22-Day Grand Tour in Morocco (Around Morocco Tour)

DAY 01 - Arrival in Casablanca & Medina Tour

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Casablanca.

DAY 02 - Casablanca → Rabat

After breakfast, we take a guided tour of the Hassan II Mosque; this is open to non-Muslims and has an incredible interior, well worth visiting. It is the third-largest Mosque in the world and can house 25,000 people inside. We will stop for a lunch break at a highly recommended restaurant before heading north to Rabat, the capital and administrative centre of Morocco. In the afternoon, you will have a sightseeing tour of the most important monuments to include: the Mohammed V Mausoleum, the Hassan Tower, the Kasbah Oudayas, the Chellah Necropolis, and the outside of the Royal Palace. Accommodation in Rabat.

• Drive: Casablanca to Rabat - approx. 116 km (around 1-3 hours)

DAY 03 - Rabat → Assilah → Tangier

We leave the city of Rabat, cross the river to the old city of Sale, and then visit the Exotic Gardens at Bouknadel before heading to Tangier, a coastal city blending Mediterranean and Atlantic influences. Explore Tangier’s historic medina, vibrant souks, and the Kasbah. Enjoy the lively atmosphere of the port and coastal views. Overnight in Tangier.

• Drive: Rabat to Tangier- approx. 247 km (around 3-4 hours)

DAY 04 - Tangier → Tetouen → Chefchaouen

Leave Tangier and drive to the stunning blue city of Chefchaouen via the scenic Rif Mountains. Explore this charming medina known for its blue-washed streets and vibrant atmosphere. Overnight in a riad in Chefchaouen. After that, we will drive through verdant landscapes and villages to the rugged mountains that hide the famous blue city, Chefchaouen. Overnight in a Riad in the heart of the blue medina. We recommend dinner in the vibrant and atmospheric square.

• Drive: Tangier to Chefchaouen - approx. 112 km (around 2-3 hours)

DAY 05 - Full Day Explore Chefchaouen

After breakfast, you will take a guided tour of this magical blue city. The medina of Chefchaouen is divided into neighbourhoods, each from a different time and history. You will visit the old Kasbah and the small winding streets with their blue steps and buildings. After lunch, we will give you some great suggestions of places, the tour takes you to the Ras el Maa, a waterfall where the women go to wash their clothes in purpose-built wash houses. The remainder of the day is free to explore by yourselves, do some shopping, and take lots of photos in this charming medina. Accommodation is the same as the previous night.

DAY 06 - Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Moulay Idriss → Meknes → Fez

We leave the mountain location and drive south to discover the Imperial city of Meknes. The countryside here is particularly lovely, with rolling fields, winding rivers, and pretty wildflowers. Meknes was founded in the 11th century by the Almoravid dynasty, and then in the 17th century, Sultan Moulay Ismail brought Hispanic-Moorish architecture to this city. It has perhaps one of the largest babs or gateways in the country; Bab Mansour is a work of fine mosaic. Also, the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum, the old granaries and horse stables, the Dar Jamai Museum, the Swani Basin, and the medina and ramparts are places to visit.

We leave Meknes and drive to the next Imperial city, Fes, the capital of culture, gastronomy, and spirituality. Overnight in a fancy traditional Fes-style riad with half board.

• Drive: Fes to Chefchaouen - approx. 196 km (around 4-5 hours)

DAY 07 - Full Day Explore Fes

Today is devoted to the discovery of Fes with a knowledgeable local guide. With his help, you will visit some of the true gems of this ancient medieval medina. With more than 9,000 streets in a labyrinth of artisan workshops, ancient mosques, fountains, medrassas, and foundouks, there is much to see, and it's easy to get lost. You will also get to see the famous Tanneries with the best leather work, the pottery cooperatives where intricate zellig work is done, and the painstaking decoration of pottery.

Additionally, you can observe the weavers who make sabra silk throws and fabrics, the metal workers, and many other wonderful sights. Overnight in the same riad.

DAY 08 - Fes → Ifrane → Midelt

After enjoying your breakfast, we leave the city and take the road to the mountains. These mountains are home to the great cedar forests, and are very picturesque in winter when the snow comes. In spring and summer, the lakes are full of fish. We will travel through this region, visiting Dayet Aoua, the towns of Ifrane and Azrou, and make our way south to the village of Ain Leuh. You may also see the indigenous Barbary Monkeys that live in this part of the Middle Atlas Mountains. One of the most spectacular places is the Oum Rbiaa, or the sources of the rivers. Here, the full power of nature is present, with waterfalls from snowmelt serving as the source for the many rivers that flow from here. This is an idyllic picnic spot and home to the Barbary eagles. We drive through the Bekrit mountains and continue on to reach Midelt, where we spend the night and enjoy dinner.

• Drive: Fes to Midelt - approx. 198 km (around 4 hours)

DAY 09 - Midelt → Ziz Valley → Merzouga Desert

Today, the landscapes and countryside change frequently, from the rugged mountains of the eastern High Atlas to canyons, rivers, vast palm groves, and valleys, until the vast Sahara desert begins. We pass through the fossil region of Erfoud and Rissani before arriving in the village of Merzouga. A welcome mint tea awaits, as do our camels, ready to take us to our desert camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes. Nomad-style accommodation is reserved for this night, dinner, Berber music, and a vast African sky full of stars.

• Drive: Midelt to Merzouga - approx. 260 km (around 4-5 hours)

DAY 10 - Merzouga desert → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley

After an early wake-up call, you can watch the sunrise, the colours changing as it moves across the dunes, the silence as we ride the camels back to Merzouga; all make for wonderful, unforgettable moments. In Merzouga, you can take a shower and enjoy breakfast before we depart for Rissani. In Erfoud, we can stop to visit a fossils museum and workshop which houses many interesting finds. We continue to Tinghir and then up in the Todra Gorge, where we will have lunch, and you can enjoy a hike in this vertical wonderland. We drive back down the valley, where you can see the adobe villages and kasbahs along the Dades Valley. Overnight with half board in the valley.

• Drive: Merzouga desert to Boumalne Dades- approx. 258 km (around 4-5 hours)

DAY 11 - Dades Valley → Rose Valley → Skoura → Ouarzazate

After breakfast, we have an adventure for you: to see a different lifestyle. After a drive along the valley, we will go up into the Dades Gorge; this is a truly unique landscape with rose-colored rocks that have eroded to look like fat monkey fingers. In the valley, old kasbahs stand amongst fertile fields. Further up the gorge, we come to a town called Boutaghrar, and it is here that we have come to visit the nomads who have made their homes in caves. After a lunch break down in the valley, we continue along the Valley of the Roses and to the palm grove of Skoura, then to the cinema city of Ouarzazate, where we will spend the night.

• Drive: Boumalne Dades to Ouarzazate - approx. 140 km (around 3 hours)

DAY 12 - Ouarzazate → Aït Ben Haddou → High Atlas Mounatins → Marrakech

A relaxed start and departure after breakfast to visit the kasbah of Ait Benhaddou. This fortress ksar stands alone and is perhaps better known for its use in some well-known blockbusters like Gladiator. You will have time to walk amongst its walls and up to the top to see why it is an important location. It is also on the salt route that the caravans used to go to Timbuktu. After a lunch break, we take the mountain road across the High Atlas mountains to Marrakech, over the high pass of Tizi n´Tichka at 2260 metres and down the windy road to the plains below. The medina will be your location for the night in a typical riad with half board.

• Drive: Ouarzazate to Marrakesh - approx. 196 km (around 4-5 hours)

DAY 13 - Marrakech Medina tour

Today is dedicated to a guided tour of the Imperial city of Marrakech; The intricate work at the 19th-century Bahia Palace, the 16th-century Saadian tombs, the Koutoubia mosque, and the Dar Si Said museum are a few of the recommended sights. The Tiskiwin African and Berber Museum is also well worth a visit. In the afternoon a wander through the souks and alleyways of the medina and the UNESCO Djemma el Fna; the place of the dead and an ancient meeting place for caravans and storytellers, now the snake charmers, fruit sellers and acrobats, the Gnaoua musicians and food stalls fill the square every night to entertain the masses who come from near and far to experience this unique place. Overnight in the same riad.

DAY 14 - Marrakech Gardens Tour

A visit to Marrakech should include its gardens, as they hold historical significance, too. The Majorelle Gardens, with its distinct blue décor, the Berber Museum, the Menara Gardens, and a drive along the ramparts that surround this 1000-year-old medina are all worth exploring. Nineteen kilometers of adobe wall still stand to protect this historic place. The rest of the day is free to explore, shop, and soak up the atmosphere. Overnight in the same riad.

DAY 15 - Free Day in Marrakech

Today is a free day; you can take a cooking class, go quad biking, or take a day trip to the mountains for lunch in a typical gite and a short hike. Or perhaps just relax?

DAY 16 - Marrakech → Tizi n' Test → Taroudant

Today, after breakfast, we leave Marrakech and travel to the city of Taroudant, known as little Marrakech, which has ramparts with a similar style. After we arrive there, we will have a walking tour of its medina before going to the Riad.

• Drive: Marrakech to Taroudant- approx. 267 km (around 4-5 hours)

DAY 17 - Taroudant → Agadir

We are off to the beach today. We are driving to the Atlantic coast and the resort city of Agadir, where you will have time to enjoy the beach and relax in the sun. Accommodation in a hotel.

• Drive: Taroudant to Agadir - approx. 82 km (around 1-2 hours)

DAY 18 - Agadir → Taghazout → Essaouira

After breakfast, we continue along the Atlantic seaboard, driving past Argan Forests to the charming medina of Essaouira, known for its blue and white doors and buildings. This coastal town has many reminders of its history, where invading countries have left their mark: Portuguese architecture and Spanish cannons along the bastions, which reflect both Moorish and Hispanic influences. You can have a tour of the medina, its fishing port, and fortified walls. The rest of the day is free to explore and enjoy some of the fresh fish and seafood. Overnight in a riad or hotel in the medina.

• Drive: Agadir to Essaouira - approx. 176 km (around 4-5 hours)

DAY 19 - Full Day Explore Essaouira

Today is a free day to enjoy, go to the beach, windsurf, go horse-riding or camel riding along the sand, relax and soak up the atmosphere, and discover the unique crafts and galleries in the narrow streets.

DAY 20 - Essaouira → Oualidia

After breakfast, we will depart from Essaouira, continuing along the coast to the seaside village of Oualidia. This is a very picturesque part of the country with huge views across the sea. You will have time to explore as we will stay the night in Oualidia.

• Drive: Essaouira to Oualidia - approx. 193 km (around 3 hours)

DAY 21 - Oualidia → El Jadida → Casablanca

We are going to discover another coastal medina, also with 16th-century Portuguese architecture. This UNESCO heritage site of El Jadida or Magazan has an interesting Cistern in a Gothic style. Its long sandy beach is a bay of great natural beauty. Following the departure of the Portuguese in 1769, the then-abandoned fortress was revived in the 19th century, becoming a multicultural, multi-faith society and commercial centre. After visiting here and taking a lunch break, we will drive north to Casablanca. Overnight in a hotel.

• Drive: Oualidia to Casablanca - approx. 215 km (around 3 hours)