10 Days Tangier To Marrakesh Via Sahara Desert
Day 1 Tangier – Chefchaoune :
We will pick you up from your Riad/hotel /airport, and drive you to visit the most important places to see in Tangier (the Pearl of the north) you will visit the Caves of Hercules ,the Cape Spartel the lighthouse.Later on ,we’ll drive through the Rif Mountais . Then to your Riad/hotel in Chefchaoune .Overnight bed and breakfast included .
Day 2 : Exploring Chefchaoune :
Today you will have all day to discover this well -known city with its blue-washed walls within the old Medina.We will walk the winding alleyways, the leather and weaving shops, the steep cobbled lanes , the square of ‘Wtta-Hmam’s red-walled Kasbah ,where you will enjoy lunch in a local restaurants in the main square near the Kasbah , built in the 14th century by Moulay Ali ben Moussa to fight the Portuguese.
Depending on our timing, we will visit Akchor Valley, ( 30 KM from Chefchaoune) to see its waterfalls and unique landscape.
Day 3 : Chefchaoune – Volubilis – Meknes – Fez :
Today, we drive towards Fez, enjoying the magic of the Rif mountains, before arriving at Volubilis, the Mauritanian capital during the 3rd century, an important outpost of the Roman Empire.
You can walk ( possibly with a local guide) and later on, just 20 KM further, arrive in Meknes, for lunch in a local restaurant and to explore this city, known with its imperial past, it’s huge gate with arches and mosaic tiling, the mausoleum of the Sultan Moulay Ismail, who made the city his capital in the 17 century, the main square, L’ahddim, the oldest and largest prison underground. Next, we’ll see the unique old medina.
End your day in the authentic Riad within the medina of Fez.
Day 4 : Exploring Fez :
Today after breakfast you will have the entire day to explore Fez, the second largest city in Morocco, to see all the historical monuments.
The Fez el Bali walled Medina, the vibrant souks and old-world atmosphere , Bou Inania, a school from the 14th century with it’s amazing architecture, and the Al Attarine and Karaouine schools. We’ll break for lunch and then visit the Merenid Tombs, and the ceramic (ZELLIJ) factory to watch artisans use clay for a variety of decorative work.
Then back to the riad at the end of the day.
Day 5 : Fez – Ifran – Medelt – Errachidia – Erfoud – Merzouga Sahara Desert :
This morning we drive toward Erg-Chebbi Dunes, about an hour and a half from Fez. We will take a break in Ifrane along the way.
Ifrane , known as the Switzerland of Morocco, is a beautiful resort town high up in the mountains and great for photos. We continue driving through the Middle Atlas Mountains and stop next in the Cedar Forest where the Macaque monkeys live.
You’ll have a chance to observe them and take pictures, and then we move on, driving through beautiful landscapes until we reach Medelt for lunch.
Later, we drive through the Ziz Valley, the last 80 KM stretch through the mountains, lush, fertile land with plenty of stopping points along the route.
Day 6:Hassi-Labyad-Merzouga-Khamlia-Tamradanite :
After breakfast, we will have an exciting off-road drive around the sand dunes, driving close to the Algerian/Moroccan border.
Next, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Berber families living in tents made of camel hair. You’ll talk with them to hear about their culture.
We will visit two small Berber villages, Tamrdanite and M’Fis, to see a functioning mineral mine and see how they work. Continuing on, we stop in a remote village, Khamlia, where only 32 families reside. Famous for its association of Gnawa music, we’ll hear their ritual music and learn more about the Khamlia people, who originated in Mali.
For lunch, we stop at a local restaurant for a delicious Berber pizza and continue on toward your hotel to prepare for a camel ride. We can stop to see the desert sunset on the way. Overnight, you’ll spend a night in a unique desert tent or under the stars, if you prefer.
Day 7: Erg-Chebbi-Rissani-Alnif-N’koub :
The camel man will wake you to catch the sunrise. A delicious breakfast will prepare you for the camel trek back to the hotel to shower and relax.
We continue our day to Rissani, the oldest imperial city with beautiful valleys of palm trees. Here you will visit the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif, the great, great grandfather of Moulay Cherif and the founder of the Alaouite dynasty. This town has a weekly market with a vibrant souk which we will visit.
Next, we head to Alnif , passing the Berber villages of M’Sissi, Taghrout, and Achbarou Ksar along the way. We’ll see beautiful landscapes in the Anti Atlas Mountains.
We’ll stop in Alnif for lunch and get a chance to see trilobite fossil extractions. Then on to your hotel in N’koub. There’s time for a walk in town to see Berber houses made from clay and hay.
Day 8: N’koub-Agdez- Ait Saoun- Ouarzazate :
After breakfast, we drive off road again for 20 KM to the Jbel Saghrou area, east of the Anti- Atlas Mountains.
This is a traditional region for the Ait Atta Berber Tribe. We back track to N’koub, then, rejoin the main road , driving past the Draa River. Next, we reach Agdez, to stop for lunch.
Next, we cross the Tizi N’tnifift pass at 1700 meters, driving toward the city of Ouarzazate to stop for the night at your comfortable hotel to swim and have dinner.
Day 9: Ouarzazate-Ait Ben Haddou-Telouat-Marrakesh :
After breakfast, we begin our last day exploring Ouarzazate, stopping to see The Taourirt Kasbah and its 19th century Glaoui Palace.
The Kasbah of Taourirt is a remarkable construction of Pise’. Through the maze of courtyards, stair and rooms, we wander through and then on to the Atlas Movie Studios, where some of the biggest movies in the world were filmed. Babel, The Mummy, and Lawrence of Arabia, to name just a few.
We continue towards the Ait Ben Haddou village, a famous UNESCO World Heritage site, with its exotic Kasbah, also used for movie making. Gladiator and parts of the Game of Thrones were filmed here.
Continuing on, we pass across the High Atlas Mountains via the spectacular Tizi-n-Tichka pass at an altitude of 2260 meters. We’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant, eating great local food and relishing in the amazing views.
We continue our journey to Marrakech.
Day 10 : Today Is The End Of Your Wonderful Visit To Morocco.
We will go to the airport in time for your flight departure
