9-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca to Marrakech with Sahara Camp

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Day 01

Arrival in Casablanca and Hassan II Mosque

• After your tour guide/driver picks you up and drops you off at your hotel, you may like to discover some of Casablanca's sights.
• Notably, visit the Hassan II Mosque, considered the largest in North Africa and the third largest in the Islamic world, with its splendid esplanade and the tallest minaret in the world.
• It is a long reach of marble and emerald zellige rising 210 meters into the sky.
• Grand and timeless, the Great Mosque is constantly busy and serves as a meeting point for Sunday strolls.

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Day 02

Casablanca, Rabat, and Chefchaouen

• If time did not allow you to visit Casablanca's sights yesterday, you can do so this morning.
• After Casablanca, Morocco's political and administrative capital, Rabat, will be waiting for us.
• Rabat may not be at the top of everyone's list, but you will be pleased to discover that it has plenty of charm.
• You will have the opportunity to explore the city on a short visit, beginning with the monumental Hassan Tower, with the pillared ruins of its mosque being all that remains after the earthquake of 1755.
• There is also the nearby Mausoleum of the royal family.
• Head further north to Chefchaouen, with its bright blue, Andalusian-tiled medina and its grand red-hued Kasbah lording over the main square of Outa Hmam.

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Day 03

Chefchaouen Discovery and Drive to Fes

• You will have a free morning to discover Chefchaouen, perched beneath the raw peaks of the Rif Mountains.
• The "Blue Town" has a mystical blue-washed medina, surely the prettiest and the smallest when compared to others in the country.
• The town remained isolated, preserving its Andalusian character and architecture. Chefchaouen is undoubtedly a place to enjoy exploring at random.
• Later on, you will be picked up by your driver/tour guide and head south to Fes, where you can prepare for tomorrow's amazing tour to discover the mysteries and secrets of the 9000 alleyways that make up this maze. Do not panic - the guide will show you the must-see sites.

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Day 04

Guided Tour of Fes Medina

• With your private local guide, you will have the opportunity to discover the ancient breeding ground for scholars and artisans and the largest medina in the world.
• You will see the America Fondouk, Nejjarines, the Tanneries, the Medersa (theological college), and Karaouine, the first established university in the world.
• Your guide will shed light on many tales and the 1200 years of history of this UNESCO-protected medina.

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Day 05

From Fes to the Sahara via Ifrane, Midelt, and Ziz Valley

• An early-morning start is recommended for this day.
• We leave Fes and head southeast towards Merzouga, the gateway into the golden dunes of the Sahara Desert.
• En route, we will pass by the cedar forests of Ifrane, the Switzerland of Morocco, where you might think that you are in the Alps.
• If we're lucky, we'll come across the Barbary Macaques on our way to Midelt, where we'll stop for lunch.
• After lunch, we'll drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains to reach the Ziz Valley, considered one of the largest producers of oasis dates in Morocco.
• Then it's off to Merzouga, home to the highest dunes in Morocco. You can store any baggage and bring an overnight bag with you.
• You'll have the chance to be accompanied by a camel and a blue-turban-robed guide into the sandy seas.
• After an hour-long camel ride, you will be among the lucky ones to watch the sun set over the Sahara dunes and spend the night in a Bedouin-style tent.

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Day 06

Sunrise in Merzouga, Erfoud, Todgha Gorge, and Dades

• This morning, you'll wake up with the sun shining on your face to witness what we hope will be a glorious sunrise among the dunes.
• Watch the light creep slowly down the dunes as you stay warm and cozy under blankets for an early breakfast.
• After an hour's camel ride back out of the desert, you will depart and head for Erfoud, where you can marvel at the million-year-old fossils that the area is famous for.
• Then head north for a sublime experience in the Todgha Gorges, where we'll explore between the gigantic rock faces.
• Arriving in Dades Gorge, rust-red and mauve mountains greet you. A series of crumbling Kasbahs and Ksours line the valley in the Berber villages to the Monkey Finger Mountains.
• If we get there early and you still have some energy to hike for a couple of hours, we will drop off our luggage at the hotel and get ready for a hike.

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Day 07

Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou

• Depart Dades at 8:00 am, traversing the Valley of Roses and Dagger Valley straight to the 11th-century UNESCO-protected red mud-brick ksar, which has formed the backdrop for many Hollywood productions such as Lawrence of Arabia, Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus of Nazareth, Gladiator, Game of Thrones, and many others.
• You might also like to explore Ouarzazate, home to Taourirt Kasbah and the "Ouallywood" studio.
• Continue across the memorable Tizi n'Tichka Pass via North Africa's highest peak in the High Atlas Mountains, with Berber villages lined along the road, to arrive in Marrakech, where you will have time to explore the cacophony of musicians, snake charmers, and vendors in the famed open-air Jemaa el-Fnaa square, along with the highly recommended sites with your guide.

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Day 08

Marrakech Medina, Palaces, and Gardens

• After breakfast, you'll continue with your local guide, exploring the old part of the Red City, with the medina's narrow lanes leading to lavish sites, tombs, and religious monuments decked out in marble.
• Bahia Palace, El-Badii Palace, and Saadien's Tombs are highlights to check off the list.
• Afterwards, your driver/tour guide will pick you up from outside the medina to explore the Majorelle Garden, Museum Saint Laurent, and Berber Museum.
• While in Marrakech, you will surely encounter thousands of motorcyclists and horse-drawn carts roaming the city, and some of them pull over next to the vast square of Jemaa el-Fnaa, where it's carnival every night with musicians, acrobats, storytellers, and slapstick comedy troupes around the medina.

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Day 09

Departure from Marrakech or Casablanca

• Your driver/tour guide will pick you up six hours before your flight to head to Casablanca Mohamed 5 Airport.
• If your flight departs from Marrakech, your driver will pick you up from your hotel 3 hours before your departure time.