Morocco Sahara & Imperial Cities Tour

Travel north this morning from Casablanca to Rabat, Morocco’s coastal capital, where royal history, civic life, and long-standing traditions come together.

After settling into Riad Almazhar, explore the city with a local guide, focusing on Rabat’s most meaningful historic landmarks. Discover remnants of an ambitious 12th-century mosque, a national monument honoring modern Morocco’s founding era, and a centuries-old walled site where Roman and Islamic history quietly coexist.

Continue through Rabat’s ocean-facing kasbah and old medina, where everyday life unfolds among artisan workshops, narrow lanes, and coastal viewpoints. Along the way, encounter a long-standing local tradition that offers insight into how neighborhoods have gathered and shared daily life for generations.

Meals included: Breakfast

Depart this morning toward Fes, traveling through landscapes layered with history and stopping at two of northern Morocco’s most significant sites along the way.

Begin with a guided visit to Volubilis, the country’s most impressive Roman archaeological site, where remarkably preserved mosaics and stone streets offer insight into daily life nearly two thousand years ago. Continue to Meknes, once an imperial capital, to explore its monumental gates and royal complexes that reflect the ambition and scale of Morocco’s imperial past. Lunch in Meknes highlights regional flavors and local specialties.

Arrive in Fes by late afternoon. This evening, enjoy dinner in a local home featuring a traditional pastilla cooking demonstration, offering insight into the preparation of one of Morocco’s most iconic dishes before sharing the meal together.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend the day immersed in Fes el-Bali, the world’s largest car-free urban zone and a UNESCO World Heritage site, where daily life continues much as it has for centuries.

Explore the medina on foot with a knowledgeable local guide, moving through its layered neighborhoods and historic quarters. Visit the famed Chouara Tannery, where leather is still dyed using traditional methods, and pass by Al-Qarawiyyin University, recognized as the oldest continuously operating educational institution in the world. Along the way, step into artisan workshops to see master craftspeople at work, using techniques passed down through generations. Visit the Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts, housed in a beautifully restored historic building.

Meals included: Breakfast

Depart Fez early this morning and journey south across the Middle Atlas Mountains, where landscapes gradually shift from forested highlands to open desert plains. Pass through Ifrane and the cedar forests near Azrou, before continuing toward the edge of the Sahara.

Pause in the Ziz Valley for sweeping views of palm-filled oases carved into the landscape, then enjoy lunch en route. By late afternoon, arrive in Merzouga, where the towering dunes of Erg Chebbi rise from the horizon.

As the day softens into evening, continue by camel into the dunes as the desert glows with shifting shades of gold and amber. The silence, scale, and vast openness of the Sahara at sunset create a striking sense of calm and wonder. Arrive at your desert camp for a traditional Berber dinner under the stars, followed by music and storytelling around the fire, with the desert night unfolding quietly all around you.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Wake to a magical Sahara sunrise, watching the dunes glow as the desert transitions from cool blues to warm golds. After breakfast back in Merzouga, depart toward the Dades Valley, traveling through landscapes shaped by time, water, and trade.

En route, stop at Todra Gorge, where sheer canyon walls tower dramatically above the riverbed, offering time for a short walk and a sense of the region’s geological scale. Continue through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, a route once lined with fortified villages that tell the story of caravan routes and oasis life.

By late afternoon, arrive at your accommodations at Dades Valley, set amid striking rock formations and sweeping valley views. The evening we will have a traditional Moroccan dinner featuring authentic Berber tagine or couscous prepared with local ingredients.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Spend the day exploring the Dades Valley at a relaxed pace, where dramatic landscapes and village life unfold side by side. Begin with a gentle morning walk through the valley, passing traditional Amazigh villages and cultivated fields that reveal how daily life is shaped by the land.

The afternoon is unhurried, with time to relax and enjoy the quiet beauty of the surroundings, share tea and conversation with a local Amazigh family, an opportunity to learn about life in the valleys, seasonal rhythms, and enduring traditions rooted in this landscape. Later, take part in a hands-on introduction to Amazigh rug-making, learning basic knotting techniques while gaining insight into the symbols, stories, and meaning woven into traditional carpets. The day concludes with dinner featuring valley-grown produce and regional specialties, reflecting the rhythms and flavors of life in the Dades.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Depart Dades Valley this morning and travel through the Valley of Roses, a fertile region known for its fragrant rose harvest in spring. Stop at a local shop for a hands-on look at traditional rose water distillation and essential oil production, offering insight into how seasonal crops shape local livelihoods.

Continue through the palm groves and historic kasbahs of Skoura, then arrive in Ouarzazate for lunch, long known as Morocco’s film capital and gateway to the desert.

By late afternoon, reach the UNESCO-listed Aït Ben Haddou. Learn about traditional pisé (rammed earth) construction techniques that have preserved these earthen structures for centuries, meeting craftspeople who continue to maintain and restore UNESCO-listed sites using time-honored methods. As the light softens, enjoy a guided walk through the ancient ksar, a fortified village built of earth and stone and once an important stop along historic caravan routes.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy a relaxed morning at Aït Ben Haddou, with time to explore the ksar at your own pace or unwind at the kasbah before departing. Then begin the scenic drive across the Tizi n'Tichka, the highest paved mountain pass in Morocco, where dramatic elevations, shifting light, and sweeping views reveal the scale of the High Atlas Mountains. Pause at panoramic viewpoints along the way, with lunch in the mountains or upon arrival.

By afternoon, arrive in Marrakech—the storied “Red City”—and check in at your Riad. In the evening, head into the medina with a local guide for quick tour of the souks, where you will gain confidence navigating the souks, engage respectfully with vendors, and understand local customs such as haggling etiquette.

Later, you will have a guided street food experience with a local guide who will take you to sample delicious classic dishes at local places that you would normally not find on your own. Bring your appetite because you will be tasting a variety of savory and sweet dishes tonight.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Spend the day immersed in Marrakech, a city where layered history, daily ritual, and vibrant street life converge. Begin with a guided cultural tour, including the elegant Bahia Palace, known for its refined courtyards and detailed craftsmanship, and the madrasa Ben Youssef, once the largest Islamic college in Morocco and a masterpiece of design and proportion. Continue to Jemaa el-Fnaa, where storytellers, musicians, and performers bring the city’s oral traditions to life.

In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the souks, pamper yourself at a Hammam or shop at your own pace at the many souks.

The journey concludes with a farewell dinner in a warm, traditional setting, an evening to reflect on the experiences and connections made along the way.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye for now. Airport transfers are arranged to match your schedule. As you depart, may Morocco stay with you in the laughter shared, the flavors savored, and the spirit of bahja that welcomed you throughout the journey. The door remains open whenever you’re ready to return.

Meals: Breakfast