The Ultimate Cultural Morocco Tour

Welcome to Morocco, we start this tour from the gateway of Europe to Africa, Tangier named for the goddess Tinge, the lover of Hercules, who legendarily pulled Europe apart from Africa to form the Strait Gibraltar. A dramatic drive takes you through La Montagne over a pine-covered headland to the Cap Spartel Lighthouse that lies just 14km west of Tangier. 5km Further you’ll get to Grottes d’Hercule where you’ll have much-photographed view from within the mythical dwelling cave of Hercules that resembles a map of Africa. Back to the Medina where you’ll spend a few hours Meandering down the alleyways, within its 15th century Portuguese fortress walls to visit the Kasbah Museum of Mediterranean Culture. Wander up St Andrew’s Church for a spot of gravestone reading, then take in the latest art exhibition at centre culturel Ibn Khaldoun.

Leaving the famously decadent Tangier, with its almost European Medina, we’ll start our journey inland into the Rif Mountains.

That distinctly European influence continues in Chefchaouen with its bright blue, Andalusian-tiled Medina, despite the grand red-hued Kasbah lording it over the main square of Outa Hmam.

Chefchaouen is a city perched beneath the shimmering peaks of the Rif Mountains, and the “Blue Town” has a mystical blue-washed Medina, the prettiest and the smallest in the country.

The town remained isolated with its own Andalusian character and architecture, and is a place to enjoy exploring at your own pace.

From Chefchaouen to Ouazzane you will pass what is remained of the Rif Mountains with its curvy roads. Heading south, you pass through more oak, pine woods and olive groves to Meknes, an imperial city out of four which looks relaxed and smaller than its neighbour Fes. Meknes is a good introduction to the drama of its illustrious neighbour. An easy and short stroll around its Medina that has a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, embody much of Morocco’s early History. The Roman provincial capital of Volubilus and Moulay Idriss is the creation of the country’s first Arab dynasty. By late evening head east to reach Fes with its biggest and largest Medina of the world.

Do not panic the guide will show you the must-see sites. With your private Fes born and bred guide you will have the opportunity to discover the ancient breeding ground for scholars and artisans and the largest Medina of the world. Your will see the America Fondouk, Nejjarines, the Tanneries, the Medersa (Theological college) and Karaouine the most ancient university in the world. Your guide will shed light on many tales and 1200 years of history of this UNESCO-protected Medina. When you finish your visit of the Medina we will drive out of Fes to have delicious local food in Lalla Fatiha’s house in Sefrou.

An early-morning start is recommended for this day. We leave the mazing Medina of Fes with its mysteries and secrets of the 9000 alleyways head to southeast towards Merzouga and the gateway into the golden dunes of the Sahara desert. En route we will pass by the cedar forests of Ifran, the Switzerland of Morocco, where you might think that you are in the Alps. If we’re lucky we’ll come across the Barbary macaques in our way to Midelt where we’ll stop for lunch. After eating we drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains to reach the Ziz Valley, which considered to be among the largest producer oasis dates in Morocco, then it’s off to Merzouga that has the highest dunes in Morocco, you can store any baggage while packing an overnight bag to bring along. You’ll have the chance to accompanied by a camel and blue-turban-robed guide into the sandy seas. After hour-long camel ride you will be among the luckiest to watch the sun set over the Sahara dunes and stay in a Bedouin style tent.

This morning, you’ll wake up with the sun shining on your face as you witness what we hope is one of the most memorable sunrises of your life, as the sun glides up from among the dunes, the light creeping slowly down the dunes.

Enjoy an early breakfast, then after an hour-ride on camelback out of the desert, you will depart and head for Erfoud where you will marvel at the million-year-old fossils that the area is famous for.

Then it’s onward to Tinjdad where you’ll stop at a local Berber culture museum so that you can get to know more about this fascinating race of nomadic people.

Then, head north for a sublime experience in the Todgha gorges where you’ll descend between the gigantic rock walls, arriving at Dades gorges and a chain of rust-red and mauve mountains.

Pass the series of crumbling Kasbahs and Ksours that line the valley, explore in the Berber villages, and drink in the site of the monkey toes Mountains.

You leave Dades at 8:00am traversing the valley of roses and daggers straight to the 11th century UNESCO-protected red mud-brick ksar, which has formed the backdrop for many Hollywood films production such as Lawrence of Arabia, Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus of Nazareth, Gladiator, Game of Thrones and many others. You might also like to explore Ouarzazate, home to Taourirt Kasbah and the «Ouallywood» studio. Wind up the memorable Tizi n’Tichka pass via the North Africa’s highest peak, the high Atlas Mountains with the Berber villages lined beside the road to arrive to Marrakech where you will have a day-long to explore the crazed cacophony of musicians, snake charmers and vendors in the open-air famed Jamaa El Fnaa square, and the highly recommended sites with your guide.

With your private Marrakech born and bred guide, you embark exploring the Red City from its old part with its Medina’s skinny lanes that leads to lavish sites, tombs and religious monuments decked out in marble. Bahia and El-Badii Palace and Saadien’s Tombs will be your targets. Afterward, your driver/Tour Guide will pick you up for the outside Medina visit to explore the Majorelle garden, Museum Saint Laurent, Berber Museum. While in Marrakech you will surely encounter thousands of motorcyclists and horse-carts roaming in the city and some of them pull over next the vast square of Jemaa El-Fnaa where it’s carnival night every night and musicians, acrobats, storytellers and slapstick acting troupes tap into the Medina frenetic pulse.

Today is a free day, either you want to do a Traditional Moroccan Hamam or some Marrakech well-known activities such as *Quads riding* or *Hot Air Ballooning* ... WE WILL HANDLE IT !

Today is not goodbye, it is merely “take care and see you sooner rather than later” for another adventure.

Your guide will drop you off directly at the airport when you have checked out of your riad, and your whirlwind adventure will come to an end.