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You only have a little more than a week to travel to Morocco? And would you like to concentrate in that time on the most significant parts of the country, leaving the tourist destinations on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts for another occasion? Then this 8-day circuit is one of the proposals that may interest you the most, due to the variety of places to visit thanks to the transportation, accommodation and guide solutions provided by our agency. Get in touch with us and find out.
In this 8-day tour, Morocco will show all its charm, in many different ways. Culture and history will take center stage in the major cities and monuments, such as the imperial capitals (Rabat, Meknes, Fez and Marrakech), which are home to a large number of emblematic palaces and mosques. The same is true of other equally impressive and evocative sites, such as the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou and the Roman archaeological site of Volubilis. All these places were declared World Heritage Sites by Unesco… as it could not be otherwise.
But nature is also the protagonist in many other destinations on this circuit, whether in its most arid or its most exuberant version. Of the former, the dunes of Merzouga are the great exponent, while the Ifrane National Park offers the greenest face of the country. And between the two extremes, natural corners of great beauty and contrast, such as the Todra Gorges and the Dades Valley. Undoubtedly, a roadmap that makes the most of each day so that you can enjoy Morocco to the fullest.
This 8 days and 7 nights Morocco tour starts at Casablanca Airport and ends at Menara-Marrakech Airport. To optimize to the maximum the displacements, we use a private vehicle of high range, with chauffeur and all the comforts on board. This is the itinerary, day by day:
Casablanca is not only the most populous city in Morocco, but also the most modern and economically advanced. For this reason, we found imposing places and an airport with heavy air traffic, which we used on this trip to start the route.
We will meet you at the terminal with our private vehicle and, schedules permitting, we will take you to discover the majestic Hassan II Mosque, one of the few mosques that can be visited by non-Muslims in Morocco and in the world, so we will not miss the opportunity to discover its interior.
After that, we will head for Rabat, which is located just an hour and a half from Casablanca. Although it is not as big as it, it is a city full of symbolism for being the capital of the Kingdom, and so we will discover it in places like the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. In addition, we will visit other historical monuments such as the Hassan Tower, from the Almohad period and, therefore, related to the Kutubia Mosque in Marrakech… and the Giralda of Seville.
Casablanca and Rabat are two cities bathed by the Atlantic Ocean: we will feel their proximity and influence on this day, in which you will sleep in a charming riad in the capital.
The second day of this tour is a journey into the past: from the current capital of Morocco we will move to other destinations that were also capitals centuries ago. Therefore, after breakfast at the riad in Rabat, we will take to the road to discover it.
The first stop of the day will be Meknes, an amazing city that reached its peak in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century, with the famous Moulay Ismail, who built it for his glory and memory. References to this sultan who ruled with an iron fist are constant here.
On the outskirts of Meknes, less than 30 km away, are the Roman ruins of Volubilis: this is the most spectacular archaeological site of that period in Morocco. Let us remember that this is where the province of Mauritania Tingitana was located before the Arab conquest, and the mosaics and buildings that are preserved here are the best way to get a glimpse of that period.
In the afternoon we will arrive in Fez, which preserves the largest historical medina in the country. Therefore, we will leave free time upon arrival, leaving the guided tour for the next day. And so we close a ‘World Heritage’ day, since all the destinations of the day have this distinction from Unesco. At night, you will sleep in a charming riad in the center.
Spiritual center of the country. Former political capital of this territory. And the most important city in terms of craftsmanship and culture. With this background, a guided tour of Fez is a must, and that is precisely what you will do for part of the day, with an authorized guide who will show you the most interesting and picturesque corners of the medina: the Bou Inania madrasa, the Karaouine mosque (outside), the Nejjarine square … and a long list of places that can be part of the tour.
It will be after breakfast in the pleasant riad that welcomes you in the city and that will also be the place of rest for the night. The rest of the day will be free for you to spend your time according to your interests: the city’s souks, traditional art museums, leisure activities, etc.
From the most refined culture to the purest and wildest nature. This is the journey that the fourth day will bring us: after breakfast at the riad in Fez, we will return to the road to head to the far south, crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains.
The first stop will be in Ifrane, a mountain village colloquially called the Switzerland of Morocco because of the alpine atmosphere that reigns here. The next stop will be at the Ifrane National Park, also known as the Monkey Forest, due to the numerous Barbary macaques that inhabit this nature reserve, full of cedars.
After that, we will cross the Middle Atlas to move to the southern slope of this mountain range, much more arid than the northern slope. In our continuous descent we will cross the Ziz valley and, in this way, we will reach Erfoud, one of the gates of the desert: this small town is famous for its wealth of minerals and fossils, some of them dinosaur fossils.
In the final stretch of the day we will reach our destination: Merzouga, a small village in the desert from where the camel rides depart to reach the dunes of Erg Chebbi. That’s what we will do (option to change it for 4×4 jeeps), to cross this magical sea of sand and reach the Berber tents camp that will be our accommodation for the night, with every comfort.
But before that longed-for moment of night’s rest, it will be a good idea to keep your eyes (and all your senses) wide open. At least, the taste to enjoy the welcome tea and the traditional dinner, the ear to be delighted with the desert rhythms that can be heard here and the sight to contemplate the starry sky that will cover our heads.
The sunset and the starry sky of the night before, as well as the harmonic sound of the desert rhythms, are only comparable to the lights of dawn and the silence that invades the dunes of Erg Chebbi upon awakening. So it is also recommended to enjoy this magical moment, before having breakfast in the dune tents camp.
After that, we will return to civilization, specifically through Rissani, a small and picturesque town with a genuine souk and historical monuments, in particular the mausoleum dedicated to the first Alaouites (reigning dynasty in Morocco).
From here we will head by road to the Todra Gorges, a corner that looks like something out of a science fiction movie: it is a canyon squeezed between steep walls, a paradise for climbers and curious travelers in general.
The Dades Valley will lead us to Ouarzazate between palm trees, small mountains and ancient fortresses. And so we will understand why this stretch is also known as the Route of the Thousand Kasbahs.
In Ouarzazate, depending on the schedule, you will have free time to stroll around the city or visit the Atlas Studios, one of the most important film studios on the African continent. In the evening, rest in a nice hotel located in this city.
On this sixth day of the circuit, after breakfast at the hotel, we will feel like Berber warriors of the desert, since in the first part of the day we will visit several fortresses made of adobe by these people at different times in the past. For example, the kasbah of Taourirt, in the same city of Ouarzazate, which was also the palace of the Pasha of Marrakech.
Just over 20 km outside, is the ksar or walled village of Ait Ben Haddou, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco because of its unique location and its almost unchanged appearance. It was also chosen as a filming location for such prestigious productions as Game of Thrones, so we will enter the grounds to better get into the role.
After this visit, we will head for the Tizi n’Tichka pass to cross the High Atlas Mountains. Before reaching it, we will visit the last fortress of the day: Telouet, which was also part of the network of castles and residences of the Pasha of Marrakech.
And it is precisely this city that we will reach after traveling dozens and dozens of kilometers downhill from the mountain pass. In these majestic valleys we can see small villages nestled on the slopes and, depending on the time of year, we can see snow on the peaks or nature in all its splendor due to the higher humidity and freshness of the environment.
Upon arrival in Marrakech, we will have some free time to have a first contact with this city. And in the evening, a charming riad will be waiting for you to rest and recharge your batteries.
Marrakech is, like other destinations on this tour, an Imperial City and a World Heritage Site. But because of its atmosphere and architecture, it is unique in the country and in the whole world. Known as the ‘red city’ because of the predominant color of its brick buildings, every corner is full of charm.
After breakfast at the riad, we will have a guided tour with an authorized professional and thus admire such emblematic places as the Jemaa el-Fna square, the Koutoubia mosque, the Saadian Tombs or the Bahia Palace… among many other monuments worthy of interest and to be immortalized.
Instead, the afternoon will be free for you to spend as much time as you wish, such as visiting complementary museums, doing the last shopping of the trip or simply ‘getting lost’ in the fascinating medina of the city. In the evening, you will return to rest in the pleasant riad that will be your home during your stay in Marrakech.
This circuit comes to an end on the eighth day. After breakfast and at the time agreed with our staff, we will transfer to the International Airport of Marrakech-Menara, where we will say goodbye with much gratitude and wishes of a next reunion in the country.
Despite the relative brevity of this circuit, the list of services included is very extensive. Here you can consult them:
The following services are not included in this package:
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Travel agency and DMC specialized in private and tailor-made trips to Morocco.
Mandala Tours, S.L, NIF: B51037471
License: C.I.AN-187782-3
