Casablanca Trip Overview
Explore historic Fes and the incredible Sahara Desert with this 5-day private trip from Casablanca! Visit the Hassan II Mosque, tour the ancient Fes Medina, and spend the night in a luxury Sahara camp, all with a private driver to allow you to see the sites at your own pace.
Additional Info
* Duration: 5 days
* Starts: Casablanca, Morocco
* Trip Category: Multi-day & Extended Tours >> Multi-day Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat, Morocco
Explore historic Fes and the incredible Sahara Desert with this 5-day private trip from Casablanca! Visit the Hassan II Mosque, tour the ancient Fes Medina, and spend the night in a luxury Sahara camp, all with a private driver to allow you to see the sites at your own pace.
Itinerary
Day 1: CASABLANCA, RABAT, FES
Stop At: Hassan II Mosque, Blvd Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Casablanca 20450 Morocco
Arrive in Casablanca and meet your driver outside the airport.
Begin with a visit to the stunning Hassan II Mosque, the largest in Morocco and the third largest mosque in the world that non-muslims are allowed to enter. Able to accommodate up to 105,000 in prayer, this marvel of modern Moroccan architecture is the work of hundreds of expert craftsmen from around the country, many of them donating their work.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Hassan Tower, Boulevard Mohamed Lyazidi, Rabat 10030 Morocco
Continue on to Rabat, where you will visit the Hassan Tower, which has sat unfinished since 1199. Commissioned by Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, the tower was to be the minaret for the largest mosque in the world. Unfortunately, when the sultan passed away in 1199, the project was abandoned, leaving some partial outer walls, 348 columns, and a minaret only standing half-finished at 140 feet rather than the intended 260 feet.
Standing opposite the Hassan Tower is the Mohammed V Mausoleum, which contains the tombs of Mohammed V, the current king’s grandfather, as well as the king’s father, Hassan II, and his uncle, Prince Abdallah. It is considered a masterpiece of Alaouite architecture with its white walls and green tiled roof.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Fes, Fes, Fes-Meknes
Continue on to Fes, where you will check into the riad.
Duration: 4 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a traditional riad in Fes.
Day 2: DAY TOUR OF FES
Stop At: Fes el-Bali, Fes 30110 Morocco
Tour Fes with a private guide. (Walking tour with some transportation between sites.)
Begin at the royal palace, with its seven golden doors, and learn about the significance of the intricate decor.
Stroll through the Mellah, or Jewish quarter, which was built next to the palace to offer protection.
Take in the view of the city from Borj Sud, a former fortress and one of the lookouts on a hill where you can see all of Fes laid out, allowing you to spot landmarks otherwise hidden by the skyline-obscuring buildings.
Visit a pottery co-op to see how they make the unique Fes pottery, as well as handcrafting the intricate mosaics adorning half of Morocco.
Head into the ancient medina and step into a sort of living museum. The Fes medina is very much a local community that lives and works and goes about daily life in the medina, so be sure to keep moving and watch out for the donkeys!
Stop by the Al-Quaraouiyine University, the oldest degree-granting university still in operation, having been founded in 859CE by a woman.
Visit handicraft workshops, where you will see why Fes is considered the handicraft capital of Morocco. This can include, among other things, the silk weavers, where beautifully colorful fabrics are woven from silk fibers of the agave plant; and the famous Fes tannery, where they process all manner of animal hides by hand, much as they have for nearly 1,000 years.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast included at your riad.
• Lunch: During your tour of the medina, you will stop for lunch in a local restaurant.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a traditional riad in Fes.
Day 3: ATLAS MOUNTAINS, MERZOUGA
Stop At: Merzouga Desert, Merzouga Morocco
Depart Fes after breakfast and begin your journey south.
Make a coffee stop in Ifrane, a small ski resort town that is also known as the Swiss village due to its alpine-style architecture.
Visit the wild monkeys in the cedar forests outside of Azrou, where they are happy to be fed but surprisingly well mannered.
Stop in Zayda for lunch, enjoying fresh barbecue in one of the many streetside restaurants.
Take in the scenery as you cross the Atlas Mountains.
View the lush green date and almond trees filling the gorge in Errachidia.
Arrive in Merzouga in the evening and check in to your riad in time for dinner.
Duration: 7 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast included at your riad.
• Dinner: Dinner included at your riad.
Accommodation included: Overnight in a riad on the edge of the sand in Merzouga.
Day 4: SAHARA DESERT
Stop At: Erg Chebbi Dunes, Morocco
Begin with an SUV excursion through the Sahara Desert.
Stop for tea with a nomadic family in their winter home. The nomads herd sheep and goats from the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert, moving with the weather.
Visit the Gnawa Village to listen to their entrancing music. The rhythmic, hypnotic music has long been part of their ceremonies, from the time their ancestors were brought to the area as slaves. The music has influenced an entire genre that is performed all across Morocco and has even inspired several music festivals.
Hunt for fossils of aquatic critters in the desert. The Sahara was once an ocean 7 million years ago, and there are countless fossils remaining.
In the late afternoon, meet your camels for your trek into your desert camp. You will journey through the dunes, and your camel guide will be able to get some great pictures for you as well!
Arrive at your camp and enjoy a welcome glass of Moroccan mint tea and Moroccan cookies. Take some time to relax before dinner.
After dinner, enjoy live music around the bonfire.
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast included at your riad.
• Dinner: Dinner included at the camp.
Accommodation included: A luxury camp in the Sahara Desert. Each private tent has its own bathroom.
Day 5: RETURN TO CASABLANCA
Stop At: Casablanca, Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat
OPTIONAL: Wake up early to watch the sunrise over the dunes. Remember it gets cold in the desert overnight, so don’t forget your jacket!
Enjoy a traditional Moroccan breakfast at the camp.
Depart camp via camel (or SUV if one camel was enough for you!).
Meet up with your driver once more, and make the long journey back to Casablanca.
Duration: 9 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast included at the camp.
No accommodation included on this day.
