Grand Moroccan Journey

Travel today between Rabat and Tangier in a private vehicle with an English speaking driver, stopping en-route for some touring around the diplomatic and administrative capital of Morocco, Rabat. Visit the Royal Palace, the wild gardens of the Chellah, a 14th-century Merinid necropolis and a walk through the Andalusian Gardens, within the walls of the Kasbah of the Oudaya. Visit the Hassan Tower, a huge unfinished minaret, built mostly at the end of the 12th century, an architectural wonder worth seeing.  Upon arrival into Tangier a transfer to hotel is provided.

Enjoy a city tour of Tangier and its surroundings, including the Spartel Cape and the Hercules Caves. Marvel at the picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean and the famed Strait of Gibraltar, a perfect photo opportunity. Mingle through the Kasbah district located next to the port, before heading towards the old Medina. Visit some of the many shops that line the streets of the Medina and find the perfect handicraft, gift, or memory for yourself or your loved ones.  Pass the Grand Sacco and the Mendoubia Park believed to contain the fossil remains of some truly ancient creatures, including some Dragon bones.  Next, visit the Petit Sacco with its multitudes of boutique hotels and riads. This historically location has hosted a variety of famous artists including Matisse, Camille Saint Saens, Paul Bowles.

Travel today between Tangier and Chefchaouen by private vehicle and english speaking driver.

Travel in a privately driven vehicle to explore the city of Chefchaouen.  This beautiful city is located on the Rift of the mountainous region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Iberian Peninsula. Chefchaouen is known worldwide for its Medina of shady alleys, whitewashed houses with blue turquoise doors, wrought iron windows and colorful tile covered roofs. The souks are decorated with their traditionally dressed inhabitants boasting their straw hats.

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will provide a transfer between Chefchaouen and Fes. During the transfer, enjoy some brief touring stops including a visit to Meknes, the famed Ismailia capital known for its 40 km long walls and numerous gates. Next, visit Bab Mansour, the Royal stables, the amazing markets and also the popular Jewish quarter. Before arriving in Fes, explore the ruins of the ancient city of Volubilis and the holy city of Moulay Idriss. Upon arrival into Fes, a hotel drop-off is provided.

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will be at your disposal for the day.

Explore the cultural and spiritual center of Morocco during this full day tour of Fes. Also known as Fes el Bali, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was founded in the 9th century, and is home to the world's oldest university. The city of Fes reached its true economic and cultural height in the 13th–14th centuries under the Merinids, when it replaced Marrakech as the capital of the kingdom.   Although the political capital of Morocco was transferred to Rabat in 1912, Fes has retained its status as the country's Artisan centre. Artisan workshops in the medina are as active today as they were 100 years ago, and strongly contribute to the city’s industrial economy. Trades such as blacksmithing, leather working, ceramics, silk, tapestries, and sculpting are still practiced in these workshops today. The original ramparts still protect this ancient city and its estimated 9000 narrow passageways and bustling streets.

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will provide a transfer between Fes and Erfoud. Travel through the scenic cedar forest and across the Middle Atlas Mountain range to Midelt, where a lunch break is scheduled.  Continue onwards towards Erfoud through the Ziz Gorge passing en-route the ancient, holy city of Rissani and the ruins of Sijilmassa, a once capital stopping locale for the old caravan routings of the 8th century. The approximate travel time is 7 hours.

Enjoy a traditional Moroccan lunch at the hotel Taddarte in Midelt.

A 4x4 vehicle will be waiting for you to continue your adventure by heading towards the dunes of Erg Chebbi, possibly the largest dunes in the Sahara desert. The dunes of Erg Chebbi are a strikingly strange natural formation. On the top of the flattest area you could imagine, suddenly a long mountain of sand rises. This mountain is surrounded by flat and desolate nature on all sides, and you could end up wondering if it really is real. But so it is, even if its existence is so weird that it has given rise to legends and myths among the locals. Upon arrival at the camp you will witness the sunset from over the desert dunes and be astounded by the peace and calm as well as the changing colours of the landscape. If you're up to it you can also ride a camel!

Travel today between Erfoud and Ouarzazate with private vehicle and driver.  En-route, stop in the Dades Gorge located just southwest of Tinerhir and some 110 km (65 miles) from Ouarzazate. Experience the unbelievable glory of the massive canyon walls reaching some 300 meters (900 feet) high and continuing for some 100 meters (300 feet).   A little north-east of the southern city of Ouarzazate, lies the Dadès Valley-stretching out between the peaks of the High Atlas and the Jbel Sarhro mountain range. Known as 'The Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs', it is the most prominent of the oasis valleys that dominate southern Morocco. Before reaching Ouarzazate, you will make a stop in Skoura - one of Morocco’s beautiful oases.  Skoura offers travellers a chance to rest their weary feet and enjoy the abundance of nature. At first glance from the road, it resembles a sort of thin, long, oasis. However once you get off the road you discover that Skoura in Morocco is very large and that what appeared to be a line of trees is actually a flourishing oasis.  Continue to your lodging in the Ouarzazate area.  

A private vehicle with an English speaking driver will be at your disposal for the day.

Relax as a private vehicle with English speaking driver provides a transfer towards Marrakech, for a visit to the village of Ait Ben Haddou.  Located approximately 60 kilometers from Skoura this fortified village (or ksar) is ideally positioned along a once frequented, ancient caravan route linking the Sahara and Marrakech. Ait Ben Haddou has been used in numerous Hollywood film productions for its distinctive architecture. In 1987 this famed location was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Next, travel to the village of Telouet, located approximately 1 hour north of Ait Ben Haddou. Telouet hosts one of the area's most recognized structures, the palace of the 'Lord of the Atlas.'  This palace was the residence of the once Vizier of Marrakech, back in the early 20th Century. An evocative relic of the time when the Glaoui clan ruled over the Atlas and Marrakech, the palace was the family’s Headquarters and was situated in a dramatic location, on a broad mountain valley, providing sweeping views of the peaks on all sides. Continue from here back onto the main road back to Marrakech, crossing on the dramatic Tizi n'Tichka passage through the High Atlas Mountains range on the way. Whilst passing take time to notice the many beautifully-terraced valleys and adobe villages perched precipitously on the hillsides.

Travel today between Ouarzazate and Marrakech in a private vehicle with an English speaking driver. The route through Ouarzazate to Marrakech offers wonderful photo opportunities including views of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre of Aït Ben Haddou, where movies such as Gladiator and Jesus Of Nazareth were filmed, and the dramatic Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass.

Enjoy an afternoon guided tour by horse drawn carriage through the Gardens of Majorelle, a property acquired in 1922 by the painter Jacques Majorelle. In 1980 the ownership of the garden changed and now belongs to the families of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge. Also enjoy a brief tour of the Gardens of Menara. This garden area extends over a hundred hectares and has in its center an immense pool dating from the XIIth century. At the edge of water, amongst the various plants and olive trees is a small Saadien house which over the last century has been rebuilt and renovated back to its original beauty. Enjoy the remainder of the evening exploring the nearby monuments which surround the gardens.

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will be at your disposal for the day.

After breakfast you will be met at your hotel and taken on a full day guided tour of Marrakech. Your tour usually starts at the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque but you can discuss all of the options with your guide. The mosques beautiful minaret dominates the skyline of Marrakech and can be seen from almost every approach to the city thanks to a long-standing planning ordinance that forbids any other building in the old city to rise above the height of a palm tree. You will also visit the El-Bahia Palace, this 19th century palace is elaborate in its decoration and was built over a period seven years for Ba Ahmed, the son of the Grand Vizier Si Moussa, there are row after row of apartments—that once housed Ahmed's harem—a trapezoidal garden, a huge tiled courtyard, and many hidden treasures, both in the form of antique objects d'art and the palace's convergence of Andalusian and Moorish architecture. One of most visited sites in Morocco is the Saadian Tombs which were only accessible via the mosque next door. However, in 1917 they were opened to the public and can now be accessed via a narrow passage that leads to an enclosed garden watched over by two mausoleums that include more than one hundred mosaic decorated tombs. The Koranic School Medersa Ben Youssef which is a Theological college founded by the Merenid Sultan Abu Hassan in the 14th century, and restored in 1564 by the Saadians who made it the largest theological college in the Maghreb and a rival to the important Medersa Bou Inania in Fés.

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will be at your disposal for the day.

Morning excursion to the High Atlas Mountains and Kasbah du Toubkal. Head south from Marrakech along the hairpin bends which eventually leads to one of only two passes through the High Atlas Mountains. Perhaps make a brief stop at the Berber villages of Tahanoute or Asni and continue to the village of Imlil, where you will take a ten minute walk up to Kasbah du Toubkal. Mules will be available if you prefer to ride! Situated on a hilltop with commanding views of the surrounding valley, the Kasbah du Toubkal was built as a summer palace for the Pasha El Glaoui. It is now a wonderful place to experience Berber hospitality and a great base from which to explore the High Atlas. Enjoy a traditional Berber lunch on the terrace overlooking the snow-capped peaks or a picnic lunch on the trail. You may wish to take a stroll to a nearby Berber village, where an invitation to share mint tea with the locals can be arranged. Kasbah du Toubkal has been heavily involved in sharing its prosperity with the local mountain villages, sponsoring much-needed health and educational projects. Back to Marrakech at your leisure and the remainder of the day is free for more exploration of Marrakech.

Travel in a privately driven vehicle, with an English speaking driver between Marrakech and Essaouira. The approximate travel time is 2 hours.

Enjoy a private tour of Essaouira, one of the most picturesque towns in the country. You will dive into it's history and see how as an original Phoenician trading post, it prospered during the Roman era as citizens extracted the Tyrian purple colour from a local shellfish. Explore the fortifications that ring the city were built by the Portuguese and is inherent to the charm of Essaouira. You will have time to see the other attractions including the port, where a daily supply of fresh fish can be found, and the tremendous beach that stretches away to the south. The easy-going nature of the town, the medina, the dramatic fortifications and the beach, have created a bohemian atmosphere quite different from the rest of the country. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to your hotel in Essaouira.

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will be at your disposal today.

Essaouira offers a great variety of optional activities. Choose between mountain biking, hiking, horseback, fishing, sailing, surfing, wind surfing, kite surfing, camel rides, visits to vineyards, trekking, visits to Argan oil production, rural tourism.

A private vehicle with English speaking driver will provide a transfer between Essaouira and Casablanca.  The approximate travel time is 5 hours.