Totally Morocco Berber Adventure 12 Days

Totally Morocco Berber Travel, North, Cities, Sahara, Atlas & Coast 12 Days

Totally Morocco Berber Travel, North, Cities, Sahara, Atlas & Coast 12 Days: Moroccan journey of a lifetime awaits in Morocco on this exhilarating two weeks  Moroccan adventure. explore the sights and sounds of Marrakech, the ancient Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou and the vast Sahara Desert, to the history of Fes, Rabat and Meknes, there’s plenty to amaze. reward yourself with a relaxing few days by the coast in breezy Essaouira.

Day 1 / Date:

Casablanca

Meals included: dinner

Welcome to Morocco!

On arrival to Casablanca airport, you will be transferred to your accommodation.

After, have a guided tour of Hassan II Mosque, the second largest in Africa, with a two hundred meters minaret, the tallest in the world. Sitting on a rocky edge of the Atlantic. The Mosque is looming from a far distance in the city and accommodate 25,000 worshipers. It took 1400 master local craftsmen to make this extraordinary proud structure.

We will make our way to Rabat, the capital of Morocco, enjoy the charming garden of Challa, surrounded by walls and beautiful defensive gates, built between 1310 and 1330.  Later we will stop at Mohamed V Museum built in 1972, and we will visit the tombs of Moroccan kings Mohammed V, who died in 1962, Hassan II who died in 1999, the tomb of Moulay Abdullah the uncle of Mohammed VI and Hassan Tower which was built in 12th  century.

Oudaya Kasbah which was built in 12th century and served as a military base for the Almorabits army in their defense against the Spanish army.  The roof of the Kasbah allows a stunning view of the surrounding area. You will also get to see the 240 km long Abi-Regrag river, located in western Morocco between Rabat and Sala.

please note that hotel rooms are generally only available after midday, and that there will a Welcome Meeting with your leader tonight at 6pm – check with hotel reception to confirm the time.

Tonight, join your group for welcome dinner in a beautiful restaurant in the heart of Casablanca, in a traditional Moroccan setting and get served a local and modern cuisines.

Group Arrival Transfer

• Included

Included Activities

• Welcome meeting
• Welcome dinner

Accommodation: Diwan Hotel Rabat

Day 2 / Date:

Chefchaouen

Meals included: breakfast, Dinner

9am, take the road to Tangier. embark on 4 hour drive, arrive to Tangier,

Have a traditional Moroccan lunch in the city center then explore Quartier du Marshan, once an attractive residential area west of the Kasbah. Next, visit the Anglican church of St. Andrew built to cater to Tangier’s growing British population. After, make a stop to appreciate fine works of art at the Musée d’ Art Contemporain showcasing contemporary Moroccan paintings.

your official tour of Tangier will begin. You will start your day with a city overview at the vantage point of the Colline de Bella-Vista. Then, drive to see the Grand Succo, a popular nighttime square close to the Mosque of Sidi Bou Abib and the link between Ville Nouvelle and the medina.

Enter the medina at Rue Es-Siaghinie, the busiest part of this Roman medina lined with cafes and bazaars, a Spanish church, jewelers’shops and an arts center displaying works depicting Tangier’s social history. Walk Petit Socco which was once the heart of the medina where businessmen and bankers frequented cafes, hotels, casinos and cabarets that have relocated to Ville Nouvelle. Move on to visit the Grand Mosque, built on the site of a Portuguese cathedral. Walking north, you will then visit the kasbah decorated with mosaics, ornamental stucco and woodcarving.

Next to the Kasbah you will walk the ramparts and take a short break to relax by the breathtaking view of the port. Explore the Musée de Carmen-Macein exhibiting a collection of works by Picasso, Max Ernst and Georges Braque.

Drive for 2H across the Rif Mountains, arrive in the late.

Check in to your hotel, followed by orientation walk of Chefchaouen the adorable little blue gem, beautifully perched beneath the raw peaks of the Rif mountains is the most attractive city in Morocco.

On arrival, check in and relax before walking orientation with your tour leader.

Included Activities

• Tangier guided tour
• Chefchaouen orientation walking tour

Accommodation: Dar Echaouen guest House.

Day 3 / Date: 

Chefchaouen

Meals included: breakfast,

Free time to Explore the Blue town on your own pace, optional day trip to Akchour, in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen is one of the prettiest Moroccan Cities, Set against a wide valley and nestled between two peaks in the stunning Rif Mountains, the isolated town of Chefchaouen is a surprising delight. Much of Chefchaouen was recreated by Andalusian refugees escaping the Reconquistia, so its striking blue and whitewashed houses, red-tiled roofs and artistic doorways give it the feel of the Spanish hills. After you will start exploring Chefchaouen “The blue city of Morocco”. Situated at the footstep of 2 higher mountains, Chefchaouen is a beautiful unique city with its white washed walls and blue doors, and windows. Unlike many parts of Morocco, Chefchaouen was occupied by Spain; therefore there is much influence of the Spanish civilisation and the Moorish architecture. On the afternoon, you will have your own time to wonder around and enjoy your space.

Enjoy a free afternoon to relax or explore more of the town. Within the plaza is the walled fortress of the Kasbah – you can wander through the tranquil gardens inside, visit the ethnographic museum, and soak in wonderful views from the rooftop. Alternatively, you might prefer to get out of town and enjoy a short hike in the surrounding hills.

Included Activities

• Chefchoauen guided tour
• Optional Day Trip to Akchour

Accommodation

Dar Echaouen guest House.

Day 4 / Date:

Fes

Meals included: breakfast,

Leave Chefchaouen at 9am, Afterwards Drive to the nearby archeological site of Volubilis, a Roman ruin once was ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania during the 3rd century BC. Stroll among rundown massive columns, remains of altars and temples with splendid mosaics, and triumphal archs, and walls with Roman paintings illustrating Greek and Roman gods.

Optional if time permits, depart for Meknes, visit Bab El Mansour gate was completed by Moulay Ismail’s son, Moulay Abdallah, in 1732. Stop next at Hri Souani, which is a complex of three different buildings built for granaries and stables. This amazing site has been used as a scene for many films, the most famous of which is probably “The Last Temptation of Christ” in 1988 by Martin Scorsese. Explore the delightful streets, Continue on to Fes, arriving by evening (approximately 1.5 hours), the spiritual heart of Morocco

continue to Fes the finest medieval city in the Arab world, an ancient Imperial capital for centuries, and a former Morocco`s intellectual and spiritual heart.

This evening it will be time for some savoury local treat, the salt sweet pastilla with local family in old medina, experience where you will have an opportunity to get closer to Moroccan culture and Art.

Included Activities

• Guided tour of Volubilis
• Optional Visit to Meknes
• Home-cooked dinner ( to be paid by guest ) 100 Dirham per person )

Accommodation

Palais Houyam

Day 5 / Date

Fes

Meals included: breakfast,

At 9am, Enjoy the guided city tour of Fes. Begin with the entrance to the largest royal palace in Morocco. Continue with a panoramic view of the ancient medina. Enjoy an authentic experience at the traditional ceramic crafts village of Fes after that. Your next stop is Fes El Bali, the ancient town or Medina, which is a medieval part of Fes that has not changed for centuries. Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the famous Al-Karaouine mosque, built by Fatima Al Fihria in 857. Al-Karaouine mosque became home to the University of Al-Karaouine, which is the first university in the world and the world’s foremost center of learning at the beginning of the second millennium. The university was built by Fatima Al Fihria in 859, and, since then, it has become one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Muslim world. In the medina, visit also a Merdersa, which is a Coranic school. Complete the city tour of Fes with the leather Souq and the oldest Leather Tannery in the world. The tannery dates back at least nine centuries.

Fes is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco; vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming – a visual and pungent feast for the senses. It is made up of three distinct ‘cities’, or quarters, and you will stay in elegant, riad-style accommodation on the edge of the huge, well-preserved medieval old city – the mother of all medinas. Today head into the old city, known locally as Fes el Bali, arguably the world’s most fascinating and confounding old city. Medieval Fes was one of the world’s great centres of education and culture, both Islamic and Jewish. Its religious institutions and libraries are legendary, its mosques of great renown. Walk through the twisting streets and alleyways, passing donkeys piled high with goods, and explore the specialty sections that divide the souk. Filled with historic khans, medresses and dye-pits, stalls loaded with fruits, herbs and soups, and where the squawk of chickens, smell of spice and sound of hammering of copper fills the air, it’s not hard to imagine yourself back in the Middle Ages. Spend the day exploring the old city, visiting, Mederassa Bou Inania, the tanneries and the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th century inn

Balance of the day is at leisure.

Included Activities

• Guided tour of Fes old medina
• Funduk Nejjarine visit
• Tannery visit
• Jewish Quarter

Accommodation: Riad

Day 6 / Date: 

Merzouga

Meals included: breakfast, dinner

Meet at your hotel in Fes at 7am and embark on long drive, The day has come to go on a desert adventure to cross off Merzouga from your bucket list. Merzouga is the rocky desert plateau that give way to a vast stretched sea of sandy hills, the far-flung Erg Chebbi.

In the way we will pass through the most modern and clean city in the country Ifran. This Berber name of Ifran means caves and it is nicknamed in Morocco as a little Switzerland since it is a very green town and is a ski resort in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco because of its high altitude at 1665 meters. Ifran is very known as well by The Brotherhood private university, established in 1997 by The king of Morocco Hassan II and the king of Saudi Arabia Fahd. Where all classes are taught in English, it is an international university. Lunch will be scheduled in a Berber village called Midelt which is situated on the foothills of the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains. From vast plateau we start crossing up those tough mountains which are still settled by a big Berber community. The landscapes here includes palm tree oases at Jbel Ayachi (at 3747 m) before driving down the curves and join the pre-Saharan zone passing first by Errachidia and Erfoud, which is famous for its pottery and the interesting fossil quarries. Fossils are a major industry in Erfoud, some 350 million years ago the region around Erfoud was a part of the huge ocean. Heading up to the red colored sand sea dunes of Erg Chebbi at Merzouga via Rissani, the hometown of the Alaouist dynasty, where Moulay Ali sheriff started to unify Morocco under his red flag in the beginning of the 17th century. From a vast plateau you will get impressed by the huge sand dune of Merzouga appearing from the horizon. We meet our camel men, embark on a 1hour camel ride into the desert to spend a wonderful night enjoying these dramatic dunes, wonderful skies and stars at night, you may get involved in some drumming arround the fire with the berbers tonight, dinner in the campsite. Car : 7 hours –

The golden magical dunes regularly moving by wind blows across wide part of north Africa including Algerian border nearby. On arrival check in to your riad, enjoy sunset drink and relax admiring the sunset over the dunes.

Included Activities

Day trip to Khamlia village

Dinner under stars if weather allow it

Astronomy experience

Wine tasting ( please buy your wine in Fez )

Drumming around Fire

Accommodation

Madu Luxury dsert Camp

Day 7 / Date: 

Todra Valley

Meals included: breakfast, dinner

Visiting Errisani and the Mausoleum of the founder of the Alaouite Dynasty of Morocco, Moulay Ali Chrif in the 17th century. This silent town was the ancient capital of Tafilalet and its location as a crossroads between north and south brought the city to an important status of a former major caravan center. Up to now Rissani remains a major commercial center in the region, with a large souk, particularly lively today on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday. It was noted for its leather and goat skin trading in ancient ages.

we will then visit the underground irrigation channels used by the nopmads to irrigate theire oasis of palms and henna during the drought times, we will visit the oasis Museum to discover the Saharan Heriateg and berber culture.

1 hour drive from here to the great canyons of Morocco Todgha Gorges are situated beyond the central high Atlas Mountains. Here, the contrasting landscapes remind visitors of the Colorado, with its high plateau, its gorges and great canyons, and its peaks sometimes splintered by erosion. Several peaks in this area exceed 4000 m, with Jbel Saghro 2500 m and Jbel Mgoun at 4068 m being the highest peak in this part of the High Atlas. The area is populated by Berbers. Here you can enjoy a hike among those fabulous canyons.

Included Activities

Day trip to Khamlia village

Dates Market Rissani

Khatarat Irrigation Canals

Oasis Museum.

Accommodation

Bab Todgha

Day 8 / Date:

Ouarzazate

Meals included: breakfast, dinner

at 9am, a walk to discover the nearby fields with the locals is scheduled, This morning, trek the surrounding villages and fields of the valley of Todra, With several peaks above 4000 metres, the Central High Atlas is part of a larger chain of mountains that spreads from the Atlantic Coast in the west to the Algerian border in the east. The mountains are home to the indigenous Berber (or Amazigh) people who have inhabited Morocco for at least 5000 years. The Berbers live in small clusters of earthen adobe houses which cling precipitously to mountainsides and are often only accessible by mule or foot. A trek in the valley will offer more than a glimpse into a way of life that has barely changed for centuries and where traditional values and hospitality have been mostly unaffected by the outside world, learn about the irrigation system, finish your hike in the most beautiful canion in Morocco, known as todra Gorge, famous for Rock climbers.

Take the road to ouarzazate, Lunc break, with  a local family to get close to the local culture and real life.

Getting to Ouarzazate (Hollywood of Africa, Noiselessly town, The door of the desert), is a city situated in the middle of a bare plateau, south of the High Atlas Mountains. It is mainly inhabited by Berbers, who constructed many of the prominent kasbahs and building for which the area is known. One of those building is Taourirt Kasbah diverted in 17th century.

Why this town is nicknamed as Hollywood of Africa? Simply because it has been noted as a film-making location, with Morocco’s biggest studios inviting many international film companies to shoot their movies like: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Living Daylights (1987), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), The Mummy (1999), Gladiator (2000), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Martin Scorsese’s Kundun (1997) and Babel (2005).

Included Activities

• Todra gorges visit
• Hiking
• Local Family Experience
• Dinner at the Riad
• Visit to Studios if time permit

Accommodation : Dar Chamaa

Day 9 / Date: 

Marrakech

Meals included: breakfast,

We start our day visiting the fortified city of Aït Benhaddou, built in the 11th century. Once up on a time this Kasbah was the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh. It is situated on a hill along the Ounila River and has some beautiful examples of kasbahs, which unfortunately sustain damage during each rainstorm and windstorms. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; however, around five families are still living within this Kasbah.

Aït Benhaddou Kasbah has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and several films have been shot there, including Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Time Bandits (1981), The Jewel of the Nile (1985), Kundun (1997), Gladiator (2000) and Alexander (2004). We will then drive accross the high Atlas mountains, to tizi n Tichka pass 2260 m, enjoy dramatic view and drive along the windy road, of the High Atlas Mountains.

Included Activities

• Visit Ait Benhaddou Kasbah
• Visit Ounila valley
• High Atlas Mountains
• Visit to Ouarzazate Studios

Accommodation: Hotel to be confirmed.

Day 10 Date:

Essaouira Day Trip

Meals included: breakfast,

7am, Transfer to Essaouira, which is another charming town in Morocco. Essaouira is a relatively small, easily navigable beach city. Essaouira has got a distinct multicultural feel, resulting from the large Portuguese, French, and Jewish populations that once called it home. Its mild climate and expansive stretches of ocean sand also place it among Morocco’s top beach towns. Essaouira’s walled medina was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2001. Its well-preserved, late-18th-century fortified layout is a prime example of European military architecture in North Africa.

is also referred to as The “City of the wind” and it attracts surfers from all over the world.  Essaouira knew many civilisations – including the Portuguese occupation, which affects much of its architecture – however, it remains a small village with much history. Because of its size and its characteristic blue doors and washed walls, it is also regarded as Morocco’s “Jewel of the Atlantics”. There is an annual festival of “Gnawa music”, where many musical groups come from different parts of Africa and the world. Usually it starts in the second week of June.

Today you will have lunch in a Moroccan way, bought fishes ‘cooked to order’. On the afternoon, you will have some free time to wonder around, go to the beach and enjoy your space. 3pm, drive Back to Marrakech

Included Activities

Guided tour of Essaouira

Accommodation: Marrakech

Day 11 / Date: 

Marrakech.

Meals included: breakfast,

Breakfast in the Riad. Enjoy a guided city tour of Marrakech, Paris of the Sahara as Winston Churchill once described it. Stop first at the Koutoubia Mosque, which is an old monument built under the reign of the Almohad Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (1184 to 1199). This monument inspired other buildings such as the Giralda in Seville in Spain and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. Stop next at the Bahia Palace. This Palace was built in the late 19th century and was intended to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style. Visit Madrasa Ben Youssef after that. This Coranic school is named after the Almoravid Sultan Ali Ibn Yusuf (reigned 1106–1142). Madrasa Ben Youssef is the largest in all of Morocco. Stop next at the Saadian tombs, which is a site that dates back to the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were discovered in 1917 and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Continue the tour with the world famous Jema El Fna Square where you will enjoy amazing performance of traditional activities by storytellers, snake charmers, peddlers of traditional medicines. Your last stop is the bustling souks in the old medina.

Free afternoon in Marrakech at leisure.

Included Activities

Guided tour of Marrakech

Accommodation: Riad / Hotel

Optional Activities

Luxury Spa Hammam & Massage – MAD450

Hot air Ballon – MAD2500

Cooking class – MAD450

Day 12 / Date:

Departure

Meals included: breakfast

There are no activities planned for the final day, Transfer to the airport.

Airport Departure Transfer

Airport Transfer

Totally Morocco Berber Travel, North, Cities, Sahara, Atlas & Coast 12 Day

The Best of Morocco.

Totally Morocco Berber Travel, North, Cities, Sahara, Atlas & Coast 12 Days, offer fabulous experiences in Morocco´s most attractive zones: from The most vibrant cities and Medinas, Architectural tours, Food and Wine Tours, Roman Ruins archeological sites, Culture of the Berbers, Moroccan History, Luxury hotels and Riads, the High Atlas Mountains; The rural villages of the countryside and the Sahara Desert itself. There is also one very unique stay in the Sahara dunes where we travel in and out by camel and stay in a Bedouin style camp.

We invite you to join a life enhancing journeys visiting Morocco landscapes in comfort on our Totally Morocco Berber Travel, North, Cities, Sahara, Atlas & Coast 12 Days – leading to the most charming, historical Medinas and Monuments in Morocco, from Hassan 2 Mosque in Casablanca, through the Blue City of Chefchaouen and the archaeological Roman town of Volubilis, breaking the journey at Fez, Morocco’s most inspiring Medina, travel to the famous Erg Chebbi dunes where we’ll travel on camel back and spend a night under the stars in a Bedouin camp. Consider this a personal reward for your efforts!

Highlights

• – View the stunning contrast of Morocco
• – Deep Introduction to Culture, Nature, Life Philosophy
• – Enjoy authentic Berber’s hospitality
• – Taste delicious traditional Berber food
• – Explore one of Morocco Beautiful deserts
• – Ride in a 4×4 in Sahara & Atlas Mountains
• – Spend three full days seeing the best of what Sahara has to offer

Essential Information:

Why Us?:

– Your hotel Pick-up, so you spend the maximum time exploring real & Authentic, Sahara Desert & Atlas Mountains, Private tour at your own pace

– Top Rated tour, with 5 star customer feedback and a Excellence reviews from Trip Advisor

– One guide that is with you from the moment you arrive in Morocco until you leave, taking care of your entire trip.

Visited Places

• Rabat & Casablanca
• Chefchaouen
• Fes Medina
• Meknes
• Volubilis
• Tizi n’Tichka Pass
• Ait Benhaddou Kasbah
• Ouarzazate
• Dades & Todra gorge & Valley
• Valley of roses & Ziz Valley
• Errissani Traditional Markets
• High Atlas Mountains
• Berber villages
• Sahara Desert
• Atlantic ocean

Travel Experience

• Moroccan Culture & People, Food & History
• Berber Culture
• Camel trekking
• Berber music and animation
• Sleeping in desert camp

Travel Preparation:

The list below is a suggestion of what you might find useful to take on this trip. It is not an exhaustive packing list. If you need further advice, please contact us or consult your nearest outdoor store.

Clothing & Footwear:

• Comfortable walking clothes that are suitable for layering
• Fleece jacket/warm jumper
• Lightweight raincoat/windbreaker
• Comfortable shoes for walking
• Sandals/flip-flops
• Synthetic/woollen socks
• Hat
• Swimsuit
• Sarong/scarf/loose cotton trousers that can easily be pulled on over shorts to cover shoulders/legs when walking through villages

Equipment:

• 3 season sleeping bag
• Day pack
• Beach towel
• Water bottle/hydration bladder
• Water purification pen/tablets
• Sunglasses
• Head torch
• Camera, memory card and charger
• Spare batteries
• Personal items (including hand sanitiser, lip balm, microfibre towel, sunscreen, toilet paper, toiletries, wet wipes etc)
• Medicine and copy of doctor’s prescription which states medication and quantity carried
• Personal first aid kit (including blister tape, insect repellant, oral rehydration salts, plasters, tweezers, diarrhoea tablets etc)
• Rubbish bag