Discover the best of Morocco and its local culture in a small group… From ancient medinas to vast Saharan dunes; Morocco’s enchanting landscapes will mesmerize and transport you back in time. Haggle for spices and textiles in bustling souks, sleep under an immense blanket of twinkling stars in the Sahara Desert, and caravan by camel just like Berber nomads. 

The Blue City: Chefchaouen’s brilliant blues will engulf you for 3 days and 2 nights whereas many groups skip it or just do a quick stop.

Luxury desert camp!: Spend a night among the dunes of the Sahara with a blanket of stars covering the night sky... A truly bucket list experience!

Extraordinary accommodations: The riads on this trip are hand-picked for their uniqueness and quality. They include a boutique hotel that is built right into the side of a gorge wall and a luxury desert camp straight out of Arabian Nights!

Welcome to Morocco! Upon arrival, settle in at your riad and have the rest of the day free to immerse yourself in Tangier's whitewashed hillside medina homes. If you're feeling jet-lagged, head up to the riad's rooftop terrace, ranked as the best rooftop terrace in Tangier by Lonely Planet. While there, have your first taste of the famous mint tea, colloquially known as Berber whisky!

Included:

• Activities: Arrival (at your own expense); Free time
• Accommodation: Riad

After breakfast, you'll be on your way to the city of Chefchaouen, also known as The Blue City. As soon as you approach this city nestled among the Rif Mountains, you’ll see why it got its nickname. Its medina is engulfed by striking hues of blue and intricate door fronts. After checking into the hotel, go for an orientation walk of the ancient medina and then, stop at a local family's house for lunch. You have the rest of the day free to roam around the winding streets of this photogenic blue town.

To see what Chefchaouen looks like, check out our video HERE!

Included:

• Transfers: Tangier - Chefchaouen (approx. 2 hrs)
• Activities: Chefchaouen orientation walk; Lunch at local family's home; Free time
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Accommodation: Boutique hotel

Today is yours to explore the captivating blue city of Chefchaouen at your leisure. Around every corner is a photo opportunity and there is an abundance of things to do in and around the city. You can spend the day getting lost in the maze of blue homes and shops. For cheese lovers, we suggest sampling the delicious local goat cheese at a cafe. To admire great panoramic views of the city and surrounding area, go for a hike up to the Spanish mosque with a picnic lunch. If you’re looking for some R&R, why not visit a hammam (spa) for a scrub and massage? The choice is yours and your trip leader will be there to point you in the right direction!

Included: 

• Activities: Free time; Optional activities (at your own expense)
• Meals: Breakfast 
• Accommodation: Boutique hotel

This morning, you'll head to Fes. Upon arrival, have lunch together as a group, and then, the rest of the day is yours to wander through the chaotic medina with surprises around every corner.

Included:

• Transfers: Chefchaouen - Fes (approx. 3.5 hours)
• Activities: Free time
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Accommodation: Riad

This morning, there'll be a guided walking tour of Fes' medina, alive with craftsmen, markets, tanneries, and mosques. Pass donkeys piled high with goods and explore the specialty stalls that fill the souks. Stop by a tannery where you can see how animal hides are treated to make the leather goods that Fes is known for. Be forewarned, the tannery has a very distinct odor but you’ll be provided with fresh mint to keep the smells at bay! Next, visit a ceramics cooperative where potters work using traditional methods. Lastly, stop by Medersa Bou Inania, one of the city's most beautiful buildings. After lunch as a group, you will have free time to do as you wish and as always, your trip leader is there to point you in the right direction.

*NOTE: If you do not wish to join the group in any of today's activities, you are welcome to explore on your own. Your trip leader can offer recommendations.

Included:

• Activities: Fes medina walking tour; Leather tannery; Ceramics cooperative; Free time
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
• Accommodation: Riad

Say goodbye to the hustle and bustle of Fes and leave toward Erfoud. On the way, you'll drive through the scenic Middle Atlas Mountains, fertile valleys, and cedar & pine forests all while trying to spot Barbary apes and nomadic shepherds tending their flocks.

Nestled in an oasis town in the Sahara Desert, Erfoud is a filming location for many movies. The town is known for its unique landscape of vast stretches of desert dunes and rocky terrain.

Take a lunch break in Midelt which includes a couscous demonstration. Then, continue to Erfoud where you will have dinner as a group and unwind before embarking on your Saharan adventure tomorrow.

Included:

• Transfers: Fes - Erfoud (approx. 7.5 hrs)
• Activities: Lunch with couscous demo
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner  
• Accommodation: Hotel

Today offers a change in scenery as you drive, from barren mountainsides to fertile valleys, until you arrive at the small Saharan settlement of Merzouga. With golden dunes as a backdrop, Merzouga feels wonderfully isolated, as if the modern world has left it behind.

Next, jump on a 4WD and make your way through Erg Chebbi's sea of wind-blown sands toward your desert camp. After settling in, hop on a camel and go for a ride over the dunes at sunset.

Tonight, enjoy a hearty feast and then, gather around the campfire for a Berber drum circle while an infinite number of stars above you set the scene for a magical evening.

Included:

• Transfers: Erfoud - Erg Chebbi (approx. 1 hr)
• Activities: 4WD transfer from hotel to camp; Camel ride for sunset; Berber drum performance
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner  
• Accommodation: Luxury desert camp

After an enchanting night in the desert, return to civilization and drive to Boumalne Dades, located near the magnificent Todra Gorge in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, dotted with mud-brick villages perched on hillsides. Enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers at the hotel. Tonight, you will sleep in a unique hotel that is carved into the side of a mountain!

Included:

• Transfers: Erg Chebbi - Boumalne Dades  (approx. 5 hrs)
• Activities: Free time
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
• Accommodation: Boutique hotel

Today, hit the road to Ait Ben Haddou, the location of a ksar (fortified village) that once stood on the Trans-Saharan caravan route. It is also one of the best-preserved kasbahs (citadel) in the Atlas region. On the way, stop for lunch at Ouarzazate where iconic films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Black Hawk Down were filmed.

In the afternoon, settle into the hotel with spectacular views of the ksar. Afterward, you’ll have the option of taking a walk around the famous kasbah. For dinner, there'll be a cooking class/demonstration to learn the art of making the perfect tagine and couscous.

Included:

• Transfers: Boumalne Dades - Ait Ben Haddou (approx. 4 hrs)
• Activities: Cooking demo; Kasbah visit (optional & at your own expense)
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 
• Accommodation: Boutique hotel

Head to the frenetic city of Marrakech, also known as The Red City for a guided walking tour of its exotic medina. You'll be enticed by the alluring scents of delectable foods, the brilliant colors of spice markets, and the sounds of musicians.

The rest of the day is yours to do as you please. We recommend having dinner at the famous Djemaa el Fna, one of the largest public spaces in the world and unique to Marrakech. When the night falls on this square, it transforms into a hive of activity. Henna painters, performers, and storytellers share the square with a street food bazaar, packed with stalls loaded with Moroccan delicacies. While you're there, why not enjoy a few Moroccan pastries with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice? We suggest finishing your day with a cup of tea at one of the rooftop restaurants overlooking the square.

*NOTE: The medina is a main attraction in Marrakech. Even if you're not an avid shopper, many find it enjoyable to just get lost in the sights, sounds, and smells that consume the souks. If you do not wish to join the group in the Medina for shopping, you are welcome to return to the hotel or explore on your own.

Included:

• Transfers: Ait Ben Haddou - Marrakech (approx. 4 hrs)
• Activities: Marrakech medina walking tour; Free time
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Riad

You have today free to explore the medina for some last-minute shopping in the seemingly endless mosaic of souks. Each is devoted to a separate trade: pottery, woodwork, copper, leather, carpets, and spices. Watch skilled artisans perfect their craft, practice your haggling skills, take a break from the hustle to sip on a glass of tea, or partake in one last tagine. Or maybe you'll want to visit the well-known Koutoubia Mosque and its 12th-century minaret.

Take a stroll through the tropical gardens of the French painter Jacques Majorelle (now owned by Yves Saint Laurent). Maybe you'd prefer to check out Palais Bahia, a superb example of Muslim architecture, or the ruins of Palais Badi, reputedly one of the most beautiful palaces in the world in its time.

Alternatively, the Saadian Tombs are a recently uncovered gem of the medina. This evening, if you're drawn back to Djemaa el Fna and its surrounding medina, we suggest a meal at one of the many outdoor restaurants lining the square as a great way to end your adventure.

Included:

• Activities: Free time (optional activities at your own expense) 
• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Riad

Depending on your flight time, you will have free time on your own in Marrakech before heading back home.

Included:

• Activities: Free time; Departure (at your own expense)
• Meals: Breakfast

*Itinerary is subject to change.