Morocco in Depth

Upon arrival in Casablanca, please proceed through customs and immigration formalities. After collecting your baggage, you will be met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel.

After breakfast, you will enjoy the city tour of Casablanca that begins with an outside visit of Hassan II mosque, the largest mosque in the country and the 7th largest in the world. You then continue to Ain Diab Corniche for a pleasant stroll along the coast, Mohammed V Square in the city center, the Habous Quarter, one of the oldest areas in Casablanca. The district was built by the French in the 1930s. It marries the best of traditional Moroccan architecture with modern facilities and French ideals. Depart overland towards Rabat, driving along the main highway which links these two major cities. Embark on a city tour which highlights Rabat's cultural influences and the superbly preserved relics of its Moorish past. Rabat's most famous site is the 12th-century Hassan Tower (an excellent example of the gorgeous Moroccan style), the incomplete minaret of the great mosque built in the beginning of 12th century. Located alongside is the mausoleum dedicated to Mohamed V, the grandfather of the current king. You also pay a visit to the Oudaya Kasbah, which is built on a bluff 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, complete with melodious fountain and sweet-smelling orange trees.

At the conclusion of your sightseeing, you continue overland to Fez (approximately a 3 hour drive). Check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

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 - Fez El Bali (Old Fez) - 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 Medersa (Koranic college), a jewel of Hispano-Moorish architecture, built in the 14th century. Your day of sightseeing also includes visits to the Nejjarine Square, with its beautiful fountain with elaborate tile-work mosaics. The nearby Fondouq (Caravanserai) has been converted to a museum of carpentry artifacts.

You also visit Fez El Jedid (New Fez), 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, Fez El Jedid is home to the Mellah (Jewish quarter), which provides an interesting insight into Jewish architecture. The wrought iron decorated windows and splendid carved wood balconies of the old mansions are particularly outstanding. The medieval Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After your tour, return to tour hotel for dinner and overnight.

Journey overland to explore the Roman ruins of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in North Africa. With its triumphal arches, basilicas and capitals, the Volubilis skyline brims with iconic examples of Roman architecture. Among its greatest treasures, however, are the amazing mosaic floors of former family dwellings, which include depictions of Orpheus charming animals with his lyre, nine dolphins signifying good luck and a portrait of Amphitrite in a seahorse-drawn chariot.

Upon completing this glimpse into antiquity, visit Meknes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the imperial cities of Morocco. Its impressive monuments recall the splendor of a fortified city, first built in the 17th century by the powerful sultan Moulay Ismail, to rival the court of his contemporary, Louis XIV of France. See the monumental Bab Mansour gateway - considered one of the finest great gates of Morocco before returning to Fez.

This morning, depart Fes. Pass through many amazing cities and villages, the first of which are Ifrane, nicknamed ''Morocco's Switzerland'', is a charming ski town populated by European-style chalets. Continue on to Midelt, which serves as the commercial center of a large agricultural hinterland. It is also one of Morocco's principal cities for the mining of several minerals. You will have some free time in Midelt, before you continue your journey through the dramatic Ziz Gorge to arrive in Erfoud.

After breakfast, a 4x4 vehicle will be waiting for you to continue your adventure by heading towards the dunes of Erg Chebbi, possibly the largest dunes in the Sahara-desert. En route, visit the villages in the surroundings area for a closer contact with the Berber culture, before arrival to Rissani, visit of camel milk cooperative, then continue to Rissani and visit one of the best traditional market in Sahara, ''a place where they sell just donkeys and other markets for ships, goats and cows''. Stop at El Khamlia village for lunch included. Continue to the African village or ''Gnawa village''. Then continue to Merzouga Village for dinner and overnight.

We drive to Tinghir and Todra gorges - the highest and the narrowest gorges in Morocco. Situated on the east side of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, the Todra Gorge is recognized around the world as one of the most spectacular canyons. Here, both the Todra and Dades Rivers have carved out cliff-sided canyons on their final 25-mile stretch through the mountains, leaving behind this series of reliefs and etches in the rock. The Todra is the name of the last 600 meters (just under 2,000 feet) of the canyons. In places, this gorge measures just 33 feet across, but the cliffs are more than 500 feet tall on either side. The river has since dried up, leaving only the imagination to picture the powerful natural forces that once carved this region. The gorge, though in a remote, is popular for its hiking paths and a well-maintained dirt road for visitors to share with mules and other pack animals.

After Breakfast, we'll drive through the Dades Valley with its majestic sand castles and incredible rock formations known as ''monkey toes''. The route through Dades Valley is also known as the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs. You'll catch a spectacular view of a vast valley dotted with small oases and hundreds of ancient fortifications. The sand-colored walls of the Kasbah may all start to look the same but each holds a special historical treasure within and offer innumerable opportunities for remarkable photos. Continue to Skoura, a quiet little village speckled with palm tree groves, Skoura is surrounded by acres of palm groves (les palmaraie), which are a paradise of palm and olive trees dotted with Kasbahs and small villages. This is where we find Kasbah Amridil that stands out from the rest. Originally built in the 17thcentury, it is one of Morocco's most iconic living museums that has withstood the test of time. Then we drive to Ouarzazate for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we visit Taourir Kasbahs, one of the most beautiful Kasbahs in Morocco. After the French left in the 1953, the movie business flourished in Ouarzazate. Optional visit of the film studios where some of the most famous desert landscapes are filmed. You might recognize the sand-colored houses of this impressive Ksar (Arabic for ''fortified city'') when you see the spectacular fortress of Ait Ben Haddou, the iconic landscape immortalized in such films as, Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, and Alexander. Ait Ben Haddou is a massive fortification made up of six Kasbahs all protected by UNESCO. You can spend time in its maze of winding streets until reaching a fortified granary at the top which provides an amazing view of the valley. We leave Ait Ben Haddou, crossing the High Atlas Mountains via the magnificent Tiz In Tichka pass to Marrakech, our home for the next three nights.

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, an exemplary of privileged life in the 19th century. Your next stop is at the Tiskiwin Museum, founded by a Dutch anthropologist which houses an impressive collection of North African arts and crafts organized into geographically themed exhibits, with each room focusing on artifacts from different towns and regions along the ancient trade route from Marrakech to Timbuktu. Later you visit Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakech's main square, you will find orange juice stalls and vendors, along with fire-eaters, mime artists, snake-charmers and street musicians performing at every turn. You may also take the opportunity to explore the city's fabled, labyrinthine souks, their bustling alleyways brimming with all manner of wares. Return to your hotel to get ready for farewell dinner this evening in a local restaurant.

Today is at your leisure to wander and explore on your own or why not book an optional excursion to Essaouira (own account). This relatively small, easily navigable beach city is ideal for a free day.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Casablanca Airport for your onward flight.