Morocco
Tour Length: 8 days / 7 nights
Casablanca | Fes | Marrakech |
8 Days – Morocco
Daily departures by private vehicle and English speaking driver guide.
Land from $2,795 per person
Imperial Cities Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: CASABLANCA
Upon arrival in Casablanca, proceed through customs and immigration formalities. You will be met and assisted by our Great Safaris representative and transferred in a private vehicle to your hotel.
Optional for early arrivals in Casablanca: discover Morocco’s largest city and economic capital, Casablanca, the best representation of the modern nation.Highlights include the old French quarter of Habous with its beaches lapped by green-blue water. During your tour, you’ll visit the Hassan II Grand Mosque
DAY 2: CASABLANCA – RABAT – FES
After breakfast, depart towards Rabat visiting its most famous site, the 12th century Hassan Tower. Located alongside is the mausoleum dedicated to Mohamed V and visit the Oudaya Kasbah overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Its gate is one of the most beautiful surviving in the Moorish world, and within its walls you’ll explore a delightful Moroccan garden. Continue overland to Fez for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3: FES
Today you take a step back in time to the Middle Ages when you visit one of the most imperial, timeless and untouched cities in the world – Fes El Bali (Old Fes) – the cultural heart of Morocco. You explore some of the 9000 narrow lanes, alleys and souks (open air markets) that make-up the labyrinth of the city’s old quarter, originally founded in the 8th century AD.
The Imperial capital was a renowned center of medieval learning and at its heart still remains the Karaouine, one of the oldest, still functioning universities in the world. In the neighboring building is the Attarine Mederasa (Koranic college), a jewel of Hispano-Moorish architecture, built in the 14th century. The visit also includes the Nejjarine Square, with its beautiful fountain an elaborate tile-work mosaics, the nearby Fondouq (Caravanserai) converted to a museum of carpentry artifacts. You also visit Fes El Jedid (New Fes), built by the Merinide Dynasty in the 13th century. Here you see the Royal Palace, mosques, madrasas (Koranic schools), souks and the city wall. Most notably, Fes El Jedid is home to the mellah (Jewish quarter), which provides an interesting insight into Jewish architecture.
DAY 4: FES – VOLUBILIS & MEKNES – FES
Visit the ancient Roman city of Volubilis and explore its stunning ruins. Impressive stone arches and columns. Explore the whitewashed town of Moulay Idriss in a cradle of mountains, then off to the Imperial city of Meknes, the one-time home of the Moroccan sultanate with its all-winding narrow streets in the medina and grand buildings that warrant it as an imperial city. The king’s tomb sits at the heart of what remains of the original imperial city, flanked by the magnificent Bab el-Mansour. Drive back to Fes.
DAY 5: FES – IFRANE – MARRAKECH
Drive to the high alpine region of Ifrane, filled with cedar and oak forests, and home to the world’s largest population of Barbary macaques, hundreds of animals and birds and the oldest tree in Morocco’s Middle Atlas, the 130-foot Gouraud’s Cedar. The largest cedar forest in the world is found in this park, and several lakes or Dayats abound in the nearby areas. The Lion of Ifrane sits majestically in the city center and is certainly one of the most photographed sites of the region. Continue to Marrakech for dinner and overnight.
DAY 6: MARRAKECH
Unearth the secrets of Marrakech, beginning in the medina, the old walled section of town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This thousand-year-old city was long a political, economic and cultural center. Marvel at its architectural jewels, including the soaring Koutoubia minaret. Continue to the Bahia Palace, Tiskiwin Museum, Djemaa el-Fna and Marrakech’s main square where you will find vendors, along with fire-eaters, mime artists, snake-charmers and street musicians performing at every turn.
DAY 7: MARRAKECH
Your day starts an hour before sunrise for a 40 minute drive into the countryside for a sunrise hot air balloon ride. After depending from a 1 hour aerial adventure, you are treated to a typical Berber breakfast. Return to your hotel in the late morning.
The afternoon is at leisure.
DAY 8: MARRAKECH – CASABLANCA AIRPORT
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Casablanca airport for your return flight home.
