7 days Tour from Marrakech to the royal cities, Chefchaouen, and the Merzouga desert; the tour first takes you to Morocco’s royal cities of Rabat, Meknes, and Fez, and then to Chefchaouen, the blue city. The tour then continues to the great dunes of Erg Chebbi and through the Dades Gorge and the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs over the High Atlas back to Marrakech.
Overview
A private, individual round trip in a comfortable 4×4 Land Cruiser/minivan to the royal cities, combined with a camel ride in the Erg Chebbi desert (Merzouga). The round trip first takes you to the famous royal cities of Rabat, Meknes, and Fez and to the picturesque blue city of Chefchaouen. Then experience the red dunes of Erg Chebbi on a camel ride at sunset and a night in a luxurious desert camp. You then continue via the impressive Dades Gorge to the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs with its typical mud castles and over the High Atlas and Ait Ben Haddou back to Marrakech.
Tour 7.12
ROUTE: Marrakech – Casablanca – Rabat – Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes – Midelt –Erfoud – Merzouga and Erg Chebbi dunes – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Gorge – Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Telouet – High Atlas – Marrakech
Type of tour: guided, private round trip in a Land Cruiser/minivan, combined with a camel ride in the Merzouga desert (Erg Chebbi)
Minimum number of participants: 2 person
Duration of the tour: 7 days and 6 nights with half board
Departure/arrival: Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Marrakech
Individual tour dates, suitable all year round
Included
- Private transport in a jeep or minibus
- English- and French-speaking driver
- Departure and arrival from/to your hotel/riad in Marrakech
- The option to make a stop whenever and wherever you wish
- Free time to explore the various sights and attractions
- Half-day guided tour of Fes with a local English- and French-speaking guide
- 3 nights in a double room with private bathroom in a riad with breakfast
- 2 nights in a double room with private bathroom in a riad with breakfast and dinner
- 1 night in a double tent with private bathroom in the Merzouga desert with breakfast and dinner
- Tour with dromedaries and local guides in the desert (1.5 hours)
- Sandboarding in the desert
- Water, tea and coffee in the desert
Exclude
- lunch
- Beverages
- Personal expenses
- Entrance fees
- Tips
Tour Plan
In the morning, we leave your riad in Marrakech and head north to Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city and commercial and industrial centre. In Casablanca, we visit the impressive Hassan II Mosque, beautifully situated on the Atlantic coast. We continue our journey to Rabat. Rabat, Morocco’s current capital and largest city, is located in the north-west on the Atlantic coast. Also founded in the 12th century, it only gained importance in the 18th century thanks to the Alawite dynasty. Here we can visit monuments of all kinds and eras that bear witness to the long history of this city. We can find Phoenician, Roman, Almohad and Berber remains. Overnight stay in a hotel.
After breakfast, we continue our journey north to the blue city of Chefchaouen. The city in the Rif Mountains, with its blue and white painted houses and narrow streets, is very picturesque. Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.
After breakfast, we will drive to the archaeological site of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Volubilis is a Roman city that was once the capital of Mauretania and was founded in this area around the 3rd century BC. After the tour, we continue to the royal city of Meknes. The royal city of Meknes is located in the Saiss Plain and is also known as the Versailles of Morocco or the city of a hundred minarets. It was founded in 1061 as a military fortress and is named after the Berber tribe of the Meknassa, who ruled the eastern part of the country since the 8th century. The city complex is a wonderful example of a mixture of Spanish and Arabic architecture. After the tour, we continue to Fes. Overnight stay in a riad.
After breakfast, you will have the whole day to explore Fes. Fes is one of the four imperial cities and lies 350 metres above sea level in a fertile valley. The medina is home to textile, leather, ceramics and weapons workshops, as well as the oldest university in the world. The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, with its buildings, markets and mosques, is one of the most fascinating centres of the Islamic world. You will feel transported back in time and breathe in a medieval
atmosphere: your senses will be lost amid a wonderful landscape, strange sounds, rich scents and many colours. Overnight stay in a riad.
Early in the morning, you will leave your hotel/riad in Fes and drive to the desert and the dunes of Merzouga, Erg Chebbi, where you can enjoy a breathtaking sunset over the dunes. The rose-gold dunes (Erg) reach a height of 160 m and constantly change shape. Enjoy the sunset from the saddle of a dromedary. We spend the night in a desert camp with a typical dinner and Berber music. Don’t
forget to gaze at the stars and the vast desert sky.
After breakfast at the desert camp, we continue our journey towards the spectacular Todra and Dades Gorges. On the way, we will see the stone desert (Hammada) and, near Erfoud, some ancient qanàh, horizontal wells that were used in the past to irrigate the desert. We will reach Tinerhir and the beautiful Todra and Dades Gorges, surrounded by green palm trees and yellow Berber villages. Dinner and overnight stay in a typical riad.
After breakfast, we continue our journey to the Valley of Roses and Skoura with the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. A visit to the Kasbah of Amridil is recommended. We continue to Ouarzazate with the Kasbah of Taourit and then to Ait Ben Haddou, a kasbah made of mud bricks, which is protected by UNESCO and known as the most beautiful and famous kasbah in Morocco. It has been featured in numerous films such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ and ‘Gladiator’. After the stop, the journey continues through the High Atlas and the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass (2,260 m) with its breathtaking scenery. The picturesque road leads through oak and walnut groves, Berber villages with stone and mud brick houses, and pastures with goats and sheep. We reach the Kasbah of Telouet, which lies on the old caravan routes and was the seat of power of the El Glaoui family. We continue to Marrakesh, where we arrive in the late afternoon.
