9 days tour from Fes to Marrakech through the desert, visit Chefchaouen and Meknes, exploration of southern Morocco, visit Merzouga Sahara dunes, enjoy a camel ride and beautiful sunrise and sunset in the large dunes of Morocco. Discovery of gorges and kasbahs along the thousand kasbahs road.
9 days tour from Fes to Marrakech through the desert itinerary:
Day 1: Fes airport-hotel in Fes
Meet at Fes airport and transfer to the hotel. Free time to spend in the medina of Fes.
Day 2: Fes city tour
Fez or Fes is the first Moroccan imperial city. It holds a wealth of attractions and described as the spiritual centre of Morocco. The Karaouiyin University of Fez is considered among the oldest in the world. Hiring a local guide in Fez is essential to have a complete visit. You start the journey with a visit of royal palace and the ceramics and poetry looking at hand made artefacts. Then you move with your guide to explore the the Tanneries and the vibrant alleys of the old quarter. You will admire the bustling streets of the Medina where merchants open their shops. After an active journey we take you back to your hotel
Day 3: Day trip to Chefchaouen – Meknes
Morning departure to Chefchaouen after the breakfast at the hotel. Drive through ouazzane city and the Rif Mountains enjoying superb views of narrow and green valleys. You do not miss to take some vivid pictures of natural landscapes. Reach Chefchaouen and take 3-4 hours to wander the Andalusian quarter ( medina). See the main Square and the Kasbah. Take a wander in the market area and have lunch. In the late afternoon, we collect you back and drive to Meknes. Check into the hotel, and take an evening wander near the main gate Bab el Mansour.
Day 4: Meknes – Azrou – Midelt – Ziz valley – Merzouga desert
Morning pick up from your hotel in Fes. We depart to Midelt through Azrou. The later, a town with a view out to agricultural Sais plain and is in the Middlte Atlas Mountains ( 2000 m alt and up). After a short pause, we continue the way amid the cedar forest where group of Barbary apes live, and take a short break for some lovely pictures.
You will be transferred to Errachidia via the town of Midelt and the eastern high Atlas Mountains, and we include a stop to have lunch.
Later on, you will be driven along the palm groves stretching along the valley of Ziz till Erfoud from where we head straight to the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi.
Close by the town of Merzouga, we change the car with camels and start the camel trek. Your luggage will be taken by a car to the camp; or you pack a small backpack for the desert night and leave your suitcase in our car, it is safe!
The Camel trek takes around 1 hour going and another hour coming back the following morning. Enjoy the camel ride. Reach the tents and have free time: climb the dunes, take sunset pictures and practice some sand boarding! Tea will be provided. After dinner, you may like to join the happy campers and try their drums music. Then, feel the real silence of the desert; take a shower…Sleep well.
Day 5: Merzouga desert – Todgha gorges – Dades valley
Wake up for sunrise pictures. Breakfast and take a camel trek into the town from where we depart with our jeep to the gorges of Todgha. Along the way, we stop to visit the Souk in Rissani if we coincide with the day day market.
Time will be spent to enjoy the spectacular Todgha gorges where water flows and the beautiful gardens before the canyons. After lunch, we go to Dades valley with stops to enjoy the scenic road in between. We reach the place in the evening, and check into the hotel.
Day 6: Dades valley – Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou – Marrakech
We depart to Ouarzazate taking the road of Thousand Kasbah and passing Kelaa Mgouna & Skoura village with its palm groves. Ouarzazate is a peaceful town with spacious streets. Famous for the Cinema industry, Ouarzazate separates the Mountains with the Sahara Desert. We continue to Ait Ben Haddou Ksar where we visit the most attractive Kasbah in Morocco and the spot for numerous films like the Gladiator. The site of Ait Ben Haddou was declared a world heritage patrimony by the UNESCO. After lunch we carry on our way through the Tichka pass (2260M), with enchanting Berber views. We arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. Enjoy the evening at the main Sqaure, Jamaa el fna and take a wander in the market.
Day 7: Marrakech city tour
Today we will explore Marrakech city. The visit consists of a wander in the botanical gardens of Eve Saint Laurent Majorelle, beside other historical sites like the koutoubia Mosque (the twin tower of Giralda in Seville, Spain). The Saadian tombs demonstrate the Moorish architecture in its perfection, The Bahia palace and Madrassa Ibn Youssef. The guide takes you to the restaurant for lunch.
Evening drums will draw you to the Djemaa El Fna (main city square). It’s a festival atmosphere, with snake charmers, Berber and Gnoua musicians, and storytellers illuminated by lamplight and wreathed in smoke. Food stalls on the square sell fresh salads, soups, fried fish and chips, chicken and beef kebabs and even boiled snails or sheep’s head. The best thing is to try an orange jus at a reasonable price. Overnight stay is in medina centered guesthouse, a Riad.
Day 8: Day trip to Essaouira
Today, we change the bustling life of Marrakech with the peaceful life of the coast by doing a day trip to the coastal city of Essaouira. The Unesco medina ( old quarter) has the old quarter, the Saqala, the small harbor and the tasty fish food. You take time to wander in the old city and enjoy its life. At the evening, we come back to Marrakech. Stay at the riad.
Day 9: Departure from Marrakech airport
Breakfast at the hotel and then transfer to Marrakech airport for your flight.
