Day 1: Tangiers – Tetouan – Chefchaeoun

Departure from Tangiers to head east towards the Hispano-Moorish medina of Tetouan. Here, in the Ensanche area, you stop for lunch and a chance to see the striking Andalucian architecture and white buildings, which have been restored to their former glory. At the edge of the medina and the new town, there is the small Tetouan with ancient artefacts from the Phoenician and Roman settlements of Tamuda and Volubilis. After a brief stop in Tetouan the journey continues across verdant landscape of the Rif Mountains, heading due south to reach the picturesque ‘blue’ medina of Chefchaouen. This evening you are free to explore the small medina and choose your own restaurant serving local Rif specialities including locally produced goats’ cheese.

Day 2: Chefchaouen – Old Roman City Volubilis – Meknes – Fes

After a tasty breakfast in the riad, our 8 Days Desert Trip From Tangier to Marrakech starts towards Volubilis crossing via Ouazan and other Rif villages. In Volubilis, we will discover the Roman ruins and learn about Moroccan history. Then we will drive to Meknes city (the 17th-century heritage) where we will stop for lunch and we will discover the historical walls of the medina, bab el Mansour and we will enjoy a visit to Moulay Ismail shrine. Later in the afternoon, we head to Fes city where we will spend the night.

Day 3: Fes sightseeing tour with a local guide

Full day private guided walking tour of Fes old medina – Fes El Bali with an English-speaking city guide. The guide will walk you through the maze of souks and sights visiting some of the highlights including the famous Fes pottery souks, the musical instrument makers, metalworkers, carpet souks and the Chaouwara tanneries. There are over 9,000 cobbled medieval streets weaving their way through markets, mosques, Koranic schools, riads and hidden fountains. Worth visiting are the Moulay Idriss Zaouia or shrine, Bab Bou Jeloud ornamental gate, Al-Kairaouine Mosque and University – the oldest university in the world, Al-Attarine Madrasa, Nejjarine fountain, King’s Palace, the Dar Batha Museum, Nejjarine Museum of Arts & Crafts and the Jewish quarter or mellah. Then we drive to an ancient fortress, for panoramic views of the medina then return to your Riad dinner in overnight.

Day 4: Fes – Ifrane – Cedars forest- Midelt – Ziz valley – Merzouga Sahara

Departure from Fes at 8 o’clock, travelling via Ifrane, famous for its low temperature, snow and the alpine-style houses -No wonder it is called the Switzerland of Morocco. Then we continue to cedars forest, where the Barbary Macaques live. Feel free to feed them while wandering in the forest of the Middle Atlas forest of Azrou, Lunch is in Midelt, “the apple capital”, at the foot of the Ayachi Mountain. We continue over the Tizi-n-Talremt pass and through the Ziz Valley. From here we reach Errachidia and then Erfoud, famous for its date festival and fossils. Our trip continues to the dunes of Merzouga for spending the night in a Hotel.

Day 5: Explore Merzouga region – Nomads – Khamlia – Rissani – palm grove

After breakfast, you start your journey in Merzouga, by driving off-road to visit the nomads learn how they live while drinking a Berber tea. Our next destination is the Khamlia village, where you will enjoy the Gnaoua music, and dancing performances. Its inhabitants are originating from sub-Saharan countries like Mali, Sudan and Niger. Then continue way to Rissani where you visit a tradition Souk Market Free time for lunch in a restaurant. Then you balck to Merzouga You will switch to camels and cross the sandy desert. A stop will be made for you to enjoy the magical sunset on top of a high dune. Then continue to the desert luxury camp, where you can enjoy the Berber drums music while dancing around the campfire, under vast open sky of stars. Dinner and overnight in the camp.

Day 6: Merzouga – Erfoud – Tinghir – Todra gorges – Dades valley – Dades Gorges

If you wake up early enough, you can watch the spectacle of the sunrise, when the color of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight.  After breakfast at the camp, we leave for Tinghir and the Toudgha gorges. On the way, you pass the water channels – “khettarat” – which you can descend into to appreciate the architecture and genius behind this form of irrigation which prevents evaporation in the summer heat. The channels start at a higher gradient at one end until they finally emerge at the surface of the soil where they are fed into the fields, in the gorge and the valley, there are opportunities to walk beyond the gorge itself or by the village gardens and fields before you reach it. Later the itinerary continues to the Dades Valley. The area, which now forms the Dades Gorges, lay at the bottom of the sea millions of years ago. Great quantities of sediment were deposited around giant coral reefs, and over time, this material became compacted into a variety of sedimentary rocks such as sandstone and limestone. Eventually, the movement of the earth’s crust caused the region to rise above the sea, forming the Atlas Mountains and surrounding landscape. The night is spent in a hotel or kasbah.

Day 7:  Dades Gorges – Roses valley – Ait Ben Haddou – Hight Atlas – Marrakech

After breakfast, the trip continues through the Valley of the Roses, famous for its Rose Festival in May, and past the kasbahs of Skoura, and where you can visit the small, interesting and intact Kasbah Amredhil, which used to be featured on the 50 dirham banknote. From there you pass Ouarzazate, you will continuing to Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a World Heritage site and the backdrop for many Hollywood blockbusters. It is the most famous Kasbah in Morocco. From there the road continues to Telouet, along the newly asphalted road. Telouet is set right in the midst of the mountains and was once the seat of the last Pasha of Marrakech, El Glaoui, from where the highest pass in Africa, Tizi-n-Tichka was controlled. At the end of the afternoon, we arrive in Marrakech, Dinner awaits at your hotel/riad.

Day 8: Marrakech Sightseeing guided Tour with local guide

Full day morning tour with city guide of Marrakech– also known as the ‘red city’ for its famous pink-hued ramparts. Our English-speaking city guide will meet you at your hotel in the morning and take you through the souks of the medieval medina, introducing you to artisans, bakers, carpenters, spice merchants, apothecaries and including visiting the landmark monuments of Ben Youssef Madersa, the Bahia Palace and the Koutoubia Mosque. Your tour ends at the famous Place Jemaa el Fna square where you can enjoy lunch from a roof terrace overlooking the bizarre activities of the acrobats, storytellers, musicians and snake charmers. we take you to the new town are of Gueliz to visit the exquisite Majorelle Gardens, owned by Yves St. Laurent and originally private home of the painter Jacques Majorelle. We suggest you return to the square for an evening to Place Jemaa el Fna the experience of the Place Jemaa el Fna at night is an intoxicating one – with smoke swirling up from the grills, the pounding rhythms of the street musicians. Dinner awaits at your hotel/riad.

Day 9: Marrakech – Airport

After breakfast, we transfer you from the hotel to the airport, end of the 9 days tour from Tangier to Marrakech.