• Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca: Step inside the third-largest mosque in the world, with a guided tour that makes a perfect introduction to Morocco.

• Chefchaouen, the Blue City: Wander twisting alleyways of blue-washed buildings, browse boutique handicraft shops and sip mint tea in the square, with a full free day to simply get lost.

• Volubilis and Moulay Idriss: Walk among Roman ruins, then explore a picturesque hilltop town on the way to Fès.

• The Fès medina: Explore the carless old city with a local guide, past donkeys hauling loads, working tanneries and skilled artisans.

• Sahara sunsets and starry skies: Stay in a mud-built, kasbah-style hotel at the foot of golden dunes, with a sunset camel ride and an African night sky.

• Gnawa music in the desert: Meet local musicians in their village and hear the traditional Gnawa sound, a living musical heritage with a powerful story.

• Dades Gorge and the Valley of Roses: Drive through dramatic, richly coloured sandstone formations, then sample rose water, rose oil and handcreams made from the Damascus rose.

• Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou: Visit Morocco’s “Hollywood” and stay beside Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed mud-walled kasbah with a view from your hotel.

• A night with a Berber family: Hike into the Atlas Mountains while donkeys carry your bags, then stay in a family home and see age-old mountain life up close. Expect it to be a trip favourite.

• Essaouira: Enjoy the relaxed white-washed coastal town, with its port, souq and seafood lunches, and a free day to unwind.

• Marrakech and Jemaa el-Fna: Dine on the big square, alive each evening with storytellers, musicians, acrobats and dancers.

• A traditional hammam: Finish with a communal bathhouse scrub using natural local products. You’ll leave feeling brand new.

I feel so blessed to have travelled through Morocco with Venus Adventures. While we explored the many souks, Medina’s and wonders on offer, Julie was behind the scenes making sure everything was going to plan and we would be well looked after. The small group size was perfect and I loved getting to know our travelling companions. The whole trip exceeded all expectations

Welcome to Morocco! Your exotic adventure awaits!

This is arrival day - you will be picked up from the airport and taken to the hotel to recover from your flight.  You have a free afternoon to go for a stroll along the Casablanca waterfront, drink coffee on the esplanade or relax by the pool at the hotel. Dinner together and trip briefing. Meals - D
Meals: B, L, D

This morning we visit the Hassan II mosque, the third largest mosque in the world, built to commemorate the former Kings 60th birthday. We take a guided tour to learn more about Islam, which is a good introduction to the start of your trip. Lunch at a lovely local seaside restaurant. In the afternoon we go on a  city tour of Casablanca. Our local guide will give you a fascinating insight into
Moroccan/Muslim life . Dinner tonight in a beautiful Moroccan restaurant.  Meals  B, L, D

Leave 9am as it is a big travel day, stopping in Rabat to look at the "Kasbah des Oudayas",  the mausoleum of Hassan 11 and to have lunch.

After lunch we continue on to the wonderful blue mountain city of Chefchaouen, a four hour drive. After dinner you might like to take astroll through the twisting alleyways and stunning blue buildings.  Meals - B, L, D

Free day! Chefchaouen is all about the ambience – take your time to get lost in the lovely boutique shops brimming with beautiful handicrafts.  Sit in a café in the square and do some people watching while you sip on a mint tea. Or go for a short hike nearby for views over the village. Meals - B

Today we head for the fascinating imperial city of Fès, stopping at the Roman ruins of Volubilis for a brief but interesting visit, before heading to Moulay Idriss for a look around this picturesque town perched on a hill. After lunch we continue on to Fes, in time for the sunset, drinks and dinner at our riad. Meals - B, L, D

Be prepared for a thoroughly insightful cultural tour of the amazing city of Fes with our local guide today! We will be walking through the carless old city, past donkey carrying loads to the shops and houses, visiting the tanneries and various artisans and learning about life in the medina. Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast we set off for the Sahara desert, stopping along the way in Ifrane, a "Swiss-style" town built by the French in the 30s. We pass through the dramatic Ziz Valley, and the landscape changes several times till we finally reach the edge of the Sahara. Here we stay two nights in a beautiful Kasbah-style hotel made of mud, with a backdrop of huge golden dunes.  All around us is desert, and tonight you will experience a Saharan sunset and a starry African sky.
 Meals - B, L, D

This morning we enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the edge of the Sahara desert. The pace of life is slower out here under the hot sun, and somehow the nothingness is mesmerizing. Out in the desert you feel a million miles from anywhere.
 We will visit some local musicians and hear them playing traditional "gnawa" music in  their village - the ancestors of these black musicians were left here after the slave-trade ended and have developed their own style of music and dance. After a special lunch and a bit of shopping for Tuareg and Berber artifacts we head back to our hotel for a swim or laze around the pool, before we take a sunset camel ride and then enjoy another Saharan starry night. Meals - B, L, D

Next stop is Boumalne, around 4 hours drive away and gateway to the Dades Gorge. Unwind by the pool in the late afternoon as you will need energy for
 the excitement of the coming days.  Meals - B, L, D

 We leave our lovely hotel and take a drive through the spectacular Dades gorge, full of incredible rock formations in beautiful coloured sandstone. Our journey then takes us through the Vallee des Roses, where exotic products are made from the Damascus Rose. Maybe you still have some room in your bag for some rose water, rose oil, or some beautiful handcreams etc. We stop at Ouarzazate, (Morocco's answer to Hollywood) , where Gladiator and the Mummy, amongst others, were filmed, for lunch, perhaps in a local friends home if she is
available!
We then drive on to Ait Benhaddou, one of the oldest and best preserved Kasbahs in Morocco. A Kasbah is an old mud-walled castle, with beautifully decorated mud turrets. This particular one is a UNESCO World Heritage site - our hotel tonight has a fine view of the old Kasbah. Meals - B, L, D

 Free morning to  explore the kasbah at leisure and  visit the interesting shops and artists nearby! Lunch at your own cost at a local restaurant, then we head to the Atlas Mountains! Our guides load donkeys with our overnight bags and we head to our Berber guesthouse nearby.  Tonight is a real cultural experience as we stay with a Berber family in their home up in the mountains. This is guaranteed to be one of the many highlights of this trip as you get to see how a Berber family survives up in the mountains using age-old traditions.
 Meals – B, D

Today we will hike for a couple of hours in the surrounding mountainous countryside with our local guide. After lunch we head to the Atlantic coast, to spend some time in the white-washed town of Essaouira. Essaouira has a special, laid-back feeling and you will enjoy some time out here, strolling through the labyrinth of alleyways, discovering interesting little shops, cafes and crafts.
Meals - B, L, D

Today is your free day to do as you please - trawl the souq for exotic goodies, stroll around the port and see the local fishermen selling their wares, have a seafood lunch or find some funky cafes to drink coffee in and watch the world go by.  Meals - B

This morning we head to the exciting pink city of Marrakech! Marrakech is a
 vibrant city where East meets West - from the traditional old souq in the medina (old town) to the modern shops and French patisseries, you will find this place fascinating.
 After lunch you have an orientation walk and then a free afternoon to explore... In the evening we eat together on the Big Square. Jamaa El Fna is a hive of live street entertainment every evening - there are belly dancers, acrobats, storytellers, musicians and much more to keep you amused for hours.

Meals - B, L, D

This morning you are free to do last minute bargaining, explore the Jardin Marjorelle, take a horse and carriage tour, get a henna tattoo….spend a few hours watching the buskers (snake charmers, musicians etc) ... whatever you feel like! After lunch we head out for a "hammam" - this is a traditional communal bath house, where using natural locally made products (olive oil soap etc) we are scrubbed till we are squeaky clean by one of the bathhouse attendants -
 guaranteed to come out feeling like a new born baby! .We will have our
 farewell dinner in a lovely restaurant. Meals - B, D

Check-out and speedboat transfer to Velana International Airport 

Our wonderful Morocco trip finishes after breakfast. Your bags will no doubt be loaded with impressive, handmade gifts and your mind loaded with exotic memories! Meals: B