16 DAYS TOUR FROM CASABLANCA

PROGRAM 16 DAYS TOUR FROM CASABLANCA

DAY 1 : CASABLANCA – RABAT :

Your Morocco berber tours, start upon arrival to Casablanca airport, where we will meet you and drive to Casablanca, and then to Rabat. In Casablanca, you will see the Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque outside Mecca. Then continuing to Rabat – the capital of Morocco. You will see the Hassan Tower and the Oudaya Kasbah before you check into your overnight accommodation in a riad at the heart of the Medina.

DAY 2 : RABAT – ASSILAH – CHEFCHAOUEN :

After breakfast in your riad, we will continue our Morocco berber tours, driving to Chefchaouen via the city of Asilah. Most of the drive will be by the coast. Our first stop will be in Asilah, where you will have the opportunity to explore the city. Asilah is known for it annual festival for the art – most of the walls of the Medina are painted by various famous artists from all over the world. Your visit includes the Skalla fortress, where you will experience a wonderful view of the Medina and the ocean. If time permits, you will have a drive through Tanger to get a feel of the city. Afterwards you will continue over the foothills of the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen. Overnight in a traditonal moroccan riad.

DAY 3 : EXPLORING CHEFCHAOUEN :

After breakfast in your riad, you will start exploring Chefchaouen “The blue city of Morocco”, on this Morocco berber tours.  Situated at the footstep of 2 higher mountains, Chefchaouen is a beautiful unique city, with its white washed walls and blue doors and windows. Unlike many parts of Morocco, Chefchaouen was occupied by Spain; therefore there is much influence from the Spanish civilization and Moorish architecture. In the afternoon you will have your own time. This provides the opportunity to wander around unguided or just enjoy some time to yourselves. Overnight in the same riad.

DAY 4 : CHEFCHAOUEN – VOLUBILIS – MEKNES – FES :

After breakfast in your riad, you will start travelling to Fes via Ouazzan and the Roman site of Volubilis. After a couple of hours drive, you will get to Volubilis, the well preserved Roman empire dating to 225 BC, where you will see the most beautiful Mosaics in Morocco dating back to 3rd century BC. Here you will have a guided tour of the site and learn a lot about the Roman Empire. After that we travel to Meknes, the Ismaili capital of Morocco. In Meknes we see the fascinating gate Bab Mansour built by the sultan My Ismail; the granary and the Sahrij Souani, used for irrigation and plantation. Your visit includes also the Mulay Ismail Mausoleum. We then continue via the highway to Fes. Overnight accommodation at a fancy riad in the medina.

DAY 5 : EXPLORING FES :

After breakfast in your riad you will start your Morocco berber tours, exploring Fes the “the Sprititual City of Morocco”. You will spend the whole morning exploring the Medina and its alleys; visiting most of the sites with cultural and historical interest – including the famous Al Karaouine Mosque and University (the oldest in the world), the Medrasa Bouanania, the Tanneries and the Najjarine fountain. After lunch, we will drive you outside the Medina to see the Royal Palace gate, walk through the Jewish quarter “the Mellah”, and then visit the pottery cooperative. In the afternoon, we will drive you to one of the fortresses to experience an amazing panoramic view of the whole Medina of Fes. Overnight accommodation at the same riad .

DAY 6 : FES – AZROU – MIDLET – ZIZ VALLEY – MERZOUGA :

After breakfast in your riad, you’ll start travelling southeast to Merzouga via Midelt and Errachidia. Your first stop on this Morocco berber tours, will be at Ifran, referred to as “the Switzerland of Morocco”, and then to Merzouga via Midlet and the Ziz Valley. During this journey you’ll experience glimpses of the Middle Atlas and Higher Atlas mountains. Stopping at the famous cedar forest – the largest in Morocco – where you may well sight Barbarian apes. You’ll notice how the scenery changes to reveal hints of the desert as you approach the city Er Rachidia.

Then after lunch in Midelt, your  continues along the luxuriant Ziz Valley, stopping for panoramic views along the way. We will drive through welcoming Berber villages to Erfoud, and then Rissani, the foundation of the Alaouite dynasty – the current ruling royal family in Morocco. Arriving in Merzouga at the end of the day. You’ll be welcomed with a glass of mint tea before you check in to your riad.

DAY 7 : MERZOUGA AREA AND THE CAMEL TREK :

After breakfast in the riad you will start an explorative journey of the area. You’ll visit the Gnawa people, originally slaves brought from Sudan, to experience their music and lifestyle. After that, we will drive in desert area where you will have the opportunity to meet the nomad families still living in berber tents and explore their way of life. Today our lunch will be local meal ( berber pezza ) with a local family.

You may also visit the souk in Rissani, a traditional town which was the origin of the ruling family in Morocco and the meeting place of the Caravans trading as far as Timbuctou in Mali. Here you will see a lot of men hooded and women veiled. In the afternoon you will start your guided camel ride, led by an experienced camel man to explore within the sand sea of Merzouga. Overnight at our desert camp where you will have your dinner. For your convenience, the camp is equipped with flush toilets.

DAY 8 : MERZOUGA – TODRA GORGES – DADES GORGES :

Early in the morning your camel guide will wake you up to watch what well may be the best sunrise of your life. Afterwards you will trek back to the village of Merzouga. Enroute you couldn’t fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes – changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast in your riad, you’ll leave for the Dades Valley, visiting Todra Gorges – the highest, narrowest gorges in Morocco. After lunch within the valley, you will have an optional hour’s hike through the fields where you will enjoy visiting an old mud village. Meet locals and learn about the culture. On through Dades Valley, where you will have the opportunity to see majestic sand castles and the amazing rock formations known as “monkey toes”. Overnight accommodation will be in your hotel overlooking the Dades valley.

DAY 9 : DADES GORGE –NOMAD CAVES – ROSE VALLEY – OUARZAZATE :

After breakfast in the hotel, you will continue Morocco berber tours, travelling through the Dades Valley towards Kalaa M’gouna and Ouarzazate. The route through Dades Valley is the way of the thousand Kasbahs – providing numerous opportunities to take some of your best photographic shots of the trip. Today you will have the opportunity to to hike for few hours if you like. You will also meet Berber Nomads in their caves and then you will enjoy the fertile Rose valley and the rock formations along the way. We’ll stop at Kalaat M’gouna, “the rose city”, to purchase the rosewater, which will make your linen smell good a long time after your trip is over.

Then continuing on our Morocco berber tours, to Skoura and the birds valley, you’ll visit the Kasbah Ameridil, a well-preserved kasbah in this area followed by some light hiking in the valley and a stop for lunch at a traditional moroccan restaurant, overlooking the whole valley today you will have the chance to meet nomad families living in cave to explore an other hard life After lunch, we continue to Ouarzazate – “the Hollywood of Africa”- whose geography and beautiful landscapes have attracted many world class movie producers. Overnight accommodation will be in a traditional Moroccan riad.

DAY 10 : OUARZAZATE – AIT BEN HADDOU KASBAH – IMLIL :

After breakfast in your riad, you will travel to Imlil via the dramatic Tizi Ntichka Pass. Today you’ll stop at the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. The largest Kasbah in Morocco, was built by T-hami El Glaoui, one of the last Berber chieftains, at the end of the 19th century to be one of his stops during his long trading routes to Timbuctu in Mali. Now the Kasbah houses many of the Glaoui family members. After visiting the Kasbah, your Morocco berber tours,  will continue through the majestic Tizi n’tichka in the high Atlas mountain. Then to the village of Asni and the village of Imlil at the heart of the high Atlas mountains.

Here you’ll enjoy the scenic views through the gorges of Moulay Brahim and the village of Imlil, a small berber village with a strong culture before to arrive to Imlil . Night in an authentic Kasbah.

DAY 11 : HIKING IN THE ATLAS MOUNTAIN AND EXPLORING IMLIL VILLAGE :

Today you You’ll have the opportunity to hike for few hours, experience the real Berber culture and enjoy the view of the Toubkal mountains, the highest in north Africa . Overnight in the same kasbah. This is a perfect day to enjoy your Morocco berber tours.

DAY 12 : IMLIL – ESSAOUIRA :

After breakfast we will drive to Essaouira. So on this Morocco berber tours, you’ll discover this ancient city on the West Atlantic coast of Africa literally means “wall” in the Berber language. and you’ll soon discover why. Travelers from all over the world come here to experience the very special weather, and explore its diverse and unique history. We drive through lush valleys filled with orange groves, ancient olive trees and working farms on the drive to the coast. After a short while, we arrive in Chichaoua, where we can take a short break for a coffee or snack . Once you have had the chance to refuel a bit, we will continue on. Soon coming upon our first signs of the Argan trees.

These special trees are valued for their nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal properties. The tree, a relic species from the Tertiary age, is extremely well adapted to drought and other environmentally difficult conditions of southwestern Morocco, and because they are now endangered. They are under the protection of UNESCO. After all of your morning travels, you arrive in Essouira. There you have the chance to wander the ancient streets and can imagine what life existed here in the past. The streets have a genuinely Portuguese feel. After they renamed the city in the 16th century and used it as a port city of their own. Overnight in authentic riad.

DAY 13 : EXPLORING ESSAOUIRA :

Breakfast is in your Riad before a tour of the town. On this Morocco berber tours, you’ll visit the Skala Fortress, the port, the souks and see Thuya wood carved by artisans. Walking through the alleys of the medina and past the hundreds of handicrafts. Essaouira is known for its strong winds most of the year so it is known as the “City of the wind” . Thus it attracts surfers from all over the world. Essaouira knew many civilizations – including the Portuguese occupation, which affects much of its architecture. However, it remains a small village with much history. Because of its size and its characteristic blue doors and washed walls, it is also regarded as Morocco’s “Jewel of the Atlantics. Our visit includes the Mellah – the Jewish headquarter, and the beach.

There is an annual festival of “Gnawa music”, where many musical groups come from different parts of Africa and the world. Usually it starts in the third week of June. So if your trip coincides with this, you have the option to extend your stay for an extra day. Today you will have lunch in a Moroccan way, bought fishes ‘cooked to order’. The afternoon is free to walk and explore by yourself. Overnight accommodation is in the same Riad in the Medina.

DAY 14: ESSAOUIRA – MARRAKECH:

After breakfast in your Riad, we’ll depart for Marrakech. On our way – since this is the land of Argan culture. There’s an opportunity to visit the women’s co-operative of Argan oil where they extract the oil that is famous for its culinary, cosmetic and medical properties. After several stops to take photographs, you will continue your travel to Marrakech before checking in to your Riad. After dinner you will enjoy walking in the famous square of Jemaa El fna, entertained with magicians, story tellers, musicians and snake charmers. Overnight in a fancy Riad in the medina.

DAY 15 : EXPLORING MARRAKECH :

After breakfast in the riad, you will start exploring Marrakech “the Red City of Morocco”. Your guide will ensure that you see most of the sites with historical and cultural interest. Including the famous Jemaa El Fna square, the Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian tombs; the Palace of Bahia and the Ben Youssef Coranic School. Then, lunch at a restaurant near the square. Afterwards in the afternoon visit the Majorelle Gardens, and have a short visit to the new city of Marrakech . Overnight accommodation will be at the same riad .

DAY 16 : MARRAKECH – AIRPORT TRANSFER :

Today, depending on your departure time, we will drive you to the airport for your departure flight, end of your enjoyable Morocco berber tours.