13 Days Culture tour itinerary for morocco: Delight With Best Of Moroccan City Attractions

• Start the tour at Casablanca. On arrival, be greeted with your Moroccan tour guide. Complimentary airport transfers are provided for clients.

• There is an optional visit to see the fabulous Hassan II Mosque before we set forth along the coast heading north, towards Rabat, the city that was established as the capital of their protectorate by the French in 1912 and since independence has served as the capital of a modern Morocco. It will be a 1 hour drive (Meals:D / hotel or Riad).

• This morning we will have the opportunity to explore the city's historic heart, with a guided walking tour of the area around the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, before wandering through the engaging Kasbah des Oudaias, that was originally a fortified town, now infused with a distinctly Andalusian flavour.

• After taking in the sumptuous grandeur of the Royal Palace, we will continue our journey to the North toward the Rif Mountains to reach the impressive Chefchaouen town. This will be a  3 hours drive ( Meals: B / hotel or Riad).

• Explore Chefchaouen, one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco, and a stunning village situated at the feet of the Rif Mountains. The Chefchaouen medina has a Spanish-style square surrounded by many funky arts and crafts stores, roof-top restaurants and cafes.

• After lunch, our exciting journey will continue southwards to the country’s cultural capital, Fes. You will cross many Berber villages and towns in the Rife Mountains and also the fertile Saisse hills.

*Meals: B  / City drive and walk  / 3 hrs drive/hotel or Riad.

• Use the full day today to take in the artisan capital of Morocco and during the morning's sightseeing we will have a chance to take in the mosques and souks of the Fes el Bali, view the Royal Palace and drive out to North Bori for some great views back across the city. Craftwork made and sold in the Fes medina is considered amongst the finest in Morocco and a tour through its artisan districts reveal weavers and brass workshops, coppersmiths and tanners producing beautiful pieces much as they can. Beautiful buildings abound in this city as well, including the Sanctuary of Moulay Idriss 2nd, the Karouine Mosque and the Al Andalus Mosque.

• After lunch, our exploration of the city continues with a tour of Fes El Bali (Old Fes), exploring the souks in the backstreets, wandering past the spice stalls and taking in the opulent majesty of the 14th century Attarin Medersa, whose intricate decoration and elegant design makes it one of the city's most captivating medieval colleges.

*City drive and walk / local guide / Meals: B  / Hotel or Riad.

• Begin with exploring the ancient Roman ruins, at Volubilis - the capital of the Roman province of Mauritania Tangitana. The detailed mosaics here are still intact and the site gives a good idea of the layout of provincial settlements.

• After a local visit of the area with a local site guide, we will drive through spectacular landscapes toward the magnificent imperial city of Meknes for a guided tour of major city highlights including the old granaries of the Heri es-Souni and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail.

• In the late afternoon, get transferred back to accommodation place in Fes.

*City drive and walk   /local guides (Volubilis/Meknes)  /  4 hrs drive /  Meals: B  / Hotel or Riad.

• Turning south today, we climb steadily into the dramatic landscapes of the Middle Atlas, heading first towards to Immouzer and Ifrane, also known as the "Switzerland of Africa" and passing near the small mountain village of Azrou, which in the Berber tongue translates as 'the rock'. This is the land of the fiercely independent Berbers, the Lords of the Atlas, whose traditions and ways still hold sway up here in their mountain strongholds far away from the cities below. The Berbers present us with a unique view of a way of life lost to the rest of North Africa, where music and dance, even language and religion, are far removed from their Arab neighbors.

• Continuing into the Berber sheep raising country, we will head to Timahdite and pass the Col du Zad, before crossing the Tizi N' Talghemt Camel Pass and continuing via the Gorge du Ziz to Er Rachidia.

• Reach Merzouga, an area of spectacular high dunes that are amongst Morocco’s most spectacular natural landscapes. Here, we can do a camel ride trek crossing the sand dunes to reach our desert camp for a stay in traditional Berber-style tents to truly appreciate the captivating tranquility of this desert setting.

*6 hrs drive / Meals:  B, D / Camel ride (1hr 30 min)  / Camp.

• Wake up early, just prior to sunrise, and do a camel trek back to the Auberge in Merzouga. Enjoy the spectacular sunrise over the sand dunes.

• After breakfast, leave the southern desert behind and head for the mountains once more. Follow an ancient route along the southern slopes of the Atlas, and reach the town of Tinerhir. This is our base from which to explore the towering vistas of the Todra Gorge.

• Continue with drive westwards through El Kelaa des M'Gouna positioned at the foot of a rocky outcrop that separates the Dades and Mgoun Valleys. Famed for its roses, the town lies blanketed under a landscape of scented blooms each spring, which are then harvested in May during the famous Festival of the Roses and processed into rosewater to be sold throughout the Islamic world.

• Reach Ouarzazate which is known for its spectacular landscape and the ancient Kasbahs.

*1 hrs 30 min Camel ride / 5 hrs drive /1 hrs walk (Gores) /  Meals: B/ Kasbah or Hotel.

• This morning, explore the beauty of Ouarzazate before a drive to the fascinating Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, the small fortified Berber settlement that has been classified as a World Heritage Site and is considered by many to be one of Morocco's most picturesque settings. Studded with crenellated towers and richly decorated, the town's Kasbah is quite spectacular and also an ideal location for filming scenes from Jesus of Nazareth and Lawrence of Arabia.

• Continue to discover other nice places such as Tazenakht, the high plateau of Taliouine and the Safran village at the foot of the Djebel Siroua Mountains.

• Reach the lower regions and the Souss Valley amidst a landscape of Argan trees. These trees, which are unique to Morocco, produce oil somewhat similar to olive oil that is used for both cosmetic and culinary purposes.

*Meals: B /1 hrs walk (Kasbah)  / 4 hrs drive  / Hotel or Kasbah.

• Start our day by discovering this impressive Berber market town of Taroudant.

• Continue driving through the spectacular Agadir city and along a winding coastal road to Essaouira, a former pirates' lair. The first section of this journey is almost sub-tropical with sheltered valleys where bananas are cultivated intensively. Much of the higher ground is given over to Argan trees, and here where you're likely to spot the improbable sight of a tree full of goats – the goats climb into the trees to eat whatever they can. Fortunately, the Argan trees are largely resistant to this kind of assault.

*5 hrs drive / Meals: B/ Hotel or Riad.

• Enjoy a free day at Essaouira. See the wide sandy beaches here wherein you can hire camels, go for long walks or even try kite-surfing. Explore the town with its great fish restaurants and bazaars or eat at a stall on the quayside.

*Meals: B /Hotel or Riad.

• Spend the morning at your leisure in Essaouira.

• After lunch, we will drive toward the fascinating Red city of Marrakech allowing time to take a stroll around its celebrated Djemma El Fna Square. A feast for the senses, the square is a wonderful confusion of noise and color, where you will find the streets alive with storytellers, musicians, jugglers and water-sellers: the perfect place to haggle for some last minute presents, or just sit at a cafe and watch the spectacle unfold before you.

*Meals: B/2 hrs drive / Hotel or Riad.

• Today has been left to explore the red city that has for centuries been a meeting place for the mountain Berbers and the desert peoples of the south. Do a sightseeing tour of Morocco's fascinating Red City. Like many North African towns, Marrakech is divided into two distinct parts, the Gueliz (the modern French-built city) and the Medina (the Old City).  Journeying into this vibrant city with a local guide affords a chance to discover some of its most enthralling sites. See Djemma-el-Fna, a site not to be missed and a scene straight out of the pages of the Arabian Nights. Here you will find the streets and alleys alive with storytellers and musicians, jugglers and acrobats, snake charmers and clowns. Marrakech is a city like no other, boasting a staggering array of spectacular architecture and wonderful facades and not to be missed are the Koutoubia mosque and tower, Saadian tombs, Ben Youssef medersa, the Dar Si Said Palace (now the Museum of Moroccan Art) and the Menara gardens.

• In the evening, there is also an opportunity to visit a traditional Hammam.

*Meals:  B/ city guide tour  / Riad or Hotel.

• This day marks the end of your Moroccan adventure. Get transferred to the Marrakech airport for return flight back home. You can also get transferred to the Casablanca airport, depending on your flight details.