Imperial Cities & the Desert

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4.9 . Excellent
97%
Travel Style: Array Full on
Physical Level: Walking or physical activity half to most of day - no carrying equipment. Easy
Lodging Level: Mid-range budget with accommodations ranging from comfortable lodges, guesthouses, and homestays to three star hotels. Value (3*)
11 days
From: $ 3,174 $ 289 / day
Checking price

Overview

Short Description

The maze-like souqs of Fez, the vast orange dunes of the Erg Chebbi, Berber nomads in the Sahara… On a tailor-made holiday to Morocco with Audley, you’ll see the highlights — and much more — your way. We’ll design your ideal trip with you, paying close attention to your interests, your travel style and your budget. Our Morocco specialists know the country inside out and can lead you to experiences you won’t find in a guidebook.

Taste Morocco’s spice-scented cuisine at a private cooking lesson in Marrakesh. Bargain for a hand-knotted wool rug while sipping sweet mint tea in a noisy medina. Hike among the ancient villages and winding tracks of the High Atlas Mountains. Unwind in the windy-swept port town of Essaouira. Watch the stars from a tented camp in the deep, echoing silence of the dessert.

The fortified kasbah of Ait Benhaddou. Roman ruins at Volubilis. The blue-washed village of Chefchaouen. What excites you? Travel at your own pace, in your own style, with the confidence that we’ll show you the best options, wherever you go.
 

Style Private guided tour
See all the highlights and popular spots on a classic tour.
Itinerary Focus Classic Highlights
Mid-range budget with accommodations ranging from comfortable lodges, guesthouses, and homestays to three star hotels.
Lodging Level Value (3*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions All internal ground transport
Start City Marrakesh
End City Casablanca

Destinations

Morocco

Attractions & Cities Visited

Casablanca Erg Chebbi Fez

N/A
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Itinerary

Day 1 : Marrakesh

Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Marrakesh. On arrival in Marrakesh, you're met by a private driver and transfer to your hotel in the city. Once you've settled into your accommodation, spend the rest of the day relaxing or begin your exploration of Marrakesh, perhaps heading out to visit the souq or sampling some of the city's delicious street food.

Day 2 : Marrakesh

In the morning you have a privately guided tour of the main sights of the city, including the intricately decorated 16th-century Saadien Tombs, the Bahia Palace and the Koutoubia Mosque, which dominates the city's skyline. This afternoon explore the souqs, where you can watch men and women at work on their crafts and learn about the techniques used by dyers, tanners and coppersmiths. The afternoon ends at Djemaa El Fna, Marrakesh's main square, where street performers entertain the crowds and you can sample all manner of food.

Day 3 : Marrakesh

You have today free to spend as you wish. You might like to try your hand at bartering in the souqs, visit a traditional hammam for a spot of relaxation, or take a day trip out to the High Atlas, enjoying lunch at one of the luxurious properties set in the mountains.

Day 4 : Skoura

Leave the city behind and set off over the High Atlas to Skoura. As you wind through spectacular scenery, look out for tiny villages clinging to the mountainsides. Part of your journey is by 4WD, allowing you to visit the more remote areas on your way south. You can stop at the historic kasbahs of Telouet and Ait Benhaddou and learn about their history, before driving along the lush Dades Valley to your accommodation in Skoura.

Day 5 : Skoura

Today you might want to relax at your hotel or explore the nearby kasbahs and palmeraies. The green of the palm trees contrasts with the orange stone of the kasbahs and surrounding landscape, making for some excellent photo opportunities. The most impressive kasbah is the 17th-century Kasbah Amridil, which appears on the 50-dirham note.

Day 6 : Erg Chebbi

Continuing along the Dades Valley, visit the Todra Gorge en route to Erfoud, on the edge of the Sahara Desert. From here you can travel into heart of the desert on a short camel ride, stopping to watch the sun set over the dunes before settling into your desert camp for a night under the stars.

Day 7 : Fez

A long but interesting journey today as you're driven for around eight hours to the north of the country. You can observe the country's wide range of landscapes as you travel up the Ziz Gorge with its steep canyon walls scattered with green palm trees, across the barren and rocky Middle Atlas plateau and through the Alpine Middle Atlas, where many buildings have a Swiss or Austrian style. You finally arrive in the ancient city of Fez, where you can settle into your accommodation.

Day 8 : Fez

Explore Fez on a private guided tour of the city and its ancient, maze-like medina. Visit the tomb of the city's founder, Moulay Idriss II, admire the architecture and intricate decoration of mosques and madrasas (Islamic colleges) and gaze over the centuries-old tannery, where you can watch men carrying out the complex process of turning animal hides into leather. End the day relaxing on the roof terrace of your riad, listening to the evening call to prayer echo around the city.

Day 9 : Fez

Spend the day visiting the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes with your private guide. The extensive ruins show how large the Roman city would have been, and there are still lots of incredibly well-preserved mosaics on the ground. The impressive ruins of the courthouse and the Capitoline Temple suggest this was once a prosperous city. Meknes was once a capital city within the kingdom, but has gradually faded into ruin. Your guide will tell you about its turbulent history and you can see remnants of its former glory in the city walls' monumental archways.

Day 10 : Casablanca

Your private driver will pick you up this morning for the four to five hour journey to Casablanca. You may have time to pay a visit to the Hassan II Mosque, the second-largest mosque in the world after Mecca.

Day 11 : International return flight

Today your driver will pick you up from your accommodation for the short transfer to Casablanca Airport, where you then board your onward flight. Your return flight will arrive the same day.

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 3,174
Price Per Day: $ 289 per day

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3,574 Audley Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings

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4.9 out of 5 (100+ reviews)
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Average 29
Disappointing 29
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Value
4.9
Guide
4.9
Activities
4.9
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4.9
Transportation
4.9
Meals
4.9

Imperial Cities & the Desert

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Couldn't do it without Audley!

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It's hard to describe how lucky we are to have been able to work with Stephanie in planning our honeymoon to Japan. From the very beginning, Stephanie was friendly, flexible, and an absolute wealth of knowledge. We had several meetings with her leading up to our trip to come up with the perfect itinerary. Throughout this, Stephanie was mindful of our budget, without sacrificing anything. During our trip, Audley was available at all hours to help with anything and everything which was such a relief to know we had that resource available to us. I truly cannot imagine having planned this trip without all of Stephanie's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine taking another big trip like this without the help of Audley. Thank you again!
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Great trip

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Great trip! Fantastic accommodations, service provided on the planning of our trip was first class and all arrangements put in place by Audley were excellent.
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Excellent client service

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As ever Audley's itineraries are well thought through including great recommendations to make the most of the trip. Their client service at all stages of the process is excellent.
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Great Booking Experience

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We recently booked our honeymoon to Peru in 2024. The holiday is not until September this this review is not of the holiday itself but I thought the experience of booking deserved a positive review. Holly Kennedy is fabulous! Really tuned in to what we wanted & designed a programme we couldn’t be more excited about. She spoke from her first hand experience, answering all our questions with ease. Warm, friendly & reassuring. Thank you Holly & Audley.
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Outstanding Audley Travel Representative

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The Audley Travel Country Specialist for Kenya and Tanzania who assisted me over the telephone was sensational! He was very knowledgeable, experienced, resourceful, friendly, customer-focused and enthusiastic. He's a great asset to his organization, and I highly recommend him to anyone considering a trip to Africa!
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A very special holiday

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It was the climax of our Diamond Anniversary year and we wanted a holiday which would be truly memorable. We seemed to gel with Robyn immediately and she worked with us to plan 17 days of luxurious enjoyment culminating in the sighting of a leopard. It proved to be all we expected and more! We have travelled with Audley before and have never been disappointed. We are consistently impressed by their attention to detail and determination to get everything right for the customer.
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Details

Flight & Transport Inclusions

All internal ground transport

Group Size

Intimate Group - 12 max

Trip ID#:

audley-travel-39899

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