Travel through Northern Morocco and the Sahara
Northern Morocco and Sahara Tour – Your journey begins in the Port City of Tangier where you will enjoy your first mint tea before heading towards the Rif Mountains. Along the way, you will see stunning landscapes, an Andalusian style town, local painters, weavers, highly decorated homes, mosques, and so much more… a stunning introduction to Morocco.
On Day 3 you will visit Meknes, the thousand-year-old city and World Heritage Site. Here you will see some of the finest gates in Morocco and other ancient treasures.
The next day you will pass through the Cedar Forest and cross the Atlas Mountains before arriving at Merzouga for the night. Day five will be spent exploring the local villages, camel riding and experiencing the local culture before retiring to sleep in a Bedouin camp in the stillness of the desert. Next stop is a fossil town and then on to see the breathtaking cliffs and rock formations of the Dades Valley.
On Day 7 you will visit the amazing Valley of Roses where rosewater is made. Then on to Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, probably the most celebrated, filmed and photographed Kasbah in Morocco. You will cross the Atlas Mountains, a fascinating landscape dotted with Berber villages before finishing your tour in Marrakesh with time to spend taking in all this ancient city has to offer.
Day 1 :
Tangier Port – Tangier City
You will be met at the port for the short journey into the city, and your hotel. Depending on your arrival time there may be an opportunity to explore some of the local shops and experience your first glass of mint tea.
Overnight in your hotel.
Day 2 :
Tangier – Asilah – Chefchaouen
Heading towards the magnificent Rif mountains, we pass through the small Andalusian-style town of Asilah, popular with painters. Travelling through a variety of landscapes, we arrive at the town of Chefchaouen, famous for its steep narrow streets with white and indigo lime-washed buildings. The Place Uta el-Hamman, the square at the heart of the old town, is ideal for a relaxed stroll, and is close to the Grand Mosque. Nearby is the Fondouk, and the Kasbah and Museum. The Medina, with its maze of alleyways, contains more than 100 weavers’ workshops – Chefchaouen is famous for the woollen jellabas that are woven here. The Quartier Al-Andalus district contains highly decorated and painted houses.
Overnight at a guesthouse.
Day 3 :
Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes
After breakfast, we leave Chefchaouen, crossing the Rif Mountains and arriving at the ancient Roman town of Volubilis. There you will have time to explore this archaeological site which features the best preserved Roman ruins in northern Africa, and which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. Of particular interest is the Basilica, mosaic of Diana and the Bathing Nymphs, and Triumphal Arch. Continuing on to Meknes, we will have lunch, after which you see Bab Mansour el-Aleuj (Gate of the Victorius Renegade) said to be the finest gate in Meknes, or even Morocco. Overnight in a riad at the heart of the Medina, or a hotel in the new city.
Day 4 :
Meknes – Cedar Forest – Tizi N Talghoum t- Merzouga
After breakfast we leave Meknes, the Ismailian capital tical Fes and travel through the heart of the Middle Atlas. We will drive through the Cedar Forest – the largest one in Morocco – and see the Barbary apes that live here. After lunch we cross the Atlas Mountains through the Talghoumt Pass, where you may see some nomadic shepherds with their flocks. Before arriving at your hotel in the desert region of Merzouga, we stop for an impressive view of the hidden oases of the region.
Overnight in a hotel.
Day 5 :
Merzouga Exploring – Treasures – camel ride
Today you will explore some of the Merzouga villages before your camel ride. After breakfast we will take a short drive to Dayet Srji, a small lake which has a large and diverse bird population. From there we will visit the village of Khamlia to experience the music and life of the Gnaoua, descended from slaves brought to Morocco from Mali, Mauritania, Guinea and Ghana. If it is market day we will drive to Rissini for a traditional pizza, or alternatively meet nomads in the Hamada “black desert” and take tea in their tent. You will be able to learn about the culture and local environment and experience a little more of the real Morocco. Arriving later at Erg Chebbi, you will meet your camel guide who will take you across the sand dunes to a Bedouin camp, where you will spend the night experiencing the immensity and silence of the desert.
Day 6 :
Merzouga Sahara – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley
After experiencing a beautiful sunrise in the desert, you will camel trek back to your hotel for breakfast and a shower. We then set off for Erfoud – fossil town. Here you will see stalls selling crystals and semi-precious stones as well as fossils. The workshop Usine de Marmar is open to visitors. We then travel through Todra Gorge, a narrow corridor with sheer cliffs 300m (985ft) high rising up dramatically on each side. These are the most impressive cliffs in southern Morocco, and they are well known to experienced mountaineers. You will have lunch before continuing to the Dades Valley where you will see some impressive rock formations known by locals as “monkey toes”, as well as interesting mud Kasbahs.
Day 7 :
Dades Valley – Valley of Roses – Ait Ben Haddou – Tizi n Tichka Pass – Marrakech.
Today we travel across the Dades Valley and the Valley of the Roses. You will encounter local nomads, some of whom still live in caves and tents. At El-Kelaa M’Gouna up to 4000 tonnes of rose petals are picked every spring to be processed into rosewater or exported for the perfume industry. The Rose Festival is held here in May. We then travel to the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, probably the most celebrated, filmed and photographed Kasbah in Morocco. Featured in numerous films (including Lawrence of Arabia, The Sheltering Sky and Gladiator), it is the best-preserved Kasbah in Morocco, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We cross the Atlas Mountains by the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass, which at an altitude of 2260m (7417ft), is the highest pass in Morocco. You will enjoy amazing views of this fascinating landscape and Berber villages. Arriving at Marrakech you will stay overnight in a riad near the famous Jemma el Fna square, with its snake charmers, singers, teeth pullers and fortune tellers.
Overnight in a hotel or riad overlooking the Dades Valley.
Day 8 :
Marrkech Sightseeing – Marrakech
In the morning your local guide will take you to see the historic sites of Marrakech, including the Koutoubia Mosque, Jemma el Fna square, the souks of the Medina, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the famous Ben Youssef Medersa. In the afternoon your private driver/guide will take you to visit the Majorelle and Menara gardens. You will have dinner in a local restaurant and stay overnight at your Riad.
Day 9 :
Marrakech – Airport
Depending on your flight time, there may be an opportunity for that last minute shopping before we collect you for your transfer to the airport.
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