Remarkable Morocco

Camel rides, hidden oases, colourful mosaics, desert dunes, bustling medinas and delicious food.

Location Morocco

Recommended Dates Sep - Nov

Duration 11 days

Pace Brisk

Categories Architecture, Exploration, Culture

This 10 night / 11 day itinerary through Morocco is designed for travellers looking to go on an enchanting Moroccan odyssey that weaves through the vibrant tapestry of culture, history, and natural beauty.

This itinerary guides you from the bustling cosmopolitan charm of Casablanca to the labyrinthine alleys of Fes, across the golden dunes of Sahara, through the majestic Todra Gorge, and finally, lose yourself in the kaleidoscope of colours in Marrakech's bustling medina. Let the allure of Morocco's most iconic destinations captivate your senses and create memories to last a lifetime.

Unforgettable Experiences

Explore the impressive Hassan II Mosque

Discover bustling medinas in Fes

Eat your way through street food bazaars

Ride a camel across the desert at sunset

Visit world heritage listed Ait Benhaddou

Hike through the Todra Valley

Itinerary Overview

Itinerary

Day 1 A Warm Moroccan Welcome

Salam Alaykoum, Welcome to Morocco! You've arrived in the bustling city of Casablanca. Get settled in your hotel and then it’s time to kick things off! For your first taste of authentic Moroccan cuisine, head out to a local dinner.

Day 2 Mosques and magical moments

After breakfast, explore the impressive Hassan II Mosque, Africa’s largest functioning mosque. Then head to Fes – the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco. Fes is vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming. Head into the old city, known locally as Fes el Bali, arguably the world's most fascinating and confounding old city. Medieval Fes was one of the world's great centres of education and culture, both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and libraries are legendary, its mosques of great renown. This afternoon, relax and enjoy a swim in the pool before your dinner.

Day 3 Explore the Medina of Fes

This morning, take a walk through the twisting streets and alleyways of Fes, passing donkeys piled high with goods – and explore the specialty sections that divide the souk. Filled with historic khans, medresses and dye-pits, stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and soups, and where the squawk of chickens, smell of spice and sound of hammering of copper fills the air, it’s not hard to imagine yourself back in the Middle Ages. Spend the day exploring the old city, visiting Medersa el-Attarine and the local tanneries. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon and spend the evening relaxing in this calming oasis, away from the buzz of the medina.

Day 4 Journey through the mountains

Today it's time to leave the city behind and embrace the simplicity and beauty of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Journey through fertile valleys, pine forests and barren, rocky landscapes. You may see wandering nomadic shepherds as they tend to their flocks, or even catch a glimpse of barbary apes – North Africa's only monkey – before arriving in Midelt. This is a market town, originally built as a base for mining in the area, which is surrounded by farms and orchards. Take a walk exploring the village of Bremmem for an insight into the local farming life, or perhaps check out an optional traditional music performance in Midelt.

Day 5 Camel rides & starry nights

Travel toward the mighty Sahara, during which there'll be plenty of chances to stop and take in the views of lush valleys with date palms, fields and orchards. As you pass through frontier towns like Eerfoud and Rissani, you'll see the scenery alternate between barren mountainsides and fertile valleys until you reach the small Saharan village of Merzouga. Upon arriving, you will leave your baggage, pack a daypack, and saddle up for a one-hour camel ride into the desert at sunset. Tonight, sleep in a desert camp under the stars and our local friends will prepare a hearty feast. All you need to do is sit back, relax, and take in the Milky Way.

Day 6 Hidden oasis and green valleys

Return from the desert and begin the drive to Todra Gorge. On the way, visit the oasis museum of El Khorbat, before continuing on to the beautiful Todra Valley, which follows the foothills of the Atlas Mountains and is dotted with mud-brick villages perched on hillsides. The remarkable scenery – sprawling green valleys and rocks sculpted into stunning formations by the wind – will be your home for the next two nights.

Day 7 Hike the Todra Valley

After breakfast take a guided hike through the gorge and over a nearby mountain pass. It is a 10-kilometre circuit that will take about 4 hours and isn't too challenging if you have a basic level of fitness. On the walk you'll pass villages, meeting locals along the way and perhaps having a chance to share a cup of mint tea with some of them. For lunch you will join some local ladies in their mudbrick kasbah, a fantastic opportunity to see how people live in this largely unchanged culture. The rest of the afternoon is then free to simply lounge by the hotel pool with views over the lush palmeries and soaring cliff faces.

Day 8 Venture to ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ land

Today, travel south to Ait Benhaddou. Pause for lunch in Ouarzazate, where productions such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Sheltering Sky and Black Hawk Down were filmed. Time permitting, you can take a tour of the Atlas Movie Studios. Continue on to your destination of Ait Benhaddou. Consider stopping for a tea break at the Cooperative Tawesna. It is the first income generating activity ever led by the association where women work a few hours per week. The salary they earn then contributes to their daily spendings as well as their children’s school fees. Heading back to the hotel a delicious dinner of Morocco's most famous cuisine: couscous and tagine awaits!

Day 9 Eat your way through Marrakesh

It's an early morning start as you make the journey to your final destination, Marrakech, a city that’s a feast for the senses. Be enticed by the alluring scents and brilliant colours of the spice markets, the sounds of the musicians, the rich folds of carpets, delectable foods, acrobats and perfumed gardens. The afternoon is free to relax before joining the thronging crowds for a Foodie tour and dinner at the famous Djemaa el-Fna, one of the largest public spaces in the world and unique to Marrakech. Perhaps enjoy a bite of famous Moroccan pastries with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and then maybe finish your day with a cup of tea on one of the roof-top restaurants overlooking the square.

Day 10 How bazaar, how bazaar

After breakfast today, meet with a local guide who will bring the magic of Marrakech to life as you set off on a morning tour of the old medina, through the bustling souks that are the lifeblood of the city. Explore tranquil courtyards filled with the scent of orange blossom and the many salons and chambers that make up Bahia Palace. Stop by the Koutoubia Mosque – the inside is for Muslims only, but the famous minaret is a sight to behold. Walk back through the streets of the old medina to Djemaa el-Fna.

Day 11 Farewell, Morocco

This is the final day on the itinerary but hopefully you’ll be leaving Morocco with incredible memories and a desire to continue to see more of the world. Maybe it’s not a farewell at all, but a see you later!