North Morocco Explorer

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 to settle in and have a first look around. Extra nights in the Casablanca hotel are available on request.

We'll leave Casablanca early this morning and head to the walled city of Meknes, one of Morocco's Imperial Cities. During our guided tour of the city we'll visit the Mausoleum of the sultan Mulay Ismail to see his magnificent tomb there, and the 12th century Grande Mosque which has an impressive green tiled roof. After lunch in Meknes we'll head on to Volubilis, an UNESCO-listed and well-preserved Roman colonial town which sat on the fringes of the Roman Empire. This is the largest ancient site in Morocco and full of impressive ruins. Our final stop today is at the holy city of Moulay Idriss. This was only opened to non-Muslims in 2005 and is where Moulay Idriss introduced the religion of Shiism in 789, starting a new dynasty. He also initiated construction of the city of Fes, which is where we end our journey today.

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. Our guided tour 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.

We leave Fes after breakfast today and head towards the Rif mountains. Our first stop is the picturesque town of Ouazzane, renowned throughout the Islamic world as an important spiritual centre as it was home to many of the pillars of Sufism. It also hosts the tomb of several important Moroccan saints which is a pilgrimage destination for many Jews who also consider Ouazzane a holy city. After a short time here we continue on into the Rif mountains and the incredible town of Chefchaouen. The medina in Chefchaouen is unmistakeable and one of Morocco's highlights, with its beautiful bright white and blue painted walls, steps and doors. The medina hosts both traditional Moroccan shops and cafes with authentic dishes to try, as well as some more touristy fare. The central square is the main focus with the 18th century Kasbah, central mosque and several cafes. You'll have time to explore the town and find a nice place to sit and eat and watch the world go by before we head to our hotel.

Your day is free to explore Chefchaouen at your leisure today. You could explore the steep cobbled lanes, practice your photography, visit the leather and weaving workshops, or relax with a Moroccan tea or coffee in the square. Another option today is to take a scenic drive (around 2 hours in total) into the hills to see the Cascades d'Akchour. There's a beatiful hike of around 2 hours here, following the river upwards, passing many small cascades to get to the main waterfall and pool at the top. There's a lot of height to gain and plenty of steps, so you need to be a little fit. If you bring a bathing suit with you then there's also the chance for a refreshing swim in the large pool below the main falls. Local Berbers offer tajines and snacks which are very welcome before you head back down again and return to Chefchaouen.

It's another change of scene today as we bid a fond farewell to Chefchaouen and head up to the Mahgreb coast and the important city of Tangier. Known as the gateway between Africa and Europe, the city has an important strategic location at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar which connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Many artists including Jack Kerouac, Tennessee Williams and Matisse found inspiration here. Even the Rolling Stones spent several days here recording with the legendary Master Musicians of Jajouka. Tanjier's location means it has a fascinating mix of cultures and influences which you can discover while exploring the port, the old and new medinas, and the Dar el Makhzen, formerly a sultans' palace but now a museum of Moroccan artefacts. The many rooftop terrace cafes also make great places to sit with a drink and watch the world go by.

We'll turn south again today and head for Morocco's capital, Rabat. The city was orginally formed in the third century BC and we'll have time to visit the the Oudaia Kasbah in the oldest part of the city, as well as Rabat's most famous landmark, the Hassan's Tower, and the Royal Palace. In the afternoon we drive on to Casablanca where the evenint is free to enjoy the city's popular nightlife or just have a meal out together.

After an early breakfast there is an optional visit to the Hassan II Mosque. This is the largest mosque in Morocco, holding up to 25,000 worshippers inside and a further 80,000 outside. It has the world's tallest minaret (210 metres) which is topped by a laser shining light towards Mecca. It is also the only mosque we know of in Morocco that allows non-muslims to visit. Combined with its spectacular location with the sea waves lapping up against it, this is a highly recommended visit. (Note - visits into the mosque are not allowed during Ramadan). We'll then make our final drive of the tour on to Marrakech, arriving in time for lunch. 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, enjoy a hammap experience, 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.

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.