8-day route from Fez to Marrakech

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8-day route from Fez to Marrakech

Duration

8 days / 7 nights

Starting point

Fez

End point

Marrakech

Description

8-day route from Fez to Marrakech takes you from the historic city of Fez to the vibrant streets of Marrakech, crossing the Sahara Desert, spectacular valleys and legendary kasbahs. You will discover World Heritage medinas, share moments with nomad families, spend a night under the stars in the desert and explore the cultural and natural richness of Morocco, with an English-speaking guide and private transport throughout the trip.

Highlights

Tour itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Fez – night in Fez

Pick-up at the airport of Fez at your flight’s arrival time and transfer to the riad/hotel in the Fez medina. Free afternoon to stroll around Bab Boujloud square and get your first taste of local life in Morocco. Dinner and overnight at the riad/hotel.

Day 02: Visit of the medina and monuments of Fez

After a delicious breakfast at the riad, we begin our guided tour of the new part of Fez, where we visit the Royal Palace and the Jewish quarter (Mellah). Then we go to a viewpoint from which we can see the whole medina from the South Tower and its many mosques.

Then we will walk through the medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its maze of alleys, organized by guilds of potters, dyers and other craftsmen, and the bustle of its people will take us back centuries. We will see that it is a medieval city where time has stood still at the «Magana Bou Inania» water clock, 1,200 years after it was built. Dinner and overnight at the riad.

Day 03: Fez – Ifrane – Cedar Forest – Midelt – Ziz Valley – Erfoud – Merzouga Desert

We head south across the Middle Atlas Mountains to Ifrane, known as «Morocco’s little Switzerland» for its strong resemblance to that country. One of the animals that once lived here was the Atlas lion, which has become the symbol of the town, with a stone statue in its center. We will stop to take some photos.

We will cross the famous cedar forests, where we can admire the Gouraud Cedar, the largest ancient cedar in the region, and see the Barbary macaques that live in the area. Lunch in Midelt; from here the land becomes arid and full of spectacular geological formations and deep green valleys, such as the Ziz Valley. We will start to see the typical adobe architecture, palm trees and distant kasbahs…

we are at the gates of the desert. About an hour after Erfoud we reach the impressive dunes of Merzouga. After the welcome tea, we will leave the luggage in the rooms and climb the first dunes next to the hotel to enjoy the beautiful sunset. Dinner and overnight at a hotel just a few meters from the Erg Chebbi dunes.

Day 04: Merzouga – Nomad families – Camel ride and night in nomad tents

We are in the desert and today will be a full desert day. After a hearty breakfast, we will drive around Erg Chebbi, the sand sea where Morocco’s Great Dune rises more than 250 meters high, following tracks that were part of the old Paris-Dakar rally, with the mountains on the Algerian border in the background.

We will continue to a nomad settlement where we will learn some of the secrets of their life and customs. Then we will stop at a viewpoint to see Erg Chebbi as a whole. We will reach the village of Khamlia, whose people originally came from Mali, where we will relax with tea while enjoying a small concert of spiritual Gnawa music.

Back at the hotel, we will set off on a camel caravan into the heart of the dunes to watch an unforgettable sunset. We will reach the camp on our dromedaries, where we will stay in nomad tents (made of dromedary hair), like those used by the desert nomads. Dinner and night in the tents in the heart of the desert under a spectacular blanket of stars.

Day 05: Merzouga Desert – Rissani Market – Todra Gorges – Dadés Valley

After a good breakfast, it is time to say goodbye to the desert and head to Rissani to visit its market (if we are lucky and it is a market day: Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday). We will continue to Erfoud, where you can visit a fossil marble workshop, before heading to the palm groves of Touroug and Tinejdad. An hour later we will reach one of the highlights of the High Atlas: the Todra Gorges.

The Todra river has carved a canyon of huge vertical walls of great beauty; it is a paradise for climbers and a unique place. Lunch on site; a half-hour walk is recommended to enjoy the gorges in detail. In the afternoon we will continue to the Dadès Valley, also known as the Valley of Figs, passing through Boumalne Dadès, and stop at the «monkey fingers» rock formations. Dinner and overnight in the Dadès Gorges.

Day 06: Dades Valley – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – High Atlas – Marrakech

After breakfast, we will enjoy one of the best views of the Dades Valley from one of the most strategic viewpoints in the mountains. From there, we will see the many kasbahs and how picturesque each of them is. Then we will drive along a road dotted with interesting kasbahs and pass through Ouarzazate, known as the gateway to the desert.

Here you can visit one of its film studios, where several internationally known films have been shot. We will continue to the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou to visit its famous kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Renowned films such as Gladiator, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, Sahara with Penélope Cruz and The Jewel of the Nile have been shot in this spectacular setting. We will have lunch there and then travel to Marrakech via the highest pass, Tizi n’Tichka. On the way, we will visit an argan oil cooperative, where we will learn about the production process and the many benefits of argan oil. We will arrive in Marrakech around 6 p.m. and have free time to discover the famous Jemaa el-Fna square. Dinner there. Overnight at a riad.

Day 07: Marrakech – guided tour of Marrakech – Marrakech

After breakfast at our riad in Marrakech, we will enjoy a full day in the city. We begin our guided tour at the Bahia Palace, built in the late 19th century with the intention of being the largest palace of its time.

We continue to the Koutoubia Mosque, notable for its 66-meter minaret (77 meters according to some sources), the tallest building in the city and a symbol and landmark of Marrakech. Then we will explore the great souks of Marrakech and soak up the city’s vibrant commercial atmosphere. In the afternoon, you can visit the Majorelle Garden.

After our guided tour of Marrakech, we will return to the riad to rest. The evening is free to stroll around Marrakech’s main square, Jemaa el-Fna, and enjoy its local atmosphere. Dinner and overnight at the riad.

Day 08: Marrakech – Marrakech Airport

Breakfast at the riad and transfer to the airport 2 hours before your flight, which marks the end of our services and of the trip, hoping you have had a wonderful time.