Drive from Casablanca to Meknes via Rabat

Casablanca - Welcome to Morocco! After your hotel or airport pick-up, your guide will take you for a panoramic tour of the bustling economic capital, the center for all trade and business. Casablanca was established as a commercial hub by the French, and its architecture features a blend of modern, art deco, and traditional designs. Highlights include the Central Market and the old Mahakma building.

Hassan II Mosque - You will also visit the remarkable Hassan II Mosque, one of only two mosques in Morocco open to non-Islamic believers. Built by the late King Hassan II at the end of his 40-year reign, this astounding edifice is larger than Saint Peter’s in Rome and can hold 80,000 worshippers.

Kasbah des Oudaias - Your tour will continue to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. Here you will visit more points of interest such as the Royal Palace, Kasbah Oudaya, the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, and the Hassan Tower.

Meknes - Continue to Meknes, known as the “Moroccan Versailles.” Meknes was founded in the 17th century by King Moulay Ismail. It is famous for its 25-mile-long walls and numerous historic sites, including the ancient Royal Stables, Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the massive gate of Bab Mansour, and the main square - Place el-Hedim, which was built by Moulay Ismail for royal announcements and public executions. Today, it is a great place to watch the world go by, with kids playing soccer, hawkers selling miracle cures, and promenading families.

Drive from Meknes to Fez

Volubilis - After an early breakfast at the hotel, you will drive to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis, or “Oualilli” as the Berbers know it, sprawled over a wildflower-dotted hillside. This is Morocco’s most important Roman town and lies in a remarkable setting in the wide Meknes plain beneath the crags of the Zerhoun Mountains. There was a settlement on this fertile plain during the Neolithic period, but it was Juba II who put Volubilis on the political map in 25 BC…

Fes - Afternoon drive to Fez, one of the most important centers of learning in the world for centuries, and home to the oldest university in history. Fez was founded by Idriss I in 789. It started as two separate cities or medinas, stretching on both banks of the river Jawhar, facing each other. They were made into a single city in 1070 by the Almoravids, who erected the city ramparts that can be seen today and built bridges across the river Jawhar to connect both sides.

Full Day Tour of Fez

Fes - In Fez, your day begins with breakfast at the hotel followed by an entire day dedicated to exploring the lovely city. Fez is divided into three zones: the old (Fez el-Bali), the new (Fez el Idid), and the French district (Ville Nouvelle). Visitors to Fez are astounded by medieval walls and plazas filled with endless winding streets. There is so much to do in Fez, including visiting El Mellah, the Jewish neighborhood, the Plaza de los Tenidores, the old medina, the new medina, and the Spanish Mosque. Once the tour is over, you will be guided to your hotel where you will enjoy a meal and spend the night.

Fes el-Bali - (meaning Fez the ancient) is a UNESCO Heritage Site and probably the largest car-free urban area in the world. It is well known for the skills of its artisans, who are outstanding in trades such as metal and leatherworking, ceramics, wood, silk, and tapestries. Despite the political capital of the kingdom being transferred to Rabat in 1912, Fez is still regarded by Moroccans as the spiritual center of their country. Highlights of Fez include: La Nouvelle Ville, built by the French at the beginning of the 20th Century. La nouvelle ville or new city provides a startling contrast with the labyrinthine alleys of Fez el Bali. Wide and elegant avenues are lined with numerous cafés, restaurants, and shops.

Fes - The Al-Karaouine University, founded in 859 by Fatima Al Fihri, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, as part of a complex including the mosque and madrasa of the same name, became a major center of intellectual activity in its age, not only among Muslims but also among Christians. Pope Silvester II, who is credited with introducing Arab numerals and the use of zero in Europe, was a student at the institution and no doubt learned about them there. The most beautiful of Al-Karaouine’s residential colleges is the Madrasa Bou Inania, built in 1357, and regarded as one of the finest examples of Merinid architecture. Inside the building, elegant calligraphy graces the ceramic tile walls. The marble floors, sculpted cedar, and carved stucco walls have held up since this masterpiece was built; still in use, non-Muslims must leave its premises during prayer time.

Fez Mellah - It was the Jewish quarter of the medina, placed under the personal protection of the Sultan. The name comes from ‘al mallah’, which means, in Arabic, saline area, as the quarter was built on a site of this nature. With time, the term would apply to all Jewish quarters in all the cities of Morocco. Although Jewish communities existed in the country since Roman times, the Mellah of Fez was the first one officially built in Morocco, in 1438, by the Merinids. Its main street is especially interesting with its balconies and Art Deco zellij mosaics. One of the Mellah’s synagogues, Ibn Danan, dating from the 17th Century, was recently restored and can be visited. Synagogues of Fez are unmarked on their exteriors and date from the 17th century, making them among the most unique in the world. The Mellah of Fez once had 40 synagogues. See the vast and picturesque whitewashed Jewish cemetery adjacent to the gates to the Royal Palace and the nascent Jewish Museum at the Em HaBanim synagogue.

Fes - Located in the ancient city center, the medina. The main plaza is planted with trees and provides a shaded haven from the warm sun. Most Fez homes are decorated in the traditional Moorish style with intricate mosaics and plasterwork adorning the walls and ceilings.

Drive to Merzouga via Ifrane, Midelt, Ziz Valley, and Erfoud

Ifrane - After breakfast at the hotel, your tour continues to the Merzouga Desert with stops along the way. At this point in the tour, you will be exploring the Mid Atlas Mountains with a stop in Ifrane, an enchanting town that is so unique from many of the towns in Morocco, beginning with its distinct architecture. Don’t be surprised if you think you have stepped into the middle of a European city! A light jacket is suggested here since Ifrane is chillier than most towns in Morocco.

Atlas Mountains - Your tour continues to the Merzouga Desert with stops along the way. At this point in the tour, you will be exploring the Mid Atlas Mountains. Don’t be surprised if you think you have stepped into the middle of a European city! A light jacket is suggested here since Ifrane is chillier than most towns in Morocco. Your tour continues to Midelt, a town located between the Mid Atlas and High Atlas Mountains, where you will have lunch. Make sure you have your camera handy because our tour through the Ziz Valley is every photographer’s dream.

Merzouga - Merzouga, the small desert town in Morocco, is a real travel highlight and belongs to the fixed program of almost every round trip. This is the right place if you want to do a desert tour with camel trekking in Morocco because this part of the country has the Sahara with the most spectacular sand dunes. The dunes of Merzouga, the so-called Erg Chebbi dunes, can be up to 180 meters high. The best way to experience this breathtakingly beautiful scenery is on the back of a camel. A fantastic experience that you will not forget quickly. In this travel guide, we give you all the information about Merzouga in Morocco. In addition, we share our experiences, the best pictures, and give useful tips on accommodation, desert tours with overnight stays, the best desert hotels, and camel trekking in Merzouga.

Drive from Merzouga to Alnif, Tazarine, Ouarzazate, Marrakech

Merzouga Desert - Your trip begins with an early morning awakening to watch the sunrise, followed by breakfast in the middle of the desert. You will take a 4X4 ride to discover the dunes of Merzouga.

Gargantas del Todra - After discovering Merzouga, we will take the road to Ouarzazate, where we will spend the last night before arriving in Marrakech. On our route, we will visit the Todra Gorges.

Ouarzazate - After our lunch, we continue our road to Ouarzazate to have dinner and spend a pleasant night.

Drive from Ouarzazate to Marrakech

Ait Ben Haddou - After lunch, we will visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou with a local guide. Then we will have lunch before taking the road to Marrakech.

Marrakech - Arrive in Marrakech.

• Dinner
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Breakfast
• Surcharges on fuel

• Drinks
• Lunch (Available for Purchase)

This exclusive 5-day journey ventures into the five Imperial cities. Casablanca, known as the economic epicenter, Rabat, the political heartland, Meknes, Fez, acknowledged as the cultural hub, and Marrakech, the tourism hotspot. It also features an expedition to the Merzouga Desert inclusive of a camel trek leading to an overnight sojourn in a nomadic camp.

• Children must be accompanied by an adult
• May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
• Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
• Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
• A maximum of 6 people per booking

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.