Arrival in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Casablanca - Welcome to Morocco! Upon arrival in Casablanca, a private driver will greet you and transport you to Rabat. Settle into your luxurious accommodations and begin exploring the city with your driver.

Rabat - Once you’re ready for a meal, choose a delightful restaurant that matches your preferences. As Morocco’s capital and the royal family’s residence, Rabat exudes imperial charm, from ancient relics to modern fine dining establishments. If you’re craving traditional dishes, consider sampling the Atlantic’s fresh offerings, such as briny oysters and creamy sea urchins, even within the medina. Your driver will provide excellent recommendations for your first meal.

Kasbah des Oudaias - After lunch, explore the blue-painted Oudaya neighborhood overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The Kasbah of the Oudayas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the highlight of this area. Wander through its lush Andalucian gardens and head to the ramparts for a stunning sunset view.

Tonight, indulge in Rabat’s vibrant culinary scene. While Moroccan cuisine is widely available, the embassy quarter of the New City offers some of the finest French and Italian dining options in the country.

Rabat to Fes: Hassan Tower and the Roman Ruins at Volubilis

Hassan Tower - Today, immerse yourself in royal history as you explore more imperial cities. Begin with a visit to the Hassan Tower monument, a remarkable structure from the Almohad Dynasty. This 12th-century mosque’s minaret, known as Hassan Tower, stands at 145 feet (44 m) with about 200 columns, remnants of an unfinished grand complex.

Meknes - On your way out of Rabat, stop in Meknes, a historic town with a more manageable medina than Fes. The shopkeepers are friendly, allowing you to leisurely explore souks filled with spices, slippers, and colorful treasures. With your driver’s guidance, make the most of your visit to the scenic Ville Impériale area, discovering palaces, gardens, and stunning architecture.

Volubilis - Continue your royal journey with a visit to Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring Morocco’s best-preserved Roman ruins. Explore merchant homes, intact mosaics, temples, and more. If you’re eager to learn more, your expert English-speaking guide can provide a private tour tailored to your interests.

Fes - After a day of sightseeing, arrive in Fes at a luxurious five-star riad. This oasis in the imperial city offers a central courtyard for relaxation and, depending on your choice, may include a hammam on the ground floor. For a personalized spa experience, enjoy a relaxing massage in one of Fes’s hammams in the evening.

Whether you choose to unwind at your riad or explore the city’s dining scene, your driver and specialists will help you select a fantastic restaurant for dinner.

Exploring the Imperial City and Medieval Medina & Hammam

Fes - After breakfast, meet your tour guide for a day of exploration in the Fes Medina. This UNESCO-protected medina features narrow alleyways and donkey-width roads. Your local guide will share hidden stories and show you secluded corners, revealing both the daily life and the grandeur of Fes’s madrasas and palaces. Be sure to ask your guide for lunch recommendations.

Fes is a hub of Moroccan crafts and arts, where you’ll meet artisans and learn about their trades’ history and significance. Visit tanneries and mosaic workshops to witness traditional crafting methods still in use today.

Fes - In the afternoon, return to your riad for some relaxation, then conclude the day with a visit to an authentic Moroccan hammam. Discover the traditions and history of the hammam while enjoying a rejuvenating experience at one of Fes’s most sought-after spas. Most hammams offer a variety of services, including massages, baths, and treatments using locally sourced products like argan oil.

Traditional Cooking Class

Fes - Morocco’s cuisine is renowned for blending European, African, and Middle Eastern flavors into something unique and delicious. What better way to unwind than by taking a private traditional Moroccan cooking lesson from a master?

Start your day with a leisurely breakfast at your riad, some relaxation, and perhaps a stroll around the neighborhood. Then, embark on a five-hour cooking class, beginning with a visit to a nearby souk to shop for produce, just like the locals do.

Fes - As you prepare a traditional four-course meal with fragrant spices, vibrant saffron, and preserved lemon, you’ll learn about Moroccan cooking methods and create lasting memories. After the class, savor your delicious dishes, which you can recreate at home.

Spend the rest of the day as you wish—relax at your riad and enjoy its hammam, or venture out to explore more of Fes. For dinner, your cooking teacher, specialist, and driver will have excellent recommendations for dining in town.

Fes to Merzouga: Over the Middle Atlas Mountains to the Sahara

Midelt - Begin your journey to the Sahara with an early start. After breakfast, cross the Middle Atlas Mountains through Azrou and its majestic Cèdre Gouraud Forest, where Barbary Macaque monkeys lounge in ancient cedar trees. Stop for lunch in Midelt, known as Morocco’s “Apple City” for its productive orchards, thanks to the Moulouya River’s year-round water supply.

Anti-Atlas Mountains - Continue through steep mountain ranges, broad valleys, and narrow canyon passes. Your driver will guide you through the Ziz Valley, a vital branch of the ancient Saharan Trade Route. Observe ksars, fortified houses built by merchants to protect valuable goods.

After passing through the Ziz Gorge, you’ll see early signs of Saharan dunes, constantly shifting and encroaching on farms, roads, and buildings. Witness ancient water “mining” methods and spot nomadic shepherds and their tents.

Erfoud - Pass through Erfoud, a bustling market town known for dates and fossils. Visit a local artisan collective to learn about fossils and their transformation into various products. As you continue, the massive dunes of Erg Chebbi will appear in the distance.

Merzouga - As night falls, the moonlight will guide you and your camel to your luxurious camp at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Relax in your well-appointed glamping tent, enjoy meals prepared by local Berber tribesmen, and cozy up by the fire with live music. Stargaze from your romantic spot or atop the dunes before retiring for the night.

Merzouga to Tinghir: Adventuring in the Todra Gorge

Tinghir - Early risers will be rewarded with a sunrise over the dunes. After breakfast in camp, travel back across the desert to Merzouga.

Meet your private driver for a 3.5-hour drive to Tinghir, an oasis city at the foot of the Atlas mountains. Consider stopping in Rissani to explore a traditional market, where animals are bought and sold. Don’t miss the “donkey parking lot.”

Alnif - Enjoy a spectacular journey across Morocco’s remote, empty land bordering the Sahara. The vast views include desert plains, high mountains, and plateaus, offering a sense of wild grandeur. Along the drive, see umbrella-shaped Acacias thriving in the harsh environment. Break up the trip with a stop in Alnif to visit local fossil workshops.

Dadès Gorges - Upon reaching lush Tinghir, relax with a delicious lunch and explore the scenic area before continuing. Your road trip leads through a green valley that narrows into the vertical Todra Gorge. Explore rustic trails and unwind in the Todra oasis, spending the night in a finely-appointed Kasbah.

Lounge in luxury, then explore the valley for dinner. The locals are friendly, so feel free to explore the oasis after your meal.

Tinghir to Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate - Travel along ancient trade routes from Tinghir to Ouarzazate through the Valley of A Thousand Kasbahs. Stop for photos and exploration as you pass iconic fortified towns.

The first major stop is Boumalne Dadès, an oasis town at the valley’s mouth. Visit the Dadès Gorge, featuring rust and mauve-striped mountains, and an irrigated oasis with fig, almond, and olive orchards. Ask your driver for lunch options in Boumalne Dadès.

Ait Ben Haddou - Heading south, pass through the Valley of Roses, known for rose oil production. In spring, the landscape is fragrant during the Provence Rose harvest.

End the day in Ouarzazate, famous for its film industry involvement. Drive to the iconic ksar of Ait Benhaddou, dating back to the 11th century along the trans-Saharan trade route.

Tonight, stay in your own kasbah across a dry riverbed from Ait Benhaddou. Consider a nighttime stroll, as the moonlight makes the valley glow enchantingly.

Boumalne Dades - Tonight, stay in your own kasbah across a dry riverbed from Ait Benhaddou. Consider a nighttime stroll, as the moonlight makes the valley glow enchantingly.

Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Over the High Atlas & Ait Benhaddou

Ouarzazate - Cross the High Atlas Mountains from Ouarzazate to Marrakech, transitioning from the desert’s tranquility to one of Morocco’s most vibrant cities. Consider a morning visit to Ait Benhaddou before leaving the Sahara.

Travel through the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, enjoying panoramic views of the mountains and Marrakech’s plains. Look for Mount Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak, to the west. As you descend, notice the climate and landscape change, with deep river valleys and almond and walnut orchards.

Marrakech - Upon arrival in Marrakech, check into your luxury riad, perfect for unwinding after your journey. Spend the afternoon at a leisurely pace, sipping fresh mint tea by the pool or in the shade of a jasmine bush. In the evening, watch the medina’s main square, Jemaa el Fna, come alive with musicians, performers, snake charmers, games, food stalls, and more.

Explore the square for street vendor fare or dine at a cafe overlooking the activity. Alternatively, visit the new city to experience Marrakech’s modern food scene. The Red City is Morocco’s culinary heart, ensuring a memorable meal wherever you dine.

Marrakech: Medina & City Tour

Marrakech - After breakfast, meet your local private guide for a tour of Marrakech’s old city. Explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, encountering lively souks and maze-like alleys. Be dazzled by displays of djellabas, colorful babouches, intricately-pierced lanterns, exotic spices, and the medina’s vibrant life. Your knowledgeable guide will share the history and stories of the Medina, Souk, and Mellah neighborhoods. They will also recommend excellent lunch spots.

Marrakech to Casablanca: the Atlantic Coast & Portuguese Ports

El Jadida - Depart early for Casablanca via the coastal route, visiting two old Portuguese fortified cities. First, explore El Jadida and its haunting Portuguese cistern. Walk the ramparts and visit the Church of the Assumption.

Next, visit Azemour, a source of inspiration for many Moroccan artists. Despite its proximity to Casablanca’s art market, life here remains traditional. The crumbling 16th-century medina, nestled between the Oud Er-Rbia River and the ocean, offers artistic inspiration.

Casablanca - Along the way, enjoy a traditional fish lunch, taking advantage of the Atlantic’s bounty. Your driver can guide you to authentic fish markets, where food stalls serve fresh grilled and fried seafood. Buy fish in the market and have it cooked for a small fee, or order directly from the stalls.

Upon arrival in Casablanca, check into your chic downtown hotel and explore the city’s trendier neighborhoods. Discover Maarif, home to the French-style market, and Ain Diab, a beachfront community with the Morocco Mall and walking paths. The Corniche is perfect for people-watching, especially at sunset.

Depart from Casablanca

Casablanca - Bid farewell to Morocco. Depending on your departure flight time, you may have time for last-minute sightseeing in Casablanca or enjoy tea at a traditional café. When it’s time, head to Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport for your flight.

• 10 night accommodations
• Breakfast
• Dinner
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Local Guides
• Cultural experiences like local cooking class or traditional performances
• Camel ride

• Lunches

Embark on an eleven-day luxurious adventure through Morocco, experiencing the life of royalty as you explore ancient medinas and stunning natural landscapes. Enjoy glamping in the Sahara, reside in a private kasbah along a historic trade route, and relax in beautifully designed riads that serve as your urban sanctuaries. Engage with locals, discover cultural traditions, and indulge in the opulence of Moroccan royal hospitality.

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