10-Day Chefchaouen to Sahara to Marrakech - Private Group

Itinerary

Day 1: CASABLANCA, CHEFCHAOUEN

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: 2 hours

Stop At: Chefchaouen Medina, Chefchaouen Morocco
Travel north to Chefchaouen, nestled high in the Rif Mountains (approximately a 5.5 - 6-hour drive).

Duration: 6 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in Chefchaouen

Day 2: CHEFCHAOUEN

Stop At: Chefchaouen Medina, Chefchaouen Morocco
Spend the day exploring the charming blue-washed medina, which no one knows for certain why it is painted blue.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Chefchaouen

Day 3: VOLUBILIS, MEKNES, AND FES

Stop At: Meknes Medina, Meknes Morocco
Head back down the mountains and travel south to the imperial city of Meknes, which was the capital of Morocco from 1672 to 1727 under sultan Moulay Ismail.

See the Bab Mansour Gate, which was built with marble columns stolen from nearby Volubilis.

Stop by the Royal Stables, which once held the sultan’s 12,000 horses, each with its own groom and slave to attend to its every need.

Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Fes el-Bali, Fes 30110 Morocco
Continue on to Fes.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Fes.

Day 4: FES DAY TOUR

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. They also sell leather items in every shade and style, and can even alter an item to be delivered to your riad by the end of the day!

During your tour of the medina, you will stop for lunch in a restaurant that would be very easy to walk right past, but is truly a hidden gem.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight in Fes

Day 5: 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
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Merzouga

Day 6: SAHARA DESERT

Stop At: Erg Chebbi Dunes, Morocco
Begin the day 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
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in the Sahara Desert

Day 7: BOUMALNE DADES

Stop At: Gorges du Dades, R704 Gorges Dades, Boumalne Dades 45350 Morocco
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 begin your journey west.

Make a stop in Boumalne Dades to see the stunning Todra Gorge, carved from the red rocks of the landscape by a river.

Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Boumalne Dades

Day 8: TICHKA PASS, MARRAKECH

Stop At: Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, Douar Ait Ben Haddou, Ait Ben Haddou 45000 Morocco
Depart in the morning to make your journey to Marrakech.

OPTIONAL: Make a stop in Kalaat M'Gouna, which is famous for its rose co-ops, where thousands of pounds of rose petals are harvested each year to be distilled into rose water and rose oil for use in cosmetics.

When you reach Ouarzazate, make a stop at Ait Ben-Haddou, an ancient Ksar that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located along the former trade caravan route between the Sahara Desert and Marrakech, the Ksar is now often used as a filming location for movies including The Jewel of the Nile, The Mummy, Gladiator, and Kingdom of Heaven.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Tizi n Tichka, Imlil Village, Ouarzazate 45000 Morocco
Cross the Atlas Mountains once more via the winding Tichka Pass to reach Marrakech.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Marrakech

Day 9: DAY TOUR OF MARRAKECH

Stop At: Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakech Morocco
Tour Marrakech with a private guide.

Visit the Koutoubia minaret, the tallest in Marrakech. Within the city walls, no building is allowed to be taller than the Koutoubia's 253 feet. The minaret is part of the largest mosque in Marrakech, which was completed in 1199.

Stop at a Berber Apothecary shop, learning of the medicinal uses of many of the common spices and herbs that are still used across Morocco to treat common illnesses. While it's not as picturesque as the heaps of spices you find in the market, it is far more informative!

Tour the Bahia Palace, a late 19th-century palace built for the grand vizier and named for his favorite wife. The rooms, set in a 2-acre garden, include the rooms which housed his harem, an often political position.

Explore Jemaa el Fna, the primary square in the medina and a UNESCO world heritage site. Though now filled with street performers, snake charmers, merchants, and orange juice stalls, when it was created in 1050, it was used for public executions, perhaps leading to its name which can be translated as "assembly of death".

Head into the souks surrounding Jemaa el Fna to several workshops, including shoemakers and bakers.

Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Marrakech

Day 10: DEPARTURE

Stop At: Casablanca Morocco, Usine DLM، Morocco
Transfer to the Marrakech or Casablanca airport for your departure
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.