Imperial Cities Tour – 6 Days/5 Nights

Transfer from your accommodation or airport in Marrakesh/Casablanca. Casablanca is the business and commercial hub of Morocco. If you have time, one of the landmarks worth paying a visit is the Hassan II Mosque. The Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world (largest in Africa) – and a reflection of impeccable modern day Moroccan craftsmanship. Most mosques in Morocco are closed to non-Muslims and this is one of the very few in the country that is open to tourists.

Continue on your way to Rabat to enjoy the sights of this Imperial City. This city is also the present day political and administrative capital of Morocco. Your knowledgeable guide/driver will take you to all the sights worth visiting (ruins of the Citadel of Challah, Hassan Mosque, Mohamed V Mausoleum and the Kasbah des Oudayas). After a day of sightseeing, spend the night at a well-appointed Riad in Rabat.

After enjoying breakfast at the riad, the tour will continue with a visit to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Meknes was founded in the 11th century as the capital of the Alaouite dynasty. Some sights that are worth visiting are Bab El Mansour (the most ornate gate in all of Morocco), Place El Hedim (a bustling grand square), Bab El Khemis (the beautiful door that is the gateway into the Medina of Meknes), the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (resting place for the founder of Meknes), Palais El Mansour (summer residence of the Moulay Ismail) and Heri Es-Sousani (the awe-inspiring horse stables and granaries that once housed more than 12,000 royal horses).

The second World Heritage site is the important ancient Roman outpost of Volubilis. It was founded in the 3rd century BC as the capital of Mauretania in the Roman Empire, later becoming the capital of the Idrisid dynasty. Even if you only have a few hours, Volubilis is worth a visit. This ancient Roman ruin is astonishingly beautiful. The bold mosiac tiles are still vibrantly intact in most of the structures and it will most certainly take your breath away! After savoring your day in Moroccan’s history, begin your short journey to the city of Fez. There you will spend the night at one of the most delightful riads.

Take the entire day to fully enjoy all that Fez has to offer. Fez has long been considered the spiritual home of the country and the capital of Morocco until 1925. The Fez medina is one of the largest car-free zones in the world – and a living museum of Moroccan culture. The medina is not easy to navigate so it may be wise for you to arrange a tour with one of our trusted guides. Not only are they knowledgeable but they can customize the tour to your liking, whether it be learning about the rich history of the city or shopping for the exquisite craftsmanship of the local craftsman – the sky is the limit when it comes to what to do in Fez. After a day of sightseeing, spend one more night in Fez.

Continue on your journey from Fez to the Saharan Erg Chebbi dunes (Merzouga) via the Middle Atlas. On route, you will stop by Ifrane (a Moroccan Alpine village) and the Cedar Forest (near the town of Azrou) where you can visit the famous Barbary apes. Upon arriving in Merzouga, enjoy an epic camel ride into the sunset before arriving at your desert camp for the night. For those who do not have an interest in a camel ride, your driver will be more than happy to drive you directly to the camp.

After having spent a restful night at the Merzouga desert camp, transfer by camel to meet your driver to start your journey to Skoura Valley. For travelers who do not wish to ride a camel, our driver will be more than happy to arrange pick-up at the desert camp. The scenic route to Skoura Valley will be via Todgha Gorge and Dades Valley. The gorge is about 15 km long and the drive is breathtaking. The deep red cliffs beside the Todgha River have an average height of 400 meters which makes it one of the most canyons in the world. Dades Valley is also know as the “valley of figs”. This valley is green, lush and bursting with life. You will see fields of almonds, cheeries, peach, apple, apricot and dozens of other fruits. It is like walking through the Garden of Eden on Earth. Continue the scenic drive to spend the night at a well-appointed riad in Skoura.

After enjoying breakfast at the guesthouse – the journey to Marrakesh will begin with a stop in Ait Ben Haddou. You will be given an opportunity to visit this UNESCO World Heritage site (made famous by the movie “Gladiator” and TV show “Game of Thrones”). The scenic drive will continue through the High Atlas Mountains and the Tizi n’Tichka pass (altitude 2260 meters) to arrive at your final destination.