Enchanting Southern Morocco
8 Day Morocco Southern Tour From Fes
Carefully selected hotels, Kasbahs, Riads. Includes one night in a traditional Berber camp
Qualified multilingual local guides / drivers.
Air-conditioned 4WD vehicle(s), mini bus or motor-coach
Fes, Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, Meknes, Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt, Ziz Canyon, Erfoud, Merzouga, desert tour, Todra gorge, Dades, Roses valley, Skoura, Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, Atlas Mountain, Marrakesh
Conducting preliminary research on flights from your nearest airport to find the most cost-effective options for landing in and departing from Morocco would be valuable. Please note that our tours are flexible, and we can commence from any city that aligns with your schedule.
We will meet you upon your arrival in Fes, and you will be taken directly to your riad in the heart of the old medina where we will leave you to relax and settle in.
In the morning after breakfast we will start your Moroccan experience with a day of exploring Fes, the intellectual and spiritual heart of Morocco. Fes features many mosques and madrasas, or theological colleges, including the 9th-century Karaouine University whose architecture is strikingly similar to that seen in Moorish Spain. In the morning we will wander through the famous medina, one of the largest in the world, where thousands of local craftsmen can be seen working in their tiny shops that open directly onto the twisting and turning alleyways of the souks. Noisy, pungent, hot, and claustrophobic, the medina of Fes is a totally absorbing and unique sensory experience.
We will have a chance to visit the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Jewish Quarter (the Mellah), and the impressive Bab Bou Jeloud, or the Blue Gate to the medina. We will also see the wonderful mosaics and carved woodwork in Madrasa Bou Inania, a group of buildings from the 14th century with an elegant minaret overlooking Talaa Kebira, as well as the Fes El Bali, the largest bazaar in all of Morocco. We will have lunch in a traditional Moroccan restaurant where you can taste the cuisine typical of the region before continuing our tour through the labyrinth of the souks. We will spend the night in Fes.
After breakfast our guide will come to pick you up from your hotel in Meknes, from where we will embark on a picturesque journey towards Ifrane through hills covered in forests of cork oak and giant cedar in which a few Barbary apes still make their home. Crossing strikingly beautiful passes over both the Middle and High Atlas ranges we will catch our first glimpse of the South’s incredible architecture. After passing through a barren plain of scrub and desert on the other side of the mountains, we will stop for lunch in the town of Midelt, from which we will have a fantastic view of the dramatic peaks of the High Atlas rising behind the town.
Crossing Tizi-n-Talremt (Pass of the She-Camel), we will descend into a desert plain along the Ziz Valley. We will then head south to Erfoud and Rissani, into a huge oasis containing over six million palm trees and edged by many ksours (fortified villages). Our route will continue through an immense palm oasis and a vast area of stony plain that marks the transition to the desert before reaching the tranquil desert town of Merzouga in the afternoon, from which we will mount our camels and ride into the pink sands of the Erg Chebbi. We will have time to wander around the dunes before watching the sunset, and will spend the evening in a Berber camp amidst the dunes where we will have a campfire and enjoy a traditional Moroccan feast. After dark you can relax outside and marvel at the stars and crystal-clear Milky Way like few people have seen them. Overnight in Berber Camp.
If you would like to wake up early so that you can watch the spectacle of sunrise, when the color of the sand contrasts beautifully with the play of shadows on the dunes - after which you might want to try your hand at sand-boarding down them. After a refreshing shower and breakfast, we will ride the camels or fun 4X4 off-road drive through the dunes back to the kasbah in Merzouga town, we will be able to relax for a couple hours before taking a 4WD off-road tour around the dunes. On the tour we will visit the oasis of Merzouga, the nomadic depository, and Khamlia Village, where we will be able to hear gnawa music from the local people who are descendants of ex-slaves that found their way to Morocco from Senegal via the Salt Route. We will continue on to meet desert nomads in their tents and discover their way of life.
We will also visit the nearby Lake of Merzouga, with its diverse population of birds. Afterwards we will leave for Rissani. Once called Sijilmassa, this was the meeting place for the salt caravans coming from Timbuktu, Mali. Here you'll be able to walk through the souk, where you will be able to find spices, vegetables, and clothes. After having a pizza lunch in Rissani we will drive back to our Kasbah, where we will be greeted with a glass of tea or glass of wine and have some time to relax by the pool if available watching the sunset. In the evening we will dine on Moroccan cuisine and enjoy traditional live music, sit down and chat with locals, or enjoy some drumming lessons.
If you would like, your camel guide will wake you up early so that you can watch the spectacle of sunrise, when the color of the sand contrasts beautifully with the play of shadows on the dunes. Afterwards you might even want to try to sand-board down a dune or two. After a cup of tea, we will ride the camels back to the kasbah, where we will be able to freshen up before heading out of town and through Erfoud, where we will stop at a fossil workshop.
We will continue through the Todra Gorge, known as "Morocco's Grand Canyon", as well as the Valley of the Roses, famous for its Rose Festival in May, and over the "Road of 1000 Kasbahs" by the Skoura Oasis before arriving in Ouarzazate (pronounced Warza-zat), a city in the middle of a barren plateau at an altitude of 1160 meters, established at the crossroads of all routes going north, south, east, and west. We will stop here to have dinner and spend the night.
After breakfast we will take some time to explore Ouarzazate, which is known as the "Hollywood of Morocco". Ouarzazate's studios have produced films including "Lawrence of Arabia", "Alexander the Great", "The Last Temptation of Christ" and "The Living Daylights". You will have the chance to visit Atlas Studios, one of the most famous studios in Africa, to see where many of these blockbusters were shot. You will also have the chance to visit the iconic Taourirt Kasbah, which was once the seat of power for the powerful Glaoui clan that controlled this region.
We will leave Ouarzazate for Marrakech, first stopping at the nearby Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, the most famous kasbah in Morocco, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the backdrop for many of Ouarzazate's films including notably "Lawrence of Arabia". In the afternoon we will continue north across the High Atlas Mountains. The road, completed by the French Foreign Legion in 1936, winds up over the Tizi n'Tichka Pass and offers stunning views over the mountains before descending past Berber villages to the plains surrounding Marrakech.
Even today, the name Marrakech conjures up scenery straight out of Arabian Nights - alleyways, souks, and market stalls. This remarkable city, with the graceful architecture of the renowned 11th-century Koutoubia Minaret dominating the skyline, never fails to satisfy the curiosity of adventurous travelers. We will have dinner in Marrakech and spend the night.
After breakfast we will set off on a guided tour of Marrakech, known as the "Southern Pearl" of Morocco, which has for centuries been an important stop for traders and travelers alike. On our tour we will visit the Bahia Palace, the 16th-century Saadian tombs, and Menara and Majorelle Gardens. You will have some free time to have some lunch and visit the Koutoubia Mosque, whose 77 meter minaret dominates the center of Marrakech, and wander through the winding alleyways of the old medina.
We will continue to the Djemaa el Fna Square where you can try bartering with the locals or have a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice on one of the many rooftop terraces overlooking the square. After the sun sets you will witness Djemaa el Fna becoming even livelier and overflowing with food vendors. We will spend the night in Marrakech.
Today we will make as much use of our time as possible, wandering around the souks of Marrakech and finding souvenirs or gifts for friends before we take you to Marrakech Menara airport with plenty of time to catch your departure flight.
If you would like, your camel guide will wake you up early so that you can watch the spectacle of sunrise, when the color of the sand contrasts beautifully with the play of shadows on the dunes. After a cup of tea, we will ride the camels back to the kasbah, where we will be able to freshen up before heading to Ouarzazate (pronounced Warzza-zat)via nkob the 45 kasbahs village and the Draa Valley. Besides the natural, historical, and architectural wonders found in the valley, there are also countless villages that seem to have remained untouched by the modern world. Fully veiled women can be seen washing clothes on the riverbanks and the men seem watchful and unaccustomed to foreign visitors. These local people, besides speaking a vernacular Arabic dialect, also speak Imazighen, the language of the Berber or Tamazight people, the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa for thousands of years. The area is still mostly populated by the Berber people, who were the original builders of the numerous fortified kasbahs and dwellings for which the region is famous. After checking in at our hotel, you can enjoy an afternoon beside the swimming pool and enjoy the clean desert air.
Breakfast will be served at your Riad, after which a knowledgeable local guide will lead you through the labyrinth of Marrakech's winding alleyways, hidden gardens, and secret souks. You will continue to the Cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna Square, the principal cultural space in Marrakech and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, beside which the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque can be seen towering into the sky. In the evening this square overflows with food stalls, dancers, acrobats, fortune tellers, musicians, and henna artists. Following your tour you will have the full day to spend at your leisure, whether its pampering yourself at a local spa with massage or further exploring the souks of the medina. We will spend the night at our hotel in Marrakech.
We exclude the entrance fees to monuments and cultural sights from the tour total cost in order to not charge you for things you might not be interested in visiting, Please let us know if you need a list of all the monuments that require a fee for entry.
Our tours are designed to be flexible and accommodating. Our knowledgeable guide will offer various options ( both paid and unpaid worth to visit ) for objectives and sights not only in each city but also along the way. Additionally, we're committed to offering the best possible experience for our clients.
We intentionally exclude dinners in urban areas or big cities for two main reasons. Firstly, dining at Riads or hotels in city settings tends to be relatively expensive. Secondly, the presence of a variety of restaurant options in cities allows our clients to choose according to their budget and preferences.
We can arrange cooking classes/ Hammam & SPA / Hot air balloon / ATV Quads / Dune buggies and any additional activiy available in any destination upon request.
We have over 20 years of experience crafting a Moroccan experience perfectly tailored to our guests needs. These are our most common itineraries, to be used as starting points in developing yours.
We will meet you upon your arrival in Fes, and you will be taken directly to your riad in the heart of the old medina where we will leave you to relax and settle in.
In the morning after breakfast we will start your Moroccan experience with a day of exploring Fes, the intellectual and spiritual heart of Morocco. Fes features many mosques and madrasas, or theological colleges, including the 9th-century Karaouine University whose architecture is strikingly similar to that seen in Moorish Spain. In the morning we will wander through the famous medina, one of the largest in the world, where thousands of local craftsmen can be seen working in their tiny shops that open directly onto the twisting and turning alleyways of the souks. Noisy, pungent, hot, and claustrophobic, the medina of Fes is a totally absorbing and unique sensory experience.
We will have a chance to visit the grounds of the Royal Palace, the Jewish Quarter (the Mellah), and the impressive Bab Bou Jeloud, or the Blue Gate to the medina. We will also see the wonderful mosaics and carved woodwork in Madrasa Bou Inania, a group of buildings from the 14th century with an elegant minaret overlooking Talaa Kebira, as well as the Fes El Bali, the largest bazaar in all of Morocco. We will have lunch in a traditional Moroccan restaurant where you can taste the cuisine typical of the region before continuing our tour through the labyrinth of the souks. We will spend the night in Fes.
After breakfast our guide will come to pick you up from your hotel in Meknes, from where we will embark on a picturesque journey towards Ifrane through hills covered in forests of cork oak and giant cedar in which a few Barbary apes still make their home. Crossing strikingly beautiful passes over both the Middle and High Atlas ranges we will catch our first glimpse of the South’s incredible architecture. After passing through a barren plain of scrub and desert on the other side of the mountains, we will stop for lunch in the town of Midelt, from which we will have a fantastic view of the dramatic peaks of the High Atlas rising behind the town.
Crossing Tizi-n-Talremt (Pass of the She-Camel), we will descend into a desert plain along the Ziz Valley. We will then head south to Erfoud and Rissani, into a huge oasis containing over six million palm trees and edged by many ksours (fortified villages). Our route will continue through an immense palm oasis and a vast area of stony plain that marks the transition to the desert before reaching the tranquil desert town of Merzouga in the afternoon, from which we will mount our camels and ride into the pink sands of the Erg Chebbi. We will have time to wander around the dunes before watching the sunset, and will spend the evening in a Berber camp amidst the dunes where we will have a campfire and enjoy a traditional Moroccan feast. After dark you can relax outside and marvel at the stars and crystal-clear Milky Way like few people have seen them. Overnight in Berber Camp.
If you would like to wake up early so that you can watch the spectacle of sunrise, when the color of the sand contrasts beautifully with the play of shadows on the dunes - after which you might want to try your hand at sand-boarding down them. After a refreshing shower and breakfast, we will ride the camels or fun 4X4 off-road drive through the dunes back to the kasbah in Merzouga town, we will be able to relax for a couple hours before taking a 4WD off-road tour around the dunes. On the tour we will visit the oasis of Merzouga, the nomadic depository, and Khamlia Village, where we will be able to hear gnawa music from the local people who are descendants of ex-slaves that found their way to Morocco from Senegal via the Salt Route. We will continue on to meet desert nomads in their tents and discover their way of life.
We will also visit the nearby Lake of Merzouga, with its diverse population of birds. Afterwards we will leave for Rissani. Once called Sijilmassa, this was the meeting place for the salt caravans coming from Timbuktu, Mali. Here you'll be able to walk through the souk, where you will be able to find spices, vegetables, and clothes. After having a pizza lunch in Rissani we will drive back to our Kasbah, where we will be greeted with a glass of tea or glass of wine and have some time to relax by the pool if available watching the sunset. In the evening we will dine on Moroccan cuisine and enjoy traditional live music, sit down and chat with locals, or enjoy some drumming lessons.
If you would like, your camel guide will wake you up early so that you can watch the spectacle of sunrise, when the color of the sand contrasts beautifully with the play of shadows on the dunes. Afterwards you might even want to try to sand-board down a dune or two. After a cup of tea, we will ride the camels back to the kasbah, where we will be able to freshen up before heading out of town and through Erfoud, where we will stop at a fossil workshop.
We will continue through the Todra Gorge, known as "Morocco's Grand Canyon", as well as the Valley of the Roses, famous for its Rose Festival in May, and over the "Road of 1000 Kasbahs" by the Skoura Oasis before arriving in Ouarzazate (pronounced Warza-zat), a city in the middle of a barren plateau at an altitude of 1160 meters, established at the crossroads of all routes going north, south, east, and west. We will stop here to have dinner and spend the night.
After breakfast we will take some time to explore Ouarzazate, which is known as the "Hollywood of Morocco". Ouarzazate's studios have produced films including "Lawrence of Arabia", "Alexander the Great", "The Last Temptation of Christ" and "The Living Daylights". You will have the chance to visit Atlas Studios, one of the most famous studios in Africa, to see where many of these blockbusters were shot. You will also have the chance to visit the iconic Taourirt Kasbah, which was once the seat of power for the powerful Glaoui clan that controlled this region.
We will leave Ouarzazate for Marrakech, first stopping at the nearby Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, the most famous kasbah in Morocco, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the backdrop for many of Ouarzazate's films including notably "Lawrence of Arabia". In the afternoon we will continue north across the High Atlas Mountains. The road, completed by the French Foreign Legion in 1936, winds up over the Tizi n'Tichka Pass and offers stunning views over the mountains before descending past Berber villages to the plains surrounding Marrakech.
Even today, the name Marrakech conjures up scenery straight out of Arabian Nights - alleyways, souks, and market stalls. This remarkable city, with the graceful architecture of the renowned 11th-century Koutoubia Minaret dominating the skyline, never fails to satisfy the curiosity of adventurous travelers. We will have dinner in Marrakech and spend the night.
After breakfast we will set off on a guided tour of Marrakech, known as the "Southern Pearl" of Morocco, which has for centuries been an important stop for traders and travelers alike. On our tour we will visit the Bahia Palace, the 16th-century Saadian tombs, and Menara and Majorelle Gardens. You will have some free time to have some lunch and visit the Koutoubia Mosque, whose 77 meter minaret dominates the center of Marrakech, and wander through the winding alleyways of the old medina.
We will continue to the Djemaa el Fna Square where you can try bartering with the locals or have a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice on one of the many rooftop terraces overlooking the square. After the sun sets you will witness Djemaa el Fna becoming even livelier and overflowing with food vendors. We will spend the night in Marrakech.
Today we will make as much use of our time as possible, wandering around the souks of Marrakech and finding souvenirs or gifts for friends before we take you to Marrakech Menara airport with plenty of time to catch your departure flight.
We are experts at creating a Moroccan experience perfectly tailored to our guests needs. These are some of our most popular itineraries, and they may be customized to the utmost extent of your imaginations.
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hello@besttravelmorocco.com
Angle boulevard Emile Zola et Rue Rethel
7éme Étage N°20
Casablanca 20300 Morocco
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