CASABLANCA to MARRAKECH (8 days) Moroccan Highlights
CASABLANCA to MARRAKECH (8 days) Moroccan Highlights
8 Days Starting in 34.059769,-7.589843 and ending in 31.625031,-7.992960
Visiting: Morocco
Tour operator:
Tour code:
519
Recommended For:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 10
Age range:
5-85
Special diets catered:
Request dietary needs
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Tour Overview
This classic small-group tour spends 8 days exploring Morocco's highlights, from the Imperial Cities, medinas and ancient cities of the north, to the Atlas mountains and Saharan sand dunes to the south. You'll get a real taste for everything that this most beautiful of North Africa's countries has to offer.
Starting from Casablanca you'll head to the old parts of Morocco's capital Rabat, and then take in the high ramparts and gardens of Meknes, and the UNESCO listed Roman ruins at Volubilis before arriving at Fes, the third of Morocco's Imperial Cities for the day. With its huge medina packed with tiny streets wide enough only for donkeys and bikes to provide transport, Fes is a delight to explore.
Next, the scenery changes dramatically as you cross the Atlas mountains for the first time before arriving at the edge of the Sahara Desert and the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes. You'll enjoy a camel trek through the dunes at sunset here, before spending the night at an authentic Berber camp with your local hosts on the edge of the desert. After this memorable night, you head to the dramatic Todra Gorge, and the iconic Ksar of Ait Benhaddou. The tour then finishes by crossing the High Atlas again, via North Africa's highest mountain pass, before arriving in Marrakech. With another famous Medina and the huge and busy Djemaa el Fna square to discover in the evening, Marrakech makes a perfect place to finish your time in Morocco.
Accommodation is in comfortable mid-range hotels plus one night in the desert camp, with extensions available at either end of the tour if you have more time available. The tour can also be arranged privately if you would rather not join a small group, or if our group dates do not work for you. Please contact us for details.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive In Casablanca: Transfer To Hotel
Accommodation Name: Casablanca hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
Welcome to Morocco! We will meet you at the airport today and transfer you to your hotel in the city centre. Your day is then free until we have a pre-departure meeting at 6.00pm where you will meet your fellow travellers.
If you arrive early this morning, or add an extra day to the start of the tour, you can join any members of the group who started the tour in Marrakech yesterday and visit the incredible Hassan II Mosque this afternoon. This is the largest mosque in Morocco and has a great location right next to the sea. Please contact us if you would like to book any pre-tour accommodation. (Note - the Hassan II Mosque visit is not available during Ramadan).
Day 2: Rabat: Meknes & Volubilis
Accommodation Name: Fes hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Our first stop today is the capital of Morocco, Rabat. Strategically located on the Atlantic coast, Rabat was formed way back in the third century BC and we'll visit the Oudaia Kasbah in the oldest part of the city today. We'll alsobe able to see Rabat's most famous landmark, the Hassan's Tower, as well as the Royal Palace.
Next stop is the Berber walled Imperial City of Meknes, a former capital of Morocco. The ramparts rise up to 40m tall, and inside them are many beautiful gardens and intricate gateways. Our final visit of the day is then the UNESCO listed Roman site of Volubilis, which dates back to AD40. This is the largest ancient site in Morocco and has many impressive ruins. We finish our day by making the short drive on to Fes.
Day 3: Full Day Exploring Fes
Accommodation Name: OVERNIGHT:</strong> Fes hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Considered the largest and oldest medieval city in the world by many, Fes is over 1,200 years old and is famous for its busy Medina. Home to 400,000 inhabitants this is packed with narrow winding streets, mosques, souks and is a heady mix of sights, smells and sounds. We'll spend plenty of time exploring the Medina, seeing various palaces and mosques (which non-Muslims will not be able to enter), and many different crafts on sale. ounds. Our guided otur will also include the Fes's famous dye-pits and tanneries, as well as a traditional Moroccan pharmacy and pottery. Finally we'll return to our hotel to relax after a long day of walking and exploring. This evening there is the option for a traditional meal inside the city with live Moroccan entertainment including music, belly dancing and magicians.
Day 4: Atlas Mountains & Sahara Desert Camp
Accommodation Name: Berber Camp
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today is a long driving day, but packed with spectacular scenery as we cross the Atlas Mountains and head towards the mighty Erg Chebbi sand dunes on the edge of the Sahara Desert. During the summer months we'll aim to find a spot for a relaxing swim on the way. After descending out of the hills and arriving at Merzouga, we will transfer to camels and take a trek in to the vast Sahara Desert dunes in time for the sunset. We'll then return to an authentic Berber camp on the edge of the desert and spend the evening enjoying some local food, music before settling in for a hopefully clear night under the Saharan stars.
Day 5: Todra Gorge
Accommodation Name: Todra Gorge hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We'll leave the desert sands reluctantly this morning and travel on to the impressive Todra Gorge. With 1,000ft high vertical cliffs surrounding the base of the canyon, the gorge is popular with rock climbers and there is an option to try this during some free time here this afternoon. You can also walk through the Palmerie area or take a hike through the Gorge, enjoying the changing colours of the cliffs as the sun moves across the sky. We will also visit a favourite Berber co-operative today where you can see and buy authentic locally made Berber hand-made rugs, kilims and carpets.
Day 6: Ouarzazate & Ait Benhaddou
Accommodation Name: Ait Benhaddou hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We leave the gorge this morning and follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs as we make our way past Ouarzazate to Ait Benhaddou. There are several options available today, including a quad biking trip on the desert sands with the Atlas Mountains in the distance, or an optional tour of the world famous film studios just outside Ouarzazate. These have helped create hundreds of famous movies and TV series, inclduing Lawrence of Arabi, The Living Daylights, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Man who would be King, The Mummy, Gladiator, Asterix & Obelisk, Kingdom of Heaven, Kundun, Legionnaire, Hanna, and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, as well as part of the TV series Game of Throne.
The main highlight today though is our guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou. Sitting on a hill next to the Ouarzazate river, Ait Benhaddou is a fortified city or ksar (a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls), with clay built houses and some great examples of traditional Kasbahs crowding together on the hillside protected by the defensive walls. We'll wind our way up through the winding streets to the fortified granary at the top of the hill which affords great views over the surrounding valley and to the high mountains we'll be crossing tomorrow.
Day 7: Cross The Atlas Mountains To Marrakech
Accommodation Name: Marrakech hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
It is another beautiful morning drive today as we head up and across the High Atlas mountains , en-route stopping at the Tizi N'tichka col, which at 2,260m is the highest pass in North Africa. Snow caps the surrounding peaks for several months of the year, making for spectacular views.
After arriving in Marrakech, your afternoon is free or you can book an optional guided tour of the city with our guide. The tour will feature Marrakech's pride and main landmark, the Koutoubia Tower. A companion tower to the Giralda Tower in Seville and the Tower of Hassan in Rabat, it is said that the sultan who built them had the eyes of his architect cut out to prevent him from ever building a more beautiful tower elsewhere. Our tour of course will also take in Marrakech's UNESCO listed medina, which is packed with stalls packed with spices, crafts, and seemingly everything else under the sun. We'll finish at the Djemaa-el-Fna, which is Marrakech's famous large open square. This really comes to life at night with masses of street food stalls, entertainers and local people packing it for the evening. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax by the hotel pool, explore the markets further, or do some souvenir shopping, before we meet up for a final group evening meal. You may then wish to head back to the square for a final exciting taste of Moroccan life.
Day 8: Tour Ends In Marrakech
Meals Included: Breakfast
Your Moroccan tour with us ends after breakfast today and your time is free until you depart. Our guide or the hotel will help you arrange a taxi for the short drive to the airport, or you can add extra days to explore Marrakech further if you wish.
What's Included
What's Not Included
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- International flights
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- Visas
- Tipping kitty - USD 50
- Tour guide tips
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Drinks, snacks and personal expenses
- Optional activities <
More Info
This classic small-group tour spends 8 days exploring Morocco's highlights, from the Imperial Cities, medinas and ancient cities of the north, to the Atlas mountains and Saharan sand dunes to the south. You'll get a real taste for everything that this most beautiful of North Africa's countries has to offer. Starting from Casablanca you'll head to the old parts of Morocco's capital Rabat, and then take in the high ramparts and gardens of Meknes, and the UNESCO listed Roman ruins at Volubilis before arriving at Fes, the third of Morocco's Imperial Cities for the day. With its huge medina packed with tiny streets wide enough only for donkeys and bikes to provide transport, Fes is a delight to explore. Next, the scenery changes dramatically as you cross the Atlas mountains for the first time before arriving at the edge of the Sahara Desert and the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes. You'll enjoy a camel trek through the dunes at sunset here, before spending the night at an authentic Berber camp with your local hosts on the edge of the desert. After this memorable night, you head to the dramatic Todra Gorge, and the iconic Ksar of Ait Benhaddou. The tour then finishes by crossing the High Atlas again, via North Africa's highest mountain pass, before arriving in Marrakech. With another famous Medina and the huge and busy Djemaa el Fna square to discover in the evening, Marrakech makes a perfect place to finish your time in Morocco. Accommodation is in comfortable mid-range hotels plus one night in the desert camp, with extensions available at either end of the tour if you have more time available. The tour can also be arranged privately if you would rather not join a small group, or if our group dates do not work for you. Please contact us for details.
Mode of Transport
AC Minivan, Minibus or Coach
Accommodation
3 to 4-star hotels & Berber camp
Check out our Q&As
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Are vaccinations required for this tour?
You should ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including emergency evacuation and repatriation.
Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary according to the country you are visiting and where you are travelling from. We recommend you contact your GP/medical practitioner or a travel clinic for current information on vaccinations needed for your destination. You should ensure that you are up to date with vaccines and boosters recommended for your normal life at home, including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions. In addition, additional courses or boosters normally recommended for the countries in this region are:
South Africa: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
Namibia: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from an infected area.
Botswana: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted or travelled through an infected area.
Zimbabwe: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
Zambia: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
Malawi: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
Tanzania: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area.
Kenya: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Poliomyelitis, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from an infected area.
Uganda: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid, Yellow Fever. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from an infected area.
Sudan: Additional vaccinations: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid, Yellow Fever. Malaria map. Yellow Fever certificate: Required if arriving from or having transitted through an infected area. A certificate may also be required for those departing Sudan.
Morocco: Additional vaccinations: Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Typhoid. Malaria not normally present. Yellow Fever certificate not required.
The above information can change at short notice. For up to date health information & vaccination requirements we recommend that you contact your medical practitioner or a travel clinic.
Malaria: Vaccinations are not available against Malaria, which is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can be very serious and sometimes fatal. You should avoid mosquito bites by covering up bare skin with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers and applying insect repellents to exposed skin. When necessary, sleep under a mosquito net. Mosquitoes are most active during and after sunset. You should consult with your GP/medical practitioner/travel clinic about the most appropriate malaria prophylactic medication to take for the regions you are visiting.
Yellow Fever: This disease is spread by infected mosquitoes that bite during the day. A Yellow Fever Certificate of vacinnation is often required as a condition of entry depending on which country you are arriving from, or that you have travelled or transitted through recently (including connecting flights with stopovers of over 12 hours). You can view this US CDC information about where the virus is present and follow the links to further information detailing which countries need you to have a Yellow Fever vaccination as part of their entry requirements. Please ensure you have this certificate organised in advance and with you and to hand during the trip.
Please inform us of any pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma and any prescription medicine you may be taking. We also need to know about any food allergies or physical disabilities that you may have.
If you are travelling on an Overland tour or your trip includes wildlife safaris then please bear in mind that you may be travelling on bumpy roads and/or rough ground for several hours at a time. This can be very uncomfortable or painful if you have a bad back, and make such conditions worse. Please contact us if you have any concerns. -
Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
Visa arrangements are the responsibility of the traveller, and requirements are subject to change by the local authorities. We recommend that you contact your closest Moroccan consulate or embassy for current information for your nationality.
Currently, many nationalities (including USA, Canada, UK, European, Australian, New Zealand) do not need to obtain a visa to enter Morocco as long as your stay is for less than 3 months. Other nationalities should check with their local consulate. -
Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
An English speaking guide will accompany the group throughout the tour, along with the driver. We may also use specialist local guides to give extra information at some of the sites visited during the tour.
At Encounters Travel we aim to only use local Moroccan guides and drivers. We feel this gives you the best experience of the country and the sites you are seeing and many people describe our Moroccan guides as one of the highlights of their holiday.
We may share this tour with travellers booking through other operators. -
What should I know before traveling?
It is important when considering and preparing to travel anywhere in the world that you have a good understanding of the country you are visiting, its laws and customs, and the possible risks and situations that may occur. This includes specific risks related to your itinerary (eg. does it involve water & can you swim, are you fit enough for the activities included), as well as more general risks such as terrorism and natural disasters.
General details and links to more information about health risks, visa requirements, money, and travel insurance are given in these tour notes. We recommend that you re-read all these before your departure as well as the small print of your travel insurance policy so you know exactly what is covered and what is not.
You should take copies of your important travel documents with you and ideally also store them online securely as a backup. Make sure that you have given us your emergency contact details and told that person where and when you are travelling. Ensure you take enough money with you and that you have access to emergency funds.
Finally, you should read through and stay updated with the current official government travel advice for your destination. We are registered partners with the UK Foreign Office's 'Travel Aware' campaign which provides further useful and invaluable information. -
Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Our Morocco tours include a 24-hour airport meet & assist service in Casablanca/Marrakech airports (depending on the exact itinerary), your arrival and departure airport-hotel transfers and all other transfers.
Your airport transfers are only included in our tour prices on the first and last day of the set tour itinerary. We will be happy to arrange transfers on any additional days if you book your hotel room with us. If you make your own arrangements for additional accommodation at either the beginning or the end of the tour then you will need to arrange your own airport transfers on these days.
On our Shoestring group tours we do offer optional hotel upgrades. This may mean that additional pick-up and drop-offs are required each day. We do endeavour to ensure that all hotels used are close to each other and to streamline and time arrangements to limit any extra driving time as much as possible.
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
The tour price includes entrance fees to all the tourist sites mentioned in the itinerary. You will need to cover the cost of entrance to any other extra sites that you may wish to visit.
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Is travel insurance compulsory?
Yes! Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event).
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
You are always able to change your travel date. However, some charges may apply depending on how long before your departure you make the change. Our flexible booking conditions and reduced charges will apply if you are changing date because of a Covid-19 reason or because your government is advising against travel to your destination. Please check our detailed booking conditions for full details.
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When is my balance payment due?
60 days prior to departure
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
On most of our group tours, solo travellers may choose to form a temporary 'tour bubble' and share a room with another traveller of the same sex in the group. If a room share is not available then a single room supplement may be payable, with the costs for these kept as low as possible. We have also removed compulsory single supplements from many of our tours, and are reducing the cost by 50% on s
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Can I transfer my booking to someone else?
Customers may transfer their booking or any Credit on File to another person who satisfies all the relevant conditions to the tour, provided that we are notified not less than 7 days before departure, and the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us. The Client and new booker are jointly and severally responsible for any outstanding payments and a transfer administration fee of GBP50 / USD75 / CAD100 / AUD100 / NZD100 / EUR75 / ZAR1000 / INR5000 or GBP100 / USD150 / CAD200 / AUD200 / NZD200 / EUR150 / ZAR2000 / INR10,000 if the transfer is made less than 60 days before departure. Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed (for example flight tickets, Gorilla Permits) and any alteration could incur a cancellation and rebooking charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Encounters Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform encounters travel, 60 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Encounters Travel requires a minimum deposit of 150 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of encounters travel charges.
Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 35% of booking price.
At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.