Moroccan Souks & Sand

Mrehba! Welcome to Casablanca. Our trip begins with a group meeting at 5:30PM, followed by an included Welcome Dinner at Rick’s Café—a tribute to the bar made famous by Bogart and Bergman in the classic film, Casablanca.

For our tour’s first full day, we visit the grand Hassan II Mosque—the largest in Africa—then hit the road towards the Rif Mountains and Chefchaouen, aka The Blue City. After checking into our hotel, we’ll enjoy an orientation walk and learn about the Blue City’s Andalusian history and how it got its namesake coat of blue paint. Finally, we’ll end the day with dinner at a local restaurant.

TODAY’S DRIVE TIME: 7 – 9 hours depending on road conditions

We’ll begin the day with a relaxed breakfast at our accommodations before heading to the city’s beautiful medina for a guided tour. It is here we’ll indulge in the sights, sounds and smells of the city’s famous district. We may even taste some local goat cheese. After an included lunch at another local favourite, you’ll have the afternoon free to explore. May we suggest a hike through the surrounding hills towards Akchour falls?

We’ll rise early for a quick breakfast at our accommodations. Then it is off to Fes vis-a-vis UNESCO-listed Volubilis, a partly-excavated Berber city. After arriving in Fes you’ll have plenty of time to unpack, get acquainted with the city or just indulge in our stunning hotel. Loosen your belt buckles because tonight we’ll enjoy a memorable, included meal.

TODAY’S DRIVE TIME: total of 5 – 6.5 hours depending on road conditions

Today, a local guide will introduce us to the incredible Medina of Fes, the spiritual heart of Morocco. We’ll but scrape the surface of this mysterious place as we explore just a few of its 10,000 streets. Laden with souks, markets, and handicrafts quarters, the potential for discovery is limitless. This will be followed by free time in the afternoon. To round out our day, we’ll enjoy a fabulous home-cooked dinner with a local family. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know Moroccan culture and customs.

Arm yourself with a good book because today we take our long journey to Merzouga in a private transfer. On the way we will stop for an included local lunch in Midelt, a charming town located in the high plains with stunning views of the Atlas mountains. Our boutique hotel in Merzouga, beautifully situated, is nestled into the sandy surrounds. After check-in, you can strip down to your swimsuit and luxuriate by the pool. Our day ends with a delicious dinner.

TODAY’S DRIVE TIME: 9 – 10 hours depending on road conditions

A big day awaits as we jump aboard 4WDs to visit the Merzouga desert, the village of Hassilabiad and the very popular village of Khemlia. Khemlia is populated by a nomadic group that arrived in Morocco in the 15th century from sub-Saharan countries like Ghana. You’ll have time to enjoy their music, dance and unique fashion before a Madouna lunch—a local bread stuffed with meat (optional), veggies and herbs. Tonight we’ll saddle a caravan of camels and ride into the desert sunset for one of the most memorable evenings of the tour. Finally, back at our desert camp we’ll enjoy another included dinner.

Today we return from the desert and have a spectacular journey to the Todra Gorge, and make stops at the oasis museum of El Khorbat and the popular resort town of Skoura. We’ll enjoy a delicious lunch before exploring the surprisingly lush region together and heading on towards our hotel in Ait Benhaddou.

TODAY’S DRIVE TIME: total of 9 – 10 hours depending on road conditions

Today is defined by a spectacular drive across the High Atlas Mountains. Driving through the Tizi n’ Tichka pass—the highest in Morocco at 2,260m/7,400ft—our final destination is Marrakech. Once there, you’ll be able to enjoy the comforts of our centrally located accommodations. A Moroccan feast awaits for dinner at a beautifully restored riad—in fact, one of the oldest riads in the city!

TODAY’S DRIVE TIME: total of 5-6 hours depending on road conditions

Rise and shine, Habibi. After a simple breakfast we head to La Maison Arabe for an informative Moroccan cooking class where we’ll discover the secrets to North African cuisine. Lunch is included today followed by a guided tour of Marrkesh’s wonderful Medina, or Arab Quarter. We’ll explore hidden shops, secret courtyards, lush Islamic gardens and Bahia Palace, a splendid mansion built by a former slave who rose to power within the government. Dinner and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

For our final full day together, we’ll venture into Marrakech’s serene Majorelle Gardens, originally owned and tended to by the French painter Jacques Majorelle. The tropical gardens are also where the ashes of Yves Saint-Laurent were scattered in 2008. Speaking of whom, we’ll spend an hour or so at the Yves Saint-Laurent museum, appreciating the gay icon’s contributions to the world of fashion. The adventure finally ends with a Farewell Dinner at one of Marrakech’s most popular restaurants, where we can reminisce over the 11 past days before we part ways.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at your leisure. Thank you for joining our gay Morocco tour!