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18 Days in Morocco: From Tangier to Imperial Cities & Sahara

18 Days in Morocco

Tour of 18 days starting from Tangier to The Imperial Cities, Old Berber Vilages, Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains

Overview

Discover Morocco's north and south on an 18-day trip that begins in Tangier, includes a night in the Merzouga desert, and ends in Marrakech. Explore the historical Moroccan sites, pay a visit to Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, and go on a private excursion to Assilah. A private walking trip through the Blue City of Chefchaouen, a private sightseeing tour of Tangier, and enjoy Amazing Rif Mountains scenery. Discover historic cities, the Roman Empire's capital Volubilis, and Meknes's cultural attractions Visit Moulay Ismail Place, the green gate at Bab Mensour, and a tour. Visit the Blue Gate Bab Boujloud, the old University Keraouien, and Zaouia Moulay Idriss on a private guided tour of Fes that focuses on Arab and Berber culture's cuisine and way of life. Appreciate the breathtaking scenery of the Middle Atlas Mountains, a trip to the cedar grove in Azro City, and breathtaking vistas of the Ziz Valley and Ziz Gorges. Private desert tour to learn about nomadic Berber culture and lifestyle, go camel trekking, and see breathtaking sunsets and sunrises in the Sahara desert. Private tours to the Todra Valley and Gorges, the city of Ouarzazate, Taroudant, and Essaouira are also available. Guided walking tour of Marrakech, including stops at the Ben Youssef Medrasa, Majorelle Garden, Bahia Place, and the Palace of Jemaa El Fnna.

Tour Highlights:

  • The Medina of Tangier
  • Chefchaouen (The Blue City of Morocco)
  • Walking The Old Medina Of Fes
  • Exploring The Middle Atlas Mountains
  • Go on a Sahara Camel Excursion
  • Spend The Night In A Desert Camp
  • Visit The Berber Villages
  • The Nomad Families
  • Watch The Sunset In The Dunes
  • Enjoy The Berber Drums Music
  • Walk Through The Todra Gorges
  • Visit Ouarzazate City
  • Discover Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 : Tangier
Meet and greet services are provided at Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport or Tanger-Med Port. We then drive to our authentic lodging, the Riad, for an overnight stay (dinner and breakfast).
Day 2 : Visit Tangier – Transfer to Asilah
At 9:00, your personal sightseeing trip will begin. Before we travel to Asilah, you will get the opportunity to see Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules. Although Ras ben Sakka, Tunisia, is actually farther north than Cape Spartel, that location is usually mistakenly referred to as Africa’s northernmost point. It is located at the northwesterlymost point of continental Africa. At the peak of Jebel Quebir, where there is a tower, the cape climbs to a height of 326 metres. Another tower, located closer to the cape’s end, functions as a lighthouse. The Hercules Caves are located below the cape. These are accessible from Robinson Plage and are available to the general public. Neolithic occupancy is evident in the caverns. They were brothels before becoming popular tourist destinations. In the past, the granite was mined, and this was a significant factor in the formation of the caves. Bed, Dinner, and breakfast for one night at a traditional riad in Asilah
Day 3 : Asilah – Tetouan – Rif Mountains - Chefchaouen
Today, you will travel through the Tetouan and Rif Mountains to get to Chefchaouen. Since prehistoric times, Berbers have lived in the Rif Mountains. In the 11th century BC, the Phoenicians started establishing trading posts on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts with the consent or in partnership with the local Berbers, and they began interbreeding, which led to the creation of the punic language. They also founded cities like Tetouan, Melilla, Tangier, and Chefchaouen. Northwest of Morocco is home to Chefchaouen, also referred to as Chaouen. It serves as the capital of the same-named province and is distinguished for its blue-hued structures. Just inland from Tangier and Tetouan is Chefchaouen. In Chefchaouen, spend the night in a typical riad (bed + dinner + breakfast).
Day 4 : Full Day In Chefchaouen (Blue City)
The largest town in Morocco’s Rif area, Chefchaouen, is a great spot to escape the bustle of the imperial cities and have a relaxing day or two. The town, which the locals simply refer to as “Chaouen,” is situated in northern Morocco and is renowned for its scenic medina, accessibility to the mountains, and an abundance of kif. Due to these features, Chefchaouen is a well-liked stop on the travel routes of backpackers, but many kinds of tourists visit the town to take in the architecture, discover Berber culture, and enjoy the natural surroundings.
Day 5 : Chefchaouen – Roman Ruins (Volubilis) – Meknes – Fes City
You will explore the ancient Moroccan cities of Fes, Volubilis, and Meknes today as we depart from the blue city of Chefchaouen and travel to Fes via those cities. Near Meknes in Morocco, Volubilis is a partially excavated Roman city that is widely regarded as the former capital of the Roman-Berber Kingdom of Mauretania. Built in a productive agricultural region, it began as a Phoenician-Carthaginian and Berber settlement in the third century BC before becoming the capital of the Berber Kingdom of Mauretania. It expanded quickly under Roman rule from the first century AD to the end of the third century, covering 100 acres and having a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) circuit of walls. In the second century, the city obtained a number of significant public structures, such as a basilica, temple, and triumphal arch. Its success, which was mostly brought about by olive farming, led to the development of numerous elegant townhouses with spacious mosaic floors. Meknes, one of Morocco’s four imperial cities, is the sixth-largest city in terms of population and is where the Almoravids first established a military outpost in the 11th century. Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672–1727), the son of the Alaouite dynasty’s founder, made Meknes the country’s capital. The city of Meknes recorded a population of 632.079 in the 2014 Moroccan census; it is the seat of Meknes Prefecture and a significant economic pole in the region of Fes-Meknes. Sultana Moulay Ismail transformed Meknes into an impressive city in Spanish-Moorish style, surrounded by high walls with great doors, where the harmonious blending of the Islamic and European styles of the 17th century Maghreb are still evident today. Traditional Fes riad overnight stay (bed, dinner, and breakfast)
Day 6 : Full Day To Visit Fes
Entire private An English-speaking city guide will lead you on a daylong guided walking tour of Fes El-historic Bali’s medina. The tour guide will lead you through the maze of souks and attractions, stopping at some of the highlights such as the well-known Tanneries Chaowara, the musical instrument makers, the carpet souks, and the Fes ceramic souk. Over 9000 mediaeval cobblestone alleyways wind past markets, mosques, Koranic schools, riads, and undiscovered fountains. The Zaouia Moulay Idriss or shrine, the Bad Boujloud ornate gate, the Al-Kairaouine Mosque and University, the oldest university in the world, the Al-attarin Medrasa, the Nejjarine Fountain, King’s Place, and the Jewish neighbourhood, or “Mellah,” are all places worth seeing. As much as feasible will be included in your day by your guide. (Bed, supper, and breakfast) A night at the riad.
Day 7 : Fes – Ifrane - Azrou - Ziz Valley – Erfoud - Merzouga
From Fes, we will journey all day via the Middle Atlas Mountains to Erfoud, a village in the desert and the world’s fossil capital. As you leave Fes, the road progressively ascends through the breathtaking scenery you’ll see. Incredible panoramas of the Middle Atlas. The native Berber tribes of Morocco have a homeland here, where their culture and traditions are still upheld. We have the opportunity to stop along the way and view the Barbary apes that call the Azro cedar forests home as we travel through them. Our halfway point is the rural community of Midelt, known as the apple capital, and serves as a convenient lunch stop. We’ll travel through the Ziz Valley and Gorges after crossing the Tizi N’Tairhemt Camel Pass and continuing over the Col du Zad. Before arriving in Erfoud, also known as the “gateway to the desert,” we will finally traverse the Meski Oasis on the verge of the vast Sahara. We will spend the night in our first fictitious kasbah, which is designed to resemble the historic Berber and Touareg tribal strongholds and offers comfort, breathtaking views, and is located on the edge of the desert. Overnight Hotel Stay (Bed, Dinner, and Breakfast)
Day 8 : Full Day In Merzouga Desert
We officially enter the Sahara today. After the lengthy drive yesterday, there isn’t a lot of distance to travel (around 2 hours), so the morning is free for you to unwind at your hotel. After a leisurely lunch at your accommodation, we continue along the River Ziz via the Tafilalt Oasis and on to Rissani, the last sizable market town before the Saharan sands. Along the route, stop at an intriguing museum of archaeology and the fossil workshops. You can alternatively take the tourist route that makes a detour via the ruins of the ancient city of Sijilmassa, which was once the richest city in North Africa and derived its wealth from trade caravans and gold. This route passes by crumbling mud-built towns, kasbahs, and palm groves. You might also have time to stop by the Zaouai of Moulay Ali Shereef, a shrine outside of Rissani that is accessible to non-Muslims and features exquisitely carved plaster and mosaic interiors. By late afternoon, you arrive in the desert in Merzouga, a little community near the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. You have the option of spending the night in a standard or luxury class bivouac deep among the dunes, a kasbah-style hotel, a traditional riad/auberge, or even an eco-lodge made of mud close to the dunes. To fully experience the unique ambiance of the desert, watch the amazing star constellations, and witness the breathtaking sunrise over the sand dunes, we strongly advise camping there. The final step of your journey is by camel if you choose to experience the peace of the dunes! (Bed + Dinner + Breakfast) Night spent under the stars at a traditional Berber camp.
Day 9 : Merzouga – Jorf - Todra Gorges – Dades Valley
Early breakfast at a camp in the Sahara desert, then ride a camel back to your 4×4 vehicle. We drive from Merzouga Vellege across the ochre cliffs of the Todra Gorges, Todra Valley, Dades Valley, and into the Dades Gorges after our night spent beneath the desert stars. The Oasis of Tafilalet, the road, and the Valleys of Thousands of Kasbahs are all parts of our historic journey. With the high Atlas Mountains to the north and the Jbel Saghro range to the south, the Todra and Dades gorges provide us a peek of a new type of Moroccan scenery that is no less stunning but totally dissimilar from what we have seen on previous days. We will have time to wander under the shade of the date palms and olive groves that border the riverbanks of the Rivers Todra and Dadès, which provide water for a number of oasis and palmeraies in the area. Our day comes to a close in the Dades Gorges, where we’ll stay the night in either a beautiful guesthouse that clings to the sheer cliffs or an original converted kasbah in the Dades Valley with first-rate amenities and rooms decorated in an African motif. A typical Riad night includes bed, dinner, and breakfast.
Day 10 : Dades – Roses Valley – Skoura - Ouarzazate
From the Dades Valley, we travel to the renowned Roses Valley and Kalaat Magouna Valley, which is where most of Morocco’s roses and rose water are produced. We’ll travel off-road to BouTharar, where the local nomadic Ait Atta Berbers live in rock caverns, to visit a nomadic hamlet there. Our day will end in Ouarzazate, dubbed “Hollywood of Africa,” where we will visit inside the walls of the old Kasbah Taourirt, in an authentic 17th century mud-built house that once served as the Pasha el Glaoui’s courthouse. Here, we will visit the old Berber Place Kasbah Amredel and a small private museum. It is presently a first-rate boutique inn and a good illustration of conventional building techniques employing local resources. A traditional riad night includes accommodation, dinner, and breakfast.
Day 11 : Ouarzazat – Tazenakht – Taroudant
Before we head out on the road once more in the morning, visitors can have time for either a guided tour of the restored Atlas Film Studios. Our path passes through the town of Tazenakht and the dry Anti Atlas Mountains. After travelling for about two hours, we stop here for lunch. You can visit one of the cooperatives selling the hand-woven carpets that this area is known for. The journey continues for almost 4 hours through Taliouin, which is famous for its saffron farming, before arriving at the tiny walled city of Taroudant in the lush Souss Vellege. Before moving to Marrakech in the 16th century, Taroudant, sometimes known as the “grandmother of Marrakech,” was the seat of the Saadian empire. Traditional Riad night (bed + dinner + breakfast)
Day 12 : Full Day In Taroudante
This morning, you will take a leisurely guided tour of Taroudant’s historic medina during which you will discover the city’s history and stop by the two souks (referred to as the “Arab souk” and the “Berber souk,” even though both cater to the needs of both clientele groups that reside in the area!) furthermore, tanneries Taroudant is a charming town that offers opportunity to observe local life in action and visit the souks without as much of the bustle as its “grand-daughter,” “grandmother” Marrakech, while being considerably smaller and less spectacular. We are on the Souss River, whose fertile flood plains supply the entire region with fresh produce. Many of the crafts you’ll see being done at the souks aren’t made to sell as souvenirs to tourists, but rather to local farmers as tools and agricultural equipment. You are free to explore and unwind on your own in the afternoon. Traditional Riad night (bed + dinner + breakfast)
Day 13 : Taroudant – Agadir – Essaouira
We go north along the rocky Atlantic coastline from Taroudant city to the port city of Essaouira through Agadir, which serves as Morocco’s primary beach vacation destination. You will pass by sunbathers, surfers, fishermen, and some of the best bananas Morocco has to offer while travelling. You will witness both populated beaches with Moroccan families and desolate beaches if you travel during the summer. Argan oil, known as “Berber gold,” is produced by women’s cooperatives that harvest this priceless oil from the argan nut kernels in these protected forests of prickly argan trees. On the way, we’ll make a brief lunch stop. When you arrive in Essaouira, we have a variety of traditional riad accommodations inside the UNESCO-designated 18th-century medina, or you can choose a luxurious boutique hotel on the beach (bed + dinner + breakfast).
Day 14 : Full Day In Essaouira
Discover the calm, laid-back atmosphere of Essaouira’s medina, stop by galleries to see the regional arts and crafts, savour a fresh seafood meal while taking in the sea views from a beachfront café, or stroll through the harbour or along the beach. We can organise watersports, camel rides, quad biking, horseback riding, and hiking in the adjacent beaches and woods for those who are more physically active. If you let us know in advance, we can also set up a morning cooking lesson. Traditional Riad night (bed + dinner + breakfast)
Day 15 : Essaouira – Marrakech
We set out early in the morning on our last adventure, to the intriguing and busy “red city” of Marrakech. The fourth and last Moroccan imperial city that you will see on this tour is this one. The trip from Essaouira takes around three hours, and once we check into a traditional riad in the historic medina of Marrakech, you have the afternoon free to relax and explore. We advise you to go to the popular Place Jemaa El Fnna to grab lunch at one of the café restaurants with a beautiful roof terrace view of the afternoon activities there, including acrobats, snake charmers, musicians, juice vendors, and henna artists. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent bargain-hunting in the largest covered market in the world, choosing from one of Marrakech’s many restaurants for dinner, or perhaps trying the incredible variety of food served at night on the outdoor grills of the Place Jemaa el Fna. Traditional Riad night (bed + dinner + breakfast)
Day 16 : Full Day In Essaouira
Full-day morning tour of the Imperial City of Marrakech with a local guide; sometimes referred to as “the red city” for its well-known pink-hued ramparts. After picking you up from your hotel in the morning, our English-speaking city guide will lead you through the mediaeval medina’s souks, introducing you to craftspeople, bakers, carpenters, spice merchants, and apothecaries while also taking you to famous sites like the Ben Youssef Medersa, the Bahia Palace, and the Koutoubia Mosque. At the well-known Place Jemaa el Fna square, your tour comes to a close. The remaining time of the day is at your discretion, however we advise taking a horse-drawn carriage to Gelize’s new town area to see the stunning Majorelle Garden, which was formerly Yves Saint Laurent’s and was once the artist’s private residence. We recommend that you go back to the plaza for dinner one evening to try some of the local specialties, including grilled meats, fried fish, fried aubergines, boiled snails, harira soup, spiced ginger tea, and boiled sheeps head. Even if you choose to eat somewhere else, the Place Jemaa el Fna experience at night is enthralling, with the smoke rising from the grills, the pounding rhythms of the street performers, and the call to prayer echoing from the mosques as the eager throng gather for this nightly “circus.” Traditional Riad night (bed + dinner + breakfast)
Day 17 : Day Trip To The Atlas
Our day tour to the Kasbah Ait ben Haddou will begin at 8:30. with a return time of approximately 6:00 pm The route crosses the Atlas Mountains, so while travelling you can take in the picturesque surroundings with their local settlements and lofty views of the surrounding areas. We will arrive in Kasbah Ait ben Haddou, an old structure to explore, after a few hours of driving. where a lot of movies have been shot making a film. There were scenes for movies including Kundun (1997), Legionnaire (1998), Hanna (2011), Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Living Daylights (1987), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), The Mummy (1999), Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), and The Mummy. We have a lot of activities and sights to view during the tour. A return to Marrakech.
Day 18 : Marrakech – Airport
If necessary, a private transfer to the airport will follow breakfast at your riad (Marrakech 30 mins, or Casabanca 3hrs)

Included:

  • Private Transportation
  • Car Fuel
  • Multilingual Driver
  • Hotels (Dinner & Breakfast)
  • Desert Camp (Dinner & Breakfast)
  • Sand surfing
  • Camel Excursion
  • Free Time To Take Pictures…etc.

Not included:

  • Drinks
  • Lunches
  • Entrances

Tour Prices

Standard
3*
$450/person
  • Private Car
  • Standard Hotels
  • Standard Desert Camp
Luxury
4*
$510/person
  • Private Car
  • Luxury Hotels
  • Luxury Desert Camp

Tour Reviews

We recently completed a private 8-day tour from Tangier. We would strongly recommend this tour to anyone interested in experiencing this beautiful country from the inside. We discovered many unexpected places and people thanks to the guide. We were able to taste and feel Moroccan culture from the inside out thanks to the activities (as recommended by the guide). The scheduled activities were fantastic (the desert tour was a particular highlight for us! ), but there is also enough time and space to do your own activities suggestions. The guide also provides numerous suggestions and opportunities for you to visit various locations or participate in various activities. I wholeheartedly endorse it.
Morocco Travel TripAdvisor
Sarah
What an amazing way to see and experience Morocco! This trip takes you to many different parts of the country besides Marrakech. Hassan was a gracious host who accommodated many of the group's requests. Don't hesitate...book it today. The food at the camp was quite good, and the luxury camp was well worth the money. Excellent value and experience
Morocco Travel TripAdvisor
Daniela
Everything was well-organized, from pickup to local guides, and we couldn't have asked for more. This 18-day tour is ideal for discovering all of Morocco's best attractions. Our driver, Ahmed, was fantastic, and one always felt safe in his hands; he was gracious and attentive to any questions, and he was always willing to lend a helping hand! Perfect place to start or end a trip; in my case, make sure you have a day or two before or after to settle in or decompress before returning home.
Morocco Travel TripAdvisor
Martin
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