Day 1 – Arrive Casablanca | Rabat
Airport Transfer (2hrs)
Depending on your time of arrival, after your driver has dropped you off at your hotel you might like to see some of the sights of Casablanca, in particular the Hassan II Mosque with the tallest minaret in the world. Our Insider’s Guide to Casablanca tells you all you need to know. For those who do not arrive early enough, you may spend the night in Casablanca and go to Rabat tomorrow.

Day 2 – Meknes | Volubilis | Fez
Transport (4hrs), Breakfast, Dinner
If you didn’t get to explore the sights of Rabat yesterday, you can do so this morning before you travel onward to Meknes, one of Morocco’s lesser-visited Imperial Cities. Built on the backs of tens of thousands of slaves by the tyrannical Moulay Ismail, it was conceived to be the ‘Versailles of Morocco’. Overlooked as it may be by many travellers, should you decided to take an optional guided tour you will find charms that make your visit worthwhile; Heri es Souani, where Moulay Ismail stabled his 12,000 horses; his tranquil tomb, which he had built during his reign to ensure it would equal the glory of his imperial city; and the Bab Mansour, said to be one of Morocco’s most fabulous gates. Your next stop, Volubilis, is the most impressive Roman ruins in Morocco, and one of the former Empire’s most remote outposts, as the tough legionnaires were held back from further expansion by the Berber Tribes. Once a thriving provincial city, it takes only a little imagination to see toga-clad senators and scurrying plebeians filling its streets. You will spend tonight in Fez, the historic centre of arts and sciences in Morocco.

Day 3 – Fez Guided Visit
Private Guided Visit, Breakfast, Lunch
More than just a hat with a twirly tassel, Fez is a jewel box of exotic delights on this best of Morocco tour. To unravel the intricacies of the nine thousand streets and alleyways of the UNESCO-protected Fez Medina would take a lifetime, but your Fez born-and-bred guide will reveal the city’s most special parts, including the Fondouk Nejjarine, the tanneries and the various craft souks. Do you know why the bakery is also a de facto marriage bureau? Probably not, but your guide will explain why, and tell many other tales of this fascinating city. The tour lasts from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. with lunch included. You can prepare more for your visit by reading our Fez travel guide. Some other sites of interest in Fez are the King’s Palace and Mellah/Jewish Quarter, the Pottery Complex, and the Batha Museum.

Day 4 – Ifrane | Ziz Valley | Erfoud
Transport (7hrs), Optional Walk, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A long drive today, but one that shows the visual wealth of Morocco. You’ll depart around 7am and head for Ifrane, developed during the French Protectorate as an administrative center and escape from the searing summer heat, before continuing onward through Midelt. En route, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Ziz Valley, the largest producer of dates in Morocco. Look closely and you will see that not all the palm trees are tall, as the height depends on the variety, of which there are 283 recognized ones grown in the country – the most delicious (and expensive) of which are Mejhoul. One of the highlights of your trip will be lunch with the family of Journey Beyond Travel’s local coordinator named Tata. His home is a traditional kasbah shared by his extended family, with a charming garden where they cultivate much of the produce used in their kitchens. Children coming along on this journey will be delighted to see the family’s donkey, goats and chickens. Either before or after your meal you can a short walk through the date palms and farms that surround this small village. Then, it’s onward to Erfoud for the night.

Day 5 – Sahara Desert (Erg Chebbi)
Transport (3hrs), Light Walk, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning you’ll have some free time before heading south towards Merzouga and the gateway into the golden dunes of the Sahara Desert. You’ll have the chance to pack an overnight bag before choosing your ‘ship of the desert’ (your favorite camel) who will take you into the sandy seas. After your hour-long camel ride, you’ll have the chance watch the sun set over the Saharan dunes. Your home for the night will be a Bedouin-style tent in a private tented area, complete with beds, blankets and sheets, as well as rich Moroccan carpets covering the sand and western-style bathroom facilities. You can also choose to spend the night in deluxe tents (each tent having its own hot-water shower, sink, and western toilet). Nothing will beat this night under the desert stars.

Day 6 – Tinjedad | Skoura (Valley of Kasbahs)
Transport (5hrs), Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, you’ll be able to rise with the sun as it begins its glorious passage for another day. Make sure you grab some photos before climbing back onto your newfound camel friend for the short ride back to the hotel. Feeling invigorated by a hot show and hardy breakfast, you’ll take the road to Rissani, where, if time allows, you can marvel at the million-year-old fossils that the area is famous for. Then it’s onward to Tinjedad for lunch to an extraordinary ksar (a completely walled-in village) where you can also see a local Berber cultural museum and even enjoy a walk in the oasis. You’ll then continue onward to Skoura, known as the Valley of Kasbahs.

Day 7 – Ouarzazate | Ait Ben Haddou | Telouet | Marrakesh
Transport (5-6hrs), Breakfast, Dinner
After leaving Skoura, you’ll travel to Ouarzazate, home to the Taorirt Kasbah, one of the strongholds of the Glaoui family who once ruled the south of Morocco. You’ll then make your way to Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best preserved Kasba’s in the entire Atlas region. Don’t be surprised if you feel as if you are stepping into another, more ancient world, as the Kasbah has been the backdrop to many historical films, including Lawrence of Arabia, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Gladiator. You will also have the opportunity to visit Telouet, a lesser-visited Kasbah and the once rich and powerful throne of the Gloaui family whose vast wealth came, in part, from the levies charged to the camel trains that passed through their territory. This will add one hour to today’s travel time. We also offer a local lunch experience with a local (and once famed artist) performing for you following your meal. They say that there are 340 bends on the Tizi n Tichka pass, but in reality there are only two, left and right, although they are repeated an awful lot of times. This amazing zigzag feat of French engineering that climbs to 2,260m (7,400ft), replaced the ancient route of the camel trains on their arduous journey from Timbuktu to Marrakech, bearing gold, spices and slaves. Your journey takes you over the Tiz n’Tichka pass in the High Atlas Mountains, to end in Marrakesh.

Day 8 – Marrakesh Guided Visit
Private Guided Visit, Breakfast, Lunch
Your “best of Morocco” adventure continues today with a private guided tour to discover the secrets of the Marrakech Medina. Meandering the arms-width streets of the souk with your guide, the centuries roll back as he regales you with the history of the city’s glorious monuments (and their not always glorious past), telling you tales of a culture whose daily rhythm has changed little over the centuries. You can read more in our travel guide to Marrakesh that will help you get a feel of what this ancient city has in to reveal.

Day 9 – Marrakesh to El Jadida
Transport (3hrs), Breakfast
Depending upon your flight time tomorrow, you can stay in Marrakesh or travel to El Jadida this afternoon to relax in a quaint guesthouse with dinner provided in preparation for your departure. For those doing this route at the 4/5-star level, a 3-night minimum in Marrakesh is required, so plan your departure from Marrakesh (or from Casablanca in the afternoon) tomorrow.

Day 10 – Depart Casablanca
Airport Transfer (1.5hrs)
We say goodbye today to this “best of Morocco” itinerary. We hope you enjoyed your journey with our team!