8 Day Trip to Sahara Desert and 4 Imperial Cities

Day 1: Day 1: Marrakech – Casablanca – Rabat

1. Hassan II Mosque
   1h · Admission ticket not included
   Leave Marrakech behind on a Toyota Landcruiser or luxury minibus and head to Casablanca, the economic and business center of Morocco. Upon arrival, you will visit the stunning Hassan II Mosque, the country’s largest sanctuary. Continue the excursion to Rabat, capital of Morocco. Here, discover Méchouar, the walls that surround the Royal Palace, followed by the Kasbah of the Udayas and the magnificent Mausoleum of Mohammed V. You will then be driven to your hotel in Rabat.
2. Kasbah des Oudaias
   1h · Admission ticket included
   The Kasbah of the Udayas, also spelled Kasbah of the Oudaias or of the Oudayas, is a kasbah in Rabat, Morocco. It is located at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river, opposite Salé, and adjacent to the old medina of Rabat. It is listed, along with other sites in Rabat, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
3. Mausoleum of Mohammad V
   1h · Admission ticket included
   The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is a mausoleum located across from the Hassan Tower in Rabat, Morocco. It contains the tombs of the Moroccan king Mohammed V and his two sons, late King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah

Day 2: Day 2: Rabat – Meknes – Fez

1. Meknes
   1h
   After breakfast, hop back into the car and relax as you are driven to Meknes, one of the most important imperial city in Morocco. This city houses luxury palaces and beautiful mosques, as well as one of the most famous souks. Next, you will be led to the Roman Ruins of Volubilis. Founded in the third century B.C, Volubilis was an important settlement of the Roman Empire. In the evening, you will head to Fez, where you will spend the night.
2. Volubilis
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Visible from the nearby holy town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoune, and from higher points throughout the valley, Volubilis is one of Morocco's best-preserved Roman ruins located between the Imperial Cities of Fez and Meknes on a fertile plain surrounded by wheat fields.

Day 3: Day 3: Fez

1. Fez
   4h
   On the third day, you will spend the whole day exploring the fascinating city of Fez accompanied by a professional English-speaking guide. This is the oldest imperial city of Morocco, established in the eighth century by Idris II of Morocco. You will also have a chance to discover the city at nighttime, since you will spend your third night here.

Day 4: Day 4: Fez – Arzou – Midelt – Erfoud – Merzouga

1. Merzouga Desert
   Pass by
   Hit the road bright and early and head south. The first stop of the day will be Ifrane, Morocco’s “Little Switzerland”. Then, as you drive through the cedar forests of Arzou, make sure to look out for Barbary apes, who live in these trees. Cross Ziz Valley and its dramatic gorges, visiting the villages of Midelt and Erfoud. From Erfoud, take a dirt road into the desert until you get to the small village of Merzouga in the southeast of Morocco. You will spend the night in a hotel at the edge of the sandy dunes.
2. Ifrane
   40m
   Ifrane is a town in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains. It’s known for its alpine-style architecture and nearby ski slopes and forests. A stone statue of a lion near leafy Parc la Prairie is a well-known landmark. Just outside town, Ain Vittel is a spring with several waterfalls. To the west, Ifrane National Park, with its Atlas cedar forests, is home to rare Barbary macaques
3. Azrou Cedar Forest
   20m · Admission ticket included
   This forest is located on National Route 8 between Azrou and Ifrane. The forest is notable as a habitat for a sub-population of Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus.

Day 5: Day 5: Merzouga – Erg Chebbi

1. Erg Chebbi
   Pass by
   Explore the desert for a whole day. Plow through the endless fields of dunes on your 4x4, visit Nomad settlements, marvel at various oasis and admire the dunes of Erg Chebbi, spreading 50 kilometers from north to south. Sitting on the dunes is the charming village of Khamlia, famous for the Gnawa music group which you will also visit. As the sun sets, climb onto a camel and enjoy a slight bumpy ride to the Berber desert camp, where you will have a traditional meal and spend the night.
2. Erg Chebbi Dunes
   Pass by
   admire the dunes of Erg Chebbi

Day 6: Day 6: Merzouga – Todgha Gorges and Dades

1. Todra Gorge
   45m · Admission ticket included
   The Todgha Gorges are a series of limestone river canyons, or wadi, in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco
2. Dades Gorges
   Pass by
   The Dadès Gorges are a series of rugged wadi gorges carved out by the Dadès River in Morocco. The river originates in the High Atlas range of the Atlas mountains, flowing some 350 kilometres southwest before joining the Draa River at the edge of the Sahara.

Day 7: Day 7: Dades Gorges – Skoura – Ouarzazate

1. Ouarzazate
   Pass by
   Having had breakfast, we'll head into the Dadès Gorge before taking the Route of the Thousand Kasbahs through the Valley of the Roses, where you'll have time to explore the area at your own pace. The next stop will then be at the Skoura palm grove, home to the Kasbah Amridil. You'll then make your way to Ouarzazate where you will visit Taourirt Kasbah and spend the night.
2. Valley of the Roses
   20m · Admission ticket included
   The road curves along the valley ,which is one of most fertile Moroccan south . El-Kelaa Mgouna ( valley of the roses ) known for its apricots , but especially for its roses , this valley is rich of its traditions and its Berber culture , its splendid landscapes and its inhabitants
3. Kasbah Amridil
   1h · Admission ticket not included
   Kasbah Amridil is a historic fortified residence or kasbah in the oasis of Skoura, in Morocco. It is considered among the most impressive kasbahs of its kind in Morocco and was previously featured on the Moroccan 50 dirham note.
4. Taourirt Kasbah
   40m · Admission ticket not included
   Unlike other Glaoui-era kasbahs, Taourirt escaped ruin by moonlighting as a Hollywood backdrop (Sheltering Sky, Gladiator, Prince of Persia) and attracting the attention of Unesco, which has carefully restored small sections of the inner sanctum. Follow the maze of stairwells to the top floor, where you’ll find a prayer room through keyhole archways, traces of stucco and an original tataoui (woven reed) ceiling.

Day 8: Day 8: Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou – Marrakech

1. Ait Ben Haddou
   1h
   On the last day, you will marvel at the Ksar of Ait Ben-Haddou, a magnificent example of earthern buildings surrounded by a defensive wall, typical of southern Morocco. Climb into your car for the last part of the journey. Cross the Atlas Mountains through Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass, 2,260 meters high. Your 8-day trip will come to an end in Marrakech.
2. Ksar Of Ait-Ben-Haddou
   1h · Admission ticket not included
   Aït Benhaddou is a historic ighrem or ksar along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987
3. Tizi n Tichka
   15m · Admission ticket included
   Tizi n'Tichka is a mountain pass in Morocco, linking the south-east of Marrakesh to the city of Ouarzazat through the High Atlas mountains. It lies above the great Marrakesh plains, and is a gateway to the Sahara Desert

Pickup details

Pick up at your hotel, riad, airport or an arranged meeting point.

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• There are two options for accommodation: Standard (2-3 stars) and Luxury (4 stars):
• Standard Hotels:
• Rabat - Ibis Mousafir / Dar Aida / Dar Alia / Riad Marhaba
• Fez - Riad Dar Fes Medina / Riad Kenze / Dar Mehdi / Hotel Ibis
• Merzouga (first night): Dar Tafouyte / Riad Mamouche.
• Merzouga (second night): Traditional Berber Camp
• Dades: Riad des Vieilles Charrues / Hotel Babylon / Kasbah Tifawen / Hotel Le Vieux Chateau du Dades.
• Ouarzazate: Hotel Les Jardins de Ouarzazate / Hotel La Valle / Hotel Saghro.
• Luxury Hotels:
• Rabat : Hotel Rabat (5*) / Hotel Diwan / Riad Dar El Kebira / Riad Kalaa / Dar Zouhour.
• Fez: Riad Tafilalet / Riad Cordoba / Riad El Yacout / Hotel Barcelo.
• Merzouga (first night): Merzouga Guest House / Dar el Janoub / Riad Madu / Riad Azawad.
• Merzouga (second night): Luxury Desert Camp.
• Dades: Xaluca Dades / La Perle du dades / Auberge Chez Pierre.
• Ouarzazate: Kasbah Dar Chamaa / Hotel la Perle du Sud / Le Petit Riad.
• Both hotels and tents are double occupancy only, there are no single rooms. You can however ask for a triple room or a family room if you prefer. The standard category rooms have communal showers in the camp, while the superior category rooms have a private bathroom in the tent and showers in the camp.