Casablanca Trip Overview
The Way We Are Running Our Business Allows Us To Enhance Quality, And We Are Very Proud And Happy To Work In Such Dynamic Industry, We Do Not Provide Services We Did Not Experience Ourselves, Whether It Is A Hotel Room, A Professional Guide, A Restaurant.
We Do Travel Extensively To Extend Our Databases Of Vendors And Update Existing Ones And Check The Quality Of The Services They Provide, Which Is one Of The Major Strengths Of Our Company In The Market. We Are Proud Of What We Are Offering To Our Guest, Adding Value To Their Experience With The Professional Assistance Of travel Expert And Consultants, Knowing That Each Guest Becomes An Ambassador Of Our Country.
Additional Info
* Duration: 7 days
* Starts: Casablanca, Morocco
* Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> 4WD, ATV & Off-Road Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat, Morocco
The Way We Are Running Our Business Allows Us To Enhance Quality, And We Are Very Proud And Happy To Work In Such Dynamic Industry, We Do Not Provide Services We Did Not Experience Ourselves, Whether It Is A Hotel Room, A Professional Guide, A Restaurant.
We Do Travel Extensively To Extend Our Databases Of Vendors And Update Existing Ones And Check The Quality Of The Services They Provide, Which Is one Of The Major Strengths Of Our Company In The Market. We Are Proud Of What We Are Offering To Our Guest, Adding Value To Their Experience With The Professional Assistance Of travel Expert And Consultants, Knowing That Each Guest Becomes An Ambassador Of Our Country.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & Casablanca
Stop At: Casablanca, Casablanca, Casablanca-Settat
Welcome to Morocco! Welcome to the modern coastal city of Casablanca. Casablanca’s main attraction is the relatively modern and monumental Hassan II Mosque. Inaugurated in 1993, it sits on an outcrop jutting into the Atlantic and offers breathtaking views. It has a 690 feet (210 m) minaret — the tallest structure in Morocco and the tallest minaret in the world! What makes this mosque additionally unique is that it is one of the few mosques in the country non-Muslims are permitted to enter. Join a guided tour and appreciate the fine examples of Moroccan and Islamic artisanship.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Mielliber Appart Hotel or something similar
Day 2: Roman Ruins of Volubilis and the 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 a 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.
Continue on to Fes. With its impressively large (and somewhat confusing) old medina, Fes is a city worth getting lost in. Before venturing into the medina, take the time to visit the Merenid Tombs located just north of the city and enjoy the all-encompassing view of historic Fes and the surrounding area. Descend the hill and return to your riad (a traditional Moroccan house with an interior garden) for the evening.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Riad Lalla Zoubida or something similar
Day 3: Fes: Exploring the Imperial City and medieval Medina
Stop At: Fes, Fes, Fes-Meknes
Fes is the oldest of the imperial cities in Morocco (Meknes, Marrakech, and Rabat are the others) and perhaps the most interesting to explore. A UNESCO protected site, the city hasn’t undergone much colonial development, leaving you to experience its medieval charm. Fes consists of two old medina quarters, Fes el Bali (and where you will spend most of your time) and Fes el Jdid (a slightly newer part of the city), and the early 20th-century French designed Ville Nouvelle. Meet your guide to help you navigate the narrow and maze-like ancient streets of the medinas, starting in Fes el Bali (789 ACE).
Note the Spanish and Tunisian influenced architecture as you pass the variety of souks (markets) offering spices, leather goods, and pewter. Known for its tanneries and the acrid smell associated with them, visit the popular Chouara Tannery and climb to the roof of a nearby shop for a better view of the goings-on. Visit the 14th-century Al Attarine Madrasa and admire the zellij tile work before checking out one of the oldest, still operating universities in the world, Al-Qarawiyyin University (859 ACE). Find the mellah (old Jewish quarter) in Fes el Jdid for another encompassing view of the city.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Riad Lalla Zoubida or something similar
Day 4: Over the Middle Atlas and into the desert: Erfoud, Merzouga and the Sahara
Stop At: Merzouga, Merzouga, Draa-Tafilalet
Continue your journey south, over the Col du Zad pass (7,146 feet or 2,178 m) and through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas mountains. You will see families of Barbary macaque monkeys in the trees and by the side of the road as you head to Midelt (the ‘apple city’) to lunch. Appreciate the scenery: the Moulouya River and the apple orchards. Next, travel over the Tizi n’Talremt pass and into the Ziz Valley dotted with oases and palm tree clusters. Notice the many ksars, fortified houses merchants built to protect their wares (gold, salt, and spices).
Nearing Erfoud, you will start to see the early signs of the Sahara sand dunes. Never stationary, the dunes travel as the winds shift. If you’re lucky, you may come across a nomadic Berber family and have the chance to drink tea together. Visit Erfoud and discover how the fossil-rich rock of its mines is transformed into decorative and practical objects. Continue on to the extensive sea of sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. Covering 13.5 square miles (35 square km), some dunes rise to over 656.2 feet (200 m), their color changing with the moving sun.
Outside of Merzouga, change the pace and prepare for a camel ride through the dunes, arriving at camp just before sunset. Climb up the nearest sand dune to watch the colorful display as the sun sets behind the colossal dunes. Return to camp for dinner in the open air and an evening by the campfire enjoying traditional Berber music from the locals under a blanket of stars. Spend the night in a Bedouin-style tent.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Orient Desert Camp or something similar
Day 5: Desert towns, lush oases, caravan routes and fortified kasbahs
Stop At: Ouarzazate, Ouarzazate, Draa-Tafilalet
Catch the sunrise before renting a sandboard to test your skills. 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 (an old fortress or fortification). Though many kasbahs 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. Join a studio tour and discover how the nearby desert landscapes have been featured in many films.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Riad Ouarzazate or something similar
Day 6: Aït Benhaddou Kasbah, Tizi n’Tichka Pass over the High Atlas to Marrakech
Stop At: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
Rise early and continue on to Morocco’s most famous kasbah and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Aït Benhaddou. It is estimated the old ksar (a walled town) dates from the 11th century when it held an important position along the trans-Saharan trade route. Stop and explore the narrow streets and passageways of this traditional mud-brick city. From there, travel the winding road over the High Atlas mountains, noting 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 admire the view over the mountain range.
Stop at an Argan Oil Cooperative in Taddert to learn how olives are processed, before making your descent down the High Atlas and into the changing scenery. Upon arriving in the Red City of Marrakech, settle into your hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon as you like. Orient yourself around Marrakech’s main square, Jemaa el-Fna and visit the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque to its west. At 253 feet (77 m) the minaret is hard to miss. Wander the attached gardens, dotted with fountains, pools, flowers, and palm trees, perfect for a late afternoon stroll when the late-day sun glows on the minaret.
Return to Jemaa el-Fna Square and discover the lively activity: musicians, performers, snake charmers, and bustling stalls. Grab something to eat or choose a nearby café and enjoy the show!
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Riad Mailou or something similar
Day 7: Exploring the Marrakech & Departure
Stop At: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
As Morocco’s second largest city, Marrakech can be a shock to the senses and unlike Fes, Marrakech has Berber roots rather than Arab. Meet your guide and start your tour browsing the stalls in the spice market, Souk el-Attarin, or Souk Smata for your choice of slippers, rugs, and leather goods. Visit the Ben Youssef Madrasa school of Islam and admire the fine example of Moroccan architecture and intricate craftsmanship. As you walk Marrakech’s alleys, notice the Fondouks—medieval inns that provided merchants with shelter and supplies—that have been converted into homes and shopping areas.
Depending on your flight details, you may wish to visit a few sites south of Jemaa el-Fna. Consider the 500-year old Saadian Tombs, the extensive courtyard and sunken gardens of the 17th-century El Badi Palace, or the intricate woodwork and painted ceilings of the 19th-century Bahia Palace. Or, stick closer to Jemaa el-Fna and visit the Almoravid Kouba, the Marrakech Museum, housed in the 19th-century Dar Mnebbi Palace and home to a collection of sculptures and Moroccan artwork, or the Museum of Moroccan Arts, known for its extensive woodwork collection.
If time allows, take a respite in the Majorelle Gardens before transferring to the airport for your return flight home.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
