Holiday in Morocco, Imperial cities & deserts
| country: | Morocco |
| location: | Sahara Desert |
| departures: | Weekly departures throughout most of the year, trips leave on Sundays |
| price: | From £669 - £779 (15 days) including flights, from £429 - £499 excluding flights. Local payment MAD1500, single room option £75 |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Enjoy drinking mint tea with the locals, eating cous-cous, socialising and simply soaking up the legendary magic of Morocco.
Rabat/Meknes/Volubilis/Fes
From Casablanca we drive to Rabat, the imperial capital, where we take a stroll around the Kasbah des Oudaias. We spend time in the old Moorish city of Meknes, wandering around the sites and medinas and exploring the impressive remains of Roman Volubilis and the holy city of Moulay Idriss.
Two days are spent in the exotic town of Fes, where we explore the souks and crowded alleyways of the Medina.
Merzouga Sand Sea/Todra Gorge
Heading south across the flanks of the Middle Atlas, we stay in Erfoud on the edge of the Sahara, close to the great shifting Sand Sea of Merzouga. We'll use 4WD vehicles to explore the area and there's the option to camp out in the desert and take a dawn camel ride. Continuing past tiny palmeries and mud-brick villages, we make for the dramatic Todra Gorge - hemmed in on all sides by vertical limestone cliffs which rise up 400m. We'll take time to explore these deep chasms on foot.
The Atlantic Coast & Marrakesh
Crossing the Jebel Sahro Massif, we'll explore the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. We then cross the Tizi n'Tichka Pass through the High Atlas and relax at the Atlantic resort of Essaouira - a delightful blend of Southern European and Arab cultures. Finally we spend two fabulous days in Marrakesh. Its animated Djemma-el-Fna Square is the 'Heart of Morocco', the focal point where Berbers and Arabs come to exchange news, haggle and trade in jelabahs, carpets and spices.
Rabat/Meknes/Volubilis/Fes
From Casablanca we drive to Rabat, the imperial capital, where we take a stroll around the Kasbah des Oudaias. We spend time in the old Moorish city of Meknes, wandering around the sites and medinas and exploring the impressive remains of Roman Volubilis and the holy city of Moulay Idriss.
Two days are spent in the exotic town of Fes, where we explore the souks and crowded alleyways of the Medina.
Merzouga Sand Sea/Todra Gorge
Heading south across the flanks of the Middle Atlas, we stay in Erfoud on the edge of the Sahara, close to the great shifting Sand Sea of Merzouga. We'll use 4WD vehicles to explore the area and there's the option to camp out in the desert and take a dawn camel ride. Continuing past tiny palmeries and mud-brick villages, we make for the dramatic Todra Gorge - hemmed in on all sides by vertical limestone cliffs which rise up 400m. We'll take time to explore these deep chasms on foot.
The Atlantic Coast & Marrakesh
Crossing the Jebel Sahro Massif, we'll explore the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. We then cross the Tizi n'Tichka Pass through the High Atlas and relax at the Atlantic resort of Essaouira - a delightful blend of Southern European and Arab cultures. Finally we spend two fabulous days in Marrakesh. Its animated Djemma-el-Fna Square is the 'Heart of Morocco', the focal point where Berbers and Arabs come to exchange news, haggle and trade in jelabahs, carpets and spices.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Casablanca |
| Day 2: | Visit Hassan II Mosque (optional tour); drive to Rabat; sightseeing |
| Day 3: | Drive to Meknes; walking tour |
| Day 4: | Visit Roman Volubilis and Moulay Idriss; drive to Fes |
| Day 5: | In Fes; sightseeing |
| Day 6: | Drive to Erfoud via Midelt and Gorge du Ziz |
| Day 7: | In Erfoud; visit Rissani Market and sunset at Merzouga (with option to spend night camping at Erg Chebbi dunes) |
| Day 8: | Drive Todra Gorge |
| Day 9: | On foot in Todra Gorge |
| Day 10: | Via the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs to Ait Benhaddou |
| Day 11: | Drive to Essaouira via Tizi n'Tichka pass |
| Day 12: | In Essaouira; free |
| Day 13: | Drive to Marrakesh; optional tour |
| Day 14: | In Marrakesh; free |
| Day 15: | Fly London |
travellers' tales
The whole holiday was very memorable with a great variety of things to do and see. There was never a dull moment as the different aspects of Moroccan life unfolded before our eyes. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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Key to our ethos is to ensure that we are an economic benefit to the communities we visit. By using locally owned hotels and transport, eating in a variety of local restaurants and employing local guides in the Imperial Cities, we spread the economic benefit to as wide a circle as possible and that money stays in country. It is also a great way to get closer to the local culture.
Certain departures (ref DMR) stay in restored and renovated 17th century riads - the traditional merchants houses. These riads are usually found at the heart of the old cities and their popularity means that there is increased interest in preserving the rich architectural heritage of Morocco. On this tour, we visit the Association for the Disabled in Southern Morocco. This association is only one of two in the whole of Morocco. We support this good cause by purchasing goods crafted by those who learn valuable skills by the Association. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |