10 Days Tour from Casablanca

Day 1: Casablanca – Rabat

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up at your accommodations. We start off on our 10 days desert tour from Casablanca in an air-conditioned private car. We head out from Casablanca to the capital city of Morocco, Rabat. Rabat is one of the four imperial cities, the cities that have historically held the status of the capital city in Morocco. Rabat is a balance between historical and modern times. Founded in the 12th century, it remains a gem for a lot of tourists to discover. Upon arrival, we will start with a visit to the Kasbah of the Udayas, an ancient village that has the oldest mosque in Rabat. Then we will take a stroll on the beaten streets of the medieval medina and see its nearby attractions. Before lunchtime, we will pay a visit to the medieval cemetery Chellah. After lunch, we will visit the iconic Hassan Tower and the remnants of the unfinished mosque it was supposed to belong to. Medina and souks of Rabat are also on our list before crossing over to Ville Nouvelle (Rabat’s modern quarter). Unlike the old town, Ville Nouvelle offers a wealth of architecture with European influences, especially French. This is where you get to experience what contemporary life is like in the capital of Morocco. In the evening we will have peaceful walks on the beach and enjoy a beautiful Moroccan sunset. At the end of the day, our tour guide will take you to your accommodations.

Day 2: Rabat – Meknes

We continue our 10 days tour from Casablanca After breakfast. We will pick you up from your hotel and start a drive to Meknes. Another imperial city of Morocco boasts a vibrant culture and splendid historical character. The road drive to Meknes takes us through a breathtaking mountainous landscape. Upon arrival, we will start exploring the city’s major landmarks and historical highlights. Among them are the picturesque Heri es-Souani and Borj Belkari. We will also visit the Grande Mosque and the eye-catching Bou Inania Madrasa. Before lunch, we will head to the bustling medina of locals where we will eat. The afternoon will be spent visiting the popular Bab Mansour, El Hedim square, and the old town of Meknes. The latter is a popular spot for its historical features including the ramparts and decorative motifs. The colored mosaics and ceramics are just amazing to look at. A visit to Meknes is not complete without seeing the town’s vibrant souks, which we will go to. In the evening, we will watch a spectacular sunset before returning to the hotel for the night.

Day 3: Meknes – Volubilis – Chefchaouen

If you have a passion for capturing extraordinary photographs, rising early in the morning to see the empty streets of Meknes is a great opportunity. So, set your alarm to wake up early. You will also get a shot of the sunrise over the small town. We’ll have breakfast and then be on our way to the archeological site of Volubilis. We will spend the entire morning exploring the excavated town and the well-preserved Roman ruins there. A settlement from the 3rd century BCE, Volubilis has a lot of fascinating history to teach about the Roman Empire. With architecture, day-to-day life, and art, the site holds great significance for history aficionados and is definitely a must-see place for everyone. We will stop to have lunch at a local restaurant before continuing on our way to Chefchaouen. It’s a beautiful drive characterized by a mountainous landscape. Arriving in the blue city of Chefchaouen, we will be exploring it as much as we can for the remaining part of the evening. We’ll get to witness a beautiful sunset behind the Rif Mountains and you’ll have the chance to enjoy a bit of nightlife before retiring to sleep.

Day 4: Chefchaouen – Fes

Early-morning empty streets of Chefchaouen are surely an impressive sight to behold. Just set the alarm to get up before the locals and tourists flock to the streets. Early in the day, you will also bear witness to the exquisite contrast of sunrise over the blue streets. After breakfast, we will continue exploring the city where we left off. Chefchaouen is one of Morocco’s cities with many of its historical features intact. The old town has retained its look since the 15th century, and it is this quarter painted in bright blue that makes the town so charming and attractive to visitors. We will visit Chefchaouen’s major places of interest, including the old town and historical medina. The architecture and the blue streets make the old town ideal for photography. We will have time for leisurely strolls on the streets to get a full appreciation of this unique city. For lunch, we will pay a visit to the Plaza Outa el-Hamman lined with local traditional restaurants and cafés. Afterward we will visit more tourist sites, including Kasbah Museum, the Grand Mosque, Ras el-Ma, souks and bazaars, and a scenic hike in the Rif Mountains among others. In the evening, we will head out to our next destination, which is Fes. There you will be dropped off at your accommodations. Indeed, the 4th day of our 10 days tour from Casablanca comes to the end.

Day 5: Medieval City of Fes

Fes was founded in 789, and it is the second-largest city in Morocco. A walk on the streets feels like being in the ancient world. After breakfast, we will pick you up at your accommodations to go explore the stunning beauty of the town. For medieval Fes, we will start with a visit to two medina quarters where you can see centuries-old streets and get a feel of the historical atmosphere. Before lunchtime is upon us, we’ll visit the famous Medersa Bou Inania and Medersa el-Attarine as well. In the afternoon we will sightsee more of the city. One place of interest will be Quaraouiyine Mosque, a medieval mosque built in AD 857. It can hold up to 20,000 worshipers in its prayer hall and it has the world’s oldest library. A 9th-century Qur’an is kept here. We will visit the old Mellah (Jewish Quarter) in Fes el Jedid as well as the site of the Royal Palace next to it. Other attraction sites to see include Bab Bou Jeloud, Chouara Tannery, Ibn Danan synagogue, Bou Jeloud gardens, and Jnan Sbil Park.

Day 6: Fes – Ifrane – Azrou – Midelt

After breakfast, we will be back out in the city of Fes. We will visit Ville Nouvelle, home to many attractions including striking fountains, malls, shopping locations, mosques, and cultural venues. This part of the city represents the contemporary Fes. It features a lot of European-style architecture. The dramatic change in the environment as we enter Ville Nouvelle will blow your mind away. There are many excellent sites here for photographs before we leave the city and head to Midelt. The drive to Midelt is mostly characterized by breathtaking mountainous landscapes, dotted with small kasbahs, ancient ruins, and Berber villages. We will stop at several popular towns on the way to enjoy their local flavor. One of the first stops is Ifrane. This town is commonly known as ‘Moroccan Switzerland’ due to its clean environment. It’s the cleanest city in Morocco. We will explore the town and have lunch there. In the afternoon we will be on a scenic road drive to Azrou. The most popular attraction here is the cedar forest and its amiable Barbary macaque monkeys. You get to enjoy playing with the monkeys and feeding them before we head on to Midelt for the night. You will be dropped off at your accommodations once there.

Day 7: Midelt – Merzouga

Having had breakfast we will start sightseeing in the small town. Midelt has some interesting historical background, having been a French mining outpost in the 20th century. Nowadays the area is known for its apple growing, fossils, and beautiful landscape. Some of the fascinating attractions to see include Aguelmous, Eglise de Midelt, Notre Dame de l’Atlas monastery, and the eye-catching Gorges d’Aouli. A tour of Midelt is not complete without a visit to its vibrant souk, where we will also be having lunch. In the afternoon we move on towards Merzouga, one of the regions where it’s possible to see the Sahara desert in Morocco. Upon arriving, you will be in for one of the most exciting camel rides. You will be climbing giant dunes in the desert, enjoying a beautiful sunset over the vast Sahara, and experiencing the unique silence of the desert at night. We will spend the night at a Berber nomad camp, to the accompaniment of traditional Berber music and dances around the campfire. For those who would like to stay up and watch the stars, the Sahara Desert will be an exceptional opportunity.

Day 8: Merzouga – Khamlia – Rissani – Merzouga

Sunrise peeking out over the dunes in the Sahara is a sight of a lifetime. Setting the alarm early you won’t miss this spectacle. After an enjoyable morning in the desert, we will take a camel ride back to Merzouga via some Berber villages. Our driver will be waiting there to take you on a more immersing drive into the desert. We freshen up and pack necessities for the road, and a 4×4 off-road vehicle is ours to head into the desert. We will meet nomads living in camps, and get to listen to live Gnawa music by the Gnawa tribes on the way. The off-road drive will take us deeper into the desert to Lake Dayte Sarje, oases at the dunes, and a visit to a site of black volcanic rocks. Then we will be stopping at Rissani to explore the souks there for the best part of the afternoon. In the evening we’ll be back in Merzouga where we will stay for the night.

Day 9: Todra Gorge – Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou – Marrakech

Right after breakfast, we will continue with our trip heading to Todra Gorge. At Todra Gorge you will be welcomed by massive canyons, which are around 1,312 feet (400 meters deep). We will trek around in the Todra Valley and go see oases alongside it. You will have fun hiking the river gorge. Next up is a drive to Ouarzazate. In this city, we will be visiting the kasbahs of Taourirt and Tifoultoute, Ouarzazate’s main square, and Atlas Film Studios. In the afternoon we will drive out to Ait Benhaddou. This village has the most popular kasbah in Morocco. This fortified, red-earthen Bingham is a historic landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ait Benhaddou is over 1200 years old and roaming its beaten passageways feels like walking in the ancient world. It’s a fantastic place to visit.

Day 10: Marrakech – Casablanca

In the morning, after breakfast, we will start exploring Marrakech. The city is nicknamed ‘The Red City’, because of the natural red pigment of the sandstone used for building walls. The morning will start with a tour of the main square, Jemaa el-Fna. There are several famous souks here, including el Attarin, Smata, and Haddadine. On the west section of the main square can be found Koutoubia Mosque and the surrounding gardens. After this site, we will eat lunch in one of the many restaurants serving local food. In the afternoon we will visit the medina before heading to the 16th-century Ben Youssef madrasa. It is a former Islamic college, drawing visitors for its architecture and high-quality ornamentation. Carved stucco, ceramic tiles, and woodwork were all executed very skillfully. Beautiful examples of cedar wood ceilings and an interior courtyard can be seen. Islamic calligraphy also is of note here. If we have the time we will also visit the kasbah to the south where Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace, and Saadian Tombs are located. We will end sightseeing in Marrakesh with a visit to the grand Majorelle Gardens, a property formerly in the possession of the French fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent. In the evening we will take a scenic road drive to Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco. In Casablanca we will drop you off at your hotel, marking the end of our fantastic 10-day Explorer Tour of Morocco.