8-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca to Marrakech via Fes and Volubilis

On arrival at Casablanca Airport, meet the representative and transfer to your hotel.

The adventure begins at 6 pm with an important welcome meeting.

If there is time to spare, then a great option is to visit the Villa des Arts. This gorgeous Art Deco gallery building dates back to the 1930s and holds numerous exhibitions of contemporary Moroccan and international art.

Also, discover a unique and fascinating part of Moroccan history at the Museum of Judaism.

Visit one of the most impressive sites in Casablanca – the massive edifice of the Mosque of Hassan II. Opened in 1993, and second only in size to the great mosque at Mecca, the huge building sits partly on land and partly over the sea, and in one area, water can be seen through a glass floor. It is one of the only religious sites open to non-Muslims.

Later, leave Casablanca and drive north along the coast to Rabat (approximately 1.5 hours), the elegant capital of Morocco and its first Imperial city. It contains numerous fine Arab monuments, some dating from the 10th to 15th century Almohad and Merenid dynasties, and others that are far older.

Start with a walk through the medina and souks, then explore the lovely walled quarter known as the Kasbah des Oudaias and enjoy an included local drink.

Afterwards, continue the walk to visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the vast minaret of the Mosque of Hassan II.

In the late afternoon, continue to Meknes (approximately 2 hours), the sixth-largest city in the kingdom and former capital of Morocco.

Discover the charming streets of Meknes’ medina – the old walled section of the city.

Enter via the northern gate, Bab Berdaine, and walk to the shrine of Moulay Ismail, who, in the 17th century, turned Meknes from a provincial town into a spectacular Imperial city.

Visit Moulay Ismail Mausoleum. This peaceful and spiritual resting place of Sultan Moulay Ismail is one of the few sacred sites in Morocco open to non-Muslims.

Take some time to soak up the atmosphere of this place before driving out of the city to the ruins of Volubilis (approximately 45 minutes). Volubilis was once a provincial Roman capital, a distant outpost of the empire, and the remains make an undeniably impressive sight. Volubilis is the foremost Roman site in Morocco and was declared a World Heritage site in 1997.

Upon arrival, take a tour around the ruins with a local guide. Don’t forget to take your camera as the town is filled with fantastic mosaics along the Decumanus Maximus, many of which remain intact.

After time spent imagining Volubulis as the bustling city it once was, continue to the living museum of Fes for the night (approximately 1.5 hours).

Check in to your hotel in the late afternoon, and perhaps spend the evening relaxing in this calming oasis, away from the buzz of the Fes streets.

Fes is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco: vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming – a visual and pungent feast for the senses. Head into the huge, well-preserved medieval old city, known locally as Fes el-Bali, and the mother of all medinas. Medieval Fes was one of the world's great centres of education and culture, both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and libraries are legendary, its mosques of great renown.

Walk through the twisting streets and alleyways, passing donkeys piled high with goods, and explore the speciality sections that divide the souk. Filled with historic khans, madrasas and dye-pits, stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and soups, and where the squawk of chickens, the smell of spice and sound of hammering of copper fills the air, it’s hard not to imagine yourself back in the Middle Ages.

Spend the day exploring the old city, visiting El-Attarine Madrasa, the tanneries and the splendid Fondouk el-Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th-century inn.

Return to your hotel in the late afternoon and listen to the amazing 'call to prayer' from the roof of your hotel. Your leader will be on hand to talk you through some of the most interesting customs and traditions of Moroccan people.

Later in the evening, seek out a memorable dinner of one of the city’s signature dishes, the salty and sweet pastille.

Bin el Ouidane is the destination today. Drive approximately 7 hours in a comfortable private van, with frequent stops along the way, and witness the beautiful and ever-changing Moroccan landscape as well as slow, rural life. Small village shops often sell original handicrafts, too, if you’d like to stock up on souvenirs.

Also, experience the art of tea-making. Join a local family for a cup of truly delicious mint tea and share a home-cooked lunch with them too. Bin el Ouidane is a small settlement beautifully placed on the bank of the lake, surrounded by sheer rocks.

Take a moment to sit back and enjoy the calm and peacefulness of the place. Perhaps take a short walk for a closer look at the majestic Bin el Ouidane dam, an arch-shaped wall that not only provides hydroelectric power to the surrounding settlements but also irrigates fields in Beni Moussa and the Tadla plains.

Drive for approximately 3 hours from Bin el Ouidane to Marrakech. 

Enjoy a stop en route at Ouzoud Falls.

Spend some time admiring these multi-tiered falls, then continue to Marrakech.

On arrival in Marrakech, check in to your beautiful riad, or Moroccan mansion.

In the evening, head to the great square of Djemaa el-Fna, one of the largest public spaces in the world and unique to Marrakech. When night falls it transforms into a hive of activity. Henna painters, performers and storytellers share the square with a street food bazaar, packed with stalls loaded with Moroccan delicacies.

Enjoy a bite of famous Moroccan pastries with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and then finish your day with a cup of tea on one of the rooftop restaurants overlooking the square.

After breakfast, meet your local Marrakech tour guide and set off on a morning tour of the old medina, through the bustling souks that are the lifeblood of the city.

Explore tranquil courtyards filled with the scent of orange blossom and the many salons and chambers that make up Bahia Palace. This splendid mansion was built in 1866 for a former slave who rose to power within the government.

Stop by the Koutoubia Mosque; its famous minaret is the prototype for others of its kind around the world.

Then walk back through the streets of the old medina to Djemaa el-Fna.

The rest of the day is free to explore further or shop in the bazaar. Perhaps visit Le Jardin Secret, a traditional medina garden revived for the 21st century. This historic riad has one of the most beautiful courtyards in Marrakech, combining exotic and traditional Islamic gardens that are fed by the original khettara, an underground irrigation system.

Or head back into the medina, where every step brings a new smell, a new sight or a new gift to buy. Watch skilled artisans perfect their craft, practice your haggling skills or take a break from the hustle to sip on tea or share a tajine filled with the aromas of Morocco.

For your final evening, perhaps dine on Moroccan specialities with your old-new friends in one of the traditional riads in Marrakech.

The trip ends after breakfast. Check-out time is usually around midday, and you are free to leave at any time.