Day 1: Begin Morocco Tour in Fez
Fez, an Imperial City, has a lot to offer, such as the Kairouine Mosque, spice market, tanneries and leather market, pottery quarter, henna market, woodcrafters, metal workers, and Koranic schools. We will be staying in the old medina, which is a World Heritage site and one of the oldest and still thriving medieval cities in the World!
Day 2: Fez
In the morning, you will have the option of taking a guided tour with our Moroccan guide, Aziz. Otherwise, you are free to roam the impressive medina. For those of you doing the optional Moroccan cooking class, we’ll go shopping for our ingredients at the local souk (market) at 3 pm with Chef Lahcen. Following, he will show you how to make one of the best Moroccan meals you’ll ever taste!
Day 3: Azrou & Ifrane
Ifrane is a quaint little town in the heart of the Middle Atlas Mountains surrounded by cedar forests filled with Barbary apes. During the day, you will have a chance to hike in these woods. Tonight, we are invited to have a delicious meal at a family’s home. You will be staying at a nice little gite outside of Ifrane. Early the next morning, we set off to Merzouga in the Sahara Desert for our camel trek.
Day 4: Merzouga & Sahara Desert
The drive is a little long and will take about 5.5 hours. Along the way, we will stop for lunch then continue on our way to Merzouga. Once in Merzouga, we will go into the Sahara Desert atop camels, camp out in a Bedouin tent, and have dinner under the stars.
Day 5: Ait Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate
If we leave early enough in the morning, we will be able to visit either the Todra Gorge or Dades Gorge. Then, we’ll drive to Ait Ben Haddou to discover the amazing Kasbah – another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 6: Marrakesh
The drive from Ait Ben Haddou to Marrakesh will be about 4 hours. We will be staying in the old medina, also a World Heritage Site. Tonight you can go to the lively Jemaa el Fna Square to watch the circus-like performers and sample some tasty delights at different stalls.
Day 7 & 8: High Atlas Mountains, Imlil & Armed
After breakfast, we will leave for Imlil, which should take 1.5 to 2 hours. Once in Imlil, we will hike up to Armed. Armed is a Berber village on the side of a mountain overlooking some valleys and a river, and Mount Toubkal can be seen in the distance. For those who want to summit Mount Toubkal, Thomas, the founder of Journey Beyond Travel, along with our Moroccan guides will be hiking 4 to 5 hours to the French-run Toubkal Base Camp Neltner. We’ll have dinner together at the base camp then head to bed so that we can rise early enough to summit the mountain. Following the early-morning summit to the top of Mount Toubkal (well over 13,000 feet or 4,160 meters), we will eat lunch back at the base camp and hike back down to Armed. We’ll meet the other travelers, eat together, and head out the next morning.
For those who do not wish to summit Mt. Toubkal, Fazia, our U.S. guide will be staying around the Berber village with you. You are welcome to do short day hikes together or simply spend the day sipping mint tea. You will be having meals at a family’s home during your time in the mountains.
Day 9: Essaouira
In Essaouira, known as the wind capital of Africa, you will have the chance to either surf, wind surf, or kite surf. If you have never done it before, don’t worry. You will be able to take an afternoon lesson with an expert English-speaking instructor for around US $50, including gear. For those who do not want to surf, you can enjoy a walk along the beach, the ramparts, or stroll through the medina watching the woodcrafters hard at work.
Day 10: Marrakesh
Today, our last full day, will be spent in Marrakesh. You are free to explore on your own or accompany the guides, who will be walking through the souk (covered market) to the Ali ben Youssef Medersa (Koranic school), the Koubba Baadiyn, and the Museum of Moroccan Handicrafts. Later this afternoon, we will take a walk to watch the sun set at the Menara Gardens.
Day 11: Depart from Marrakesh.
