Arrive in Paris at 11 AM. After a 4-hour layover, connect on a flight scheduled to arrive in Casablanca at 5 PM. Travel through Casablanca’s residential areas on your way to city center where you’ll see some of the city’s other highlights, including Mohamed V Square, the Habous quarter, and the Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral. Then, arrive at your upscale hotel where you will have an orientation  and welcome dinner. 

After a sumptuous breakfast, take a brief tour of Casablanca before leaving for Marrakech. With its origins dating back to 7th-century BC, Casablanca is the economic and cultural capital of Morocco and home to a wide variety of influences – from French to Spanish to Portuguese to Arab to British. The guided tour will include a visit to exterior of the enormous and ornate Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in North Africa and the third largest in the world.

Then travel to Marrakesh, the “Red City”, a majestic place filled with palaces, gardens, markets, and mosques. Your afternoon tour of the city starts with a visit to the 16th-century Saadian Tombs, where approximately 60 members of the Saadi Dynasty found their final resting place.  Your fascinating city tour will also include the Koutoubia Mosque with its iconic minaret and the stunning Bahia Palace. You’ll then enjoy one of the highlights of any trip to Marrakesh – walk through the UNESCO World Heritage Medina with its palm readers, snake charmers, acrobats, and musicians before arriving at the spectacular Jemaa El Fna. Evening at leisure. 

This morning, after breakfast, enjoy a full day excursion to Essaouira, a charming and exotic seaside town on the Atlantic coast. En route to Essaouira, visit the Marjana Cooperative where you’ll observe the extraction of Argan Oil, the demand for which has increased significantly due to its use in both cosmetics and western cuisine. Essaouira, with its beautiful fortified walls and busy fishing harbor, is known as the “Windy City of Africa” and has preserved a truly Moroccan charm. You’ll walk along the city walls north of Moulay Hassan Square and then continue on Skala de la Ville where you will enjoy an unmatched view of the city’s port and its beautiful collection of bright blue fishing boats. Explore the Medina, where artists continue to hone their crafts just as they have for centuries and merchants in the many souks (or markets) will have plenty to offer, including spices and jewelry. Return to Marrakesh for an evening at leisure. (B)

Enjoy a free day in Marrakech. There will be 2 optional tours offered: 

Couscous Cooking Demonstration and Museums, Palace, & Gardens with Lunch ($50 per person, including lunch)

and 

Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride & Authentic Moroccan Dinner ($65 per person, including dinner)

After breakfast, bid farewell to Marrakesh and journey across the High Atlas Mountains and the spectacular Tichka Pass on your way to Boumalne Dades. Stop for a brief tour of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A giant fortification, it is a unique example of pise clay architecture and one of the filming locations for several films and TV shows, including Gladiator and Game of Thrones. Enjoy lunch on your own before arriving in Dades, located at the edge of the Sahara Desert, where you’ll be swept away on your orientation tour by the magnificent canyons and breathtaking landscapes. Arrive at your upscale hotel where you’ll enjoy an included dinner. Xaluca Hotel (B,D)

Today, travel to Erfoud, widely described as an “oasis” in the Sahara Desert. Along the way, marvel at one of Morocco’s most visited natural sights, the lush Todra Palmeraie Gorge, with dramatic 985-foot high walls that will make for spectacular photographs along your walking tour, so be sure to have your camera ready! Continue on to Erfoud, the gateway to the desert, where you’ll check in and relax with dinner at your deluxe hotel. Kasbah Hotel Xaluca Erfoud (B,D)

After breakfast, enjoy an unforgettable, full-day included excursion through the Erg Chebbi, the largest sand desert in Morocco. You’ll begin by discovering the town of Rissani, formerly a caravan center and still an important commercial center in the region, with a large and vibrant souk at its center.  Then, head into the desert via a 4×4 caravan and discover various small villages until you reach Tissardmine, a serene village where you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch before ascending to the peak of Erg Chebbi. This stunning view of the vast surrounding desert will take your breath away, and you’ll trade automobiles for camels for the authentic Moroccan travel experience. One of the highlights of the trip, a journey through the Merzouga dunes on camelback, should leave you with memories that will last a lifetime (and amazing pictures as well)! Return to your upscale hotel after sunset and enjoy an included dinner. (B,L,D)

Today, journey through the beautiful Middle Atlas mountain range, with its thick woods filled with lush cedar and oak trees en route to Fez. Along the way, you’ll pass through Ifrane, a picturesque ski town, and Azrou, known for its cedar wood handicrafts. As you enter Fez, there is a breathtaking view of the ancient city from a hill overlooking the medina. Barcelo Hotel (B)