Today we will tour Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco. Casablanca's history goes back to Berber settlements established 3,000 years ago. We’ll take a city tour and see the exterior of the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest mosque in Africa. The building is built partially on land and partially over the Atlantic Ocean. Six thousand traditional Moroccan artisans worked for five years to create this beautiful mosque. The minaret is 60 stories high topped by a laser, the light from which is directed towards Mecca.

We’ll drive along the beautiful Corniche seaside and continue to the city center to Mohamed V Square, a beautiful example of Moroccan Art Deco architecture, and Habous Quarter, designed in the 1930s featuring a mix of French and Moroccan architecture.

We’ll visit the Notre Dame de Lourdes Cathedral, completed in 1956. It is known for more than 8,600 square feet of breathtaking stained glass windows that light up the open interiors with colored beams of light. 

Then we'll drive 54 miles to Rabat - Morocco's capital, which rests along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Bouregreg River.  We'll spend the night in the Art Deco jewel, the Hotel Onomo Rabat or similar.

Today we’ll tour Rabat, Morocco's capital, which rests along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Bouregreg River. It has a real European feel, with cafés lining the streets, a selection of fine restaurants, and landmarks that speak to its Islamic and French-colonial heritage. 

We'll explore the Royal Palace, the official residence of the king of Morocco, and the country's most important museum. 

We'll visit Mohammed V Square to admire the historic Art Deco buildings with Islamic influences; and the Hassan II Mosque, whose minaret soars 575 feet above the city. 

We'll explore the ancient Kasbah of the Udayas - a small, fortified city within Rabat which dates to the 1100s. It’s now a charming little neighborhood with colorful streets and bustling cafes. 

After taking in all of Rabat, we'll drive 165 miles to Chefchaouen, known for the striking, blue-washed buildings of its old town. We'll stay in the  Hotel Paraador or similar.

Early this morning, we'll tour the exquisite city of Chefchaouen, known as "Morocco's Blue Pearl." The city is painted in various shades of blue, a custom that dates back to the 15th century, when an influx of Jews escaping the Spanish Inquisition settled there. They brought the tradition of painting buildings blue to mirror the sky and remind them of God. The narrow blue pedestrian streets give ways to wide squares and breathtaking views over the lush valley below. Chefchaouen boasts one of the most hassle-free medinas in all of Morocco, with boutique shops selling beautiful crafts made right in the city.

Then we’ll drive 125 miles to Fez, where we'll have dinner and spend the night at the Barceló Fès Medina Hotel or similar.

Today we'll have a full day tour in the beguiling medieval city of Fez, the country’s cultural capital. Once a world center of influence, Fez is a heritage site, and for centuries life there has largely gone on unchanged. It is primarily known for its Fes El Bali walled Medina, with medieval Marinid architecture, vibrant souks and old-world atmosphere. 

When you stroll beneath the famous blue gate of Bab Boujeloud, you are transported 1,000 years back in time. The bustling cafés and outdoor markets quickly give way to quiet narrow streets. 

The UNESCO World Heritage Medina of Fez is the oldest and largest in North Africa. The Medina is home to religious schools such as the 14th-century Bou Inania and Al Attarine, both decorated with elaborate cedar carvings and ornate tile work.

There are well over 60 public fountains inside the Medina, and one of the finest is the Nejjarine Fountain. Built in the 18th century, it features zellige (colourful geometric mosaic tilework) and stucco that form patterns as delicate as lacework.

The Karaouine Mosque was founded in 859 and has expanded over successive dynasties until it became the largest mosque in North Africa. There are tiles, plasterwork, woodcarvings, paintings and courtyards, which all add to the overall allure of this prestigious building. The building has undergone roughly 1,000 years of development, so you’ll see unusual differences in architectural and decorative style in this now massive building. 

We'll also visit the Mellah, or Jewish Quarter, established in Fez in 1438.  A walk through the Mellah provides a throwback to an earlier epoch. We’ll see the restored 17th century Ibn Danan Synagogue and an arresting Jewish Cemetery with 400 year-old tombstones.

We'll have dinner and spend the night at the Barcelo Fez Medina Hotel.

Early this morning, we depart from Fez and drive 250 miles to Erfoud, an oasis town popularly known as the Gates of Sahara Desert. We'll travel an idyllic route, admiring the parade of mountains, valleys, forests, and desert. 

We stop in the city of Ifrane, which has a Swiss alpine feel that is unique in Morocco. Located at an altitude of 5,460 feet in the Middle Atlas region, this small hill town has red-roofed houses, blooming flower beds, lake-studded parks and snowbound winters. This remarkable European-styled town is often referred to as “Morocco’s Switzerland.” 

Next, we visit Azrou, which translates literally to “rock” in the local language and is named for the large, black volcanic outcrop in the center of town. 

We'll stop for lunch in the town of Medelt in the plains of the Middle Atlas, and continue on to the oasis town of Erfoud.

We'll have dinner and overnight at the Kasbah Hôtel Xaluca Arfoud or similar.

Today we will have a full day city tour of Erfoud. Popularly known as the Gates of Sahara, Erfoud offers the first awe-inspiring views of the largest desert on the planet. The town is dotted with ancient fortified villages called ksars, whose bustling streets and quaint houses are a photographer’s delight. 

Erfoud’s scenic sand dunes have been the setting for many Hollywood adventure movies. Experience the energy of a traditional Moroccan market at Erfoud’s Souq, where you can pick up Berber handicrafts or fresh dates (Morocco is one of the world's largest date producers). The region also boasts striking greenery in nearby oases, and thousands of precious mineral fossils on the road to Merzouga. 

We’ll also visit the nearby Royal Palace, which is famous as the only castle in the Sahara Desert; and the Bur-Est hilltop, which offers picturesque views of the town below.

We'll visit the fossil shops in the area, which geologists and archaeologists call "the largest open air fossil museum in the world.” About 540 million to 250 million years ago, the southeast of Morocco lay under the sea. Among fossils telling of this prehistoric history are petrified skeletons of dinosaurs dating back 65 million years, the solidified remains of turtles and crocodiles, and enough trilobite fossils to make it the trilobite capital of the world.

We'll make a stop at the Kasbah of Rissani, widely known as an ancient caravan center. Still a commercial hub of the region, the colorful Rissani souk is always bustling and crowded. 

We're in for a treat at our lodging tonight - Le Belle Etoile Desert Camp, a superior tented campground in the Erg Chebbi Desert. La Belle Étoile is strategically located in the middle of big orange sand dunes, where we’ll stay in fancy tents made of camel skin. We'll be treated to a Berber campfire dinner set to the sounds of our hosts’ drums, and marvel at the warm colors of the sunset before experiencing a night in the silent desert with its magnificent starry sky.

This morning we'll take an early morning camel excursion to watch the spectacular sunrise over the sand dunes of Merzouga.

Then we'll leave our desert tented camp and continue our 230-mile journey through some spectacular mountain gorges. We’ll drive through the magnificent Todgha and Dades Canyons around the hairpin bends of the “Road of a Thousand Kasbahs.” 

We’ll view breathtaking rock formations in colors from tan and beige to gold, rust, red, and dusky mauve. Overlooking the valley are historic Kasbahs and Ksours - fortified villages of the Berber people. 

We’ll visit the city of Tinghir, at the center of a lush oasis, and continue along the road with sheer and smooth rock walls up to 1,300 feet high. 

We'll have dinner and overnight in Ouarzazate at the 4-star  Oscar Hotel By Atlas Studios,.or similar.

Traveling along a former caravan route, we’ll visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou. A fortified city with its desert-dusted Kasbah and maze-like passages, it is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture. It has served as a spectacular backdrop in movies and TV, from Lawrence of Arabia to Game of Thrones.

We’ll continue north via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, the highest mountain pass in North Africa, , with an elevation of 7,415 feet above the sea level.

We'll soon arrive in the energetic and spellbinding city of Marrakesh, where we’ll have dinner and spend the night at the  Riad Houma or similar..

Today is dedicated to an up-close look at the spellbinding city of Marrakesh. The city has it all: Colorful souks selling handmade crafts and hand-woven Berber rugs, stunning gardens draped in flowers, and restaurants serving up delicious Moroccan cuisine. 

Within the high red walls of the Medina, just soaking up the atmosphere is the main tourist attraction in this colorful hubbub that echoes Morocco's vibrant soul. 

We’ll see the sparkling Menara Gardens, established in the 12th century, which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We’ll admire the painted wood ceilings, stained glass windows and intricately carved doors of the giant Bahia Palace, a 19th-century residence in the old city; and visit the Dar Si Saïd Museum, a 19th-century palace now featuring a display of Moroccan weaving and carpets.

Finally, we’ll tour the iconic souks of Jemaa el-Fna Square (assembly place of the nobodies), a vibrant hub of vendors, musicians, fortune-tellers, and snake charmers that springs to life every afternoon and parties on until midnight.

We'll have a festive farewell dinner and spend our last night in enchanting Morocco.

After breakfast we'll transfer to Marrakech airport, and bid farewell to enchanting, amazing Morocco.