Morocco Bespoke Private Tour
In this tour, you will compare and contrast the historical cities of Morocco with privately guided tours of Marrakesh, Fez, Rabat, and Essaouira. You will be guided to visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis and view its intricate and well-preserved mosaics. You will be able to learn how to make delicious, traditional Moroccan foods with a cooking class in Marrakesh. Fly high above Marrakesh and the landscapes north of the city on a spectacular sunset hot air balloon ride. All services in this tour are high-end deluxe.
Upon arrival in Casablanca, you’ll be met at the airport by a local representative and your private driver, who will drive you to your hotel. You have fast-track assistance included on arrival, allowing you to skip the queues at customs and pass through the airport with ease.
This morning your driver will collect you for the short one-hour drive to Rabat, where you enjoy a privately guided city tour. The capital is a calmer and less intricate city than Fez and Marrakesh, making it a good introduction to the Imperial cities. During your half-day tour, you visit the 12th-century Hassan Tower, built during the reign of the Almohads who founded Rabat, as well as other significant sites, including the Mausoleum of Mohammad V, and the Kasbah of the Oudayas.
En route to Fez with your private driver, you stop to visit the impressive Roman ruins of Volubilis and the lesser-known Imperial city of Meknes. You join a local guide for a private tour of Volubilis, a wonderful Roman site and once the western border of their Empire. Continue for a tour of Meknes afterwards. After visiting Volubilis and Meknes you stop for a wine tasting and lunch at Chateau Roslane, an acclaimed wine estate in the foothills of the Middle Atlas Mountains.
Enjoy breakfast on the rooftop terrace, then head out for a full-day tour of the city. Founded in 781AD, Fes is now considered the world’s largest car-free urban zone. Keep an eye out for the mule-drawn carriages that speed through the alleyways as you explore the city streets. Stop at the medina’s Jewish quarter, the medersas, then continue to the legendary tanneries to see ancient techniques being used to prepare leather. The vast tanneries use a variety of traditional methods to produce high-quality Moroccan leather, which is used in everything from clothing to bags and other handicrafts. A must-see in Fes is the world’s oldest and the longest-operating institution of higher learning, the University of Al Quaraouiyine, which was founded in 859AD. Break for lunch at a restaurant in the medina, then spend the afternoon resting or exploring the city on your own.
Your discovery of southern Morocco begins today as you’re driven south through the Atlas Mountain ranges to the edge of the Sahara, a long but interesting journey. You then transfer into a 4×4 for your drive into the desert, where you will arrive in time to ride a camel across the dunes and watch the sunset.
This morning, you leave the desert behind and travel with your driver along the Dades Valley on the route known as ‘The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs‘. You have time to explore the Todra Gorge and then continue to your accommodation in Skoura, where you will stay for two nights.
This morning you have a visit with your private guide to the palmeraie, or palm grove, to explore the largest oasis in the Dades Valley. The luscious greenery and fertile valley emerge from the desert alongside crumbling kasbahs. Afterwards, you return to your guesthouse for an afternoon at leisure to relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities.
After a stop in The Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou , your journey continues northwest, ascending the High Atlas mountains and through the Tizi n’Tichka pass. Stop near the top of the pass to enjoy the vista and the highest peak, Mount Toubkal at 13,671 feet (4,167 m). From there, visit Taddert to tour an argan oil cooperative and discover how the nuts are processed to extract the precious oil used in the health and beauty industries. As you continue to descend the north side of the mountain range, notice the dramatic change in climate and scenery: from arid and barren to humid and verdant. Enjoy the spectacular mountainous views.
Today you will get an incredible insight into rural life in the High Atlas Mountains. Spend the day with a local Amazigh family baking bread in a traditional oven, and cooking tagine. Afterwards, you visit the Assafou Foundation, which supports and trains local women in traditional weaving techniques. Profits are then invested back into the community.
Your journey with your driver today takes you through the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, skirting Marrakesh and continuing onto the charming coastal town of Essaouira.
Today, you will have a morning walking tour of Essaouira with a private guide, which will help you to familiarise yourself with this coastal town. You can meander through the medina, watch the fishing boats return with the catch of the day, stroll along the sandy beach and watch the sunset over the Atlantic from the impressive Portuguese ramparts. In the afternoon, you join a Moroccan pastry workshop and learn how to make sweet treats such as almond gazelle horns and orange blossom biscuits.
Your private driver transfers you from the coastal city of Essaouira to the exotic city of Marrakesh today. This journey will take around three hours. Along the way, if you are interested you could stop at one of the local women’s cooperatives where they make argan oil and other products from the kernels of the argan tree.
Today, enjoy a privately guided tour of the main sights of Marrakesh, many of which are located within the city walls which enclose the ancient medina. In the morning, your guide focuses on some of the historical highlights including the Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, Badi Palace, and Bahia Palace. In the afternoon, you focus on the arts and crafts of the city, visiting the souqs and ending in Djemaa El Fna.
Today you head to La Maison Arabe, one of the first restaurants to open to foreigners in Marrakesh, for a shared cooking class and a chance to try your hand at making traditional Moroccan food. You will use locally sourced ingredients and be led by an expert dada (traditional Moroccan cook) who will demonstrate to you and teach you how to make an appetiser and main course which you will then devour afterwards. This evening, you get a completely different view when you head up in a hot air balloon. The ride takes you across the city and up to the dramatic landscapes north of Marrakesh, an impressive way to watch the sunset.
Today , you’ll be driven to the airport this morning for your onward flight. Your local representative will accompany you through to security to ensure your safe departure. We have included fast-track assistance, meaning you will skip the often lengthy queues at customs and ensure you reach your flight with plenty of time to spare.
Services
Included
- Entrance fees of the scenic spots as listed in the itinerary.
- Meals as specified in the itinerary.
- Meeting and assistance on arrival or departure and all needed transfers at airport/hotel/station/ferry as per itinerary.
- Sightseeing or activities as listed in the itinerary.
- Accommodation with daily breakfast.
- Private transfers between airports, hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing
- Bottled water on sightseeing days
- Service charges: Our offer includes the planning, handling, operational and communication charges & current VAT Taxes.
Important Notes
Check-in after 2:00 pm & Check-out before 12:00 pm. Early check-in or late check-out is subject to room availability and may generate additional full-day room charges. * In some remote or protected areas in Africa, such as Uganda, solar power is the main source of energy which is not suitable for using Air Conditioners at their lodges, and they will provide fans in the room, and in fact, air-cons are not necessary in these National Parks or Reserves.
In case of snowing during November and February in the High Atlas Mountains, we would drive slower than usual to ensure safety. In this case, you may reach Erfoud later than expected. If snow blocks the road, we will stay in Midelt for the night, and head further south the following day. Though mostly clear days, winds are unpredictable in the desert area. And even luxurious tents are not totally sanding-proof on windy days. If you would like to return to the Erfoud hotel for the night, we could arrange it upon the availability of hotel rooms.
Your passport should be valid for a certain period beyond your intended stay in the destination country. The required validity can vary. Six months beyond your planned departure date from the destination country is a common requirement. And ensure you have at least 2 blank pages for visa stamps. Visa requirements vary from country to country; please consult your travel consultant for more details if you are unsure whether a visa is required for your trip.
Pick ups in each city or area via private air-conditioned vehicle as listed in the itinerary. Appropriate size vehicles will be used according to the number of your group to ensure you have enough leg room and luggage space. Please be aware that the arrival or departure transfer is based on all members arriving or departing on the same flight, additional cost will be charged when arriving or departing on different flights and separate transfers.
Spring (March – May) and autumn (September – October). Coastal areas such as Essaouira remain pleasantly warm and not too hot in summer (June – August). The Mediterranean north is pleasant in spring and summer.
We arrange an English-speaking driver for the entire trip. Whilst you tour at Fez and Marrakech, we will arrange private English-speaking guides on sites, and your driver will be in charge of driving you from site to site and city to city, of course, your driver is also able to give you general information on Morocco. On your request, we are also able to arrange a private tour guide throughout the entire Morocco trip with a supplement.
Ramadan is an annual month-long festival, during which travel can be a rewarding cultural experience, however some regular services may not be available during the day, such as restaurants or cafes, and occasionally travel can be disrupted by events. Your leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly, but please consider this when selecting your travel dates. You’ll find dates and further information in the ‘Climate and seasonal information’ section of the Essential Trip Information.
There are a couple of long travel days on this trip, particularly the day travelling to the Sahara Desert. Rest stops will be made on the way and you’ll be rewarded with great views on the drive itself.
