10 Days Morocco Grand Tour (Imperial Cities & Sahara Desert)

Arrival to the airport of Rabat-Sale and meet your driver and your guide. Start away your 10 days Morocco tour from the airport.  Rabat is elegant, modern and spacious. Sightseeing includes the visit of the archeological museum of Rabat, the kasbah of Oudaya, the Hassan tower. It also Mohamed V Mausoleum and the Mechaour of Royal Palace.

Transfer to Meknes: a beautiful Moroccan city not far from the middle Atlas Mountains and one of the 4 Moroccan imperial cities, beside Rabat, Fes and Marrakech.

Meknes was the capital of Morocco during Sultan Moulay Ismail (17 century). The tour of Meknes will cover the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum, the Royal stables, Hri Swani, the Bab Mansour gate and medina. Right after transfer to your hotel for check in.

The tour also can be started from the hotel in Rabat or even from Casablanca hotel or airport.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to fez: the spiritual city of Morocco with approximately 300 mosques including the historical Jamaa el qaraouiyine (built on the year 859 by a lady). Fez/ also Fes is a jewel of spanish-arabic civilization is the sanctuary of religions and human sciences.

The guided tour of Fes includes the Medina which’s bustling with artisans and merchants and captivating sounds, and the orientation tour that includes a visit to the main gate of royal palace, the ceramic area and the tanneries.

Other sites will include the koranic school Madrasa Bouaanania, the exterior site of University and mosque alqaraouiyine (not accessible for non-Muslims).

After navigating the medina and enjoy an active walk you’ll check into the hotel. Free and easy time.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Erfoud across the Middle and high Atlas range of Mountains. While leaving Fes behind for a while you’ll pass several towns such as Imouzzer: a summer town that gives out to Saiss plains. And then Ifrane: beautiful and well managed summer town known for its cold snowy winters and this is reflected through its slanted rooves.

After a break in Ifrane continue the journey through the cedar forest of Ifrane national park known for its different fauna and flora like Barbary apes and cedar forest.

Travel further while enjoying scenic road and nomads taking care of their sheep’s in those plains. Pass the city of Midelt and lunch on the go.

Sit down and contemplate the beautiful views along the valley of Ziz, known for its date palm trees. Arrive to Erfoud and hotel check in.

After breakfast, you’ll depart to the Sahara Desert of Erg Chebbi. Initially you’ll visit a fossil cooperative specializing in fossil preparation in Erfoud: best known thing in the town.

Later on travel via the palm groves to Rissani and see the traditional market which takes places on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Travel further to Merzouga where you’ll attend a show of Gnaoua Music in the village of Khamlia.

Later on, get ready to take a camel trek experience into the camp crossing the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. Enjoy a peaceful evening in the sand dunes, see plenty of stars, have dinner and have a peaceful night in a luxury tent.

Breakfast at the camp. Possible to trek with camel’s back to the town or a direct transfer with the car will be arranged from the campsite.

Transfer to Todra gorges: Best majestic and impressive geological fault in the Southern Morocco, and a good place for experienced rock climber and school excursions.

Enjoy the fresh weather of Atlas while the River of Todra flows down to irrigate the valley of Todra.

On the way, you will stop and have a break for lunch.

Later on transfer to Boumalne from where you’ll join the stunning views of Dades valley. Enjoy the drive along Dades valley to reach you hotel in evening. Hotel check and over night.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Ouarzazate via the town of Kalaa Mgouna, best known for its rose water distillation process including a stop in of their cooperatives.

Arrive to Ouarzazate: Visit the Atlas Studio and then travel further to the town of Ait Ben Haddou. There you’ll walk up the hill to visit the Kasbah or have a nice view the bottom from the river side.

After Ait Ben haddou, the afternoon drive will take you through the scenic and twisty drive to Marrakech via the high Atlas Mountains including few stops before reaching Marrakech. Transfer to the hotel.

Today will be a Marrakech exploration day. Historical visit of Marrakech will include a visitor with explication to the exterior of the koutoubia Mosque, main mosque in Marrakech (the twin tower of Giralda in Seville, Spain). After that, you’ll walk through the Kasbah quarter and visit the Saadian tombs that demonstrate the Moorish architecture with its perfection.

Move on to visit the Bahia palace, and see other important monuments of Marrakech like Madrasa Ben Youssef

Evening drums will draw you to the Djemaa El Fna (main city square). It’s a festival atmosphere, with snake charmers, Berber and Gnaoua musicians, and storytellers illuminated by lamplight and wreathed in smoke. Food stalls on the square sell fresh salads, soups, fried fish and chips, chicken and beef kebabs and even boiled snails or sheep’s head. Finish it off with a glass of sweet cinnamon tea. Stay in Marrakech Riad in the heart of the medina.

This itinerary combines the mysterious allure of Marrakech and the relaxed coastal vibes of Essaouira. After breakfast we will drive to the coast to visit the Essaouira protected town by the UNESCO. This town reflect the character of Portuguese settlers of the 16th century, and it’s famous for its fine handicrafts, and silver threads. strolling in its alleys visiting the Jewish quarter called the Mellah, and then the Sqala: fort, the port with a roam near the ocean. Later on, travel back to Marrakech.

Today, you may wish to make it a free day, and as an option, you can decide when you arrive to Marrakech.

Departure to Rabat at the appropriate time.

On the way stop in Casablanca to Visit Hassan 2 Mosque with a possible break at Café Rick’s.

Transfer to Rabat and hotel check in.  Evening will be dedicated to explore Rabat at your rhythm, and get ready to fly home and bring nice memories about this facsinating Northern African country: Morocco

Airport transfer depends on your departure time.

For this tour, you can also choose to fly out from Casablanca airport.