Majestic Morocco

After breakfast, we'll enjoy a tour of Marrakesh, also known as the "Red City." This majestic town is filled with palaces, gardens, markets, and mosques. We'll visit the stunning,19th-century Bahia Palace where we'll see the intricate work done by local artisans. From there, we'll explore the artisan quarters and the colorful souks to witness and experience daily life in Marrakesh. Next, we'll continue to Dar El Bacha Museum. It's one of the medina's finest examples of Riad architecture and is dripping with Moroccan Zellige (colorful geometric tilework), intricate white plasterwork, and heavy, carved cedar-wood lintels. We'll wander past palm readers, snake charmers, acrobats, and musicians as we make our way to the medina's main square, the famous Jemaa el-Fna. This evening, we'll return to the medina to enjoy a typical Moroccan dinner with entertainment.

A free day to explore Marrakesh! Consider an optional hammam and massage to relax and unwind or join our optional Berber Experience in the Atlas Mountains where we'll enjoy a traditional Berber lunch with bread and mint tea and visit a cooperative run by women that extracts Argan oil. Late this afternoon, we'll come together for a cooking class that takes place on the terrasse of the villa in a spectacular décor with the Atlas Mountains in the background. We'll enjoy an exceptional gastronomic experience of our award-winning chef's culinary world, drawing from his extensive knowledge of North Africa's rich food culture. From picking out fresh produce in the souks of his hometown of Marrakesh to sampling spices for the perfect flavor to watching artisinal fillo dough made from scratch in front of our eyes. The chef will unlock the secrets of the recipes he's mastered over the years for us. We'll enjoy dinner with our chef and leave with an inside perspective of one of the world's most highly cherished cuisines.

Our journey through majestic Morocco continues across the High Atlas Mountains and the spectacular Tichka Pass to Boumalne Dades. We’ll stop for a brief tour of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This giant fortification, which showcases a unique example of pise clay architecture, has been a filming location for Gladiator and Game of Thrones. We'll have time for an independent lunch before we continue to our final destination today: Boumalne Dades. Prepare to be wowed by this town set on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Tonight, we'll savor an included dinner at your Riad-hotel.

Today, we’ll marvel at one of Morocco’s most visited natural sights, the lush Todra Palmeraie Gorge with its dramatic 985-foot-high walls. Our walking tour affords plenty of spectacular photo ops! Our travels continue to Erfoud, described as an oasis and “the Door to the Desert.” Enjoy dinner at the hotel and rest up for tomorrow’s once-in-a-lifetime Sahara itinerary.

The only word for today’s full-day excursion is unforgettable! We’ll start in Rissani, a caravan center with a large vibrant souk at its heart, where we’ll hop into a 4x4 caravan to venture into the desert, winding through small villages before stopping in serene Tissardmine for a picnic lunch. As we ascend the peak of Erg Chebbi, prepare to be blown away by the desert's vastness. We’ll “trade up” to camels for the real deal: a ride through the Merzouga dunes on camelback! Loaded with memories (and photos) you can’t wait to share, we’ll return to the hotel after sunset for dinner together.

After departing Erfoud, we’ll journey through the scenic Middle Atlas mountain range, while admiring its lush forested slopes brimming with cedar and oak trees. You’ll have a chance to see Ifrane, a picturesque ski area, and in the evening, when we reach Fez, catch the magical city lights as we arrive.

Fez is home to the oldest university in the world, and today we’ll join a local expert to learn more about this 1,200-year-old city, which was Morocco’s capital for 400 years and stands as one of the world’s largest, best-preserved medieval fortified cities. Our full-day exploration includes the Fez el Bali Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where life unfolds as it did centuries ago. We’ll wander the famous souks known for authentic Moroccan carpets and ceramics. After the high energy of the souks, a quiet lunch in a riad (a traditional Moroccan house with an interior courtyard) will be most welcome. We will also see the Nejjarine Fountains and Museum and the 14th-century Attarine Medersas (a place of education) before visiting Fes Jdid, the modern district of the city, in the afternoon. Here, we’ll explore the Jewish Quarter and the Royal Palace.

Enjoy a day at leisure in Fez! Explore and wander the city further. Or consider an optional tour to visit a winery with lunch.

After breakfast, we'll drive to Rabat, Morocco's coastal capital and fifth-largest city. En route, we'll stop 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. Upon arrival in Rabat, we'll spend the afternoon visiting the city's fascinating historic sites. We'll see the 19th-century Royal Palace and the city's "Gate of the Winds" (also known as Bab Rouah). We'll visit Hassan Tower, the minaret of an incomplete mosque that was originally intended to be the world's largest. We'll continue to the picturesque Kasbah of the Udayas which was built in the mid-12th century. Here, we'll walk through the French colonial gardens and explore the fortress built to shield royalty from attacks. Our tour concludes at Chellah, a necropolis and the site of the ruins of a Roman town known as Sala Colonia. We'll have some free time to relax before we come together for our farewell dinner this evening.

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Travelers have the option to extend their trip with a post-night in Rabat.