Day 1 Arrive in Casablanca

Welcome to the west coast of Morocco! Arrive and transfer to your accommodation in Casablanca. Depending on your flight time details, you may have time to discover your surroundings. Stroll along Boulevard de la Corniche AIN DIAB, this seaside promenade that stretches along the Atlantic coast and is sometimes called the Miami of Morocco. Have a bite to eat at Rick’s Café, a restaurant, bar and cafe designed to recreate the bar famous for the classic movie “Casablanca.”

Day 2 Casablanca – Meknes – Fes

Casablanca is the modern commercial capital of Morocco, with the stunning Hassan II Mosque. It sits on an outcrop over the Atlantic Ocean and has a 690-foot (210-meter) minaret-the tallest building in Morocco and the tallest minaret in the world! It is estimated that the courtyard can accommodate 80,000 believers, and the interior can accommodate 25,000 people. The uniqueness of this mosque is that it is one of the few mosques in the country where non-Muslims can enter. Join the morning tour and marvel at the exquisite craftsmanship: hand-carved stone and wood, intricate marble floor details and gilded cedar ceiling.

Continue to Meknes to explore Ville Impériale (Imperial City). Wander the gardens and palaces, the impressive Mansour Gate and Moulay Ismail Mausoleum. Visit the nearby Roman ruins of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a huge complex of buildings worth a stroll. Marvel at the commercial houses, temples and colorful mosaics, including the labor of Hercules. Continue to Fes and sail through the impressively large and complex medina that stretches along the hillside. Before entering the Medina (Old Town), take a moment to visit the ruins of the Tomb of Merenides and enjoy the panoramic view of the Old Town. Overnight in a beautiful riad in the old town, where you can enjoy local specialities.

Day 3 Exploring Fes

Fes is the oldest prince in Morocco (Meknes, Marrakech and Rabat are other sub-cities). Its medina is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is also one of the largest urban car-free zones in the world. It is worth exploring every minute. It is generally considered the cultural capital of the country and consists of two ancient Medina districts, namely Fes el Bali and Fes el Jdid, as well as modern new sons built during the French colonial era (1912-1956). As you walk through the winding and narrow streets of Medina, meet your guide and spend half a day learning about history and culture.

Roam Fes el Bali (built in 789 ACE) and learn how refugees from Spain and Tunisia affected the architecture of Medina. Browse the many open-air markets (markets) that offer the local area and watch the artisans. Visit the Chouara Tannery (11th century) and find a leather store nearby. From here you can enjoy the panoramic view of many round stone wells filled with dyes and staff. Visit the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque (859 ACE) and catch a glimpse of the decorated (non-Muslim, can’t (non-Muslim, enter (non-Muslim, enter (non-Muslim, can’t). Its university is the most still operating in the world. Ancient university! Immerse yourself in Al Attarine Madrasa and marvel at the fine tiles and wooden Him.

Day 4 Fes – Middel – Sahara Desert

Start your day early, climb 7,146 feet (2,178 meters), over the Col du Zad pass, and through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Look out for the many Barbary macaques on the trees and on the roadside. Stop for lunch in Middelt (“Apple City”) and admire the nearby Muluya River, which provides the necessary environment for the orchard to thrive in the desert. Continue through the Tizi n’Talremt mountain pass and enter the Ziz Valley, famous for its hidden oasis and palm trees. Along the road, you will see many fortified houses called ksars. Merchants built them to protect precious commodities, including gold, salt, and spices.

Just before reaching Erfoud town, you will begin to see early signs of the Desert Sahara dunes. The huge sand dunes never stand still, moving and moving according to the wind speed and direction. Stop at the market town of Erfoud, famous for its dating festival and fossil mining. Visit a craft workshop to learn how to carefully and skillfully transform fossil-rich rocks into practical and decorative objects. Continue to the dune sea of ​​Erg Chebbi. Some of the sand dunes in Erg Chebbi cover an area of ​​13.5 square miles (35 square kilometers) and are more than 656.2 feet (200 meters) above sea level. Their color changes with the moving sun.

Outside of Merzouga, stretch your legs, climb on your own camel, cross the sand dunes in time to reach your camp, and climb the nearby sand dunes to watch the sunset. Return to the camp for dinner and spend a relaxing evening by the campfire, enjoying traditional Berber music with the twinkling night sky as the background.

Day 5 Merzouga – Ouarzazate

Before exploring more deserts, be sure to get up early to watch the Sahara sunrise. Rent a sandboard and test your skills on the dunes, take an Erg Shibi tour (around the dunes) or a four-wheeled ATV tour, or just relax by the pool. Continue to nearby Khemliya, stroll around this traditional Saharan village and enjoy drumming music and dancing. Drive west and enter the market town of Rissani through the impressive gate. Check out livestock auctions and the “donkey parking lot”. From there, pass through the desert town of Tinghir and enjoy the views of the neighboring towns that stretch along both sides of the lush expansive river oasis. Admire the 984-foot deep Todra Gorge and the Todra River below, formed through red limestone. Take a leisurely stroll to explore the canyon and relax in the cool water of the shallow river below.

Travel through Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs . Between small towns and old castles in the area, you will see various agricultural activities, and many farms still use traditional methods. You may also encounter nomads herding sheep, goats and camels. Continue the way to Boumalne Dades until you reach Kela’a M’gouna. Here, intensively cultivated farmland borders rose bushes, which are used in the cosmetics industry to make rose water and rose oil. Continue west to the popular desert center and filming location Ouarzazate. Take an optional studio tour to learn how the surrounding area has appeared in many movies, portraying desert landscapes in fiction and non-fiction. To learn more about the history of the area and the filmmaking process, go to the Musée du Cinema.

Day 6 Ouarzazate –  Marrakech

Leave Ouarzazate and head to Aït Benhaddou, the most famous castle in Morocco. Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is believed to date back to the 11th century, when it occupied an important place on the trans-Saharan trade route between Marrakech, Ouarzazate and the southern desert. Walk along the narrow street until you reach the granary and admire the surrounding scenery.

From there, look up across the High Atlas Mountains, looking for the highest peak of Mount Toubkal (13,671 feet or 4,167 m). Stop near the top of the Tizi n’Tichka Pass (7,415 feet or 2,260 m) to admire the magnificent panoramic views of the mountains and the winding roads below.

Stop at Taddert and discover (and taste!) how the argan oil cooperative processes olives. Descending along the northern slope of the High Atlas Mountains, noticed dramatic changes in climate and landscape. After experiencing all the tranquility of the mountains and deserts, you will soon be surrounded by the hustle and bustle of vibrant Marrakech. After arriving in Marrakech, check into your accommodation and spend the rest of the afternoon at a slower pace. In the evening, the main square Jemaa el-Fna is filled with musicians, performers, snake charmers, games and food stalls. At your leisure, stroll the square, enjoy a sip of fresh mint tea at one of the many cafes above the square, and admire the wonders below.

Day 7 Explore Marrakech & Departure

Marrakech is nicknamed the “Red City” (because of its 1,000-year-old red sandstone walls and buildings), and is a major economic center and home to the prosperous Medina (Old Arab Quarter). It has always been a vibrant city, full of exotic sights, sounds and smells-perhaps a shock for the senses! Meet your guide for a half-day tour of the Medina and explore the rich history and culture of the Medina. Start the day west of Jemaa el-Fna, then walk to the striking minaret of Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens. The 253-foot (77 m) high minaret is the tallest tower ever built in Marrakech. Indulge your senses and explore the stalls of Souk el-Attarin (spices), Souk Haddadine (blacksmith) and Souk Smata (slippers). Next, visit the Ben Youssef Madrasa Islamic School, experience 16th-century architecture and marvel at the exquisite details: arabesques, Islamic calligraphy and colorful geometric tiles.

As you walk in the alleys of Marrakech, pay attention to Fondouks or Caravanserai, medieval inns on the ancient trade routes, providing shelter and supplies for travelers and merchants. Today, some have been converted into residential properties, while others are large shopping areas and workshops that you can explore. Depending on your energy level, you may wish to visit several attractions south of Jemaa el-Fna. Some options to consider are the 500-year-old Saadi tombs, the extensive courtyards and sunken gardens of the El Badi Palace in the 17th century, or the intricate woodwork and painted ceilings of the Bahia Palace in the 19th century.

Or, if you prefer to take a quiet breath in the afternoon heat to end your trip, you may wish to head to Majorelle Gardens to relax among subtropical plants, bamboo, lilies and palm trees.