15 Days Tour Of Morocco From Casablanca

INTRODUCTION :

An immersion in the most evocative places of Morocco, a mix between Africa and the Middle East that will let itself be discovered slowly. With off-road vehicles we leave from the great metropolis of Casablanca and head north to enjoy the atmosphere of Tangier and the villages in the Rif Mountains. We will appreciate the charm of the Medina of Fes before exploring the seductive Sahara and the ocher villages located in the Atlas chain. We will travel through an unusual Morocco sides that will take us along the slopes of the Anti Atlas, between lunar landscapes and the Sahara plains to the Atlantic coast, where the noise of the ocean and the fishermen’s vocation are transformed into poetry. The Tour ends in Marrakech to enjoy a thousand and one nights atmosphere.

DAY 1 : ARRIVAL CASABLANCA

Arrival at the airport of Casablanca, processing of customs formalities and transfer to the hotel, overnight stay.

 DAY 2 : CASABLANCA – RABAT – ASILAH – TANGIER

Breakfast. And a short tour of Casablanca, a crowded metropolis of Morocco and a place of strong contrasts. From the outside we will see the Hassan II Mosque, Morocco’s largest mosque, before leaving with off-road vehicles to Rabat, an elegant capital on the Atlantic coast. Visit the most significant monuments of the city, in particular the exterior of the Royal Palace, the Hassan Tour, the Mohammed V Mausoleum and the Kasbah of the Oudaya, a fortress strategically located on the ocean. Continue to Asilah, a charming town with whitewashed buildings situated idyllically on the ocean. We will pass through the network of narrow streets of the Medina, where the stories of the ancient peoples who reigned here in the past, from the Phoenicians to the Romans, up to the Spanish and the Portuguese, intertwine. Arrival in Tangier hotel accommodation and overnight stay.

 DAY 3 : TANGIER – THE RIF MOUNTAINS, TETOUAN AND CHEFCHAOUEN

After breakfast we will start our day with a visit to Tangier, a city strategically located on the Strait of Gibraltar, one of the most important places in the Mediterranean. We will walk through the alleys of the center, enjoying the atmosphere of the past when, towards the beginning of the 20th century, the city enjoyed a lucky period of splendor. Tangier in 1923 was declared a neutral zone without taxes and thus attracted many traders, businessmen and inevitably famous artists who spent long periods of stay here: from Matisse to Dumas, from Majorelle to Delacroix. In the afternoon with the off-road vehicles we enter the green and mountainous Rif Region, away from mass tourism. We will discover the villages of Tetouan and Chefchaouen, authentic whitewashed jewels of white and blue, magnificent villages set in the mountains. Hotel accommodation in Chefchaouen, overnight stay. Half board that includes dinner.

 DAY 4 : CHEFCHAOUEN – VOLUBILIS – MEKNES – FES

Breakfast at the hotel and drive along the Rif mountains to reach Volubilis, an ancient Roman city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to the nearby Meknes, an ancient and elegant imperial city surrounded by kilometers of imposing walls. Visit the most significant monuments including the beautifully decorated Bab Mansour Gate, the water cistern, the remains of the Palace dedicated to Moulay Ismail, ancient ruler of Meknes and the Kingdom of Morocco, the mausoleum and the mosque dedicated to him. At the end of the visits, continuation to Fes. Accommodation in Riad, overnight. Half board that includes dinner.

 DAY 5 : FES, THE LABYRINTH OF THE MEDINA

Breakfast. Meeting with the guide and visit of Fes, the heart of the country. The charming medieval Medina hides in its labyrinthine streets ancient palaces and enchanting views that bear witness to the importance that the city has had over the centuries. The guided city Tour of Fes includes the visit of the most significant monuments including the Medersa Bou Inania, considered the oldest University in the world and the Medersa Attarine; the Nejjarine square dominated by one of the city’s most beautiful fountains, the Karaouine Mosque. Visit to the leather tanneries and the weavers’ funduqs before getting lost in the colorful souqs of the city. At the end of the visits return to the riad. Half board including dinner in a local restaurant.

 DAY 6 : FES – IFRANE – MERZOUGA AND CAMEL TREK

Breakfast. Departure towards South East towards the dunes of the Sahara. Along the way we will appreciate enchanting landscapes and various landscapes. Along a mountain road we reach Ifrane, a delightful place characterized by an Afro-alpine climate, the forests of fir and cedar scent the air. Continuation towards Midelt and Errachidia; the plateau at the foot of the Chain of the Middle Atlas is arid and rocky, the vegetation is scarce and changes as we approach the desert. A luxuriant palm grove hides the cultivated patches of land near the Ziz river, while on the horizon there are impressive golden sand dunes when the sun goes down. Arrival in Merzouga in the late afternoon. Camel ride for sunset and overnight in desert camp under the nomadic tent. Half board.

 DAY 7 : MERZOUGA – TINGHIR – GORGES OF TODRA – DADES GORGES – BOULMANE DU DADES

Wake up at dawn to witness the sunrise over the dunes in Erg Chebbi. Return to the hotel and breakfast. We will leave the desert to reach the ocher villages of Tinghir and Boulmane du Dades. Visit the spectacular Gorges in Todra, whose high vertical walls give life to a unique landscape, continuation towards the Dades Gorges, drive along the valley for a few kilometers to discover unique sceneries, where the green of the vegetation and the ocher-colored rock are the protagonists, this is the real Morocco. Hotel accommodation, half board including dinner.

 DAY 8 : DADES – OUARZAZATE – DRAA VALLEY – TAMEGROUTE – ZAGORA

After breakfast we will drive along the enchanting Kasbah road that leads us to Ouarzazate, then continue along the Draa Valley, characterized by a spectacular palm grove in stark contrast to the surrounding ocher landscape. Visit of Tamegroute, a village at the gates of the Sahara where books and manuscripts from the main Islamic cultural centers like Fes and Damascus were collected and copied, to ensure their perpetuity. Visit the Koranic library which houses thousands of ancient manuscripts, then arrive to Zagora and overnight in a hotel accommodation.

 DAY 9 : ZAGORA – FOUM ZGUID – TATA

Breakfast. And leave Zagora through an off-road towards Foum Zguid, the path winds, among magnificent pre-desert landscapes. Arrival in Foum Zguid and continuation in the direction of the oasis of Tata, located in the Sahara plain at the foot of Jebel Bani. Hotel accommodation and overnight. Half board.

 DAY 10 : TATA – AKKA – TAFRAOUTE

Breakfast. Visit the oasis of Akka, an important area rich in prehistoric and paleolithic settlements, then continue through an off-road in the direction of Tafraoute crossing lunar landscapes of the anti-atlas and the begin of high atlas, one of the most beautiful and authentic places in Morocco. Arrival in Tafraoute, a village nestled in the enchanting Ameln Valley, a famous center of cultivation and production of almonds: here, towards the beginning of spring, the almond blossoms dye the rose landscape creating a unique atmosphere. Hotel accommodation, half board including dinner.

 DAY 11 : TAFRAOUTE – TIZNIT – MIRLEFT

Breakfast. We continue along the Rivers and Valley towards the west to reach the magnificent Moroccan Atlantic coast. Once you pass the pass of Kerdous, we will reach Tiznit, an ancient city located in a strategic position in the Souss valley, a few kilometers from the ocean. Visit of the interesting medina, then continuation to Mirleft, an authentic fishing town nestling on the Atlantic. Hotel accommodation, half board including dinner.

 DAY 12 : THE ATLANTIC COAST AND THE SOUSS MASSA NATIONAL PARK, FROM MIRLEFT TO ESSAOUIRA

After breakfast departure to the north to discover the fascinating scenery of the Moroccan Atlantic coast. We will explore the Souss Massa National Park, the largest in Morocco, offering enchanting wild sceneries with cliffs, sand dunes, cultivated lands and forests. The area is the breeding habitat of several rare bird species, such as the rare ibis hermit, hawks and flamingos.

Continuation in the direction of Essaouira: the region of the argan, endemic tree in Morocco. The foliage and the miracle oil, from this tree we get oil that is widely used in cosmetics and in the kitchen. Arrival in Essaouira in the late afternoon and hotel accommodation. Half board including dinner in a local restaurant.

 DAY 13 : ESSAOUIRA MOGADOR OCEAN AND POETRY – MARRAKECH

Breakfast. Morning entirely available for the visit of Essaouira, the diamond of the Moroccan Atlantic coast. Many artists, musicians and directors have been subjugated by the charm of this city with fortified walls, turrets and colonnades that hide a maze of narrow streets lined with white and blue houses. Artisans workshops and art galleries. The port remains a swarm of activity, with fishermen and boat builders who continue to live as they have done for centuries. In the afternoon, transfer to Marrakech. Accommodation in riad, overnight with Half board.

 DAY 14 : MARRAKECH WITY TOUR AND THE CHARM OF THE SOUTH

After breakfast we will meet the guide and visit of the most significant monuments of Marrakech, ancient destination of caravans of camels coming from the South. The city has a special charm, was founded in 1062 by the Almoravide dynasty, reached its peak around the twelfth century when the Almohhad dominated Morocco and Andalusia. In this period the Andalusian artisans built elegant buildings and were built the “Khettara”, or the underground irrigation canals, which still bathe the gardens of Marrakech with the waters coming from the High Atlas.

Visit from the outside of the Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahia Palaces and the Saadian Tombs. In the afternoon we will walk through the picturesque souks and through the artisans workshops, before reaching the magnificent Djemaa El Fna Square, the pulsating heart of the city that turns into a unique stage where snake charmers, acrobats, merchants and rows of stalls that cook every type of dish acts as perfectly untidy actors in pure Moroccan style. Half board including dinner in a local restaurant.

DAY 15 : MARRAKECH AIRPORT DEPARTURE

After breakfast, transfer to the airport in time for boarding the return flight.