10 Day Tour
Tangier, Chefchaouen, & the Sahara

Day 1: Tangier - Asilah
When you arrive, we will meet you and head straight for the ancient coastal city of Asilah where you will spend your first night. There will be some free time to walk around the medina and surrounding neighbourhoods to admire the murals and ocean views.

Day 2: Asilah - Tétouan - Chefchaouen
After breakfast we will drive to Tetouan, A UNESCO World Heritage site and an important Mediterranean port city. We’ll stroll through the ancient medina, then drive on to Chefchaouen to see the famous blue houses you see in all of them. the photos.  Be prepared to take beautiful pictures of your own! There will be time to walk through the medina here, too. Of course we’ll watch the sunset from the panoramic view looking down on the valley. Afterwards we will  return to the hotel and rest for the night.

Day 3: Chefchaouen - Memora Forest - Meknes - Fes
We will leave right after breakfast and drive toward Meknes. On the way we will pass by Memora Forest, home to more than half of the cork trees in Morocco. This peaceful, wooded setting may be a nice place to stretch and take pictures. Our next stop will be the  ancient imperial city of Meknes, Bab el Mansour is gorgeous, and the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (who made Meknes the capital of Morocco in the 17th century) is equally impressive. Afterwards we will drive to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis. We’ll make a quick stop in Moulay Idriss before finding our hotel in Fes.

Day 4: Fes
Today you will tour Fes, Morocco’s first political, cultural, and religious capital, with  the help of a local guide. The tour will start at the Golden Gates of Palais Royale, and you will explore your way to the wall surrounding the ancient medina. After the tour there will be time for lunch (on your own) then you will visit mosques, madrassas, and religious sites. We will find a riad and a good dinner and get some much needed rest!

Day 5: Fès -  Ifrane - Azrou Forest - Tizi Talghemt - Merzouga
From Fes we will head toward the Middle Atlas stopping first in Ifrane, the “Switzerland of Morocco.” This is one town where you will notice pitched roofs instead of flat ones. Just outside town we will stop in Azrou  to do a bit of shopping. (Hint - this is a great opportunity to buy the turban you will probably want to wear on tomorrow’s camel ride.) We will stop in Azrou Forest in hopes of seeing the Barbary Macaques who live there, then we will be on our way to Midelt, a major agricultural centre where most of Morocco's apples grow. Next we will come to Tizi Tnlghemt which is Berber for camel’s neck - a very twisty part of the road! This spot is 1,907 metres above sea level, far above the treeline, and the views are spectacular! You will definitely want more pictures! It’s all downhill from here as we head toward Errachidia and the palm grove of Erfoud (which looks like a literal river of date palm trees) to the orange sands of Erg Chebbi and Merzouga. You will see many signs for fossils. That may see unexpected, but the desert used to be the floor of an ancient sea. Once in the desert, we will find a hotel for the night.

Day 6: Merzouga - Luxury Desert Camp
After breakfast we will visit a nomadic desert family for a cup of tea and to build some cultural understanding. You will see the oasis where they recorded  films like Sahara. We will visit nearby Khamlia Village to hear a performance of authentic Gnawa music. After lunch we will have time to ride atvs over to dunes or to do some sandboarding if you like. After that it will be time to put on those turbans, mount some camels, and ride over the dunes to the luxury campsite where you will enjoy a delicious dinner, a performance of traditional Berber music, and a good night’ sleep in a private tent (with running water). At some point in there you will have seen a gorgeous sunset, too.

Day 7: Merzouga - Rissani - Todra Gorge - Boumalne Dades
Those who wake up early will see a spectacular sunrise over the dunes around the campsite. Whether you see it or not, you will be treated to a traditional breakfast before you ride back to Merzouga (in a 4x4, not on a camel) to begin the drive north. We will drive from Merzouga to Rissani, to Erfoud, past many Berber villages, until we reach Todra Gorges. The canyon is truly impressive, as you will notice as you stroll along the small river that carved it out over the centuries. After lunch we will drive to Boumalne Dades where we will have dinner and spend the night.

Day 8: Boumalne Dades - Ait Ben Haddou - High Atlas Mountains - Marrakech
The eighty day begins with breakfast and a trip to Ait Ben Haddou, an ancient kasbah that was an important rest and resupply stop for many camel caravans back in the day. Today you may recognize it from films like Gladiator or Lawrence of Arabia. After a quick tour, we will drive over the High Atlas Mountains along the winding Tizi n Tichka pass, toward Marrakech. As you look at the scenery, you will see many Berber villages, farms, and palm groves along the way. We will arrive in the Red City of Marrakech in time for dinner.

Day 9: Marrakech
This entire day will be devoted to thoroughly exploring Marrakech. We will visit the Menara, Majorelle Gardens, Bahia Palace, and the Saadian Tombs after breakfast. (Alternatively, if you would prefer a more formal tour of the city, please let us know so we can arrange a local guide.) Then, after lunch, there will be some time to wander through the city's main square to visit the shops in the medina as people have done since the eleventh century. As sunset approaches, you will witness the great transformation of the square from a business centre into the social phenomenon known as Jemaa el-Fna as it is filled with snake charmers, cute monkeys, story tellers, vendors, and families. We will return to the hotel for the night.

Day 10: Marrakech
Today is our final day. We will take you to the airport in time to catch your flight. We wish you pleasant memories of Morocco.