Morocco Tour - 3/4 Star +3/4 Star Riads

7 days / 6 nights - Price US$1330 per person

You will set off to Chefchaouen tucked away in the Rif Mountains.  Upon arrival in Chefchaouen, you will have some time to settle into your hotel.  You will have a tour of the medina exploring the wonderful “blue city.”  Dinner will be served at the hotel.

In the morning, you will set off to Fes via Volubilis / Meknes.  You will spend the morning exploring the 2000-year-old ruins and getting a picture of life during the Roman Empire.  Lunch will be taken in Meknes one of Morocco’s Imperial cities.  After lunch, your guide will take you on a tour of Meknes, and then you will head off to Fes, the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco.

After breakfast you will begin your guided tour of the medina, one of the world’s largest walled in cities.  You will explore the narrow streets lined with fresh fruit, mounds of spices, intricately woven Berber carpets and many other art objects of Morocco.  A visit to the Kings Palace, the tanneries, and potters are just a few places you will experience.  For lunch you will eat in traditional restaurant in the heart of the medina. After lunch you will complete the tour and return to your hotel for the evening. 

After an early breakfast you will begin your ascent across the Middle Atlas Mountains.  Most of the day will be spent winding your way through the beautiful forests, jagged rock faces, and Berber villages as you cross the Atlas Mountains and begin to descend towards the Sahara Desert. Half way, you will stop for lunch in the town of Midelt, famous for its fossils and rocks.  Once you arrive in Erfoud you will head off in some 4-wheel drive vehicles across the barren land to the majestic Sahara sand dunes.  You will set off by camel for a 2-hour trek out to the oasis where you will spend the night in Berber tents (Dinner is included). ***this could be optional if you would prefer to return to the hotel to sleep***

After breakfast, you will return by camel to the 4x4s and head back to Erfoud.  From Erfoud you set out behind the High Atlas Mountains on route to the Todra Gorges.  In the afternoon, you will take a walk up in the towering Todra Gorges (600 feet high).  The picturesque river valleys make for a beautiful journey towards the southeast of Morocco.  You will finish the day’s drive to Ouarzazate.  Dinner will be served at the hotel. Hotel Tichka Salam

After an early breakfast you set off to Marrakech via Ouarzazate. Tucked away in the High Atlas Mountains, it is one of the jewels of Morocco.  In typical Moroccan fashion, the true treasures must be searched out and discovered...usually off the beaten path.  In actuality, this setting has been used for more films than any other location in Morocco; films including, Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, and recently The Gladiator.  

After lunch, you will head over the mountains to Marrakech.  Once in Marrakech, you will have a guided tour of Marrakech, the southern pearl of Morocco. You will discover the Palace of the Bahia, the Saadian Tombs, and many other hidden treasures.    You will continue with the tour on to the magnificent Koutoubia Mosque and the famous Djemaa el-Fna, one of the center attractions of Marrakech.  The tour will conclude with an exploration of  the souk (market) lined with fresh fruit, mounds of spices, intricately woven Berber carpets and many other art objects of Morocco.  Dinner will be served in a local restaurant near the famous square.

You will have the full day in Marrakech to explore on your own or you will have the driver to take you around. You will be transferred to the airport for departure in the late afternoon.