Imperial tour : 12 days / 11 nights - From Tangier

Itinerary details :

Day 1 : Arrival to Tangier- Transfer to the hotel.

• Welcome to Morocco! Arrival to the airport or port in Tangier where you will meet your driver. The driver will provide a brief review of your tour. Dinner & night at the hotel.




Day 2 : Tangier - Chefchaouen

• Depart from Tangier to the enchanting blue town of Chefchaouen, passing through the green valleys of the Rif Mountains. Chefchaouen is famous for its vivid blue rinsed houses and winding streets. Explore Chefchaouen, with its winding lanes and narrow alleys which are home to numerous souks offering cuisine and artisan works, such as woolen items, intricate embroidery, and goats cheese; all native to the North and not found anywhere else in Morocco. Overnight in Chefchaouen.




Day 3 : Chefchaouen - Meknes - Volubilis - Fez

• Today we drive from Chefchaouen to Meknes to enjoy a guided tour of Meknes. We start our guided tour in front of the impressive 18th century Bab Mansour, the ornamental gate to the imperial city of Meknes built by Sultan Moulay Ismail . We continue our tour to the small but impressive Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. Then we will pass by the entrance of the Meknes Royal Palace and end up at Moulay Ismail’s massive Heri es Souani. This was his personal stable & granary for his 12,000 horses. After lunch, we'll make our way through the rolling hills for a guided visit of the impressive Roman ruins of Volubilis, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the best preserved Roman ruins in this part of Northern Africa. Listen to your certified local guide explain about life in the Roman Empire as you peer into old bathhouses, marveling at the still-present mosaic floors and gazing up at the towering marble pillars. We leave the Roman Empire to make our way to Fez. Overnight in Fez.




Day 4 : Fez Sightseeing Tour

• After breakfast at the Riad, start exploring the world’s largest medina date back to the 9th century walking through its alleys and small streets. Our visit starts by visiting the Royal Palace gate, the Jewish headquarter named "Mellah" built in the 16th century. We explore the medina’s many artisans’ quarters, such as the brass, copper and wedding adornment souks. The carpenters, bakers & butchers also have their area of the medina that they call home. A highlight is a visit to the famous Fes tannery, where we have great views from a panoramic viewpoint over the men hard at work treating and dying the different hides. We’ll also get to see its religious and historical heart when we visit Moulay Idriss II’s Mausoleum (the founder of Fes), the 9th century Al Karaouine University and one of the many Medersas (Koranic school). Overnight in the Riad.




Day 5 : Fez - Ifrane - Cedar Forest - Midelt - Ziz Valley - Erfoud

• Today we leave Fez towards Erfoud, En-route you’ll pass through a scenic forest of cedars and across the Middle Atlas Mountain range to the mineral mining city of Midelt, where a stop for lunch is scheduled. This journey continues along through the dramatic Ziz valley which is particularly well-known for its palm trees and the length of the oasis. All along the road there are innumerable ksars, small villages of individual houses. From here we reach Erfoud, famous for its date festival and fossils. After an approximate 7 hours of travel you will arrive at your final destination of Erfoud. Dinner and night in a Kasbah hotel.




Day 6 : Erfoud - Rissani - Merzouga - Erg Chebbi dunes

• Start your Saharan journey from Erfoud with a visit to a Nomad village, and lunch a break in a Kasbah hotel by the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. You will have some time relaxing by the pool before the next part of your adventure. You will walk or ride by camel over the sands as the sun begins to set and as you reach the magnificent Erg Chebbi sand dunes, witness them turning a wonderful red hue. As night falls, listen to the intoxicating beat of Berber drum music and song, enjoying a Moroccan home-cooked feast before sleeping under the stars in your private berber tent.




Day 7 : Erg Chebbi dunes - Todra gorges - Dades gorges

• Your day starts early with a picturesque sunrise before enjoying a special breakfast, head back to Merzouga to re-join your car and continue your journey towards Todra Gorge travelling along the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. This area has long been a popular location for Hollywood films such as The Last Temptation of Christ and Jewel of the Nile. We arrive to the stunning gorges of Todra where springs of water runs between the rocks and enjoy the views of natural beauty. Take a short exploratory walk into the Todra Gorge with its high walls of pink and grey rock which surround you. We continue through the Dades valley. Dinner and night in a Kasbah hotel.




Day 8 : Dades gorges - Rose valley - Ouarzazate - Ait Benhdaou - Marrakech

• Today after breakfast starts with an easy stroll through Dades Valley and The Valley of the Roses providing numerous opportunities to take some of your best photographic shots of the trip in both the valley, famous for its roses. We’ll stop at Kalaa Mgouna, “the rose city”, to purchase the rosewater, which will make your linen smell good a long time after your trip is over. Continuing on to Skoura to visit the Kasbah Ameridil. The tour continues to Ouarzazate, “the Hollywood of Africa”, whose geography and beautiful landscapes has attracted many world class movie producers. Here you may choose to visit the studios where some of the famous movies were filmed such as The Mummy and Gladiator. We will pass by Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah as a UNESCO heritage site. After that, we will begin to cross the high Atlas mountains with many panoramic views and attractive Berber villages to reach Marrakech. Dinner and night in a Riad/Hotel.




Day 9 : Marrakech City Tour

• After breakfast you will Enjoy the guided city tour of Marrakech. The morning begins with a visit to the magnificent Koutoubia Mosque as the landmark of Marrakech which has inspired other buildings such as the Giralda of Seville and the Hassan Tower of Rabat. Your next stop is the Bahia Palace, and the Saadian Tombs. The Saadian tombs in Marrakech date back from the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur. The tombs were discovered in 1917 and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. The mausoleum comprises the interments of about sixty members of the Saadian Dynasty that originated from the valley of the Draa River. After lunch break, You Continue to the world-famous Jemaa el Fna Square, which houses an array of food, snake charmers, local musicians, and fortune-tellers. There’s nowhere on Earth like the Jemaa el Fna, the square at the heart of old Marrakesh. You will also walk through the souks and view hundreds of handicrafts. Night with breakfast at the Riad/Hotel.




Day 10 : Marrakech - Casablanca - Rabat

• Today, drive from Marrakech towards Casablanca to discover this economic capital of the kingdom as the largest city. The orientation tour will include a visit to the splendid Hassan II Mosque : a breathtaking landmark of Casablanca. Continue along the Ain Diab Corniche. Then on to Habous Charter, the oldest area in Casablanca and the setting of the Royal Palace before continuing on to the Mohammed V Square. After lunch, depart along the coast line to the political capital of Morocco : Rabat. Begin your discovery of this imperial city with a walk around the Royal Palace with its massive doors, well decorated buildings and lovely gardens. Next to the palace, you will see the impressive Mohammed V Mausoleum : the burial ground of the two kings – Mohammed V and Hassan II. In the same area, you will find Hassan Tower, the landmark of Rabat and one of the oldest mosques ever. Check in. Night with breakfast at the hotel.




Day 11 : Rabat - Tangier

• Drive from Rabat towards Tangier which is an ancient Phoenician town located at the point where the waters of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic meet. The surrounding mountains provide a magnificent backdrop to this intriguing city, the gateway to Africa from Europe, which has always been an international melting pot. Take a tour of Tangier and explore the bustling medina, and city surrounds, and enjoy the stunning vista where the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans meet. After lunch, Continue to a headland about 12km from Tangier, ideal for admiring the Atlantic Ocean. On the way, stop to visit the Hercules Cave. According to legend, this mythical Greek half-god rested here after digging the Strait of Gibraltar. Close by is there restored Roman town of Cotta with ruins of a temple and hot-baths. The tour will include also a stop by Cape Sapartel where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet. Dinner and night at the hotel.




Day 12 : Tangier - Back Home

• Transfer to the airport or ferry for your return with plenty of tales of Arabian and Berber days and nights.

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