IMPERIAL CITIES AND DESERT TOUR  (9 DAYS)

 

 

Day 3

Rabat – Meknes – Volubilis – Moulay Idriss – Fez  

The third day of our circuit through the imperial cities of Morocco begins by leaving the city of Rabat in the direction of Meknes, although it is not as well known, Meknes is another Imperial City that became the capital of Morocco. It is a strong and powerful city with walls and palaces that led him to earn the nickname “The Versailles of Morocco”. After Meknes we continue the route to Volubilis, the largest and best preserved Roman settlement in North Africa declared a World Heritage Site since 1997. The ruins of Volubilis, are surrounded by walls and you can clearly see inside the areas of the Hot springs in Arab culture. We go to the holy city of Moulay Idriss with a great feature and it has a minaret in the mosque in a rounded shape with engravings of verses from the Koran, where the remains of the great-grandson of the king rest. We continue with the road to Fez where we will spend the night.

 

Day 4

Fez, free day

 

  Fez the intellectual and historical capital of Morocco and Declared a World Heritage Site, is divided into 3 parts: Fez el-Bali the old area within the walls, Fez el-Jdid where Mellah is located with the Jewish quarter and Nouvelle Ville (Villa Nueva), the French zone in the northwest of the city. From the viewpoint you can really check the magnitude of its medina, with more than 9,000 labyrinths, which somehow contains those 3 neighborhoods or medinas inside and is surrounded by an immense wall that “holds and grabs” it, as if it were to escape part of it by the multiple doors that have entry and exit. During the day off you can walk the streets of the medina, visit the place where the skins are tanned (Chouara), the Medersa Attarine, one of the main schools of the Koranic religion of Fez and is one of the most interesting madrassas of the city. You can also take advantage to do some shopping in the souks.

 

Day 5

Fes – Ifrane – Azrou – Midelt – Ziz Valley – Merzouga Desert  

On the fifth day we left Fez in the direction of the Middle Atlas by Ifrane, known as the Switzerland of Africa or the small Switzerland, the roofs of the houses simulate this European city, as it is an area of ​​great snowfall. We will continue to Azrou, where there is an extensive forest with the longest trees in Morocco, some of them are over 100 years old, they are cedar, holm oak and cork oak forests and therefore the area is home to a large wooden handicraft industry. Arriving at the Ziz Valley, we can not fail to observe a large green tongue in the form of zig-zag, several kilometers. We continue until we reach the impressive sand dunes of the Merzouga desert.    

Day 6

Merzouga – Khamlia – Visit to the Nomads – Mifis mines – dune camp

 

Today we are going to visit the surroundings of Merzouga. We will travel in the SUV villages and towns of Berber nomads, who live in dromedary skin khaimas or small mud and straw constructions, the houses of the villages in the area are all adobe. We will visit the now almost abandoned Minas de Mifis and enjoy the lively Gnawa music in Khamlia, known as the “village of blacks.” After lunch we return to the riad to change transport. The dromedaries will take us to the jaimas camp where we will spend a night that you will remember with emotion all your life. The experience includes typical Moroccan dinner, Berber drums around the fire and a blanket of stars at night.

 

 

Day 7

Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorges – Dades Gorges  

Today we wake up with the dawn and the effort is well worth it. The sunrise in the desert is really amazing and a good occasion for those who love photography. We return with the dromedaries to the riad and start the day passing through the Rissani market one of the most authentic and ancient that you can visit in Morocco. There is even a donkey parking for those who go by donkey to make their purchases. We continue to the Todra Gorges and Dades Gorges with its gorges, canyons and beautiful landscapes with contrasts of unique colors, where many people do risk sports such as climbing. Here we will spend the night.    

Day 8

Gorges of Dades – Valley of the Roses – Skoura – Ouarzazate  

 

We leave Dades behind, along the way you will be able to observe a formation of rocks of capricious forms, known by monkey fingers. We continue to the Valley of the Roses, every May they make the town festivities becoming all of color and aroma of rose. The majority of the inhabitants of the town live on this flower and what is obtained from it since they take advantage of everything. Next we go to the Skoura plameral by the route of the 1000 kashbahs, visiting the Kasbah Ameridil. We continue until we reach the movie mecca in Morocco, the city of Ouarzazate. Many movies have been shot here and you find what one day were stages in the city.

 

Day 9

Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech  

 

We leave Ouarzazte, for a few kilometers we leave the road that will take us to Marrakech to visit the kashbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a World Heritage Site. It is a group of adobe houses surrounded by high walls crowned by towers. The houses were piled up within the defensive walls, and were designed to defend the harvest and the palm groves that grew along the rivers. After the visit we will continue the journey back through the sharp curves of the High Atlas and the Tizi n´Tichka mountain pass, to finish again in Marrakech.