10-Day Northern Morocco Imperial Cities Tour from Tangier with Sahara

• On the first day of your trip, we will meet at the port of Tangier. Drive through the Rif Mountains and the city of Tetouan, enjoying beautiful mountain views until we reach Chefchaouen, one of the impressive villages at the foot of the Rif Mountains.
• In the medina of Chefchaouen, we find the central square in Spanish style, surrounded by many craft workshops and entertaining shops. There, we will also find some of the best restaurants and cafes.
• Our trip will continue towards Volubilis through Ouazzane and other towns of the Rif. Volubilis is an important Roman archaeological site that reveals part of Morocco's historical past.
• After visiting the ruins, we will head to the nearby historic city of Meknes, where we will stop for lunch and take a stroll to contemplate the walls of its medina, Bab El Mansour, and enjoy a visit to the sanctuary of Moulay Ismail.
• After the visit to Meknes, we will go directly to the city of Fez, where you will spend the night in a riad.

• After breakfast in your riad, you will begin discovering the oldest city in Morocco, walking through its streets and alleys.
• Our visit begins with the Royal Palace, the Bab Bou Jeloud Gate, the Jewish quarter, and the first mellah ever built in Morocco during the 16th century.
• We will make sure that you visit all sites of cultural and historical interest, including the famous Al Qaraouine University, the oldest in Africa, the tanneries, the Attarine Museum, and the Moulay Idriss Mausoleum.
• After lunch, we will visit the tile cooperative and then enjoy a fantastic panoramic view over the entire medina of Fez.

Accommodation and dinner in a riad.

• After breakfast at your hotel, you will leave for Merzouga. The route will take us to Ifrane, the fascinating pass of Tiz Ntalghamt, and the Gorges of the Ziz. You will be able to observe the views of the High Atlas plateau and see the changing landscape reveal the first desert tracks as you approach the city of Errachidia.
• Afterwards, you will travel along the exuberant Ziz Valley, where stops will be made along the road to Erfoud and Rissani to enjoy different panoramic views.
• Upon arrival in Merzouga, we will welcome you with a traditional glass of mint tea, followed by a camel ride that will take you to a tent camp in the middle of the Erg Chebbi desert to spend a night surrounded by the dunes and the music of Berber drums.

• We will get up early to see the sunrise over the dunes of the Sahara before walking back with the camels to the hotel for breakfast and a shower.
• Later, the route will take us through the Saghro Mountains to Tinghir.
• We will take a short walk through the Todra Gorges before reaching the Dades Valley for dinner and accommodation.

• After breakfast at the hotel, we will travel through the Dades Valley towards Kelaa Mgouna and Ouarzazate. The tour through the Dades Valley follows the path of the thousand kasbahs and provides numerous opportunities to take some of the best photographs of the trip, as well as of the adjoining Valley of Roses.
• We will continue to the city of Ouarzazate, famous for its film studios.
• On the way to Marrakech, you will visit the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, the largest kasbah in Morocco, built by T-Hami El Glaoui, one of the last Berber chiefs at the beginning of the 20th century. It used to be one of the stops on the long journey from the Sahara to Marrakech, and it is now declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As we cross the High Atlas, the landscape changes drastically, revealing attractive panoramic views and Berber villages on the way to Marrakech.

Accommodation in a riad.

• After breakfast in the riad, you will visit Marrakech, the "red city". We will make sure that you visit the most important places of historical and cultural interest, including the Majorelle Gardens, the Koutoubia Tower, the Saadian Tombs, and the Bahia Palace.
• After lunch at a restaurant near the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, we will visit the souks to find examples of different crafts.
• In the afternoon, free time will be available to explore other parts of the city.

• After breakfast, we will drive to Casablanca on the highway. In Casablanca, we will visit the Hassan II Mosque, the only mosque open to tourists for visits.
• After the mosque, we will drive along the Corniche and then visit the Notre-Dame de Lourdes Cathedral.
• We will then continue to Rabat. Once in Rabat, we will stop for lunch and begin the city tour, including the Hassan Mosque and its unusual tower. Nearby, we will visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V.
• After that, we will drive to visit the Kasbah of Chellah, the old Marinid kasbah.
• Then, we will continue to the coast to visit the Kasbah of the Udayas and a very important art gallery not to be missed.
• After the visit, you will have some free time to drink mint tea on one of the terraces near the kasbah or check in to your hotel.

• After breakfast in Rabat, we will drive to the city of Meknes. The vast palaces, the forty kilometres of walls, and the bastions beside its monumental gates give this city an immense appearance.
• The visit ends at the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the city's founder.
• After the city tour of Meknes, we will head to Volubilis, the ancient Roman ruins, where you will have free time to explore the site. We will then drive to the panoramic viewpoint of Moulay Idriss to take fantastic pictures of the small green town.
• After that, we will drive back to Meknes, where we will spend the night.

• Today, we will drive once again through the Rif Mountains and their amazing landscapes to reach the city of Chefchaouen.
• Arrive in Chaouen and enjoy free time to explore the city on your own.

Overnight in a hotel or guest house.

• After breakfast, we will drive back to Tangier through the city of Tetouan and arrive in Tangier, where the tour ends.