Casablanca Trip Overview
Discover exotic Morocco, from the timeless walled city of Fez to the bustling medina in Marrakech, viewing local Berber life in the ruggedly beautiful High Atlas Mountains and staying at a Luxury Desert Tented Camp nestled among the towering dunes of the Sahara.
Additional Info
* Duration: 13 days
* Starts: Casablanca, Morocco
* Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat, Morocco
Discover exotic Morocco, from the timeless walled city of Fez to the bustling medina in Marrakech, viewing local Berber life in the ruggedly beautiful High Atlas Mountains and staying at a Luxury Desert Tented Camp nestled among the towering dunes of the Sahara.
Itinerary
Day 1: Casablanca
Stop At: Casablanca, Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat
Arrive in Casablanca and transfer to your luxurious accommodations, designed with contemporary styling and traditional Moroccan accents. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure
Duration: 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Four Seasons Casablanca
Day 2: Casablanca, Rabat, Casablanca
Stop At: Mausoleum of Mohammad V, Boulevard Abi Regreg, Rabat 10030 Morocco
Morning tour of Casablanca including United Nations Square and the Hassan II mosque. Venture north to the imperial city, and present-day capital, of Rabat. Explore the medieval fortification of the Chellah Necropolis and wander the Roman and Islamic ruins. Enter through the grand door of the Kasbah des Oudaias into Rabat’s old city center. From there, visit the 20th-century Andalusian Gardens and enjoy the serene space away from the crowds. Discover the Hassan Tower, a minaret of the incomplete mosque and Mausoleum of Mohamed V. A 12th-century project that was abandoned where all that remains are the minaret and some 200 columns—support structures for the mosque. back to your hotel in Casablanca.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hotel: Four Seasons Casablanca
Day 3: The Blue City of Chefchaouen
Stop At: Chefchaouen, Chefchaouen, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
Head north to the striking blue city of Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains. Before Chefchaouen, you can stop to hike (2-3 hours) through lush vegetation and small pools to enjoy the Cascades d’Akchour (Waterfalls of Akchour)—a hidden gem. In the afternoon, unwind in charming Chefchaouen. Mostly untouched since the 15th century, Chefchaouen offers a relaxed atmosphere with some of the friendliest people in the country and is known for its blue-hued buildings in its historic medina (old quarter). Explore its narrow streets and alleyways which cling to the northern hillside of the mountains. Discover Plaza Outa el-Hammam, the main square named for the number of hammams (public baths) which used to encircle it. Lunch at a local restaurant, Visit the Grand Mosque and kasbah (old fortress or fortification) and tour the kasbah’s garden, museum, and even some of its old prison cells. As the evening approaches, ascend the path leading to the abandoned white Spanish Mosque. Dinner & Overnight.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Riad Lina
Day 4: Free Day Chefchaouen
Stop At: Chefchaouen, Chefchaouen, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
Today is free to enjoy more of the Blue city of Chefchaouen.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Riad Lina
Day 5: Roman ruins at Volubilis and imperial cities of Meknes and Fes
Stop At: Fes, Fes, Fes-Meknes
Rise early to snap photos of the people-less streets before leaving for Fes. Stop along the way at the UNESCO-protected Volubilis ruins—the Roman’s farthest reach in Africa. Wander the complex, exploring merchant homes with still-intact heating systems, temples, and many mosaics in situ. Continue on to the smaller, less busy version of Fes, Meknes, for an introduction to your second historic imperial city. The two main points of interest are the Ville Impériale (Imperial City) and the medina. Be sure to visit the Bab al-Mansour gate, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, and the Royal Stables.
Next, proceed to a winery outside Meknes for a memorable Chef’s Table lunch set among the region’s sunbathed vineyards and olive groves.
Continue east to your third imperial city, Fes. With its impressively large (and somewhat confusing) old medina, Fes is a city worth getting lost in. Transfer to your hotel in Fes
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Palais Faraj Suites & Spa or HÔTEL SAHRAI
Day 6: Exploring the medieval medina and the Imperial City of Fes
Stop At: Fes, Fes, Fes-Meknes
Fes is the oldest of the four Imperial Cities in Morocco and perhaps the most interesting and exciting to explore. It has the most complete medina in the Arab world and is relatively untouched since it was founded over 1000 years ago. Often considered the country’s cultural capital, it is made up of three parts, two medina quarters, Fes el Bali and Fes el Jdid, and the more modern, French colonial influenced, Ville Nouvelle. Meet your guide and spend half-day learning about the history and culture as you navigate the narrow streets of the medinas.
Start in Fes el Bali at the Bab Boujeloud gate and enter the main thoroughfare of Talâa Kebira. Notice the Spanish and Tunisian influenced architecture as you make your way past shops and souks (markets). Visit the Chouara Tannery and marvel at the many dye-filled stone pots and the men at work still using centuries-old techniques. Next, admire the intricate zellij tilework of the 14th-century Al Attarine Madrasa.
Duration: 8 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 7: Middle Atlas: Erfoud, Merzouga and the Sahara
Stop At: Merzouga Desert, Merzouga Morocco
Start your day bright and early and travel south toward Merzouga. Along the way, you will climb up and over the Col du Zad pass (7,146 feet or 2,178 m) through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas mountains. Enjoy sightings of the local Barbary Macaque monkeys before stopping for lunch in Midelt (the ‘apple city’), relishing the nearby Moulouya River. Continue over the Tizi n’Talremt pass and into the Ziz Valley, known for its hidden oases and palm tree clusters. Along the road, you will see many fortified houses known as ksars—built to protect precious wares, including gold, salt, and spices.
Continue on to Erfoud, known for its date festival and fossil mining. Here you can visit a local collective to learn more about the process and meet some local artisans. Continue to Erg Chebbi, an extensive sea of sand dunes covering an area of 13.5 square miles (35 square km). Upon reaching Merzouga, climb atop your camel to ride through the dunes.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in a Luxury Tent
Day 8: Todra Gorge, Ouarzazate
Stop At: Ouarzazate, Ouarzazate, Draa-Tafilalet
Leave the dunes and head to Khemliya to experience a traditional Saharan village—its people originally from Mali. Continue west to pass through a dramatic gate into Rissani. A market town, Rissani holds a livestock auction and is home to a “donkey parking lot”, a site worth (hearing) and experiencing! Make your way to the desert town of Tinerhir before reaching the 984 feet (300 m) deep Todra Gorge. You will have time to explore the gorge and relax in the cool water of the shallow Todra River.
Travel through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. Though many are now in disrepair, local families still live in some of them. You may even come across nomads herding their animals. Head west to Kela’a M’gouna. Known for its Festival des Roses, here you can see extensively cultivated farmland bordered with fragrant rose bushes. Continue west to Ouarzazate, a gateway to the Sahara Desert made popular by the film industry. Transfer to your hotel in Ouarzazate.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Le Berbere Palace
Day 9: Ouarzazate
Stop At: Ouarzazate 45000, Morocco
Begin the day in Ouarzazate, a city originally built as a French garrison in the 1920s. Today, it is a regional trade center, known for its pottery and carpets. See the Kasbah of Tifoultoute, a majestic 17th-century fortress featuring a panoramic view of the valley of Ouarzazate and the scenic High Atlas Mountains. Continue to Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of the region’s most exotic kasbahs, some of which have been featured in famous films, including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Le Berbere Palace
Day 10: Aït Benhaddou Kasbah and Tizi n’Tichka Pass over the High Atlas to Marrakech
Stop At: Ait Ben Haddou, Ait Ben Haddou, Souss-Massa
Travel to nearby Aït Benhaddou. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Aït Benhaddou is believed to date from the 11th century during a time when it held an important position along the trans-Saharan trade route between Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and the southern desert. Follow the narrow streets up to the Granary for a view of the surrounding landscapes. From there, ascend the High Atlas mountain range and look out for the highest peak, Mount Toubkal (13,671 feet or 4,167 m). Stop near the top of the Tizi n’Tichka pass (7,415 feet or 2,260 m) to enjoy the views over the mountain range.
As you descend the High Atlas, you will notice a dramatic change in the climate and landscape. Soon you will be a part of the noise and clamor of the final imperial city, Marrakech. Transfer to your hotel in Marrakesh.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in La Mamounia or Four Seasons Marrakesh
Day 11: Marrakech
Stop At: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
Today, begin to unearth the secrets of Marrakech, starting in the medina, the old walled section of town that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at its architectural jewels, including the soaring Koutoubia Minaret. Then visit Dar Si Said Museum, originally built as a palace in the 19th century. Afterward, visit Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakech’s main square, which is filled with orange juice stalls and vendors, along with fire-eaters, acrobats, dancers, and street musicians performing at every turn. You may also wish to stroll the city’s fabled, labyrinthine souks.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in La Mamounia or Four Seasone Marrakech
Day 12: Marrakech
Stop At: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
Begin your day at Jardin Majorelle, a picturesque garden created by French painter Jacques Majorelle and later restored by design legend Yves Saint-Laurent. Stop at the Yves Saint Laurent Museum nearby for an up-close look at some of the famed designer’s creations. This afternoon, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities:
Explore the Souks of Marrakech with your tour guide, walking narrow streets lined with centuries-old shops.
Walk of the Jewish Quarter, once a thriving center of religious freedom and tolerance.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in La Mamounia or Four Seasons
Day 13: Transfer to the Marrakech airport and board your international flight home
Stop At: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
Transfer to the Marrakech airport and board your international flight home.
Or join a 4 day Essaouira Post-Tour Extension.”Price from USD 1925, 2 nights Essaouira and 1 night Casablanca”
Or join a tour to another beautiful destination (Egypt, Jordan, Dubai, Israel, or Oman).
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
