to pause in the village of Alnif en route to see nearby fossil workshops. There will be a lunch break in the oasis city of Tinghir. The Todra Gorge, a gorge with sheer cliffs that is a great location for hiking and bouldering, is reachable via a 40-minute excursion.
• Continue on to the Dadès Gorge, which traverses a striking landscape of mountains with stripes of red and mauve. The Berber villages of At Youl, At Arbi, At Oudinar, At Ouffi, and At Toukhsine are scattered throughout the valley's irrigated oasis of fig, almond, and olive orchards. 

You'll spend the night in Boumalne Dades and have the next day to explore the magnificent surroundings.

• Today, get up early to start your journey to Marrakesh. The journey begins in the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, where former chiefs and landowners once resided in fortified "forts." Being made of dung mud, many kasbahs are now in disrepair. This region's small towns are surrounded by a variety of farming operations, many of which still use traditional techniques. When nomads are herding their camels, goats, and sheep, they are frequently seen.
• You will see the crucial El Mansour reservoir before reaching Ouarzazate. In addition to providing water for domestic use, it also produces hydroelectricity. Discover Ouarzazate, a well-known desert centre and shooting location, and stop by one of the two film studios. 
• After that, you'll travel by car to At Benhaddou, the most well-known Kasbah in Morocco and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The old ksar is thought to have been built in the 11th century and played a significant role in trade between Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, and the southern desert. You'll spend the night close to the Kasbah.

• You'll cross the High Atlas mountains today, which separate Marrakesh from Ouarzazate. Through the Tizi n'Tichka pass, you'll wind your way up the mountain slopes that are covered in desert. 
• Enjoy sweeping views of the mountain range and the plains of Marrakesh from close to Tizi n'Tichka's summit. Watch out for Mount Toubkal, which is to your west and is the tallest mountain in North Africa. You'll notice a significant change in the climate and scenery as you descend the High Atlas' north-facing slopes, and you'll also pass through a lot of almond and walnut orchards and deep river valleys. As you approach bustling Marrakesh, you'll soon leave the peace and quiet of the desert and the mountains behind. 
• Once you arrive in Marrakesh, you can take the afternoon more leisurely. The main square of the medina, Jemaa el-Fna, comes alive in the early evening with performers, games, snake charmers, musicians, and more. Around the square, there are numerous cafés where you can eat and relax while taking in the show.

• After breakfast, you'll meet your local tour guide, who will take you through the magnificent old city of Marrakesh. You'll encounter bustling souks and confusing alleys as you wander around this UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
• Be amazed by the djellaba displays, vibrant babouches, ornately pierced lanterns, conical piles of exotic spices, and the frenetic activity of medina life. The souk, mellah, and medina neighbourhoods' histories and legends can be regaled by your knowledgeable guide. Marrakesh has some of the best cuisines in the nation, and the majority of the top chefs who work for the Royal Family are from the city. This includes street food, which you must not miss. In the country's culinary capital, ask your guide for lunchtime suggestions.
• Your private tour continues in the late afternoon, taking you to locations like the Majorelle Gardens, the Saadian Tombs, and the Bahia and El Badii Palaces. You'll go back to your hotel to unwind after your tour. The red city comes alive as dusk falls and the temperature drops and locals swarm to Jemaa el-Fna. Feel free to explore Marrakesh on your own in the evening to get a different perspective.

• You'll depart early today to travel to Casablanca along the coast, stopping along the way to explore two former Portuguese fortified cities. In El Jadida, the first city you'll come across, you can tour a hauntingly gorgeous Portuguese cistern. Along with visiting the Church of the Assumption, you can stroll the ramparts.
• The next place is Azemour, which has in the past inspired a lot of Moroccan artists, some of whom have chosen to settle here. Despite being close to the sophisticated art market of Casablanca, life here is still traditional. Artistic inspiration abounds in the decaying 16th-century medina wedged between the Oud Er-Rbia (Mother of Spring River) and the sea.
• When you arrive in Casablanca, check into your hotel in the city centre. Your tour guide will then pick you up and take you to any sites you missed when you first arrived. Enjoy the last evening of your trip. Take in Casablanca's beauty before leaving tomorrow for home.

• You'll drive 45 minutes to Casablanca Mohamed V International Airport after breakfast to get ready for your flight out. Bring back with you all the vibrant and fascinating memories of stunning Morocco.